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My Frozen shoulder nightmare

Posted , 11 users are following.

sara17045
sara17045

I've never posted anything before on a forum I'm completely new at this.

I have a small dog Norfolk terrier/jack Russell, he's lovely, but last October time after coming to the end of the walk I put him on an lead extension but hadn't locked it.i was talking at the time and did nt see him bolt which consequently jarred my arm/ shoulder.

something so small has completely changed my life seven months on.

saw the dr in January was diagnosed with tendonitis I did mention the dog incident too.

By the time we entered march and I had a cortisone injection my shoulder had started to freeze. 

I've seen a consultant and my gp neither has physically examined me and presumed it was tendonitis.

ive been signed off work as I have a physical job and my range of movement is down to 20% I'm in acute pain majority of the time.

this has taken over my life! my mum sadly passed away suddenly too ,adding to my now miserable life.

Anyway, I've given up with nhs, the waiting lists, the lack of care I've received and misdiagnosis. I've eaten into all my savings, had an mri done it's shown small tendon tear, bruising to the bone and soft tissue trauma.

ive seen a private consultant who's finally given me this diagnosis and I'm having on Monday next week this hydraulition injection.

I'm proud we have an nhs service in this country but after working all my working life and paying taxes I'm very disheartened that they've let me down.it really does seem to be postcode thing.my uncle is going through the same thing right now and couldn't wish for better treatment.

in total I've spent 800 quid on this shoulder, my savings have gone fingers crossed this injection works and life can resume some normality, although it will never be the same without my lovely mum by my side.

1 like, 27 replies

27 Replies

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  • Louise1923
    Louise1923 sara17045

    Posted

    Hi Sara, welcome & sorry to hear your sad loss (that was me 2 years ago) if you read through a lot of posts they relate this condition to stress, hormones, trauma ( lots of of other medical connections diabetes etc) 

    im in the same boat this is my 2nd horrendous FS, the first seemed to be resolved quicker, different GP (scarey how they differ in opinions so much with the same condition ...it's like ..umm let's try this today ?! Never mind we can try something else tomorrow attitude!) anyway after physio no I had hydro dilation, & it worked a dream...I had to excercise etc but it worked.

    However & it was triggered after Mum passed away (& with the shock went into early menapause) it came back with a vengeance...so I'm now battling with my new GP & had a physio 'who doesn't agree with injections' ( meaning no hydro dilation for me with him ;() so after giving in I went back for round 2 and insisted my GP re refer me to a specialist physio, one who deals with shoulders,(have to wait another 2 months for this) as I've had no examination no X-ray no scan nothing, on my shoulder..in 9 months ...just Naproxen dished out by the bag full...as a 'cure'. Which btw gives me chronic constipation, another delight to add to the bag of pain and torture!

    Last week I rang my GP & said I'm going to go to a&E as the pain and sleeplessness was intolerable, she basically said take another painkiller, ! charming! Next time I will book in with another GP...& I mentioned on a mother thread I'm speaking privately to a sports physio next week, after reading another lady Penny recommend ed this approach...as another DIY treatment we are all used to!...I've done the medication the acupuncture menapause supplements, vitamins and the red wine therapy! All at a cost! I do find a heat pad helpful and v v gentle Aqua exercise, & when it's really bad I support my arm with a sling...it's all in the moment ad hoc self therapy that is aimed at getting through this horrendous FS journey!

    Throughout it this forum helps share the pain & help, and laughs sometimes...Got to keep my sense of my self & humour...this is not the normal me at all! Usually never have to reach out like this, but with FS it's a whole different life change (thank G it's only temporarywink

    keep your chin up! & sending my best wishes for a speedy recovery! 

    Louise confused

    • sara17045
      sara17045 Louise1923

      Posted

      Hi Louise, thank you for taking the time to send such a lengthy reply. I too am sorry for your loss. Two years is nothing,still very early days. I'm just six months in and interestingly this is when my trouble with shoulder really took off. I do think hormone changes and stress do somehow play a part in this, also compounded with the dog incident.

      i was reassured that this hydro dilation injection was successful for you, I'm having it tomorrow lunchtime.

      im having to do this all privately though as the waiting list for everything is so long, and like you I've been pulling my hair out with the pain.

      I take codeine at night occasionally in the day when it's really bad. Hot water bottle helps too. Off work and generally feel pretty low the timing couldn't be any worse for me on a personal level.

      like you with nhs, no scan no hands on examination followed by a misdiagnosis, I did wonder about aqua excersise as it does feel comfortable when in the shower.

      do you find the weather plays a big part? I do it's cold today and I'm feeling it. Also round the back shoulder blade, neck and across both shoulders, aaaargh sometimes I could scream.!!!!!

      imnormally pretty active always got projects on the go my job is physical too! Have never been this immobilised in my life. It's unbelievable.

      the nights are long aren't they? When you just can't get into a comfortable position. I didn't ever give this condition a thought before, but it's opened a doorway to a very different life,  one that I'm not too keen on.

      i know I keep telling myself it will get better, do you know of anything you can do to prevent it from happening again? I've had a big life change loosing my mum I didn't need this as well 😥

      i wish you well Louise and also a quick recovery I'll let you know about injection tomorrow.xx

    • Louise1923
      Louise1923 sara17045

      Posted

      Hi Sara Thanks for your prompt reply, this is a short & sweet message...good luck tomorrow!

      One other supplement someone suggested is hyaluronic acid with Vit. c Sold by a well known health shop today, so I'll try for a month...

      hope it all goes well, I may need to go private sooner than later !

      Louise confused

  • andrew13421
    andrew13421 sara17045

    Posted

    Hi Sara< i hope this reply finds you coping with the shoulder just about!! believe me i really know how it feels. i'm still suffering from my frozen shoulder with muscular problems, the muscles keep tensing up a start getting to lock up point. i dont want to scare you but i'm 5 years down the line and still have problems.

    i think my case was quite severe though, i damaged my shoulder during my sleep on a bed that was to soft for me and while sleeping in the rut in the matress i did my usual kick around routine. that my professor tells me jammed my shoulder up into the rut wrenching it back and forward, and this was the start of my locked down shoulder.

    i went through the usual physio stuff plus the cortisone injections for about 3.5-4 months then i got to see what for me was a break through i got to see my specialist prof. angus wallace, look him up please!!!! and try to get referred to him you can ask at your gp to be referred else where if your not happy. he's the no1 guy in the country for shoulder stuff, the rnli send their seamen to him privately,prince charles was operated on by him back in the 80's but i've seen him on the nhs!!! my advice here would be to fight your corner and push to get seen by the best,the team he has working with him are great too!

    he put me on the op table and whilst i was asleep picked up my body off the table with my frozen shoulder/arm, what he discovered inside was that muscle fibres had grown side ways across the normal muscles and locked all of it down solid.he tells me that he had to literally rip the fibres away and that then released the muscles to do there normal movements. the problem i now know is that other damage was caused overall muscularly thats why i think i still have the problems now.

    i  had to have a second operation a year later to free up the ball joint shoulder socket and then a third operation the year after to shorten the collar bone that was too long and an adjustment to the ball joint and i was moving reasonably normally again.

    it took time for everything to move right but i've got there for the most part. it's just the muscle seizure stuff that i have to deal with now, and that is interacting with an old pushbike injury and giving me neck problems too!

    like you this is the first time that i've been on a forum. if i've scared you at all i apologise, but fore wared is fore armed. i haven't got all my details on the system yet, but i will have after this, i'll leave my mobile number htere and you have my permisson to get it to talk to me if you wish.

    i will echo hte other people of the forum and send comiserations on the death of yoour mum, i lost my dad 15 years ago and i lost my last two grandparents this year and a friend all in a month.

     my last piece of advice would be to find yourself a good chiropractor and a good osteopath, we take for granted walking around on htis planet of ours. but we completely forget the efects it has on us i.e.gravity and the fact htat it is pushing down on us every day and that every now and again we need to have our bodies relieved of that pressure and our bones gently seperated apart, and hips put back in alignment.

    try to find a mactimony chiroprator there the better sort, if found that out from a friend who's boyfriend was one!

    aaplogises for spelling mistakes i'm dislexic. stay safe and watch your self with the shoulder.

    all the best andrew

      i="" hope="" this="" reply="" finds="" you="" coping="" with="" the="" shoulder="" just="" about!!="" believe="" me="" i="" really="" know="" how="" it="" feels.="" i'm="" still="" suffering="" from="" my="" frozen="" shoulder="" with="" muscular="" problems,="" the="" muscles="" keep="" tensing="" up="" a="" start="" getting="" to="" lock="" up="" point.="" i="" dont="" want="" to="" scare="" you="" but="" i'm="" 5="" years="" down="" the="" line="" and="" still="" have="" problems.="" i="" think="" my="" case="" was="" quite="" severe="" though,="" i="" damaged="" my="" shoulder="" during="" my="" sleep="" on="" a="" bed="" that="" was="" to="" soft="" for="" me="" and="" while="" sleeping="" in="" the="" rut="" in="" the="" matress="" i="" did="" my="" usual="" kick="" around="" routine.="" that="" my="" professor="" tells="" me="" jammed="" my="" shoulder="" up="" into="" the="" rut="" wrenching="" it="" back="" and="" forward,="" and="" this="" was="" the="" start="" of="" my="" locked="" down="" shoulder.="" i="" went="" through="" the="" usual="" physio="" stuff="" plus="" the="" cortisone="" injections="" for="" about="" 3.5-4="" months="" then="" i="" got="" to="" see="" what="" for="" me="" was="" a="" break="" through="" i="" got="" to="" see="" my="" specialist="" prof.="" angus="" wallace,="" look="" him="" up="" please!!!!="" and="" try="" to="" get="" referred="" to="" him="" you="" can="" ask="" at="" your="" gp="" to="" be="" referred="" else="" where="" if="" your="" not="" happy.="" he's="" the="" no1="" guy="" in="" the="" country="" for="" shoulder="" stuff,="" the="" rnli="" send="" their="" seamen="" to="" him="" privately,prince="" charles="" was="" operated="" on="" by="" him="" back="" in="" the="" 80's="" but="" i've="" seen="" him="" on="" the="" nhs!!!="" my="" advice="" here="" would="" be="" to="" fight="" your="" corner="" and="" push="" to="" get="" seen="" by="" the="" best,the="" team="" he="" has="" working="" with="" him="" are="" great="" too!="" he="" put="" me="" on="" the="" op="" table="" and="" whilst="" i="" was="" asleep="" picked="" up="" my="" body="" off="" the="" table="" with="" my="" frozen="" shoulder/arm,="" what="" he="" discovered="" inside="" was="" that="" muscle="" fibres="" had="" grown="" side="" ways="" across="" the="" normal="" muscles="" and="" locked="" all="" of="" it="" down="" solid.he="" tells="" me="" that="" he="" had="" to="" literally="" rip="" the="" fibres="" away="" and="" that="" then="" released="" the="" muscles="" to="" do="" there="" normal="" movements.="" the="" problem="" i="" now="" know="" is="" that="" other="" damage="" was="" caused="" overall="" muscularly="" thats="" why="" i="" think="" i="" still="" have="" the="" problems="" now.="" i ="" had="" to="" have="" a="" second="" operation="" a="" year="" later="" to="" free="" up="" the="" ball="" joint="" shoulder="" socket="" and="" then="" a="" third="" operation="" the="" year="" after="" to="" shorten="" the="" collar="" bone="" that="" was="" too="" long="" and="" an="" adjustment="" to="" the="" ball="" joint="" and="" i="" was="" moving="" reasonably="" normally="" again.="" it="" took="" time="" for="" everything="" to="" move="" right="" but="" i've="" got="" there="" for="" the="" most="" part.="" it's="" just="" the="" muscle="" seizure="" stuff="" that="" i="" have="" to="" deal="" with="" now,="" and="" that="" is="" interacting="" with="" an="" old="" pushbike="" injury="" and="" giving="" me="" neck="" problems="" too!="" like="" you="" this="" is="" the="" first="" time="" that="" i've="" been="" on="" a="" forum.="" if="" i've="" scared="" you="" at="" all="" i="" apologise,="" but="" fore="" wared="" is="" fore="" armed.="" i="" haven't="" got="" all="" my="" details="" on="" the="" system="" yet,="" but="" i="" will="" have="" after="" this,="" i'll="" leave="" my="" mobile="" number="" htere="" and="" you="" have="" my="" permisson="" to="" get="" it="" to="" talk="" to="" me="" if="" you="" wish.="" i="" will="" echo="" hte="" other="" people="" of="" the="" forum="" and="" send="" comiserations="" on="" the="" death="" of="" yoour="" mum,="" i="" lost="" my="" dad="" 15="" years="" ago="" and="" i="" lost="" my="" last="" two="" grandparents="" this="" year="" and="" a="" friend="" all="" in="" a="" month.=""  my="" last="" piece="" of="" advice="" would="" be="" to="" find="" yourself="" a="" good="" chiropractor="" and="" a="" good="" osteopath,="" we="" take="" for="" granted="" walking="" around="" on="" htis="" planet="" of="" ours.="" but="" we="" completely="" forget="" the="" efects="" it="" has="" on="" us="" i.e.gravity="" and="" the="" fact="" htat="" it="" is="" pushing="" down="" on="" us="" every="" day="" and="" that="" every="" now="" and="" again="" we="" need="" to="" have="" our="" bodies="" relieved="" of="" that="" pressure="" and="" our="" bones="" gently="" seperated="" apart,="" and="" hips="" put="" back="" in="" alignment.="" try="" to="" find="" a="" mactimony="" chiroprator="" there="" the="" better="" sort,="" if="" found="" that="" out="" from="" a="" friend="" who's="" boyfriend="" was="" one!="" aaplogises="" for="" spelling="" mistakes="" i'm="" dislexic.="" stay="" safe="" and="" watch="" your="" self="" with="" the="" shoulder.="" all="" the="" best="" andrew="">

    i think my case was quite severe though, i damaged my shoulder during my sleep on a bed that was to soft for me and while sleeping in the rut in the matress i did my usual kick around routine. that my professor tells me jammed my shoulder up into the rut wrenching it back and forward, and this was the start of my locked down shoulder.

    i went through the usual physio stuff plus the cortisone injections for about 3.5-4 months then i got to see what for me was a break through i got to see my specialist prof. angus wallace, look him up please!!!! and try to get referred to him you can ask at your gp to be referred else where if your not happy. he's the no1 guy in the country for shoulder stuff, the rnli send their seamen to him privately,prince charles was operated on by him back in the 80's but i've seen him on the nhs!!! my advice here would be to fight your corner and push to get seen by the best,the team he has working with him are great too!

    he put me on the op table and whilst i was asleep picked up my body off the table with my frozen shoulder/arm, what he discovered inside was that muscle fibres had grown side ways across the normal muscles and locked all of it down solid.he tells me that he had to literally rip the fibres away and that then released the muscles to do there normal movements. the problem i now know is that other damage was caused overall muscularly thats why i think i still have the problems now.

    i  had to have a second operation a year later to free up the ball joint shoulder socket and then a third operation the year after to shorten the collar bone that was too long and an adjustment to the ball joint and i was moving reasonably normally again.

    it took time for everything to move right but i've got there for the most part. it's just the muscle seizure stuff that i have to deal with now, and that is interacting with an old pushbike injury and giving me neck problems too!

    like you this is the first time that i've been on a forum. if i've scared you at all i apologise, but fore wared is fore armed. i haven't got all my details on the system yet, but i will have after this, i'll leave my mobile number htere and you have my permisson to get it to talk to me if you wish.

    i will echo hte other people of the forum and send comiserations on the death of yoour mum, i lost my dad 15 years ago and i lost my last two grandparents this year and a friend all in a month.

     my last piece of advice would be to find yourself a good chiropractor and a good osteopath, we take for granted walking around on htis planet of ours. but we completely forget the efects it has on us i.e.gravity and the fact htat it is pushing down on us every day and that every now and again we need to have our bodies relieved of that pressure and our bones gently seperated apart, and hips put back in alignment.

    try to find a mactimony chiroprator there the better sort, if found that out from a friend who's boyfriend was one!

    aaplogises for spelling mistakes i'm dislexic. stay safe and watch your self with the shoulder.

    all the best andrew

     >

    • sara17045
      sara17045 andrew13421

      Posted

      Hi Andrew, I did reply but it's vanished! I don't get on with technology.

      it sounds like you've been through the mill but on the road to recovery now and you have top people behind you.

      Coping with bereVement is hard too on top of being in acute pain. I'm sorry for your losses too.

      I had this hydraulition injection so far so good. I've written about it below. 

      Good luck I hope you get shoulder sorted out Andrew, keep me posted 

      sara

  • sara17045
    sara17045

    Posted

    UPDATE

    Well!! Monday afternoon I had an hydraulitition injection, the journey home was excruciating in the car and I screamed as we were going round a roundabout. My heart sank and I thought "what have I done" it was only a 40 minute drive home by the time we got back and I was in through the front door the pain had subsided a bit. I had a cuppa then fell asleep a deep deep sleep.

    That night was my first good nights sleep in months !!

    So now it's Friday, the pain has reduced dramatically and I have a little more movement.Im feeling optimistic and feel like I've turned a corner.This is just 4 days in so I'm very hopeful.

    Starting physio on Tuesday onwards and upwards. I just hope and pray it  keeps getting better each day.

    To be in hardly any pain is unbelievable I'm feeling positive.I m recommending this to all you frozen shoulders out there 😅😀😀😀😀😀

    • Oliveria
      Oliveria sara17045

      Posted

      Hi Sara, sorry to bother you. Wondering how are you doing with your hidrodilation injection? Did it work??
    • sara17045
      sara17045 Oliveria

      Posted

      Hi Oliveria,there is definitely an improvement with movement and pain.when the weather is warm I'm almost pain free but as soon as it drops its agony.

      the shoulder is still pretty frozen but I can move the arm more. 

      I paid privately for this injection I'm hoping he will give me another on the NHS I'm seeing him on Tuesday.

      i would recommend it Oliveria it's definitely been worth it. Good luck 😊

    • Oliveria
      Oliveria sara17045

      Posted

      Thanks a lot for the info. All the best for you. Please keep us posted.

      Hope this works for you.

      Many blessings!!!

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