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Work injury leads to 3 years of shoulder pain and a broken drill bit inside shoulder as of now. 😢

Posted , 3 users are following.

kelly2u2
kelly2u2

I started with shoulder pain after repetitive heavy lifting at work in 2012, turned into frozen shoulder. This is my non dominant arm. After physical therapy didn't work first Doctor did capsular release and shaved acromiam still had pain a year later so he gave up on me and sent me to a pain clinic. I didn't just want to take pain meds the rest of my life I am a young 43 year old women. The pain clinic sent me running for second opinion. Second Doctor said I still had impingement and released bicep tendon which helped severe pain. Just gets achey with repetitive use. After returning to work on restrictions after second surgery I got stuck doing heavy lifting and hard labor which in turn destroyed my other shoulder ( dominant arm) torn rotator cuff, bone spurs, slap tear and tendinitis. Just had surgery three months ago to repair all that and release bicep tendon. Drill bit broke off inside shoulder bone during surgery I found out next day when I got called in for very painful x-rays. Doctor said it would cause more damage to go back in and remove it. He said it was no big deal it would heal inside the bone and to think of it as a very expensive screw!!! It is 2015 three months after surgery and I have so much pain that I'm on pain meds every six hours. I feel like Doctor is dismissing how much pain I'm in and weening me off pain meds when I still have severe pain. I'm now showing symptoms of frozen shoulder! I'm about to give up its so painful and nobody thinks this is s normal, just say I'm taking longer to heal. I'm about to turn it over to an attorney. Anyone with similar story or any advice I would really appreciate it. Sorry for the length, hard to sum up three years of pain and surgeries.

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • rottiemom65
    rottiemom65 kelly2u2

    Posted

    Hello Kelly: I have been dealing with the same injury becaus eof my job. I am curious to weather you reported it as a work related injury or not? If you had, then your employer would be obligated to offer you light duty jobs. Mine was work related, I injured it 10 years ago doing heavy repetative work. I have had 2 debridements and a slap tear repaired, without success. becaus eof the injury I have developed advanced arthritis in both shoulder and just had my right shoulder replaced on August 8th 2015. The left one also has to be replaced in the New Year. WSIB( I am in Canada) gave me a permanant disability 7 years ago, but refuse to admit that the arthritis has been caused because of my injury, even though my left shoulder is just as bad now due to over compensating with it for 10 years. Have you been checked for arthritis in your shoulder yet?
    • kelly2u2
      kelly2u2 rottiemom65

      Posted

      Hello! Yes I did report it, so I am still off work waiting to get an extension on my leave because of the pain and debilitating stiffness I still have. Even though it is work Comp I will lose my regular health plan and have to pay Cobra rates (I pay $400 a month for my current plan) which are high, if I don't return in a certain amount of time per our FMLA. Doesn't seem fair. After destroying both shoulders on the job I'm afraid of going back. Anything repetitive bothers me as of now. I feel like such a baby. I never thought of getting arthritis in left one that is probably what's going on. I believe my right is turning into frozen shoulder now. Will find out November 12th. Isn't it stressful? How have you maintained a quality of life with the pain? I always thought I was stronger than this. Are you still on pain medication? Here in the US addiction to pain meds is rampant so they get you off them fast here. It's not fair to someone who is suffering, just my opinion. Thank you for your response, sometimes I feel like nobody understands.
    • rottiemom65
      rottiemom65 kelly2u2

      Posted

      It has been an uphill battle over the past 10 years, and it nearly destroyed my marriage. I have a very high pain tolerance and I think that did more damage in the long run. I am now taking diludid 4mg every 4 hrs when needed. I can manage without the meds during the day, most days now, but at night it is terrible. I am 2months post op and the pain from my bicep repair is still terrible. For years they kept telling me it was just frozen shoulder, then I finally got a new specialist who agreed to go in and take a look and sure enough it was severe arhtritis, there was no bursa fluid left in there at all.
    • kelly2u2
      kelly2u2 rottiemom65

      Posted

      Oh my gosh I am so sorry. Are you still in physical therapy? Do you have a tens unit to use at home? If the Doctors would believe us we wouldn't have to jump through hoops to get it fixed! Mine kept telling me my tendons were fine and intact that I just needed the release, I guess he didn't think I was in enough pain! When he got in there one was completely torn another frayed among other damage. I'm also good at putting on a good face when I'm in pain. An acupuncturist told me once how tough I must be for not even wincing when he stuck needles in both palms. My Doctor sent me there to relieve pain and Accupunture does not work on torn tendons let me tell you!!! I hear you on the marriage strain. Pain is a terrible thing to suffer through.
    • rottiemom65
      rottiemom65 kelly2u2

      Posted

      I just started physio this week( 2 months after surgery), my Specialist wanted me to wait, in fear they may damage the repairs done to my bicep. I also hat how when you go to the Dr for a refill for pain meds, they treat you like you are an addict looking to get your fix. I am so tired of answering the "On a scale from 1-10 (childbirth being 10) how bad is your pain"?. After the replacement surgery the pain was 1 flippin 15. Its depressing being limited in what I can do, the weight gain since being off work( I have gained 20 pounds) and the constant pain. Now I know exactly how much I use to do around the house, because now its not getting done lol. I use to have beautiful gardens, not this year, the leaves were already raked off the lawn this time last year, not this year. I don't get to bed until 3am most nights because its pointless since I can't sleep from pain, no point in keeping my husband awake when he has to work in the morning, and If i nap during the day i feel like I am wasting my day. I hate being unpreductive. Ok, rant over now lol
    • kelly2u2
      kelly2u2 rottiemom65

      Posted

      Oh my gosh, you took the words right out of my Mouth! I need to hire a helper or something and soon!!My husband is like having a houseful of children! Ugh! I call it a good day if I can get up shower and get dressed!! Just started driving myself so slowly getting back I guess. In all three shoulder surgeries I had they started Physical therapy within 3-4 days. Said they didn't want it to freeze up, although I'm pretty sure mine has! Hang in there! Just know there IS someone out there going through the same thing!
  • MrsHouston
    MrsHouston kelly2u2

    Posted

    My shoulder problems started with an injury that happened in February 2007. I reported it but nobody lis tuned to me when I said my shoulder was having issues until 2013 when the L&I claim was closed. We know for a fact the injury was from that L&I claim but the diagnosis and all treatment has been paid for by my insurance/myself. And because of how much collarbone was shaved I'm now in pain all of the time and waiting until I can't lift my elbow to my shoulder so I can get steroid injections to see if that helps. That single injury will be following me around for the rest of my life.
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