Who's had their FS the longest?
Posted , 8 users are following.
As I mentioned in another post this October will be the 4 year anniversary of my first Dr visit.
It begin with a dull ache that gradually got worse to the excruciating stage a lot of you have spoken about where every movement was painful and sleeping was near impossible.
Eventually it calmed down and I can now reach behind me to fasten a bra or get something from the back of the car. I can raise my hand maybe 30 degrees stretched out forwards, less if stretched out to the side. I can get a coffee cup from the second shelf (yay me!) and I can even sleep on it.
Apart from the loss of range of movement I can still get periods of pain, usually in the morning and very often when I have to drive or sit as a passenger in a car. After one or two hours of having my arm by my side the pain usually dissapates and the rest of the day is OK albeit not raising it up past shoulder height. Pain level can still be 6 or 7 out of 10 at peak.
I have learned to live with this and still hope that I will regain movement at some point.
Things I tried:
Couple of steroid shots, reasonably effective but short lived relief.
Physio until insurance stopped paying for it, helped with range of motion slightly and actually enjoyed going. They always finished my session with a sports massage and were able to move my arm more than I could by myself. Never overdid it, or caused me unbearable pain.
Naproxen for maybe 6 months solid, helped while the pain was still bad and didn't have the heartburn effects of ibuprofen.
Self care - heat pads, every pain relieving cream, spray and patch out there, even got a home TENS machine. All had slight benefits, none were a revelation. Have now settled on Biofreeze spray as most effective and easy to apply by myself.
My doctor said that FS usually resolves itself in 9 months but could take several years so I still live in hope. He was willing to do surgery which I declined out of fear (of the surgery and it not working) but also cost (Im in the US and at the mercy of my Health Insurers.
So anyone out there who has had this longer - anyone who had this awful condition just resolve itself.
I did something the other day to my other arm and felt a muscle twang, I immediately felt intense dread that I may have injured it and could get this in my other shoulder but think it was just a one off.
1 like, 14 replies
beverly52803 Chocolatebabz
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Chocolatebabz beverly52803
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That's good to hear. There is an acupuncturist locally who seems to get really good reviews and I had been considering this as an option. I just started taking the Tri-Flex supplement from GNC as someone else on here mentioned an improvement. I'll give it a month and see if I notice anything then might try and get an appointment to try acupuncture. Anything to avoid going under the knife.
CynCash beverly52803
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Hi beverly, I have been considering acupuncture. I am on my second frozen shoulder, the left is 11 months in and the right about 6 weeks. The pain has resolved a lot on the left but still limited ROM. The right is in the freezing stage and the pain is pretty rough. It's a real bummer to have to FS's at one time.
Did your acupuncturist use electrical stimulation with the acupuncture? How many treatments did you have? Was it a Chinese medicine doctor? Thanks so much!
mari55790 Chocolatebabz
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leya_xlll mari55790
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leya_xlll Chocolatebabz
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I hope they don’t ever get this....
Chocolatebabz leya_xlll
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I had multiple x-rays and an MRI but it's been going on so long I’m at that should I go back and see the Dr or not stage. Do let us know how the MUA goes, my Dr wanted to do actual surgery and go in and cut the adhesions. I was hoping and praying this would just resolve itself if I waited it out. Best wishes for a positive outcome and a quick recovery.
CynCash Chocolatebabz
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FSconversations Chocolatebabz
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My first 'zingers' were in spring/summer of 2015, with a diagnosis & obvious "frozen stage" that fall. After reading TONS here, mostly during sleepless nights & in pain, I opted for the natural route of treatment without manipulation or surgery. I did have some guided cortisone & gentle physio (only to the point of pain for the purpose of retraining the muscles as the shoulder thawed.) My family doctor was super understanding & prescribed long-acting codeine for night and breakthrough codeine for day. I also used diclofenac gel (the prescription strength of voltaren), lots of heat, and tender loving care.
When the second shoulder stared to get zingers about a year ago, I knew enough to get guided cortisone right away! I've had several shots in it now too, as soon as I notice the zingers, and I still have full range.
My decision for choosing the "let-it-run-its-course" route was that it seemed that it was eventually just as effective over the same time frame as those who were healing from the more invasive treatments/surgeries. Another factor was that mine froze on its own, and not from some sort of major injury that needed repair.
Kaptain FSconversations
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How long did it take for you to recover, and what muscles spasmed?
I have had chronic spasms on my upper back for 6 months now and thus am trying to determine if I have FS too.
Thanks.
FSconversations Kaptain
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Hi Kaptain - I didn't have spasms; my arm just lost its range, no matter what I did.
If you google frozen shoulder information, you'll see a 'parabola' shape of the process. This exactly describes my experience: the three phases - freezing, frozen & thawing. Freezing is the worst pain, frozen is the worst range, and thawing is the great hope as millimeters are gained. Keep in mind that I chose to let it run its course, which seemed to me from researching took the same time as with aggressive intervention...always months.
CynCash FSconversations
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What is guided cortisone? Is it a regular cortisone shot? I have two frozen shoulders, one 11 months in and one 6 weeks in. The 11 months one has little pain but still limited ROM, the 6 weeks one is in the painful freezing stage. I have read many people had cortisone shots that either didn't work or didn't last. Thanks!
FSconversations CynCash
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Hi CynCash -
The first time I had cortisone, it didn't work either. It was in the doctor's office & he did his best to inject it just by feeling around my shoulder joint. After reading on here, I then only had guided shots, meaning, they were injected much more accurately, under ultrasound or fluroscopy. Guided, the doctor can see exactly where the cortisone is headed.
The other problem with my first shot was that the FS process was already quite far along, so it may not have worked anyway, even guided, considering all the adhesions. Cortisone seems optimal if given at the first signs of FS starting (aches & zingers) or during thawing (ROM returning). At least that's how it's benefited me!
sarah72785 Chocolatebabz
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