Reverse Shoulder Replacement dressing dilemas with 2 bad shoulders

[Joy0987]

awesome complex shoulder surgeon
good progress, minimal pain, 3-4 norco per day
constipation resolving,
trouble using computer with left hand-wish i could access site on phone-need to get hub to help
why am I so exhaustrd? achy all over
i went to womens club at neighbor on day 9
went to market w hub. very taxing today on day 13.

will add more about early post op as left arm permits of if i can figure out voice activation.

 

[Joy0987]

help- how to remove lower body clothes.
left non dominant arm worse mobility than dominan right replacement. cannot reach behind my back .
hard to pull underwear down.
evenharder if also wearing elastic waist skirt or a gown.

i have tried larger sizes underwear. it helps
wearing only undies and a waist length top is easier, i like to be more appropriate. finding it nearly impossible to manage using restroom when wearing a dress oreven elastic waist skirt.

tired of wet clothes because of difficulty removing them.willing to buy what i need since I habe another month in sling with unuse o f right arm and then another replacement in my future. i have found tricks for my tophalf- but having me;ldown about wet clothes and wet floors and not ready to join a nudist colony. i want to give up on day 13 post op.

i need your suggestions and tricks. thanks a bunch.

 

[sistersinhim]

help- how to remove lower body clothes.

I bought a reacher tool. It can be used to reach upper things but also to remove lower clothes.

tired of wet clothes because of difficulty removing them

I used Depends until I got better at lowering my clothes. You can also wear dresses or skirts without underwear. I did that for the first week.

I was in a sling for 8 weeks on my primary arm when I had my shoulder repaired. and it was a royal pain! I couldn't even use my cane in that hand anymore. Quite an adjustment!

As time goes on you will learn little tricks to compensate for the lack of that arm. Are you allowed to move your wrist? I wasn't.

 

[Jamie]

Contact your surgeon's office and tell them you need an order for Home Health services to help you cope with recovery. Tell them you are not able to do your activities of daily living and need an occupational therapist to come teach you how to dress and perform other personal tasks while in the sling. You should have received this help while in the hospital (assuming you didn't go home the same day as surgery), but if your didn't, that's even more reason to justify your need for home health. If your surgeon won't write the order, contact your GP with the same request. This service is covered under Medicare.

 

[Joy0987]

I am back. Using the computer was so difficult because neither arm worked well that I have not checked in. I am sorry to have missed reading other comments which would have been beneficial. I survived my 6 weeks in the sling. I love being independent, but I needed my husband's help with dressing, fastening seat belt, adjusting ice and covers. For most of you that have favorable use of the unoperatd arm, this will probably not be an issue. Of course I am right handed and that arm was in the sling and the left arm is also bone on bone and looked worse on the xray that my right one. Every time I saw my surgeon, he said he didn't know how I was able to use my left arm.

I got out of the sling at six weeks and the last two days have been a blessing, as I can function much better. I am still taking 1-2 Norco a day plus Tylenol. For the last few days, I have stopped using the ice machine and use an ice pack in the day or night when I have pain--very minimal, but still enough discomfort to interfere with sleep at times, but the ice solves that issue. I started doing harder exercises a couple days ago. I have you tube videos done by my surgeon and was given a PT pack with bar and pulleys that I need to do the exercises at home.

I will provide more info about my early recovery later. This recovery is definitely easier than that from knee or hip replacements. I have had 7 joint replacements so far, so ask if you have questions and I will do my best to answer.

 

[CricketHip]

So nice to hear from you and to read your update. I know several people who have said the same thing, that the TSR was easier than other joints. Glad it was the same for you!

 

[Joy0987]

7 weeks post op RRSR. I am having a bit more pain since I have been out of the sling Pain occurs if I bend and turn my arm, ie, eating or picking up a light weight object. Last night whe I picked up a gown from the bed I had sharp a pain that shot down my arm. For about a day prior my arm had felt tight and I wasn't able to raise it as far as I had been doing previously. Then a couple hours later my shoulder popped when I moved my arm, and it felt better after that.

How often did you do your PT exercises at 7 weeks? I am doing mine at home following a you-tube video that my surgeon recorded. I have been doing them once a day and I suppose I should be doing them more often. I may need to call the office and ask. I can do the pulley facing the wall, but I cannot do it with my back to the wall without a good bit of pain if I move my arm more than about 12 inches. I know it takes time.

Also, how much pain did you have at 7 weeks. I am doing well. with Tylenol or nothing in the day time and one Norco and ice at night. I realize that when I heard this was a four month recovery, I did not "comprehend" what that meant. I keep expecting to feel no pain and when I do, I wonder what I am doing wrong.

Thanks a bunch for you input.

 

[Jaycey]

I keep expecting to feel no pain and when I do, I wonder what I am doing wrong.

You will get there! You just need to apply a bit more patience to this process. You had major surgery. It takes time for soft tissue, tendons and muscles around the joint to settle.

Also, how much pain did you have at 7 weeks.

There is no one answer to this question. Everyone heals differently and everyone has a different tolerance for pain.

 

[djklaugh]

@Joy0987 With both of my shoulder replacements I did the exercises 2 times each day, Those pulley devises do take some getting use to! The key is to not cause your self serious pain .... just stretch and gradually increase the stretch.

 

[Joy0987]

Also, how much pain did you have at 7 weeks.

There is no one answer to this question. Everyone heals differently and everyone has a different tolerance for pain.

 

[Joy0987]

.

Also, how much pain did you have at 7 weeks.

There is no one answer to this question. Everyone heals differently and everyone has a different tolerance for pain.

Jaycey, I know we are all different. I find it helpful to hear from the experiences of others.