Plot twist! I'm getting operated on Tuesday. Scared

Posted , 6 users are following.

Hi everyone,

It's been awhile since I've been on here, so let me refresh you with my story.  I do have some positive news on the Frozen Shoulder, but unfortunately my shoulder and arm still aren't right.  This is my story:

i was in a horrific car accident in August of 2014.  I took the impact of another car, on the interstate going at least 70 mph all on my left shoulder and arm.  My collarbone was broken.  In October of 2014, thought I was getting better.  The X-rays showed the collarbone had healed, but then I started having the HORRIBLE pain that unfortunately all of you know so well.  My shoulder froze my arm down to my side.  I will never forget the sleepless nights.  Anyhow, I was in Physical Therapy, and Therapist #1 gave up on me and dumped me right before the Christmas Holidays (Merry Christmas ha?) Looking back on it, I would say the Holidays were my lowest point.  I became very down, started getting depressed, and frankly felt hopeless.  I stayed this way all through January, and then decided to go get a second opinion from another Orthopedic Doctor.  This was a definite turning point for me, because he referred me to a new Physical Therapist known in my area as the "Shoulder Guru". Next came the hard part.  My therapist had me come to therapy after being medicated for pain.  I'm not going to sugar coat what she had to do to me in therapy.  It was extremely painful, but it had to be done to get better.  I guess you could describe it as a slow manipulation that took place 3 times a week for eight weeks.  After eight weeks of this, the shoulder unfroze!  I also had to do exercises at home, and I also iced my shoulder constantly (went to bed with a ice pack nightly, switching it out for a fresh one throughout the night). Bottom line....you have to go through some bad pain through therapy and home exercises to "reach the other side". You also have to combat the inflammation through inflammatory meds, cortisone shots, etc at the same time.  I can now reach above my head and behind my back.  The bad news (for me anyhow) is that even though my range of motion is back I still continue to have pain in the shoulder.  It's not horrible pain (like frozen shoulder), but more of a aggravating "this shoulder isn't right/uncomfortable type pain". From looking at the MRI, they know I have a small rotator cuff tear and bone spurs.  They're doing the Keyhole surgery/sticking the cameras in on Thursday to take a look and fix what they can. Has anyone on here had this surgery?  I'm scared to death, because I'm afraid to be in horrible pain again. 

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  • Posted

    Hi Joan,

    Don't be scared, you will be fine.  I had arthroscopic release mid feb after usual months of hell.  Operation was fine, never had that hideous pain again, there is pain but nothing like FS pain, more like healing pain.  Physio painful of course, but am now on strength training at home only and have been signed off from surgeon.  He said I just need to keep up the exercises and hopefully in 2/3 months will be totally pain free.  Only pain I have is morning stretch pain and pain at the outer edges of movement on external/internal rotation, so work still to be done, but life back to normal, gym 3 times a week, holidays and fun!  You will get there Joan and all this will be a distant memory.

    Wishing you a speedy recovery xx

    • Posted

      Oh how I pray you are right, I can't wait till the pain is gone and I can sleep more than an he at a time
    • Posted

      Cheryl I sure hope so. I've been at this "Pain thing" a long time.  The pain from the car accident was pretty much my pain threshold limit.  The pain from Frozen shoulder was a different type of pain, if wore me down lower than I've ever been before.  I'm at a place right now where I'm uncomfortable, and not right (shoulder and arm hurt with every movement), but not at the level of pain those other two conditions gave me.  I'm terrified to go back to either one of those "pain places". I can't wait until this nightmare is the distant memory that your referring to.  I'm so glad you're doing well.  Keep working at it, hard but not too hard.  Thanks for writing to me.. Xoxo

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