Oh my gosh, Laurierace!! I can’t even imagine.
Best of luck with your recovery.
I just got off the phone with my pain doctor, they called in lidocaine patches and muscle relaxers. Hopefully that helps. I did go to my health club this morning and did my first round of exercises in the hot tub. That helped some.
Yay!! I wish you had those had that a few weeks/months ago. Flector (voltaren) patches are good too. Sometimes I like Flectors better.
Why not ask your Doctor for Flector patches, too?
Can you do a hot, long shower before PT and medicate before you get there? I forgot, does Ultram (tramadol) work for you? I love Ultram and would be (even more) miserable without it. I add two Tylenol or Motrin to the Ultram to bump it up a bit.
Remember, you can suggest things to them because, honestly, I don’t think they care that much about managing the patient’s pain.
I took two percs and two muscle relaxers a couple of hours ahead of time and it seemed to help some. ROM is still good everywhere but the one way and got a little better today so maybe I will survive to see this through.
Oh, if you sleep in a patch, you should probably tape down the corners or else they tend to roll up and move. I bought a box of cloth medical tape on Amazon.
(Lately, I have to use the patches on my heels. I’ve got plantar fasciitis to where the pain makes me nauseous (and that is even with Ultram) and it feels like my calcaneus are going to come through the bottom of my feet at any moment. :eek: I go to PT for my plantar fasciitis now. Some existences are just way too ridiculous!)
I am fine except for when I am doing PT so plan to wear it during the day. I really can’t believe how freaking horrific the PT is. It is like being in labor bad, I want an epidural! I had to have both kids with nothing, I don’t want to give birth to a shoulder with nothing as well!
I’d say it takes a good bunch of hours for the patches to work, though. I’d put it on about 5 or so hours before PT. They have a, perhaps, more subtle effect than medication you can swallow but still useful. Also, you may need to patch daily in order to find it useful. Still, it’s additional way to quash pain and sometimes you really need every method you can.
I never intended for this to be a vent thread as I really was looking for info but appreciate being able to vent to someone other than my family. I think they are sick of hearing it. My shoulder has started clunking occasionally like something is catching. I assume that is labrum but who knows?
Venting is absolutely fine and necessary. Along with healing the body, the mind has to recover from some of the ridiculous pain endured. I was just at PT (for the plantar fasciitis) and saw a shoulder patient there, so I was speaking with her for a bit. I think I was doing a “oh, look, another shoulder survivor and look, we made it”, kinda thing. Venting is part of why they have support groups for certain health problems and such.
About four months post-op, for a bit, I had a click when I moved a certain way. The PT said it would go away as things stabilize and it did.
I’m sure there is swelling in there as you just had a mobilization (is that what they call that procedure?) so probably less room for things to move around and therefore the catch and noise?
Feel better!
My mobility is normal in most directions and getting better in the direction it is not good but the pain is not the slightest bit better in the bad direction. I keep think I am stretching into the tear which obviously makes it hurt and may or may not tear it worse. I am anxious to hear what the doctor thinks when I see him on Friday. All in all, it is much better both in terms of mobility and pain relief than before the mobilization, I wish we could just say this is good enough and stop torturing me.
I believe if you don’t keep it going it can start freezing again.
I meant keep it moving the ways it is moving but stop trying to force it the way it doesn’t move as well. We’ll see what he says.
Don’t tell anybody but I am playing hooky today. I can’t face another break my arm off session today. I went to my health club and did all my exercises in the hot tub and am heading to the barn to ride my horse as soon as I finish icing.
Well, o.k., but you did your exercises still. Do you think you could tell the PT person he/she just has to go a bit easier? Are there some PTs that are more gentle than the others? If so, only book with them. You do need to get it moving but as you have a partial tear you don’t want them making it a full tear.
There was one that I tried not to book with. He didn’t easy you into a movement, he took the arm as far as it had to go on the first stretch. It would make my eyes teary. If I had to have him because someone called in, I’d tell him, first thing, that he needs to go easier and do the first few stretches a bit less so we can warm into it.
Thanks for your response on the Maryland thread! I have to respond there but am kinda dealing with a headache (it’s always something, eh). Foot PT is working well. We do lots of little, tiny movements to loosen the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon (goes from the heel up the back of your leg). It’s a bit odd but it works, thank goodness.
So the doctor said that having a torn rotator cuff or torn labrum does not mean you can’t do the internal rotation stretches, it just makes them hurt worse. Uh, duh! I told him I can’t handle it anymore, it is making me a nervous wreck. He said tell my PT to go easier and do my best but if I don’t get it mobile that direction it will freeze again. I am screwed. He also said someone who has been on opiods for an extended period of time has very little chance of a good outcome. Maybe I should just give up now.
My PT guy was much gentler on me today and I still got decent stretch so maybe we both learned something.
[QUOTE=Laurierace;8698393]
He also said someone who has been on opiods for an extended period of time has very little chance of a good outcome.[/QUOTE]
How come? 
Fingers crossed that this is just one last hurdle and it’s all smooth sailing ahead, Laurie.
[QUOTE=Simkie;8699069]
How come?
Fingers crossed that this is just one last hurdle and it’s all smooth sailing ahead, Laurie.[/QUOTE]
I don’t know, it was really odd. I almost asked if he was calling me an addict or something. Then in the next sentence he tells me to keep taking the percs before therapy and do my best?!? When I made my follow up appointment they asked if I needed a refill. If I went through that many percocet in a week I think I would be dead, no need to worry about my shoulder.
I had my first ride today, it only lasted a few minutes and didn’t go well but no hard done. It was crazy windy and a huge branch blew down right next to the arena, spooking my mare. She blasted forward a few steps and I had to pull her up pretty hard. It hurt then, still hurts some now but no harm done. I have no restrictions so this is the new normal I guess.
“My PT guy was much gentler on me today and I still got decent stretch so maybe we both learned something.”
Kewl. I’d remind him each and every time, before you start, as it seems his default style on the stretch is not the gentlest. As such, you will have to always give him that preemptive reminder. Also, medicate before PT to make it more tolerable.
“He also said someone who has been on opiods for an extended period of time has very little chance of a good outcome.”
I wonder why, also. Is it just because the length of time with significant pain (aka one who has to take such pain meds) signifies a chronic physical issue? I’m not so sure this applies in your case . Once the mobility is truly fixed (as best as possible) do they believe they should fix the partial tear & labrum?
