OT - shoulder surgery

[deerwhacker444]

I've got to go in and have surgery on my shoulder at the end of the month. I'm not scared, but Doc said I have to have my right arm in a sling for a month. That will be a long month..!

I'm wondering if any of you have had shoulder surgery. I've got a bone spur that needs to be removed and some cartilage that needs to be reattached to bone. They're not going to filet me open. I'm pretty sure they're going in thru some small holes with a scope to fix things. Although they reserve the right to filet if they need to.

I've never had any kind of arthroscopic surgery. What can I expect post surgery? Will there be lots of pain? Will I have to miss work other than not using my right arm?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

*Note: Rotator Cuff is supposed to be okay.

[salvo]

Not sure about shoulder surgery. I had my gall bladder removed, they cut three small openings in my belly. It was done outpatient and went home the same day. Gut hurt for a few days. Just a few years ago that would have been major surgery from what I have been told.
It is amazing what they are doing these days, probably the hardest part of your surgery will be not using your shoulder so it will heal properly.
Hope you have a speedy recovery!

[kimwcook]

I've had both shoulders worked on, five surgeries total. If the surgeon's going in arthoscopically then All you'll have is a hole in the front and one in the back. They'll stitch'em up when they're done. Leaves just a small scar. Both of my shoulders have been opened up. I've got screws holding my long head biceps to my humerus bones in both shoulders. The first shoulder surgery in which I was opened up was on my right shoulder after hitting a dog on a motorcycle. Took two pins to put me back together and a bunch of stitches. They didn't have the technology then, arthoscopic surgery. The later surgeries where both shoulders were opened up they took a look first with the scope. That's a hole in the front and one in the back. Nothing to worry about compared to the main surgery. I sure wish they could of performed the surgery arthoscopically. It would of saved me a bunch of heal time. About three months off for the last decompression/impingement surgeries each. The first one with the pins took me about a year before I could really move my dominant right arm.

A spur removal and some reattachment (I don't know if you've got a torn rotator cuff or what, you didn't say) shouldn't be a huge pain. I'm not going to blow smoke up your skirt, it's going to hurt. It just could be worse. My decompression/impingment surgeries required, on each shoulder, removing about a quarter inch of my collar bone, about half of my bursa and then I had the long head bicep cut and screwed to my upper arm bone. You'll find out just how much you move your shoulders when you do anything and I mean anything. Just listen to the doctor and don't push it. Let it heal or you'll be doing it again and it would of all be for naught. Good luck, should be a piece of cake.

[AJMD429]

This comes 10% from my experience as a family physician dealing with patients who've had shoulder surgery, 20% my OWN experience as a patient, and 70% from my wife, who had surgery herself.

1) Physical Therapy is VITAL. Not as important how many times you go, as how much you actually DO at home, but by all means, DO it.

2. The times you actually GO to a physical therapist, beware the ones who spend more time typing into their computer than in the room helping you. THOSE ones have "excellent" quality ratings, because they dot the computer-"I's" and cross the computer "T's" - but they are NOT the ones who actually will help you. If your therapist has his/her back turned towards you and is entering data into the insurance/government database to earn 'quality' points, don't answer his/her questions until he/she turns around to see if you're still breathing, and makes eye contact.

My surgery was on a foot, and I didn't do the physical therapy as advised ("too busy") so I have chronic foot pain.

My wife DID the therapy at home, and even went to an "out of network" physical therapy place and paid $100 an hour (this during a six month period where we had ZERO family income thanks to socialized health care and my stubborn insistance on treating my patients honestly and ethically) that insurance would not reimburse, because the physical therapy our wonderful insurance covered was a joke. She has no chronic pain, and six months after shoulder surgery, can throw a hay bale into the loft (so I have to be nice to her now ). Meanwhile I can throw the hay, but have a foot which hurts most days enough to be distracting. I didn't do the P.T. but she did.

So, 'survive' the surgery - that is important, but make SURE you do the physical therapy and do it well...!

[Modoc ED]

From a guy that's had a broken ankle, Jone's Fracture of the foot, broken elbow, and broken back (in a car accident), do what the doctors tell you to do and do your physical therapy as prescribed and all should go well after the surgery.

If it's only one shoulder you're having worked on, take a magic marker and mark it with something like "This Shoulder". Laugh all you want but I'm going to have knee surgery this spring and my surgeon told me to write "This Knee" on my knee the morning of my surgery.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!

[Nath]

My brother has had this work done to him, he did suffer some pain for a couple of weeks and what I can remember is he had his arm out of the sling more than in it because well err he just could not stop doing stuff.
One shoulder they did open up and he was in a bad way for a month or so, the other was key hole and he say's that was much better.
Hope this helps and best wishes.

Nath.

[kirkwood]

100% agree with therapy. The post op therapy may be more significant to the outcome than the surgery itself. Don't let pain in therapy keep you from doing it. The pain will lessen dramatically and your strength and mobility will increase significantly as you progress over the weeks to come. Finding the best therapist in your area will be important. He/she will tailor the therapy plan to how well your body is responding and keep you at the edge of the envelop for optimum results.

[brucew44guns]

My dad just had an artificial elbow put in place, he isn't bragging about how he handled the pain, but it's better each day now after almost a month passed. Good luck on that shoulder, and sure hope the healing is fast.

[deerwhacker444]

Thanks for the replies. I've had Hemhorroid surgery and kidney stones, so I know what pain is. The pain can be taken care of, I just hope I don't have to miss much work.

The good thing is, it's ain't my shootin shoulder..!

[AJMD429]

If it's only one shoulder you're having worked on, take a magic marker and mark it with something like "This Shoulder". Laugh all you want but I'm going to have knee surgery this spring and my surgeon told me to write "This Knee" on my knee the morning of my surgery.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!

Actually, write "NOT this one" on the other side as well - think about it - if they expose and prep the wrong shoulder, they won't see ANY writing, so they will assume all is ok...

Most hospitals now will do that for you while you're still un-sedated. They don't like mistakes any more than you do.

[kimwcook]

I've had my correct shoulder marked and I've been asked prior to being totally put out. Marking your shoulders is a good thing.

[2ndovc]

I haven't had it done yet but it's coming. It seems like it's getting worse by the day and If I take one of my hard kicking rifles out it hurts for a week. Getting to the point that the pain wakes me up at night more often than not.

I guess that's what I get. Dislocated twice plus back when I was on the Old Man's roofing crew we would try and out do each other on how much we could
carry up a ladder. One summer when I was young and stupid I could carry three bundles of shingles up a ladder at a time.

Paying for it now!

Let us know how it turns out.

jb

[Hillbilly]

ACl in the left knee... swelling and pain pills (like darvocet) for less than a week or so. Had a "congested" feeling in the knee for a long time... but the tools and implements they put into the hole take up some space and dont belong in there anyway.

Do all the PT... pace yourself and dont over do it. Ice will be your freind.

Good luck

Jeff

[Ysabel Kid]

Hope it goes well and that you recover fully and fast. Prayers up for you dw444!

I have had surgery three times in my life (when I was "under"); thyroid issue when I was about 8 years old, removing my spleen after a car accident when I was 18, and nasal/sinus surgery when I was 27 or 28. None were fun, and I bled like a stuck pig for the last one to the point they had to keep me overnight. But I recovered from all, and for the most part I'm 100% - at least the surgery improved everything (my back is toast from the car accident, but that is not the surgery's fault).

[Don McDowell]

My wife and two of my neighbors have had that done. Quite frankly I think after watching them go thru it. I'll put up with the pain.
My wife had it done the friday after election day. She's just now to where she can raise it over her head, and can finally sleep in a bed and not in the recliner.Still doesn't have alot of strength but the range of motion is coming back.
She got lucky, sometimes they need to go in and knock them out, and "break" the muscles loose if they don't respond to therapy.
Get a good comfy recliner, and don't be afraid to admit that oxycontan will be your best friend for a week or two.

[Marc]

Funny this came up. I am having arthroscopic surgery on my right shoulder Monday. They will remove bone spurs and repair a torn tendon. The Doc didn't say anything about pain but when I picked up paperwork the nice lady at the front desk gave me a prescription for Vicodin. I don't think it will hurt any worse than it does now.

[deerwhacker444]

Marc

Be sure to let me know how it goes,..I'd appreciate it.

[Longfin]

I had rotator cuff done several years ago on my left shoulder. They made an incision about 2 1/2 inch long and three of the small holes. It was very painful first week or so and I though every muscle in my body was attached to my shoulder. I typically tolerate a good deal of pain, but this hurt. It was hard to get out of a chair and the tub without the wife's help. The physical therapy was probably very useful to recover as much range of motion as you can get. I figure it took right at a year to really get to the point that I was no longer aware of the surgery. I need to have my right shoulder done, but will put it off as long as I can tolerate it. Whan it get to the point that I can not sleep, then it will be time to get it done. One thing to consider, as this happened to my dad. He needed knee replacement, but kept putting it off. However, he develped kidney failure and no surgeon would then perform the knee replacment because of the likelihood that the incisions would not heal. For the rest of his life, he really regreted that he had not had the knee replacment done when he could have.

[Marc]

deerwhacker444, will do. Mine probably is not as bad as yours. The Doc said to take the sling off when I get home and to start moving it. Things may change when he gets in there since it is worse now than when the MRI was done. Anyway I am eager to get it done and get my arm back!

[Thunder50]

Had my right shoulder done about 7 years ago. Had three holes, one in front, one in back and one one the arm. Sometimes, they still itch.
Surgery wasn't too bad and at home the pain wasn't too bad also. Vicodin/Darvocet and the such don't work on me. Used the old standbye of tylenol/aleve and it worked well. Kept my arm in the sling when out of the house, but rested it on the arm of the couch/recliner when sitting. Had PT also and although it hurt, I gained strength quickly, except for reaching behind me. I think the "scope" might have damaged one of the muscles/nerves a bit. Can reach behind me now, but not as much strength and it aches when I do. Probably got to 90% within 6 months, but the last took about 2 years, getting to maybe 98% of everything, except the reaching behind me. Its stuck at about 85%
Messed up my golf game somewhat, my index went up about six strokes .
Wife also had to help me up out of the recliner and sofa sometimes and I was a passenger for quite awhile (my Jeep had a standard tranny). Took awhile to pick up glass to be able to drink a bee---err-----root beer---yeah thats it!!
When I drive long distances, sometimes I have to put a pillow on the console to rest my arm on, otherwise it will ache. Can still shoot my 50bmg single shot, just not as many rounds as before, till it starts aching.
Oh yeah, one final thought. When you go into the "throne room", well, we will leave it at that. Be sure you are ambidextrous!!

[piller]

I don't know about the surgery, never been cut on myself, but as a Pill Dispenser, I can say that when you need the pain pills that you should take them. Real pain will actually slow the healing down, but a little soreness and hurting that Tylenol of Advil will handle is of little consquence. Don't be afraid to take the narcotics when necessary, but don't take it too long or you might start liking them. Also, watch out for the Soma, also known as Carisoprodol, at the same time as hydrocodone as that combo is called "Catnip" by abusers. That combo is most likely to hook you of anything. Good Luck, and you will be in the prayers.

[Marc]

I had the surgery yesterday morning. Doc said the spurs weren't as bad as he thought but he did something else too. He gave me some pics of the spurs and the grinder they use to grind them off. I won't know exactly what else he did until I see him next week to get the stitches out. The first 8 hours or so after the surgery was quite painful. I took two Vicodin the first couple times. I don't mind a little pain but I am not a masochist! I have had two Vicodin today but it doesn't really seem to make much difference. It doesn't hurt much unless I move it which I am supposed to do. I have physical therapy Thursday morning. I think they are going to hurt me there. The big job now is to keep moving it to regain my range of motion. I am pretty limited right now but it is improving rapidly.

[deerwhacker444]

Thanks for the update, keep them coming if you can. Hope the therapy doesn't hurt too bad.

[Don McDowell]

Marc do those excersizes like they told you. Take one of your pain pills about an hour before your pt. It'll help get you thru it better.
The PT guy down in the valley was a real masocist until he had his rotar cuff. He learned a bit of compassion after that ordeal and is much easier and considerate of the folks the first few visits.

[scr83jp]

I've got to go in and have surgery on my shoulder at the end of the month. I'm not scared, but Doc said I have to have my right arm in a sling for a month. That will be a long month..!

I'm wondering if any of you have had shoulder surgery. I've got a bone spur that needs to be removed and some cartilage that needs to be reattached to bone. They're not going to filet me open. I'm pretty sure they're going in thru some small holes with a scope to fix things. Although they reserve the right to filet if they need to.

I've never had any kind of arthroscopic surgery. What can I expect post surgery? Will there be lots of pain? Will I have to miss work other than not using my right arm?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

*Note: Rotator Cuff is supposed to be okay.

I've had shoulder surgery for rotator cuff repair and a 50% tear in my right bicep.The cuff damage was from a required LE certification self defense class but I didn't report it within a year,thought it was just muscle injury so it wasn't covered by work comp.I went to Kaiser my health care provider for the surgery. I was in a sling for a couple of months and all movement and range of motion was only done gradually by the physical therapists.The orthro surgeon gave an excellent treatment plan for the physical therapist which was followed to the letter.I went to a PT in Redlands,CA where all of the local LE officers,doctors,judges,school personnel ,athletic teams go for help.I started PT in November 1999 I went 3 days a week for almost 5 months and ended the end of March 2000.A former redlands police detective who was in PT convinced me to check with our retirement system & social security, I retired i after completing PT.

[Marc]

The physical therapy is low impact at this point! The goal is to get the swelling down. Moving it helps get the fluid out so the main thing is to move it but not overdo it. I am about off the pain pills. I abused it yesterday and it was very stiff and sore this morning so I took one. I have PT three times a week for the first 4 weeks then more as needed. The thing that bothers me the most right now is I can't move my arm forward very far. Gotta be patient!