Shoulder replacement stories?

[Mike E.]

Hello friends -
I am scheduled for shoulder replacement the second week in January. I didn't even know they DID shoulder replacement - I have heard of hip and knee replacement, but this is a new one. Any way - have any of you gone through this? What is your experience with recovery time and physical therapy afterward? I've been told the pain goes away and I am looking forward to that. I I'd really like to hear from anyone else who has actually gone through this procedure. I'm not scared - I'd just like to know as much as possible before going in. Thanks!
Best wishes,
Mike

[Mike E.]

My goodness! No idea but they have the other joints to perfection and I'm sure this will be the same. Wishing you all the best though!!

[Margo C.]

Never heard of such a thing! :shock: But I guess it's just another big joint to the ortho guys. I've had rotator cuff repair, and that was NOT fun. Had to work through painful Physical Therapy for a long time to get full range of motion back. Please keep us posted and know that we will be thinking of you!

[Beth A.]

Like Margo, I also had rotator cuff surgery, and it was really 2 years before I felt like that was again my dominant arm.

Best advice: Don't get discouraged. Even just using the arm in everyday life gradually improves your function. That estimate they give of 4 months or whatever to recover is the time it takes to get back to using it AT ALL -- NOT the time it takes to get back to using it without pain or really having to be careful.

BethMI

[Robin G.]

Oh Mike, my best wishes for you and an easy surgery and quick recovery! I'd never heard of such a thing, but my one bit of advice is to be very good about doing the exercises they give you. My mom has had both knees replaced, plus one hip (she walked around on a broken hip for a month before they knew what was wrong, amazingly). She is the most disciplined person I know and did her exercises religiously, and now, except for setting off all the alarms at the airport screening, you'd never know she had the surgeries. Good luck to you, my friend!
Hugs, Robin

[Robin G.]

Hi Mike ~ This is my first post on the forum! But your post title most definitely got my attention! I have not had the surgery, but my mother has (70); and I've been helping her with it since then. Now, my mom had her operation under an emergency situation (She fractured/dislocated her humerus in China) Also, I have a friend who has had it, she's 50 - and another friend (a tough-as-nail man) age 65. I think age is a big factor; but all agree - you HAVE to do the exercises as prescribed. After the 6 weeks when everything is healed, and they say it's time to push it - do it. I don't want to scare you; but it will hurt. My friend Roy who is a rugged gold prospector and can take anything, said it was the hardest thing he's ever done. But he's happy and has full range of motion. My mother cannot lift her arm, her only use is bending it at the elbow - but again, she was a trauma case. My female friend has about 50% usage, but has trouble when she over does it.

I wish you all the best, and hope you have a speedy recovery.

Melodee

[marilyn s.]

I an waiting anxiously for replies. I need to do my left shoulder and then my right, Any more advise our there ?????

[marilyn s.]

I think they forget to tell you that they have cut through muscle and there is always pain when you have your skin cut. Rehab is important. Anyway, I will pray for you Mike and Marilyn.

[Bonnie J.]

The nagging, aching pain will go and probably not come back IF you do your rehab faithfully. rehab is not fun or pain-free, but it is absolutely necessary to get full benefit of the procedure and have a functional shoulder. Age DOES make a difference, but attitude and motivation have more effect. God Bless you with your surgery and recovery!

[Dawn S.]

I had major surgery to my right shoulder for a SLAP tear, so there was a lot of re-attaching of muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Lots of pins/anchors. Anyway, my doctor told me that to have a successful surgery, the patient, PT, and surgeon all play an equal part. The PT is VERY important, so get a good one! And, do everything they tell you to do, and nothing you are not supposed to do!!!!!! The whole week after surgery, for me anyway, was sheer he_ _! I was in a lot of pain, very restricted, being attached to the "ice man" and having my arm velcroed to my waist. It was a week I hope to never go through again! But, I had a trip I wanted to take in two months, and went at the PT and home exercising very, VERY faithfully. And, with sheer determination and optimism, I signed off after two months! I still have to be careful, because if I overdo, it can hurt for a few days. I do not do my weekly arm exercises, as I should, for life!

My elder, bed-ridden mother had a shoulder replacement, but never really did her PT. She would pull down on a pully that she had hooked over a door, a couple of times a day, and that was it. She never regained shoulder strength/movement. She just moved her lower arm from the elbow. So sad! I cannot impress enough the importance of PT!!

I hope everything goes well, and just keep remembering (during that first week) that it gets a little better day by day.

Dawn,
In beautiful Northwest Montana

[Margo C.]

I absolutely agree with Dawn. I cried through a lot of my PT sessions and when I did the exercises at home, but I was bound and determined to get full range of motion back, and I did!! I still do exercises to keep it strong and smooth.

BTW....Those PT folks? They are Physical Terrorists! :roll:

[Dawn S.]

Oh, Margo!! I forgot about about the Physical Terrorists! There was an especially bad one (probably quite good) at the PT place that I went to, and after one session with him, I requested I never get put with him again!! He was used to working at the Air Force Academy on the younger generation, and my older body just couldn't take it!! LOL

Dawn

[Bonnie J.]

Hey! Terrorists NEVER help you get better. You will never know just how bad your PT feels to have to put you thru all that!

[Susan B.]

Take your pain medications and don't be afraid of addiction. When your body stops needing them, you just stop needing them. Don't let the pain get ahead of you, take them on time. The doctor will renew them for as long as you need because they know this is painful surgery. Take them BEforE going to therapy. I thought I was ruined for life after shoulder surgery, recuperation just takes a long time (I was 59 when I had my triple whammy...torn labrum, huge calcium deposit removal & rotator cuff repair). I bought a recliner to sleep in (slept in it for 4 months) before the surgery because you may not be able to sleep lying down for quite awhile.

[Dawn S.]

Sue, sounds like we had the same surgery with the same repairs! I had forgotten about not sleeping flat. I knew there was a reason I slept on the couch. That and being attached to the noisy Ice Man! But, I couldn't have survived without it.

Oh, Mike, your doctor may do this anyway, but ask if he is inserting a pain med device before sending you home. I remember a pain med "ball" that I wore (outside my body) and I guess it automatically injected the pain med at pre-set times. Perhaps it was a drip. I cannot remember where the injection site was, and it was empty and removed on my 3 day follow-up visit.

Dawn
In beautiful Northwest Montana