I have what I hope to be my last doctor appointment for a long time on Monday for my shoulder. I finished 19 months of therapy (yes, 19 MONTHS) in January. I had 2 surgeries. I have back about 3/4 of my range of motion and maybe 1/4 my strength. I am in constant pain of various degrees. I think I've got something going on with a nerve. Weather changes are killer but that's a different type of pain. I welcomed the snow last week just for a change in pain. I can't put any pressure on that joint. No sleeping on that side or even leaning against a wall. I can't push up off an armrest of a chair to get up with that arm. I sleep in 2-3 hour blocks before it hurts so bad I have to get up. I sleep more in a recliner than in bed. I couldn't do a push up to save my life (missionary position is out). I'll never ride a motorcycle again. I can't start my chainsaw because I can't hold it steady with my bad arm to pull with my good arm. It will be interesting to see if I can hook up my trailer to my truck. I'm 15 months post-op of the second surgery and this is as good as it's going to get. And I'm light years ahead of where I was pre-op. It will at least stay in socket now.
I waited as well, my advice is get it done. You won't get better on your own.
In my case the pain during the first week of recovery was like a candle to the prior blowtorch of pain certain movements used to cause me.
The relief was like throwing a switch, and my doctor told me there was tremendous inflammation in my shoulder.
Mine was caused by years of hard work and continuous use, he polished the spots on the bones where spurs had occurred and if I had not had the surgery I would have
just been slowly grinding my shoulder apart.
Kind of like operating a firearm with metal shavings in it, nothing good was ever going to happen without cleaning the mess up.
This is correct^^^^^^. Had roto cuff surgery and PT was the worst part. Before surgery I had frozen shoulder and that was bad.
I won't lie, it hurt like a mo-fo when I came out of the anesthesia. Next day, same deal. After that I got progressively better. PT? GAH!!!! That's a whole different level of "ouch"!But ... do you exercises religiously, just like they tell you too. I only had to do 30 days of PT. When I went back to the doctor for my 30 check he said I had better ROM than kids half my age and asked me what I did. I told him I did the exercises every day, just like my therapist told me to!
Seriously though, aside from some residual weakness on that side, I'm right as rain ... You'll be glad to have it done and behind you. I hurt for an entire year before I broke down and had it done. Shouldn't have waited so long.
When I came out of surgery, the pain was so intense that I was gritting my teeth and tears were rolling down my cheek. The nurse gave me morphine shots, but I kept waking up every five minutes and it felt like someone was stabbing me in the shoulder with a red hot ice pick. At some point, the nurse said that she could give me only one more shot. Fortunately, that one put me out until morning. The morphine made it impossible for me to pee and I had to have a catheter. And they wouldn't let me leave until I could pee without it. Other than that, piece of cake.
I did the pain meds after the first surgery, but they made me so constipated I didn't go for a week and a half. I opted not to take them for more than day or two after the 2nd. I don't know how those opiate addicts do it.
Fall 2013 will see you happy that you had it done.
Between now and then, ehh....
Between now and then, ehh....
I'm not a doctor ... I didn't even stay at a Holiday Inn last night, but I do know one thing. Not all rotator cuff surgeries are created equal. I had mine done in June of '06. The surgeon said he would look at it first through the scope, and clean up the bone spurs through the scope but, he would probably have to open it up to fix the tear. He did. So, I had two vey small incisions ... probably a half- to three-quarters-of-an-inch each, and one about three or four inches long. The PT is tough, but it makes all the difference in the world. My surgery was out-patient and I started PT the very next day. Go to PT religiously. Do what they tell you. It pays off in the long run.
Mine will be done arthoscopically. How long were you guys off work before they started PT and how long do you think PT will last before I can go back to work?
Also thanks for all the feedback.
I was off work for 8 weeks. It all depends on your job and weight restrictions. Do your exercises!!!
I started PT that same week -- like a couple of days after. Was back at work the day after that -- I had an office job back then ... Finished PT in 30 days and off restrictions in 60, but I was back to shooting and lifting things I probably shouldn't have in 2 weeks ...
