I fell couple of years ago off ladder on to my left shoulder. After months of physio, a cortisone shot and a MRI it has been concluded that I have completely severed two of the four rotator cuff tendons. I have soreness in my shoulder some of the time, and wowed the surgeon with my range of motion which is excellent. What I have noticed is I have no strength in that arm. Lifting things out a shopping cart is very difficult and even getting heavy pans out of my oven is near impossible. The surgeon has advised that my strength will never come back in that arm without the surgery. Of course he is a surgeon and may be biased about recommending surgery. I am only 50 years young, and I am noticing that my right shoulder is starting to bother me a fair amount, possibly from over compensation of the left shoulder and also rotator cuffs are notorious in having small tears. I am worried if I do not have the surgery I will be be limiting myself physically and setting myself up for pain in my right shoulder which maybe will create the need to have surgery at a later date (hope not). Further to this, a very good friend who is a MD advised me not to have surgery as she doesn't think it is worth all the pain. Yup, more pain, do I want that?!!!!!
I have arranged to have the surgery this summer after a business trip ( summers are calmer in the office). My shoulder will be immobilized for 6 weeks then I will start physio. Because I have such good range of motion now, I am hoping it puts me in a good position to regain it. With having surgery in the summer I have my teen daughter who can help me to look after our house, meals etc. I will arrange to take a few weeks off with sick time and holidays and then work from home for a couple of weeks. I have arranged this the best I can. But I can still say no to the surgery if I want. I might add because I have sleep apnea I will be awake, but hopefully never blocked for the surgery. This lessens my risks with anaesthesia.
So, have others had surgery similar while living suffering fibro? What was your experience?
I have had 2 surgeries but keep in mind i also have lupus The first one was a hystertomy and i had multiple problems but it was worth it after every thing was over. The second was ear surgery and i had no problems with it i did have some pain that the doctor kept undercontrol. I hope you do good and that it helps.
Thanks for all your responses. Big hugs to each and everyone of you. I am so pleased about the positive response. Avenk - I am so happy your mother did so well with her surgery. And I so understand the hatred for the rubber bands, LOL.My mother had both shoulders done, but she was allergic to almost all pain meds and was a very inactive person, so she was in a lot of pain although she was a trooper going through this. And Lovett is so right - not all men are good at the hair washing, leg shaving and helping put on a bra kind of care - LOL. Lucky for me that I do have an awesome daughter who is on board to help. And it gives her the skills to run her own household one day.
Thanks purplebutterfly for sharing your story. Hearing that your surgeries, especially the ear surgery, went well with pain being controlled is very encouraging. Sorry about other problems that had developed, but still an eventual positive outcome.
Thanks Lovett for your response, it is so great to hear that people have done so well with this surgery and can lead active lives again. You are a wonderful sister, to shave legs, lol. I am sure your sister greatly appreciated it.
Just knowing that there are fibro people having surgeries and the pain is still manageable gives me lots of hope. I wonder if because we deal with lots of pain all the time we just have a fuller toolbox to deal with pain in general. A positive from fibro who would have thought!!!
Although these prior posts are from 3 years ago, I’ll add my two cents’ worth. I had 2 full thickness tears (one in each shoulder) of rotator cuff tendons, and have had surgery on one, anticipating the other one soon.
I had a great deal of post-op pain once the nerve block wore off the next day. (Yes, nerve block HIGHLY recommended, if it’s possible.) My rheumatologist said we would manage the pain far better this time utilizing the input of a pain clinic. Such pain practices are usually staffed by anesthesiologists, I’m told, and can be assistive both for surgical pain and for ongoing fibro pain. Not having the surgery is not an option. Im 58, a metalsmith, and just can’t resign myself to disability for the rest of my life. Easier said than done, mind, depending on what kind of a pain day it is.
I agree with you on not having the surgery isn’t an option. It’s hard to resign yourself to disability. My mother had to as she was diagnosed with MS and had to be out of work for a year before she could get Medicare. Not everyone knows that you have to be out of work for a year. Also I was automatically put on disability when I had my kidney transplant at the age of 26 and then I developed the fibro 2 years later so I haven’t had any choice lol. I really hope you can put it off as long as you can and save your $$ if you can. Disability can be rough. If you need any advice let me know Happy to answer any questions. I’m only 36 lol
Hi David,
I had double cheilectomies (bone spur removal on both big toes) simultaneously a year ago – I had such terrible bone spurs that I couldn’t move my big toes at all, (pretty much, I couldn’t walk without searing pain, let alone hike or exercise). Having both done at once was kind of a badass thing to do, but I’m glad I did it. My surgeon did nerve blocks in both ankles, but kept them small (so I could still shuffle around with a walker, and had some feeling in my feet). I really recommend the nerve blocks. He also loaded me up on the 10 mg vicodins (like 60 of them!) which I used steadily for the first week, then tapered off.
I’ve had tendon/ligament surgical repair done on my wrist – post pain, not terrible and not bad recovery at all. And I’ve had a hysterectomy (7 months prior to the toe surgeries), and it wasn’t bad after the surgery, though the recovery was a long one of just being gentle and not stretching/lifting/over doing.
Of all my surgeries, this one, where they had to carve away bone, was BY FAR, the most painful, and it wasn’t even that bad – stay on top of the pain meds, and don’t ever let yourself start to feel it because then it gets WAY worse. I was hiking (albeit, slowly and carefully on a very tidy trail) within 2 months post op. It’s like my feet and toes are 20 years younger now, and I’m really glad I had it done.
I think you’ll be fine, just be prepared. On an ironic note, I got Shingles the day after my toe surgeries – the big gooey blistery rash, body aches, fever, the works! I was really kind of glad I was looped on Vicodin, as it could have been SO much worse. My Shingles was actually a mild case (it does happen), but that rash itched and hurt for longer than the toes did (one year later, it still itches sometimes). For people with chronic diseases, and wonky immune systems, the stress of surgery can make the Shingles stuff pop out!
What helpful responses all the way around. Since I wrote, above, I’ve seen a new orthopædic surgeon (thank you for tolerating my gratuitous use of that fancy “æ”) and he did remind me that RC surgery is one of the most painful, and then there was the bone spur which felt afterwards like it was cut out of there with a can opener. New surgeon says he’ll have them leave a little catheter in where they did the block which will supply the surgical site with anesthetic (“anæsthetic”) for another 3 days or so. I already feel as though this will go better with some earnest conversation and forward planning with my caregivers.
I’m currently getting PT for both shoulders, the post-surgical one, and also the pre-surgical one in hopes of shoring up those surrounding muscles to protect the cuff in advance of what will probably be an October surgery.
Should I call you Killer? Or Tomato? Or KT for short? hehe Wow just reading about the bone spurs in your toes sends a shockwave through my body. I agree doing them both was a very badass thing to do. When in doubt, knock it out? lol I have never had a nerve block done. I also had shingles in my early twenties. I had it on my rib cage. Can we say OWW! Yes, from time to time I still scratch that area but it’s almost like a subconscious thing. I unfortunately didn’t have pain meds at the time of that situation. I think I was eating Tylenol. Anything to do with your bones is extremely painful. I luckily have not had any of that. I try to be prepared as best as I can. One day at a time!
Leaving the nerve block catheter in for 3 days post op will be awesome! Seriously, it will be great. Except, and this is actually pretty funny…When I had my wrist surgery, I had a nerve block done up in my shoulder area, so my whole arm was numb, and that was excellent - no feeling, no pain, less heavy pain meds (faster pooping times!). I responded strangely to the block and was numb for over 72 hours (the surgeon said I broke the hospital record, no one had ever been numb for that long! It was only supposed to last for 12!). I had to keep my arm elevated and iced, on pillows above and behind my head on the couch or recliner chair. With no feeling in it, I would move my body and my arm and the ice packs would swing down and smash me in the face! I did this NUMEROUS times a day, for three days. I managed to bloody my nose and lip, smashing myself in the face this way! I would hoot with laughter every time I did it though!
I don’t know where you will keep your arm after RC surgery, but imagine that your shoulder will be immobilized, so you shouldn’t have this problem!
Yeah David, those bone injuries hurt the most, IMO. I actually sheared one of the bone spurs off myself by furiously kicking 3 mirrors (and breaking them - 21 years bad luck)(it was a really really bad time). So I had to have surgery on that toe anyway. Doc and I figured, “What the heck? Let’s do both feet at once!”
The Shingles after surgery was just an extra F-U from the Universe to me during one of the crappiest times of my life. The Shingles was actually one of the better parts of my life that year – that’s how rotten things were!!!
After typing all that, I guess you’ll be calling me Killer, as I sound totally psychotic! When I look back, I can’t believe how different things are in just a year – SO much better – but MAN what a long, strange trip it’s been.
Oh, yeah! You mean my “ear infection”? Or “just cut out sugar/wheat/carbs”. “It’s your vitamin D levels, they’re too low.” “Try taking Magnesium.” “Must be depression!” The doctors know better than to pull that crap with me now!
I think the best one was when they told me I was having bad PMS cramps (which I’d never really had any bad ones in my life, and at age 50, I hardly thought that’s what it was!). After two weeks of blinding pain, I went to a different ER across town, cried more (they don’t respond unless you play up the tears) and demanded an ultrasound. Go figure, they found a golf ball size tumor growing on a stalk that was wrapped around my uterus and tubes, twisting and causing the pain!
They were SO quick to throw Vicodin and surgery options at me – when before they patted my hand and recommended Advil and a diet! The only difference was they could see something on the X-ray screen – my pain and symptoms were exactly the same. Jerks.
Ironically I have low Vitamin D and low Magnesium so I’m on both. They can be very quick to judge. A lot of them do guesswork. I got misdiagnosed when I was 14. My liver and heart were enlarged and because the doctor didn’t do the right test, he thought I was depressed. I’m like yes I’m depressed because you guys won’t listen!! I hope your better from all that now. Sounds hellish.
Happy to answer any questions. I’m only 36 lol
for another 3 days or so. I already feel as though this will go better with some earnest conversation and forward planning with my caregivers.