Reverse Shoulder Replacement My Shoulders?!!?

[craftdee]

Just got time to pop on and check out some of my fave BoneSmarties .... and see that you've had your shoulder surgery; gotta say THAT month went fast.... well it did for ME

So glad you got your sedation-free surgery, and that it worked out for you as you hoped I know the real work begins now, recovery... with all it's "joys" but you know you can do it.... hell, you're the recovery expert by now Hopefully you'll be well on your way to recovered with this shoulder when you have the "worst" one done, keep us posted.... I just wanted you to know I was thinking about you hugs from a very warm Western Ausrtralia

Donna

 

[Jaycey]

@Me2 been thinking about you and wondering how you are getting on. It occurs to me that you might not be able to type with the sore arm. Hope all is well! We are pulling for you!

 

[Me2]

Yes, Jaycey, and all typing one handed on the end of a bad shoulder does challenge one even at desk top; utterly impossible on iPhone. I can't even hold phone up to read for long. Anybody find solutions? I guess I should get to know Siri better.

Almost 48 hours out of surgery . . . I have to say its been tough. The 23 hour block only lasted 12. I decided about 10 a.m. Saturday to fall back on pain meds by the clock. I called the on-call since its over the weekend who seemed kind of po'd that my newest surgeon to practice left me come home without script. I assured him that I had preferred it that way and that I had Oxycodon from April 2014 surgery and just wanted ok to take. So, for this fourth surgery in two years, Sheryl is needing pain meds by clock: alternating every two hours Tylenol 650 then Oxy. Tried to wait three hours this afternoon and didn't work. Woke up from afternoon snooze and feeling quite well. Shower this morning absolutely worth it too!

So far so good. Going to enjoy the Steeler vs Denver game with family.

 

[Jaycey]

Well at least you sound upbeat! Does icing help your shoulder at all? Early days - hang in there!

 

[beachgal]

Just checking in to see how well you're doing! We're getting into the throws of tax season but I'll still be watching you at odd hours. Behave!


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[Dmcfad2]

Oh, my goodness!! Aren't you done with these surgeries yet? I am so sorry you are still dealing with pain. It sucks. I haven't been here in ages and decided to check in today. I will be rooting for you after this most recent surgery.

I am doing well. In March, it will be two years since my hip surgery and I feel pretty good most of the time. I still deal with intermittent thigh pain when I do too much. I guess that will never go away. My other hip is doing pretty good. I have some pain there on occasion, but I can handle it.

Hang in there, Sheryl.

 

[Me2]

I have been terrible at updating here. Oooch not since surgery. This recovery is slooooooow and so is typing one handed. I've been around the forum and do so appreciate the words of encouragement here and there. Trying to be encouraged myself by helping others rather then whining here. With this shoulder thing there are just not yet those little wow I can do this now! Not even much ah I'm a little more pain free than yesterday!

So where am I at 26 days post op? Going back to see surgeon tomorrow to do routine follow-up and hoping I find out. I've not a clue

When I think of my worrying about doing the restrictions of hip surgery? Ha, a piece of cake! Damn sling 24/7 for 4 weeks! Tho so glad I mentioned how uncomfortable first sling was and that the surgeon replaced with the right size and soft pillow to hold arm in place against my body rather than hard 4x12 inch band of metal. So restrictions, tho no one said so, is just don't move arm: no 90 degrees--0 degrees, nada, nothing. I was thrilled at the two week visit when surgeon said I could let it hang down for few minutes each evening--no weight bearing as in no lifting it on its own power, just straighten it and let it be down! Oh, yeah, and I can open and close my fingers while arm in sling too! Really tho as simple as hip recovery now seems, I had in hospital therapy telling me how to get thru badics of day followed by two weeks of at home therapy! Shoulder surgery? I walked out of hospital an hour out of three plus hour surgery without any clues on how to do anything!!!! Thank heavens for you tube and internet.

Hips were two weeks no driving for left and three-four for right hip? I don't think I'm ever going to get to drive again! I still have Chrstmas returns! And I'm hoping they'll schedule the other shoulder quickly.

All of us with needing bilateral surgeries . . . . it is really difficult knowing that I have to do this twice . . . and that next time may be more difficult. I'm still at the point where I don't know that the first repair was successful. I'm reading only 75% repairs are successful????? Geez, How does one know if pain is from recovery or from unsuccessful repair?? Top of shoulder still painful slightly to touch -- don't notice as no real reason to touch. Buts it's not really any more painful than to touch on neck where they did the nerve block. In front of arm where I envision the bicep muscle burns quite a bit now and again and, of course, I envision the bicep muscle is tearing away again because I'm somehow screwing up even though I'm doing my best to follow restrictions.

I promise I'll hunt and peck my way one handed to update more tomorrow. I may really need some rah rah encouragement. No may, I need. . . best to all

 

[Kssii]

I am following your "trip" with interest. My doctor wanted to do a replacement, but I had a clean out done year ago last November. (Bone spur, loose body--look like a baby tooth, lots of arthritis, and a tendon out of its groove.) Sailed through it, was off pain meds four days after surgery and was using my arm for all kinds of things by the end of the first week. And then five weeks out--it all changed. More pain than pre-op--they "thought" bursitis. Had two cortisone shots that didn't help. Finally year ago in February, my doctor sent me to a PT that does extensive manual therapy on the shoulder. With this PT's help, I have limped along for over a year (took time out to have a knee replacement!) and am hoping to put off replacement until next November. Of course I am slowly losing use of the arm--can't put a full stack of dishes on the shelf anymore, but I can still get my bra fastened in back, can raise my arm "almost" straight up, am still having more pain free hours each day than ones with pain (but oh wow what pain!) and can still get a decent night's sleep with 1/2 a tylenol 3 and 6 gr of melatonin. Of course, after seeing my MRI last week, doctor and PT can't believe I am not in severe pain all the time--extensive arthritic remodeling on both the glenoid and on ball, two partial tears and thinning of some tendons. Oh well! As my doctor says, "We don't treat x-rays or MRI's we treat people."

 

[Jamie]

@Me2 ...Wow.....so sorry to hear that you're still uncomfortable. The restrictions do sound difficult with absolutely no movement. Ugh! I did a little reading on shoulder replacements (in case I have to get one at some point) and the sites I found really don't go into much detail about the ins and outs of recovery. So, anything you can share here about yours will be so helpful for others. I know things will get better for you, so try and hang in there. I'm looking forward to hearing more details about your recovery.

 

[Jaycey]

I'm still at the point where I don't know that the first repair was successful. I'm reading only 75% repairs are successful????? Geez, How does one know if pain is from recovery or from unsuccessful repair??

Good question @Me2 ! Let's tag @Josephine and see if she has any input. So sorry you are having a frustrating recovery.

Please do update when you can. Having to type one-handed must not be fun either!

 

[djklaugh]

@Me2 I hope your surgeon will have some good answers for you today! And I sincerely pray that your ultimate outcome from this surgery will be at least as good as mine has been. Don't know for sure but it might be that repair is actually more difficult than replacement to recuperate from. Before surgery my OS also told me that "success" of such surgery might be limited to reduction of pain and some improvement in range of motion. I guess the definition of "success" in this case has a very broad interpretation. I've been very fortunate to have come through this with (now) no shoulder pain and almost complete range of motion - still can't hook a bra behind my back - and that I think might be because surgery made the right arm a bit shorter than it use to be - in the grand scheme of things not a very big problem As I remember though it did take quite a long time to get to where I am now! And yes it did seem to be painful longer than the hip replacements. And PT was very helpful but also there were days of wanting to consign that activity to coldest H**L!

Weather is warming up here and soon it will be time for even more outside activities - Wishing you a pain-free return to all the things you love to do

 

[Josephine]

How does one know if pain is from recovery or from unsuccessful repair??

Good grief! You're only 4 weeks out and already you're straining at the leash! Have patience, my dear. If it's not better sometime in June, you might have something to worry about!

 

[PolarBear60]

Talking to shoulder people at PT after my knee and seeing their therapy routines (nothing awful, but it seemed tougher than what I was doing), shoulder is a tougher recovery than knees or hips. Maybe made tougher because people don't think about the implications? Or, maybe it isn't tougher physically but more mentally? Despite their discomfort, they sang praises to my surgeon's capability and care, which I could echo.


Jean

LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005

 

[Me2]

So, update not as promised, but one handed typing, ugh! But, I finally found my password so just can use my iPhone with Swype!

I think I'll update first and then go back and try to write for history.

I saw my surgeon mid last week for four week follow up. He said all is well but when questioned how do we know for sure he indicated that we won't until we see what I can do with arm. That I am fairly pain free already is good indication. He did feel that success rate is closer to 85% which gives me a little more than the 75% I read in a colleague's article in hospital magazine. So, he said after the next visit, at six weeks, we should be able to schedule the other shoulder! Yippee!!! Also, cleared to begin passive movement physical therapy immediately!!! Yippee again!!

Rushed right to my very favorite physical therapy who made room for me that evening. Pretty take stuff... Mostly moving rest of body to make arm move back and forth and in circles. Then, she massaged and moved arm in ways that it hasn't moved in four weeks or more. I closed my eyes to try to relax and not protect against the movement and when I peeked to see if she was actually twisting my shoulder of my body I was a bit disappointed that it was hardly moving at all!! She seemed very encouraged since I didn't really feel pain but merely streeeeaaaachchching! Most of it really did feel quite good! And the massage that goes along with the therapy does make it well worth the effort! AND I'm not sure why but though a bit of pain in the evening after therapy, I got best night sleep since surgery.

My second therapy session on Friday went even better with therapist reporting much improved range of motion just since Wednesday.

So, last night, after a full day of doing recommended exercises, for the first time since just after surgery, the left surgery side did keep me awake at least as much as right soon-to-be-repaired side. Oh, I cannot wait to crawl into bed any which way, sleep with had just on pillow and not wake every hour or two. I understand night pain is quite normal and expected. Gruesome reason why? I read somewhere that because of lack of rotator cuff fully holding shoulder into place the head of the humerus actually slips out of place as your body relaxes into place. Yeah, that's what it feels like.

So, I still need to wear the sling 24/7, no keep 8 inches from body pillow, full restrictions (as in no use that arm). Occasionally I'm allowed to take out of sling to let arm hang down and, new, now allowed to passively let arm dangle swinging by moving body. Believe it or not, I'm feeling a it more "good with that." Maybejustmaybe I'm learning patience ........not that I can possibly wait til June to feel "better." Can I have an April feel better? Not asking for 100% just able to use my arms and maybe sleep thru the night?


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[Me2]

Now, some history.....

Tho' I lost my pictures from the day after surgery when my phone died before I could back up, this is what shoulder looked like one week after surgery
View attachment 49134 View attachment 49135 View attachment 49136

And I have some in surgery pictures to share
View attachment 49138 View attachment 49139 View attachment 49140




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[Me2]

Oh, almost forgot, I had requested and received my office visit notes as I usually do, and received them when I went back..... I am little, maybe more than a little aghast that in his notes for plans for other shoulder is the distinct plausibility that we will"fix" Sheryl with a reverse shoulder replacement. Remembering him mentioning that but didn't hear as real possibility. Yikes, haven't even begun to research that!


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[Pumpkin]

l"fix" Sheryl with a reverse shoulder replacement.

Fix sounds like you are going to the Vet???????

 

[Jamie]

Don't get too frightened by the idea of a reverse shoulder replacement. It's the option that must be used if your rotator cuff is in bad shape. My surgeon discussed it with me too and indicated it works very, very well. I'm thrilled to hear how well your first shoulder is doing! Hooray for you!!!

 

[Hoppy Nanny]

I can't believe you are still going through all this Sheryl. Glad to see your shoulder is getting better & pain much reduced.... Hope that you are through with replacements once you get your other shoulder done....thinking of you xxx


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[Me2]

How quickly time drags when we're hurting.... And then suddenly I'm sitting in waiting area to start Sheryl's Shoulders part 2. Of course, no pain, even pretty good range of motion...... This morning. Even slept well last night...... Grrr after hurting since late October early November..... But I guess the MRI doesn't lie.... Massive tears, top of shoulder bone starting to misshapen.......I guess I'm here...... Today's the day, first day of my recovery. See you all on the other side.

I can't believe me.... Fifth surgery in under two years. Just two years ago I found Bonesmart and realized that just like all of you I could do this and would HAVEto do it to have a chance at living again. I think I can I think I can


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