Scheduled for shoulder surgery

[Scuba]

Good! That will give you a few days to familiarize yourself with it before surgery.



Given the amount of pain you are experiencing right now, your ice machine could possibly help a little bit even before surgery. People will say nope, but mine helped my knee pain to go from excruciating to only miserable before knee surgery. It's worth a try if/when you can't sleep.

I am so glad you don't have long to wait until your surgery date! Soon your extreme shoulder pain will be just a distant memory.

Thanks W2R! I agree 100% that the ice machine would have helped sooner. Not sure why I didn’t think of that, since I experienced one at PT and loved it. Their machine cost around $2K and was huge so I didn’t even ask if there was a smaller and cheaper version for home use. Duh!

 

[harllee]

DH had an ice machine for knee replacement a year ago and since then we have used the Ice machine A LOT for various ailments--back, sprained ankle, his other knee, etc. It is a great invention. We keep water bottles frozen in the freezer just for the ice machine.

 

[Time2]

Just for informational purposes, there is a surgery called Reverse Shoulder Surgery. https://bangaloreshoulderinstitute....r-approach-for-reverse-shoulder-arthroplasty/
It has some restricted uses. I have a friend that had it and he seems to be doing just fine.

 

[Badger]

I just ordered the Breg Glacier ice machine with the wraparound shoulder pad. Should arrive well before my surgery.

I went through shoulder surgery on each shoulder (one at a time) and relied on flexible ice packs. Then when my wife had to have shoulder surgery I bought the ice machine to help her. Neither one of us likes to take pills and the ice machine did a much better job of reducing the discomfort. As Harlee said "keep water bottles frozen in the freezer just for the ice machine."
I will be needing a shoulder replacement sometime in the near future so the ice machine will get more use again.
Good luck and I hope it all turns out well for you. Take your time and do all the PT but don't overdo it.

Cheers!

 

[Koolau]

I still recall going to an orthopedic surgeon due to impinged shoulder - aka bursitis. He showed me my x-ray which looked fine to me, but what do I know? First he gave me a steroid shot. The guy was one of about 3 "premier" otho guys in town. When the shot didn't work, doc told me he could fix me right up with surgery. I asked him if I should, maybe, try PT first. "Well, yeah, I can set you up with PT."

The therapist had me lift my arm to the side and said. "I see what's wrong." You sit all day at a computer." (How'd she know that?) Turns out the muscles that hold the scapulas in place were weak. Strengthening them was all I needed and it took 3 sessions to teach me exercises to take care of the problem.

After hearing how much recovery and rehab is needed for shoulder surgery, I am SO thankful I was looking after myself and that the therapist knew what she was doing.

Blessings on you Scuba and here is hoping for a quick and low-pain recovery!

 

[Scuba]

I still recall going to an orthopedic surgeon due to impinged shoulder - aka bursitis. He showed me my x-ray which looked fine to me, but what do I know? First he gave me a steroid shot. The guy was one of about 3 "premier" otho guys in town. When the shot didn't work, doc told me he could fix me right up with surgery. I asked him if I should, maybe, try PT first. "Well, yeah, I can set you up with PT."



The therapist had me lift my arm to the side and said. "I see what's wrong." You sit all day at a computer." (How'd she know that?) Turns out the muscles that hold the scapulas in place were weak. Strengthening them was all I needed and it took 3 sessions to teach me exercises to take care of the problem.



After hearing how much recovery and rehab is needed for shoulder surgery, I am SO thankful I was looking after myself and that the therapist knew what she was doing.



Blessings on you Scuba and here is hoping for a quick and low-pain recovery!

Thanks Koolau. I had bursitis in my left shoulder about 15 years ago. Fortunately I was able to completely eliminate the pain by doing PT exercises plus one cortisone shot. Unfortunately my current rotator cuff tear did not respond well to PT. Fingers crossed that the surgery will be effective and eventually my right shoulder can be pain free.

 

[Montecfo]

DH had an ice machine for knee replacement a year ago and since then we have used the Ice machine A LOT for various ailments--back, sprained ankle, his other knee, etc. It is a great invention. We keep water bottles frozen in the freezer just for the ice machine.

So does the ice machine not make ice? I guess you are saying it crushes the ice?

I'm curious as I have ankle surgery in my future.

 

[harllee]

So does the ice machine not make ice? I guess you are saying it crushes the ice?

I'm curious as I have ankle surgery in my future.

No the ice machine does not actually make ice. You put ice or frozen water bottles and water in the bucket, you plug it into electricity and then the cold water is pumped through tubes to a wrap that is wrapped around your knee, ankle, shoulder, back or whatever body part needs it. Much easier to use frozen water bottles than crushed ice, especially when you are the spouse having to change out the ice in the middle of the night. Since I had to do this for DH when he had knee replacement every 5 hours I am an expert.

 

[Chuckanut]

+1 on the ice machines.

I bought one that works on gravity feed. No need to have a electric outlet around since there is no electric pump. Raising the ice water container up and down let's you replace the warmer water with cold water. Great for siting out on a deck with no electric socket nearby.

Hmmm.. That worked fine for my knee, but for shoulder surgery, maybe not so good.

 

[B-Guy]

Some of this is repeated from prior posts... I worked at a hospital before retiring. It was a great place to ask questions, both pre-op and post-op.
My shoulder was far worse that the MRI showed and my surgeon said it was pretty bad when he got in there. On the advice of the staff, I had them give me a nerve block, prior to surgery, which blocks pain almost completely for 12-24 hours (great time for a nap), depending on how fast your body metabolize the pain blocker. Mine lasted for about 18 hours.

Getting comfortable to sleep was difficult. for the first week or so. I would have to change how/where I was sleeping. I would move from the bed to the recliner and would need to adjust it several times, then maybe back to the bed. Something to think about. Every day gets better.

Stay a head of the pain, don’t try to tough it out.
Icepacks, icepacks, icepacks.
When you start PT, ask your PT to push you as much as you can tolerate, but not to the point of damage.
The more PT you do both with a professional and on your own the quicker you will recover and the best outcome for range of motion, etc.
I don’t know how much it would help knowing now, but since the surgery is on your dominate shoulder makes using the toilet difficult.​

I had a great outcome. A good part of why is PT. I’m pain free for the first time in years and my range of motion is considerably better than pre-op.

Good luck!

 

[Scuba]

Thank you - very good advice! Had my surgery today and doc wants me starting post op exercises tomorrow. Looking forward to a complete recovery and will do what I can to cooperate with the doc’s advice. He repaired my tear and also removed some bone spurs and arthritis while he was in there.

 

[W2R]

Thank you - very good advice! Had my surgery today and doc wants me starting post op exercises tomorrow. Looking forward to a complete recovery and will do what I can to cooperate with the doc’s advice. He repaired my tear and also removed some bone spurs and arthritis while he was in there.

So glad to read that you had your surgery today, and it's behind you now! Sounds like your surgeon did a good job. Hoping your recovery goes well too.

 

[Koolau]

So glad to read that you had your surgery today, and it's behind you now! Sounds like your surgeon did a good job. Hoping your recovery goes well too.

+1

We are all pulling for you!

 

[Scuba]

Thank you, W2R and Koolau!

 

[Marita40]

Good for you Scuba. The road ahead is long but the deed is done, and recovery will happen at its own pace. I was on a strenuous trip to Israel over the last couple weeks--lots of climbing, heaving suitcases, getting bumped in crowds, and was thinking how glad I was that I had the surgery. I'm now planning a big toe fusion which also has a long recovery, but I've learned by experience you just have to go for it. Blessings as you work through your recovery! Weeks 3-4 are the worst because it seems never-ending. I had a major meltdown in front of my physical therapist (embarrassing), but he assured me it was something he saw all the time. Then, things start to improve more quickly.

 

[harllee]

Scuba, all the best to you on your recovery. Please keep all your friends here updated.

 

[Traveller2021]

Had shoulder repair right shoulder and I am right handed.
What a terrible experience, blessing in disguise. After 3 months had frozen shoulder. Had a cortisone shot. Started seeing a massage therapy and hired a trainer.
I was so frustrated, had been retired 2 years prior, I couldn’t even hook my farm equipment up…ugh So I have been in the gym two days a week for 6 months. I am a lot stronger and have full range of motion. Lost weight so a lot of good things came out of this. But all I can tell you be prepared to WORK if you want full recovery.

 

[Bamaman]

Glad you came out of your surgery as planned. Now just follow what the PT guys say and you'll progress well.

My wife's finally having her bottom four discs removed 7/12 and 7/14. 2-3 hours the first day going through her side & front removing bottom discs and replacing with "cages." The second surgery is thru the back removing the other 2 discs and putting in "cages." Then they'll put rods and numerous fusions in her back--8-9 hours of surgery.

She's been in pain mgmt. 20 years, and this is the last resort to lower severe leg and foot pain. The Feds are pushing states to lower use of controlled medications (opioids) dramatically, and 1000's of patients in our state are affected. Patients have gone to the streets for pain meds, and now Fentanyl is killing them.

 

[Chuckanut]

Good luck with your surgery and recovery.

 

[B-Guy]

Had my surgery today and doc wants me starting post op exercises tomorrow. Looking forward to a complete recovery and will do what I can to cooperate with the doc’s advice.

Great to hear you're Post-Op! Every day will get better and better.

 

[Scuba]

So far I’ve been able to manage with help from DH. This would be really hard if I lived alone. Our reclining love seat has been really comfortable to sleep on. The post op exercises have been tough, but I’m doing them religiously as I think PT will help me get my functionality back more quickly. Pain pills are helping as is my continuous flow ice machine.

I get to shower today - yay! The sling they gave me is huge but very protective. Looking forward to my post op appointment so the doc can assess my progress.

 

[harllee]

Scuba, glad you are managing so well and that you have a good "nurse." I bet in month to 6 weeks you will be saying "glad I had this done--wish I had done it sooner."

 

[pacergal]

Scuba--best wishes for a speedy recovery!
Ice, pain control, PT, good diet and plenty of fluids to help with healing

 

[MarieIG]

Best wishes for a speedy recovery. The post operative exercises are vital, in particular for a shoulder, so I'm glad to see you're doing them.

 

[Teacher Terry]

So glad you are on the mend. My sister had this surgery and PT was a real blessing. She got her full range of motion back.