Sudden Bicep pain after rotator cuff and bicep repair
Posted , 62 users are following.
I am 6 weeks post rotator cuff/SAD/bicep tenodesis. Everything was going normal until today at 6 weeks when I was allowed to remove my sling. I slept fine and woke up with no pain. I got up, happily removed sling, went to bathroom, pulled up my pants and went to adjust pants by slightly reaching behind and got a stabbing, knifelike, cramping in my biceps. I went to lie in bed, struggled to put the sling back on...started walking to kitchen and the bicep started stabbing and cramping again. I almost passed out from the pain. I have called my Ortho (he was in surgery today) and sent e mail to my PT for advice and have not heard from either of them. I can do pendulums without pain and the shoulder flexion exercise carefully, but any bicep movement and it starts to cramp and stab at me. I am now scared that my arm will never get better and don't know how this good go from good to bad so quickly. Has this ever happened to anyone? I hope I hear back from my Dr tomorrow. I am really worried.
8 likes, 151 replies
hrkda916 ricochetred
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I am 3 weeks out of my second surgery. I have still had a lot of pain with movement in the shoulder & bicep. The prior repair had come unsewed & had a torn bicep tendon. I am hvg pain radiate down my arm into forearm and hand but not into my fingers. Sounds like you may have a nerve issue. I wish I could offer more encouraging info but I’m at a loss. I’m beginning to wonder if I will ever get healed and functional again. I’ve started therapy 3 times a week. It’s like starting all over again. Good luck
hrkda916 ricochetred
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Yes I had the same pain. The tendon in the bicep tore & I had to have a second surgery. I am now 3 months out from second surgery and am now facing a 3rd surgery. Doing mri this week to confirm but dr feels like all had torn again. Not only had bicep tendon tore, the repair to the rotator cuff had all come undone. Don’t wait. Have them do mri!!
Dave902 ricochetred
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I had my Bicep tenodesis done July 2017 (this was done after a bone debridement 6 months prior). Lots of getting used to after pain settled down ( 2-3 months) ...by 5-6 months I was playing sports and working out (not at the same level mind you) and felt pain in my shoulder and bicep again. An MRI revealed a new PASTA tear and I'm now 5 weeks post op from the pasta repair having 3 new anchors added in the shoulder. These shoulder surgery's are very painful compared to others I've had as the shoulders many uses are underestimated. All I can say is stay-the-course, after 5 weeks I'm still having trouble sleeping and am not able to even do ROM exercises yet. I know there's challenges, the pain is real and hard to push away, but each week is better than the one before. I plan on making a full return to hockey, weightlifting and softball (all recreational).
lashanda35558 Dave902
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Shoulder surgery is one of the most frustrating surgies I had, I'm 7 months pot op and still can't sleep on my shoulder, the pain has subsided tremendously! I start to feel the pain easing about 3 weeks ago. It gets better over time, but this has been a long journey. I'm praying that you will be back to playing sports in no time with no issues, God Bless You.
Rechy ricochetred
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Rotator17 Rechy
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7 kids? I'm pretty sure you're doing too much! I'm not sure about debridement but I had extensive RCR with bicep tendonesis in November 2017 My shoulder was stiff after the 6 week sling removal up to 3 months post op.
The doctor called it capsulitis and the PT said I was the only patient he had to chase across the table when
stretching...it was agonizing. I'm 7 months post op now and I have full range of motion and no pain. I'm still exercising regularly so sometimes my shoulder gets uncomfortable and I might use some ice. Recovery from shoulder surgery is a painful, confusing, bizarre and for me terrifying adventure and I looked forward to the day when my freezer wasn't going to be full of ice bags!
Do what the PT says. Hopefully you have gotten the pulleys for home use, they will become your friend after you loosen up, and so will that ladder exercise. I did lots of the table slide exercise which was less painful than the pulleys in the early stages where you are now. DON'T PICK UP ANY OF THOSE KIDS!!
Rechy Rotator17
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Rotator17 Rechy
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in the middle of the night to use the ladder and the pulley. I hated that pulley but pushed through the pain; you can do it!
lashanda35558 Rechy
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I agree with ricochetted, you have to take it very easy 7 weeks is not that long. I was still in so much pain at 7 weeks, my doctor wouldn't let me start any strengthening until almost 4 months. The bicep takes the longest to heal ugh I know very frustrating. When your doctor not acting like he cares that's even more frustrating. Definitely get you a set of pulleys, they really do help, seriously though no heavy lift for quite a while, you could be putting a lot of stressing on your shoulder and in a riskier situation by retearing. Please be very careful and you will definitely be in my prayers; don't worry about how long your message this is what we're here for 😉 to vent to one another who's going through the same issues, God Bless You.
Dave902 Rechy
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Sounds like we travelled the same path, Debridement, Tenodesis with anchor ...and then 3 more anchors.
The arthroscopic method leaves small scare but there's still quite a bit of healing that needs to be done under there. I've just past 7 Weeks and my shoulder hurts a lot,...I really miss sleeping...no pain meds anymore. It will get better. wait until you get the all clear to begin physio ..... and then no short cuts. I also lifted weights before the surgeries and will again afterward ... i find that strengthening the whole shoulder, back, arms helps ... everything around the operated area is better supported. Best of Luck.... I can feel your pain.
Rechy Dave902
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Catmamma66 ricochetred
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Dave902 Catmamma66
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I'm 7 weeks post op on my latest surgery PASTA Repair w/ 3 anchors ...but I did have the same surgery you did and the road back is slow. Even 4-5 months out, there was still pain ...feels like the bicep is being squeezed out like toothpaste .... and that someone punched me right on the shoulder. I kept working at it and it does get better, I even returned to baseball and hockey. Sometime we see the small scars from the scope and think its minor, but we use the shoulder a lot more than other joints ... and that repair was quite involved. I would still talk to the doctor but wouldn't worry if he/she seemed dismissive of you complaints... they hear that a lot .... it will be slow, but hopefully there's progress.
hrkda916 ricochetred
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I pray you have not reinjured your arm. I am 3 months out from 2nd surgery. Had mri on Monday. Dr said there is a “small” tear again but I should go do what I can to make it bigger so he could see it !! Then he said I just needed to find another dr. He has done all he’s going to. I have an appt tmrw with another dr. I’m taking all my mris & notes & such to the new dr. I am in so much pain I can hardly stand it. I take pain meds as directed but doesn’t ever really take care of it. It takes the edge off only. It’s been awful. I wish I would of never had it done !!
ricochetred hrkda916
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Wow, I hope the new Dr can help you out. I am much better. I think I just had some scar tissue tugging on the nerve. It settled down after a few days. There have been good and bad days over the past year but more good than bad thankfully. My strength is not as it was before but range is good and pain is tolerable. I am very functional with the arm. I often wonder how it would be if I had not done the surgery but then I tell myself if I had not, I would wonder how it would be if I had done the surgery. You just do what you think is best at the time and trust in the knowledge and opinion of the medical professionals. Often when a body part is injured it may never be like new. So even after surgery, we are often just hoping for better...relative to what it was. I'm sorry you have to deal with such pain. Wish you the best outcome!