Rotator Cuff operation

[WPOZZZ]

Get the surgery. You will be much happier without the pain, and you will be able to sleep.

[Paul LeFevre]

Oh, I'm in for surgery on Thursday. Be gland to get it over with.

[WPOZZZ]

The gf went for surgery almost 4 years ago. PT was 2 days after surgery.

[Jandrews]

Paul, any updates?

JA

[Bugsinrugs]

Yesterday was five months since my shoulder surgery. I have been very fortunate. No pain after surgery. No pain pills needed except for ibuprofen now and then. I’m still a little sore but my strength is good and I have full range of motion. What’s weird is the occasional burning sensation from the back of my shoulder. I’m guessing it’s the nerves that were cut during surgery. I’m getting my right rotator cuff repaired this October. I had forgotten how nice it was to sleep without being awakened by the throbbing in my shoulder. Nice to be pain free.

[Zeke]

I'm at 8 months from total replacement and have unfortunately forgotten that it was replaced. For 3 days I abused it, first day using a hammer, second day using a hand plane and Sunday running a vacuum all over the house trying to control the cat's extreme flea infestation. It got a little irritated telling me to watch it.

But that's good results for the surgery. On a stupid man.

[Bugsinrugs]

Originally Posted by Zeke

I'm at 8 months from total replacement and have unfortunately forgotten that it was replaced. For 3 days I abused it, first day using a hammer, second day using a hand plane and Sunday running a vacuum all over the house trying to control the cat's extreme flea infestation. It got a little irritated telling me to watch it.

But that's good results for the surgery. On a stupid man.

I be stupid too! But, that’s all I know....or don’t know...🤪🤪

[dar636]

Get the surgery, not a fun experience but better than the long term suffering. My only suggestion is to be pretty medicated when the nerve block wears off. I waited a bit too long and paid for it for a few hours. After the first two days the biggest problem is getting used to the sling and padding. Start PT right away.

[WPOZZZ]

My ortho told me I has slight tearing on my left RC. It as been painful, but I have frozen shoulder as well. He said surgery in my case, may make it worse. Let the shoulder thaw, then look at the RC.

[Paul LeFevre]

I forgot all about this tread. had a second surgery in June. I was lighting my grill two weeks after my first surgery and re-tore the same muscles in the area of the attachments when I had a bit of an explosion causing me to jerk my arm back. Knew I was screwed right away.
Anyway, feeling much better now 8 weeks post-op. Will probably start therapy next week.
Thanks all

[WPOZZZ]

Originally Posted by Paul LeFevre

I forgot all about this tread. had a second surgery in June. I was lighting my grill two weeks after my first surgery and re-tore the same muscles in the area of the attachments when I had a bit of an explosion causing me to jerk my arm back. Knew I was screwed right away.
Anyway, feeling much better now 8 weeks post-op. Will probably start therapy next week.
Thanks all

8 weeks post op, and now you start PT? That must have been a really bad tear, and the ortho took no chances.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by WPOZZZ

8 weeks post op, and now you start PT? That must have been a really bad tear, and the ortho took no chances.

Therapy start dates range from next day to weeks. Depends on the type of surgery and what repairs are done. Moving muscle attachments or re-attaching requires a lot of non movement while the repair area heals. Many rotator cuff and partial replacements allow for PT right away. I have a friend who is not paying attention to the doc's orders and has had his sling time extended another 8 weeks. That's unnecessary.

Here's the link to another thread on the same subject:

Anyone have total shoulder replacement?

[Jandrews]

Originally Posted by Paul LeFevre

I forgot all about this tread. had a second surgery in June. I was lighting my grill two weeks after my first surgery and re-tore the same muscles in the area of the attachments when I had a bit of an explosion causing me to jerk my arm back. Knew I was screwed right away.
Anyway, feeling much better now 8 weeks post-op. Will probably start therapy next week.
Thanks all

Paul,

Were you wearing your sling when you lit the grill and jerked your arm back? When/how did they eventually confirm the re-tearing? Were you required to wait until June for the second surgery?

Asking for a friend ...thanks in advance.

JA

[T77911S]

you can get the nerve block.
my arm swelled up twice its size and was freaky, but really no pain, but mine was not as bad as yours.

also, I only wore the sling for one day. I would just let my arm hang and naturally move when I walked, I never had to do any therapy. I didn't use it, but I did not keep it 100% immobile

[Paul LeFevre]

jandrews: I was out of my sling. Had to wait for the scaring to heal a little for a clearer MRI.

[dw1]

I had mine done 6 weeks ago.

Repair of full thickness tear, including anchors, etc.

It actually was not anyways near as bad as I expected. Sure, the first few days after were not great, but I had thought ahead enough that I could avoid using that arm. (It was my right shoulder and I am VERY right-handed.) Sleeping in the recliner was required for a least a week or two after surgery.

I took pain killers (Percoset) a/r and still do - mostly after PT and occasionally for sleeping.

I was only out of work for a week (I have a desk job) and started PT as soon as the surgeon said it was ok to do so - about 2 weeks after surgery.

Starting PT early is a MAJOR key to recovery. I did 3x per week for 4 weeks and will be backing off to 2x per week starting next week.

My biggest pain is emotional - I can't drive my '87 3.2 because I still can't handle the shifting! I missed out on some great driving weather.

A few tips:
- A seat belt latch extension was very helpful because I could not reach across to buckle my seat belt with my left hand and I still have limited mobility that limits reaching behind me to buckle it with my right arm.
- A left-handed mouse remains very helpful when using a PC.
- Do as much as you can, pushing a bit beyond your limit, but don't overdo excessively.

[Paul LeFevre]

Drove the M5 for the first time since mid June last week and paid the pain price a little the next day.
I assume it was the shifting that caused a little more pain. I didn't find the operations or the recovery that bad. Prescription pain meds for about a week, then just OTC stuff. My ex wife, who is a PT said it will probably be a year till normal function returns. Yesterday was 1st day of PT.

[Jandrews]

Good updates. I had mine done 2.5 weeks ago and it has been brutal. Way more pain than I was expecting. And I have been through lower back surgery (laminectomy and vertebral fusion) and this was worse, for sure.

I did have two (supra and infra) full thickness tears with both tendons completely detached. Also had some significant bone removed in two places, clavicle and acromion. Lastly, they debrided some fraying of the labrum in that shoulder, so a fair amount of work was done.

Surgeon said that due to the amount of work, he wants me in the immobilizer sling for a full six weeks and no active therapy until then. I am concerned about that for multiple reasons, but he is a highly respected and in-demand orthopedic surgeon, so I will be following his orders. Until then, I am just doing the passive hanging "pendulum" swings and my range of motion is already a tiny fraction of normal, i.e. maybe 30 degrees. In my case, I am prepared for therapy to be excruciating.

I only took the pain pills for the first 5 days after surgery, and have used Tylenol as needed since then. I suspect I will have to break out the "good stuff" again once therapy starts.

Quick question for dw1.....what is 'a/r' referring to in your post?


JA

[Jandrews]

Also, any particular seat belt extender you recommend, brand and length?

Thanks,

JA

[dw1]

To answer both questions from Jandrews:

a/r is just my shorthand for "as required". Basically, when the discomfort gets too distracting to function properly or to sleep. 6 weeks post-surgery, this still means once a day or a bit less.

By the way, I was in a sling for between 3 & 4 weeks, but was able to wean myself from it on the early side of what the doctor recommended. PT started while I was still using the sling, but focused on passive range-of-motion stuff for the first few weeks. I was driving with the sling, but my commute is a fairly easy one and my daily driver is an automatic with most of the controls on the left side of the steering column, and I could reach across for the auto trans shifter.

I actually ordered two different seat belt extenders, one rigid (but bendable) and one flexible mesh. I have found them both of value. In my daily driver, because I drive with the seat low, the rigid one is better. In my wife's car, because the seat is much higher, the flexible one is better.

Both were ordered from Amazon, as was my good shoulder ice pack (something else I recommend having for the first several weeks after surgery and also at least for the first week of PT to supplement the icing done at the PT facility.

https://www.amazon.com/Seat-Belt-Lengthening-Accessory-Tongue/dp/B07VF574FP/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=seat+belt+extender&qid=1566949843&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExUjlLRTQ2NkZUTktTJ mVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNTg2NzE4M1ROTlBCVEJRRlc5RSZlbmN yeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNDMyOTg3MzNNODFXMzlWU09DSCZ3aWRnZ XROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05 vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

https://www.amazon.com/Extended-products-Non-Universal-Buckle-Certified/dp/B07VY76WSW/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=seat+belt+extender&qid=1566949890&s=gateway&sr=8-5