So I scheduled surgery

[joenali]

Just in case I need it for my shoulder. The goal is still to avoid but it's been almost a year of pain.

The plan is to continue with pt twice a week (ortho, pt and I are noticing a difference but it's slow), revisit orthopedist in a month and decide on surgery or cancel it. Surgery could go a few ways: clean things up only a three month recovery, if needed,make repairs to labrum or rotator cuff and have a 6 month recovery. Let me tell you if he finds that he just needs to clean it up with only 3 months of recovery I almost want to do it now because I've already been in pain for so long, what's the difference.

I also think I'm going to check in with my neurologist because I'm still having neck pain as well. Just for peace of mind.

I feel like I'm getting somewhere, but super slowly.

Thanks for listening to me! Keep all those race reports and aws coming so I can live vicariously through all of you !

[al320]

Big hugs!

[sadlebred]

It sounds like you have a good plan! I don't blame you for wanting to go ahead and schedule the surgery....

[gt7301b]

Hugs joenali! I hope you can get relief soon.

[irie]

So sorry to hear that it looks like you are heading to surgery.

I had surgery to repair a full thickness RTC tear, a torn labrum and a bone spur in February. One week after I came out of my immobilizer, I fell and re-tore the RTC. I am one week out from a revision repair surgery.

Like you, I had been in pain for a long time (2+ years). I did almost a year of PT with minimal improvement. I also had a bulging disc in my neck which complicated matters. I saw very minimal relief from meds and procedures related to that. All my neck pain went away after the first RTC surgery.

You may want to ask your surgeon about a 3T MRI arthogram. This shows much more detail than an average MRI. The first 2 surgeons that I saw went off a standard MRI - the third ortho orderer the higher level MRI and it was clear I needed surgery. The first two orthos weren't convinced that I needed shoulder surgery - they thought the pain was coming from my neck. Clearly, they were wrong.

Between surgeries, I had a brief period where I was pain free (except for post PT soreness) and felt the best I had in years! The surgery and recovery are difficult but it can really be worth it. Life in an immobilizer is hard, but it is only for about 6 weeks.

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions.

Sorry for spelling/grammar errors - I have to type one handed!

[joenali]

May 31, 2014 22:15:57 GMT -5 irie said:

So sorry to hear that it looks like you are heading to surgery.

I had surgery to repair a full thickness RTC tear, a torn labrum and a bone spur in February. One week after I came out of my immobilizer, I fell and re-tore the RTC. I am one week out from a revision repair surgery.

Like you, I had been in pain for a long time (2+ years). I did almost a year of PT with minimal improvement. I also had a bulging disc in my neck which complicated matters. I saw very minimal relief from meds and procedures related to that. All my neck pain went away after the first RTC surgery.

You may want to ask your surgeon about a 3T MRI arthogram. This shows much more detail than an average MRI. The first 2 surgeons that I saw went off a standard MRI - the third ortho orderer the higher level MRI and it was clear I needed surgery. The first two orthos weren't convinced that I needed shoulder surgery - they thought the pain was coming from my neck. Clearly, they were wrong.

Between surgeries, I had a brief period where I was pain free (except for post PT soreness) and felt the best I had in years! The surgery and recovery are difficult but it can really be worth it. Life in an immobilizer is hard, but it is only for about 6 weeks.

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions.

Sorry for spelling/grammar errors - I have to type one handed!

Where was your neck pain located?

[irie]

May 31, 2014 22:55:49 GMT -5 joenali said:

On the same side as my shoulder, down my side of my neck running into my shoulder. I had a good amount of pain where the neck and the shoulder met that then extended over my shoulder and down the arm. 

What at does your therapist think?  Mine knew I had the RTC tear before even the first MRI and never agreed with the diagnosis of the neck being the source of my pain. 

[joenali]

May 31, 2014 23:02:31 GMT -5 irie said:

May 31, 2014 22:55:49 GMT -5 joenali said:

On the same side as my shoulder, down my side of my neck running into my shoulder. I had a good amount of pain where the neck and the shoulder met that then extended over my shoulder and down the arm. 

What at does your therapist think?  Mine knew I had the RTC tear before even the first MRI and never agreed with the diagnosis of the neck being the source of my pain. 

Same pain as I have!! She thinks tendinitis not tear. But ortho showed me evidence if a possible labral tear. Mine extends side of neck into shoulder, on top of shoulder but at this point does not go down my arm. How did your neck pain feel as well as shoulder pain?

[taratru]

How will that affect your teaching?

Id be tempted to just do it as well.

[joenali]

Jun 1, 2014 10:23:33 GMT -5 taratru said:

How will that affect your teaching?

Id be tempted to just do it as well.

I scheduled it for July for that very reason. It shouldn't affect it too much. I'll have at least a month to recover at home before going back to work.

[irie]

My shoulder pain was worse than the neck pain. It was the worst where my arm and shoulder met and the very top part of my arm. I also had a deep, aching pain in the joint that my surgeon said was from the labral tear.

If you are hesitant about having surgery, ask for the higher level MRI. Once I had that done it was clear I needed surgery.

If you are a teacher, I would have the surgery ASAP, so that you can comfortably be out of the sling when the school year starts.

[irie]

Jun 1, 2014 10:30:12 GMT -5 joenali said:

Jun 1, 2014 10:23:33 GMT -5 taratru said:

How will that affect your teaching?

Id be tempted to just do it as well.

I scheduled it for July for that very reason. It shouldn't affect it too much. I'll have at least a month to recover at home before going back to work.

If you have to have a repair, you will probably want closer to 8 weeks if possible.