Nerve damage from reverse shoulder replacement surgery

Hello, I would like to ask how your shoulder and arm are now. I had the reversed shoulder replacement surgery 6 months ago. ..please respond.

I had a total reverse shoulder replacement 2 years ago and still have problems with raising my arm above my head I have a doctor appointment at the end of the month to see what he says about it! My hands are numb and arms are swollen and fingers hard to work. So I'm glad I'm not the only one.

I am shocked at how many people have experienced so many problems after surgery. I truly had no choice but to have the surgery. My bone was dead and no matter how much pain medication I had taken helped. It was strange, because I had developed pancreaitis and gall stones, I had to spend 5 days in the hospital so I could get strong enough pain medication until my pancreas settled down and then they could remove my gallbladder. I received dilahda interveinously every 3 hours but it didn't phase my shoulder pain. It's almost been a year since my replacement and I am thrilled. In my research into joint replacement, I believe I read that most of them have a life span of around 10 - 15 years. I contribute my successfulness to a great surgeon. When I was close to being released I was having an issue with the incscion site. MY surgeon explained to me that it was all the tiny little nerve ends at the skin. He said it was common and I wasn't going to like it, but I needed to use some kind of lotion and massage the area. He was right. I didn't like it, but it only took a few times and all was good. I really did my homework prior to seeing the surgeon that was going to be the actual one doing the procedure. I asked him a lot of questions, like which device was he going to be using. I mentioned the one I was aware of, but he used ine by a different manufacturer. He even wrote down the name so I could check it out and he explained why he chose the one that he uses. I

even watched the simaliar operation on UTube. I don't advise that. Put it this way, after watching it, I was glade I was the patient and not the doctor. I truly hate to hear of so many people suffering.

Hi, This is a late reply but I just stumbled across this site and thought I would add my experience. I had my reverse shoulder replacement 2 years and 8 months ago on my right shoulder. I'm right-handed. I woke up the following day with terrible pain in my hand. At the 2-week point I still had pain even though my surgeon gave me a pain killer. When they told me to just "double up" on the pain killers I asked to see someone. To make a long story short I'll compact what followed. Occupational therapy, passive range of motion machine didn't do much. Nerve studies and MRIs confirmed a brachial plexus injury. I was referred to an outside facility (UC Health), which held great possibility but because I didn't have much movement in my fingers they didn't want to attempt repair surgery. Slowly I've gained some use of my upper arm - 90 degrees. I can type, hold a pen and silverware with that hand. It all looks weird because some fingers don't work right, but I manage. I can lift with that arm and pick up things like buckets that have handles. But, I have constant pain in my hand, forearm and upper arm. I hate it when they say pins and needles. Obviously they've never had nerve pain. I live on Gabapentin. My hobby of jewelry making is no more. Can't hold little things. Can't put my necklaces on. I have very limited use of my thumb and index finger (no opposable thumb). However I've learned to make do with what I have. I have new hobbies which are fulfilling, but I still miss creating jewelry for friends and family and the occasional craft fair. I understand 6 months after injury is the optimal time for nerve surgery to fix brachial plexus injuries. Guess I missed that window. I'm just glad that this didn't happen when I was much younger. Oh, and I have a left-handed friend who had a reverse shoulder on her left shoulder about a year after I had my surgery. She's having the same problems as I did and still do. At least I can offer workarounds for her. There are aids for doing housework, but sheets are still a problem for me. I also would have lived with the pain if I had known. 20/20 hindsight. I hope you're doing better.