Was it worth it?
Posted , 6 users are following.
My rotator cuff surgery scheduled..so scared of pain .was it worth it to those who have done it.? I've learned to move ok not really any pain , just don't lift..
0 likes, 10 replies
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Notes on Was it worth it?
grammie48 peggy59277
Posted
YES it is worth it. The pain will begin to get worse and worse as you continue to damage your shoulder joint. You will develop arthritis and wear the lining of the joint. The rotator tendons keep your joint stable. If one or more are torn, it allows the ball of your upper arm to move around the socket of your joint in a wobbly fashion, causing friction and arthritis. If you wait too long you will end up with a much more serious problem. Yes, there is pain, but it is manageable and there is an end to it. An end where you will be able to use your arm, lift above your head, go about your daily life without any pain or worry. Small tears can be managed with physical therapy and strengthening, but if it is a major tear or torn off the bone, there is no way for it to heal. You will get through the pain. For myself I only took pain pills 2 days, then ice ice ice. Everyone is different. Good luck to you Peggy. It's a process, but follow your doctor's instructions to the T and you will be better before you know it.
mia98887 peggy59277
Posted
Just be ready this surgery cause it is a very painful one. You need to have somebody with you 24/7 for the first week or two. You will not be able to do much of anything not just because of the pain but because you will be in a “immobilizer“ that will keep you from lifting or using your arm at all for about six weeks. It is not an easy surgery I can tell you that. However from what I’ve heard it takes about six or eight months to completely be without pain. Some people it takes a year. But you have to think of it this way are you better now then later?
peggy59277 mia98887
Posted
Yeah my biggest fear is the pain. I'm so worried how bad . Any suggestions.I'm so active so to stop is another concern.
mia98887 peggy59277
Posted
OK so Peggy, like I said above the worst pain is the first two weeks. Everybody’s different and I don’t know how bad yours is torn. But if you wait it’ll only get worse. I say do it & get it over with but prepare ahead of time and you’ll be happy. I’m very active as well and haven’t been able to do much working out except for powerwalking which I’m doing a lot of. Squats stretches as much as I can. Yoga, running, the gym, is completely out right now. But I am going to birthday parties, I’m dancing while holding my arm but then the next day it’ll be a little painful so I’ll ice!!
javierweights peggy59277
Posted
HI Peggy,
There are many factors to consider here, and I can tell you that there is no cookie cut experience after shoulder surgery because recovery is very different for each one. It all depends on the what kind of operation you are going to have, what your age and the type of activity you are doing.
If you are still young (age less than 40 years old), do not have complicated shoulder problems (rotator cuff tear, labrum tear, dislocation, etc., not engaged in active sports, your recovery is looking good. Research has shown that shoulder surgery has a failure rate as high as 25%. Meaning to say, 1 in every four shoulder surgeries will likely fail. After it fails, it will leave you with shoulder pain much worse than before surgery. It is somewhat familiar to see patients who still have remaining pain years after their surgery. Doctors often hide this truth by disclosing, the "shoulder is better but will not be the same nor feel brand new." You see, the shoulder is a complex joint composed of 5 different joints working in unison to provide you with a smooth, painless range of motion. If you can elaborate more on the type of procedures you will have, your age and the type of activities are engaged, I might be able to educate you more.I am a seasoned physical therapist and had right shoulder surgery.
peggy59277 javierweights
Posted
mia98887 javierweights
Posted
I have talked to at least 10 people who have had the surgery. The only ones that had any problems were because they either had a incompetent surgeon, or a physical therapist that did not obey the rules of the surgeon and did too much too soon on the patient. (He re- tore because PT put 20 lb weight instead of 2 lb weight)
Everyone else are athletes and they are backed skiing, they are back to their normal activity and are very happy that they had the surgery. I think people that do not do well either do not have good doctors, physical therapists or do not pay attention to the healing factor. Those are my two cents.
mia98887 peggy59277
Posted
grammie48 mia98887
Posted
I would have to disagree a little with you Mia. According to a study by Johns Hopkins, the re-tear rate of a massive tear is 50% to 90%, through no fault of the surgeon or the therapist. This is why a person should get the repair done sooner rather than later. The re-tear rate of a small tear is about 5%. A massive tear can fail because the tissue is just not viable, there has been too much damage, or there was a wear and tear issue going on, again making the repair unstable. That being said, I absolutely agree with you that anyone undergoing any kind of shoulder surgery should do what they can to check out their surgeon and follow his/her directions to a T. My doctor gave my therapist a protocol to follow and gave me a copy of it also, so that I could follow along. If my therapist tried to give me a 20 lb weight I would know this was not right and question what he/she was doing. If you feel uneasy about your therapy, talk to your surgeon and change therapists if necessary, I'm not trying to make anyone feel guilty for a failed surgery or re-tear. It happens though no ones fault. All we can do is take an active role in our recovery and take the advice of the skilled surgeon. In the end, I would say it is worth it. Tendons, unless it is a very small pinpoint tear, will not heal on their own and will continue to worsen.
henpen1980 peggy59277
Posted