Torn rotator cuff.

[Bucky]

I’ve had both of mine torn twice, and especially in the case of my right one, I’m really sick of it. First real tear was probably 14 years ago. I’ll go a while with little pain, doing my thing,and then do something to aggravate things. This last week I managed to do a couple things to aggravate it, and now I’m in enough pain to be nauseous. Not the first time, last few times this happened I threw up. Haven’t thrown up this time. I’m tired of going through this, and want to get it fixed.

Anybody here have the surgery done? What was it like? How long was the recovery? How has your shoulder functioned afterwards?

Has anyone gone through the VA for this sorta thing? How do you get surgery through the VA? How long does it take? I’m a little apprehensive about going this route, as it took me 2 years to get a CPAP/sleep study through the VA.

I’ve had both shoulders done. One had a complete tear as well as detached tendons. It wasn’t too bad. I only took one prescription pain pill the whole recovery. I will second the motion to get the ice water pump. Physical therapy is necessary to get your full range of motion back. The shoulder surgeries did not hurt anything like the torn bicep tendon repair on my elbow. The elbow surgery & recovery was some of the most painful procedure I’ve ever endured.
I wish you the best of luck and get well soon!

 

[OK Corgi Rancher]

1 week post-op on the right shoulder/bicep tendon...

 

[THAT Gurl]

1 week post-op on the right shoulder/bicep tendon...


View attachment 425066

Damn dude!! I had 3 little bandaids and no bruising at all. You can't even find my scars now. That bruising is CRAZY ...

 

[John6185]

I’ve had several surgeries, without question the shoulder recovery and rehab as mentioned by @OK Corgi Rancher was the worst, and it ain’t even close.

Shoulder surgery was the worst? Not for me, the knee replacement was and that is probably because it is weight bearing. I'll take a shoulder replacement any day over a knee replacement. But to your credit, the Doc that did my knee said the shoulder surgery is worse.
And as far as the VA is concerned, as someone said it might be month before they call you in for surgery. I'll add this-if you are an interesting case and a resident feels that they want to do your surgery, they'll call you in fairly quickly. And they'll jiggle the schedule to work you in-I've seen this in Opthalmology when I worked there. The socail Worker will offer you a grab rail for the shower, toilet/comode area and send someone out to install them. They will provide various aids such as a walker, cane. crutches or whatever you might need-even a shower wand or hose.

 

[DRC458]

1 week post-op on the right shoulder/bicep tendon...


View attachment 425066

Yep. Looks very familiar. Had my right cuff done in 2007. My left cuff three times ... once in 2021 and twice in 2022 ... three times in seven months. If you're stuck with the VA, I'm sorry. If you can go elsewhere, I have an excellent recommendation for you. I think the surgeon who finally fixed my left shoulder last year is the best there is. PM me if you like. One way or the other, GOOD LUCK! And, yes, the physical therapy is essential!!!

 

[OK Corgi Rancher]

Damn dude!! I had 3 little bandaids and no bruising at all. You can't even find my scars now. That bruising is CRAZY ...

The bruising is from the bicep tendon repair/relocation. He reattached it somewhere on the front of my shoulder under that vertical scar. You can see two of the incisions/stitches for the rotator cuff repair and they weren't even sore.

 

[2busy]

Is this a surgery contest. Both elbows, nerve release 6 weeks apart with carpal tunnel surgery.

 

[jakeman]

1 week post-op on the right shoulder/bicep tendon...


View attachment 425066

My bruising wasn’t near as bad, but my incision was just a wee bit larger.

Broke the actual shoulder socket 60/40. Carried it in a sling for over 30 days while they practiced on a couple of cadaver shoulders and then had some screws made to pull the pieces back together. My labrum was torn from 2 to 10 o’clock. It probably dislocated 3-4 times a day in those 30 some odd days. It was excruciating pain. Brought tears and retching several times, and I’m pretty tough. All the other soft tissue was fine, but they had to take everything loose to fix the socket bone and then reattach. 6 months before he would let me even crawl back on a horse and 8 months before I could compete again.

That rehab was the absolute worst.

All that was 10 years ago this past July/August. It’s time for it to be replaced but because of the rehab of the injury I’ll never have it replaced unless it tries to fall off. Pain alone won’t cause me to replace it. It will have to become non-functioning.

My surgeon told me shoulders were the worst, more than even necks or backs. I’d prefer to never know for sure because of personal experience.

 

[2busy]

Tendon reattached at the elbow was the worst for me. Tennis elbow.

 

[OK Corgi Rancher]

Dang, @jakeman ... That sounds pretty rough.

First time I fell while doing the preflight on my propane tanker. Hit my head, knocked myself out, got a concussion, f'd up my already f'd up back some more and tore my shoulder up on top of everything. The doc in the ER asked what happened and I told him I thought I fell but wasn't sure. I don't remember anything except waking up face down in the snow.

Second time was exactly 6 years later. Delivering propane where someone thought it would be handy to lay some steel roofing panels on the ground in front of their tank. They were covered in snow so I never saw them. I fell and caught my arm up in the hose reel on the truck. It hurt a lot worse than the first time because I was awake for that one.