Sleeping with frozen shoulder. Medication?

My consultant said no pain killers work. All FS r different. Some r worse than others. My pain threshold was very low...after hydro u should be doing exercises and physio. I didn't sleep thru the night until 6 weeks after a MUA. FS varies. U just have to adapt to it....good luck

Hi

its a tough battle. I'm still struggling 10months on in both shoulders. Putting a pillow under affected shoulder is the only thing or sleeping in a recliner chair. I used to get pain constantly but now only at night when I lie down and I take nortriptoline at night sometimes even oramorph to try and numb the pain. I really feel for you as no sleep and trying to work is hard. Hope you get relief soon. I couldn't have physio due to the pain but I've had 5 steroid injections in both shoulders which didn't help. I'm hoping to get into a hydrotherapy pool this month but unfortunately a brain haemorrhage early November put everything on hold. I wish you luck, it's an ongoing struggle 

Poor you! lots of sympathy.  I tried all sorts of pain-killers and absolutely nothing worked.  My shoulder and upper arm hurt consistently 24/7 - I used to walk around holding onto my upper arm trying to squeeze the pain out of it.  I had terrible sleep for 6 months and then suddenly, over a few days, the pain virtually disappeared.  I still have a frozen shoulder 10 months in, but it is slowly getting better.  (The only thing that did knock me out was diazepam, but it's not easy to get hold of - I just used it when I was away on location working, a couple of times).  I'm self-employed so I couldn't have any time off - looking back I don't know how I did that!!

 

Hi Sam,

I recently had surgery on my shoulder, the Acronium bone was shaved down as it was catching on an inflamed tendon. I also had a frozen shoulder, I think it was all caused by stenosis in my cervical spine. I was already taking 30mg of Amitrptyline a night for my neck problem, but it didnt help with the FS so my GP  gave me a short course of diazpam, within an hour of taking 20mg I had quite a bit of relief and was able to sleep, just be aware they dont like giving them to you as they are highly addictive, but they do the trick. i have kept 6 back for any time that I might need them in the future. hope this helps you.

Thank you everyone. Im going to see if I can get an appointment and see if the dr will give me something stronger short term. Im the last person to want to take medicine but need to be able to function. 

I try to sleep with a pillow but I'm literally in agony. It does ache through the day but the tramadol takes the edge off so I'm managing ok. I just need to sleep  

im hoping the distension will at least give me some relief! 

Thank you again for your support and keeping me sane! Xxx

Hi samhgt l was prescribed tramadol l wouldn't reccomend these l only took a few l was told they were for critical pain syndrome they have terrible sir effects l would stop taking them if l were you .try cocodamol the only thing is with these they make you constipated or paracetomal stop taking the amitripyline as well they ave the same effect .Hope all goes ok for you.

Hi Samhgt,

joan is right all these pain meds get you bunged up, i wasnt able to have a nerve block after my shoulder surgery because it might irritate my stenosis, so they gave me morphine and co-codimal to take, plus i could still take my amitrptyline, i ended up taking nothing until i really needed to, didnt like the feeling of being bloated, if you can get diazpam, just for a short while, you will notice the relief right away. Although you will feel off your nut a bit

I am careful about dripugs, too many side affects.  I really think the cause of  my frozen shoulder is related inflammation.   I tend to have more inflammation than most.   My magic cure for reduced pain has been an anti inflammatory diet, turmeric, tart cherry pills. These work better than OTC anti inflammatories.  I know stress has a negative impact as well. Dr axe has some info on his website which I think is good.  Good luck!   This is an awful condition.  I had never heard of it until I got it. 

Have you tried Arnica gel?  That helps me as well.  I use something called Biofreeze.