Bigal33's Shoulder Surgery Journal!!!

[Warrior18]

lol April fools?

[RyanGrob]

lol April fools?

I wish. You can tell the difference from post op pain to pre op, right? It may not be that obvious now, but you will realize it soon. Well, for me, it seems any post op pain/issues are completely gone, and replaced by exactly what I felt pre surgery. I'm HOPING I'm wrong, but the one test that the doc did pre op that caused pain, didn't hurt post op until just today. Weirdest thing ever, it's like it all changed overnight.

[keg_daddy]

So here's where all the 'shoulder' people hang out I've had 2 subacromial decompression surgeries (AC joint area) and a little work on my rotator cuff. It sounds like most of you have had great luck on your surgeries...me, not so much.

-Late 2005, MRI...

-January 2006 1st surgery...improved the pain some, but I couldn't retract my shoulders. I told the doctor something didn't feel right. He told me it's just post surgery pain. ALL daily activities were painful from the time my arm was out of the sling until today. He then told me I'm just a slow healer. He wouldn't help me out until a year later when the pain/inflammation was obviously present. I requested another MRI, he wouldn't give me one.

-Feb 2007 2nd surgery...slightly improved the pain. He told me I was only the 3rd person to have a second surgery from him and that I was the first person to be in pain after the second surgery. I can at least retract my shoulders now. He shaved some more bone off and removed some 'growth'.

-March 2008 he finally let me have a second MRI. He told me I can get a third surgery (not a subacromial decompression since he will not shave any more bone off), but didn't recommend it since it more than likely won't help with the pain. There is fluid build-up behind my AC joint. Something weird has happened with the bone behind my AC joint....it raised and is now 'attached' to the AC joint. He told me that isn't a big deal and nothing to worry about.

I asked the PTs (I've been to 4 since my first surgery), QRC, and people that work for insurance companies about him. I'm the only person that has had a problem with him. He has a big name and great reputation in Minnesota.

What bothers me most is only one of the 'professionals' (PT) would listen to me about my pain. He called the doctor's office to tell them something isn't right (I couldn't retract my shoulders) and I can't continue with physical therapy until I see the doctor again. They took a week to get back to him and told him to continue the best he could. It's 'post surgery pain' they all said. After my second surgery the surgeon said the physical therapist was too aggressive with me. Haha, wow, they didn't take what the PT said seriously and then blame him for me not healing!? Jeez.

I ended up losing my job because of this (worked in a warehouse) and the pain is still present. Just my luck...

[BigDaddy33]

Keg---- Man that sounds like a big pain in the a@#. Sounds like someone screwed up somewhere. And you lost your job as a result, unreal. You'd think that all of those "professionals" would be able to find something wrong, obviously there is. Good luck man, hope you can get it straightened out.



Well, I had to cancel my pt last week, i'm going again today. The difference is the las few days the shoulder has felt great, i mean very little pain as compared before. I think I can get ALMOST full rom before pain hits. I think there is still a little swelling/pain from my bicep tendon, but i'll get that straightened out today. Next Dr. Appt is Apr 17, which I will ask the Dr. to send me back to work light duty if not full duty. I can go light duty for 45 days at work. So I will try that and see what happens. Hope everyone is doing well.

[RyanGrob]

Keg---- Man that sounds like a big pain in the a@#. Sounds like someone screwed up somewhere. And you lost your job as a result, unreal. You'd think that all of those "professionals" would be able to find something wrong, obviously there is. Good luck man, hope you can get it straightened out.



Well, I had to cancel my pt last week, i'm going again today. The difference is the las few days the shoulder has felt great, i mean very little pain as compared before. I think I can get ALMOST full rom before pain hits. I think there is still a little swelling/pain from my bicep tendon, but i'll get that straightened out today. Next Dr. Appt is Apr 17, which I will ask the Dr. to send me back to work light duty if not full duty. I can go light duty for 45 days at work. So I will try that and see what happens. Hope everyone is doing well.

Ask your PT if they have any Ionto patches. It's an extended release iontophoresis patch that basically delivers medication to your bloodstream for up to 14 hours. They helped tremendously when I had tendon inflammation and soreness around the area.

[trish123]

Ok big brothers rotator cuff! There haven't been many posts here in the last couple days so I'm bringing you an off-topic question that I didn't get any replies to on the chick forum. Have at it!

WEIGHTED DECLINE SITUPS! Anybody else get a sore upper chest after doing this? I've been doing it with a 25# plate which is good and challenging, so maybe this is a "good" soreness. I had rotator cuff surgery about a month and a half ago so am pretty limited on what I can do upper body-wise (but I'm getting close to getting the green light for lifting more than 5# with the healing arm -- just wait!). The physical therapist has ok'd the lifting routine I'm doing now, but he did act all surprised at the 25# plate thing... secretly I kind of loved his reaction ; )

[BigDaddy33]

After Doing what?

[trish123]

Duh - subject line didn't carry over from my original post. After doing weighted incline situps (or are they called 'decline' situps?). Those pansies on the chick board had nothing to say amidst all their posts about HIIT. :P

[BigDaddy33]

I wonder if the sore upper chest is from the plate posisitioning, I dont do them so I cant say for sure. Sorry Trish.....

[jaredmt]

Duh - subject line didn't carry over from my original post. After doing weighted incline situps (or are they called 'decline' situps?). Those pansies on the chick board had nothing to say amidst all their posts about HIIT. :P

when u do weighted situps are you holding dumbbells by your ears? or holding a plate on your chest?

i can see how the dumbbells can hurt ur shoulders but the plate should not effect your shoulders. if it is then you probably need to relax your shoulders when you do the situps

[trish123]

Nah, it's with a plate, not db. Not causing shoulder pain, just some tight upper chest muscles the day after....

[Warrior18]

3 weeks Post OP. My ROM is almost fully complete. Shoulder still aches every now and then, but its coming around. Doing everyday things feels normal. Tomorrow I go to my Ortho for a 3 week post op check, I'll let you guys know what's going on with that. As of now in PT I'm continuing doing my ROM exercises.

Hope everyone is progressing.


Rob how's the shoulder?

Al how's the progress?

[jaredmt]

Nah, it's with a plate, not db. Not causing shoulder pain, just some tight upper chest muscles the day after....

ok then it is the opposite of what i was sayin. try holding db by ur ears. that way u wont use chest muscles when u do the situps. idk it might work

[BigDaddy33]

3 weeks Post OP. My ROM is almost fully complete. Shoulder still aches every now and then, but its coming around. Doing everyday things feels normal. Tomorrow I go to my Ortho for a 3 week post op check, I'll let you guys know what's going on with that. As of now in PT I'm continuing doing my ROM exercises.

Hope everyone is progressing.


Rob how's the shoulder?

Al how's the progress?

Glad to hear it Warrior. Everything is good here. Shoulder has gotten real good in the last week or so. I have just about full ROM, now working on getting strength back. Still having a slight issue with my bicep tendon though, but my pt says in a couple weeks it should be ok.

Hows everything going with everybody else? Sure is nice to have some sunshine around here. Actually going outside is nice!!!!

[Warrior18]

Had my 3 week post OP check with my ortho today. He was happy with what he saw, said my ROM was where it should be. He said I should do about 7-10 more days of ROM with pt and then I can begin to do light strengthening in my shoulder. My next appointment to see my ortho is in 6 weeks.

To keep in shape, I've been doing stationary bike and walking lounges with my body weight. My ortho cleared me today for light jogging, so hopefully I can do a little bit of cutting.

Got PT tomorrow. Gotta keep trucking through the injury, every week is a new step. Hope everyone else is healing up too!

[BigDaddy33]

Warrior--- Good deal, just keep doin what they say and youll be fine



Had PT yeaterday and started to feel pain in front of shoulder. PT said its my friggin bicep tendon, he gave some stretches to do over the weekend and im supposed to ice it to. Im really gettin sick of this freakin thing man. Just when everything is starting to feel real good, another setback!!!

[warbird00]

Scheduled my surgery for the 25th!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!! After 10 months of pain!!!!

Any suggestion before? Im gonna discontinue all supps right now (taking x factor and melting point)

I think its a minor surgery, hes gonna remove a cyst in my front shoulder area and check out the top of my shoulder where my bone might be rubbing against my rotator cuff

CANT WAIT!!!!!

[CarolinarREDS21]

My old man had 3 rotator cuff surgeries. But that is because he has some condition where the scar tissue develops into bone which causes the shoulder to "freeze". Poor guy was out of work for a full year. But after a radiation treatment he was able to get 85% of his ROM back plus huge check from worker comp(thank god it was on the job). But the sad thing is he cant even throw a baseball with me anymore. But thats just because he had that condition. Good Luck to all of yall on your surgeries!

EDIT:: The condition is called Heterotopic Ossification

[Warrior18]

Scheduled my surgery for the 25th!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!! After 10 months of pain!!!!

Any suggestion before? Im gonna discontinue all supps right now (taking x factor and melting point)

I think its a minor surgery, hes gonna remove a cyst in my front shoulder area and check out the top of my shoulder where my bone might be rubbing against my rotator cuff

CANT WAIT!!!!!

Best of luck to you my man. All I can say is follow doc's orders and heal up. Post your progress here.

[BigDaddy33]

Scheduled my surgery for the 25th!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!! After 10 months of pain!!!!

Any suggestion before? Im gonna discontinue all supps right now (taking x factor and melting point)

I think its a minor surgery, hes gonna remove a cyst in my front shoulder area and check out the top of my shoulder where my bone might be rubbing against my rotator cuff

CANT WAIT!!!!!

BUMP. Hope all goes well bro. To repeat, just do what they say and everything will be ok. Patience is a key, nothing to hard to faast.... Keep us updated.


Carolina---- Man, sorry about your dads shoulder, that sounds ****ty, Ive got kids and I know it must be hard for him not to be able to throw a ball to you. Like you said at least he got some coin out of it, but I bet hed rather be playin ball with ya. Good to hear he was able to get 85% ROm back. Thanks for jumpin in.

[CarolinarREDS21]

Yea he said he would give all the money back if he could throw a ball again. Sad. But i hope the best for all yall. I know how bad PT is but its a life saver!

[BigDaddy33]

Everything is going good, shoulder feels great. Going to Dr. tommarow, want to go back to work. I will ask him if I can go back "Light Duty". Get back in the swing of things. this should really help my fitness as my schedule will be in place.....


How is everybody doing?????

[Warrior18]

Everything is going good, shoulder feels great. Going to Dr. tommarow, want to go back to work. I will ask him if I can go back "Light Duty". Get back in the swing of things. this should really help my fitness as my schedule will be in place.....


How is everybody doing?????

Al, awesome news about the shoulder! I'm glad to hear it feels great. Hopefully you can get back to work soon.

I'm 29 days post OP. Had pt this morning where I did the same exercises for ROM as I have been doing. This is getting pretty easy for me, and this Friday I am scheduled to start doing "Light Strengthening" for my shoulder. I will let you guys know how that goes.

I've been doing running to stay in shape. Been running a couple of miles each day and doing some ab exercises. Shoulder seems ok while doing it, so I'm going to continue on with that.

How's everyone else doing?

[BigDaddy33]

Sounds like everything is progressing great warrior, keep it up and you'll be back in no time!!!!!

[Al Swearengen]

Everything is going good, shoulder feels great. Going to Dr. tommarow, want to go back to work. I will ask him if I can go back "Light Duty". Get back in the swing of things. this should really help my fitness as my schedule will be in place.....


How is everybody doing?????

nice to see all is going well Al, everything is as hoped for for me also.

[BigDaddy33]

Nice to hear Al!!!!

[BigDaddy33]

Well went to Doc yesterday and he wants me to give it another 3 weeks of rehab. SOOOO i'm not going back to work quite yet. I was really hoping to get back in the swing of things. Oh well, the weathers nice at least LOL. Hopefully after next appt. I'll be going back to work!!!

[RyanGrob]

Well went to Doc yesterday and he wants me to give it another 3 weeks of rehab. SOOOO i'm not going back to work quite yet. I was really hoping to get back in the swing of things. Oh well, the weathers nice at least LOL. Hopefully after next appt. I'll be going back to work!!!

solid. keep it up man.

[Warrior18]

Ryan how's the shoulder man?

[TheWatcher]

5.5 weeks out update.

Recovery is going well, I've been out of the sling for about a week and a half now. I can now raise my arm out in front of me to about shoulder level. I can bring it out to my side to about 3/4 of shoulder level. They've got me doing a lot of lightweight cable rows from low, mid, and high settings, some wall pushups, 5 lb dumbbell curls, pendulums, arm bike, this pulley thing that stretches you out, as well as stretching at the end of every session and inflammation control w/ this electric thing then electro stim and ice pack.

I can finally sleep in my bed, can walk and swing my arm w/out it hurting, just feels a bit weak still. My buddy punched me in the arm yesterday on accident, didnt hurt at all or feel impact in the shoulder though so that's good. My external rotation is coming along slowly, I'm at about 15 degrees probably right now. I'm not supposed to go past 45 until 2.5 more weeks I think, (8 week mark), I probably won't even be at like 30 degrees at that point.