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sarahsweets
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Default Feb 16, 2020 at 10:01 AM
  #1
So I’ve had two rotator cuff type surgeries within 10 months. I had the right rotator cuff done in April of 2019 and then I had the left shoulder worked on in September. They thought I’d torn the left cuff but when he went in he said he didn’t see a tear but saw all sorts of debris, bursitis and arthritis so he cleaned it out. Healing from that surgery was a breeze. In the beginning of January I went to grab frozen sweet potato’s from a high box in an Aldi. It turns out the box was jam packed and one solid frozen block of potato packages. I yanked one and it didn’t budge and I felt a pain go right to the core. I happened to go see my surgeon for a cortisone injection for my hand and mentioned it but it wasn’t excruciating. He didn’t see anything that seemed like I F’d it up and told me that I was still technically healing.

The pain started to get worse. It’s spread from the outside of the shoulder where the cuff is into my shoulder blade. If I rest my arm on an armrest sometimes I get weird muscle spasms that twitch around the bicep/pec and the back of the shoulder. I can’t put any pressure on it. I’ve had horrible time sleeping. I prop myself on pillows, in the recliner, all sorts of ways. My arm is weak. It throbs all the time and by the end of the day it’s almost unbearable. I called 10 days ago and they have me scheduled for Thursday to see him. I’m maxed out on Tylenol. I can’t take NSAIDs but I’ve been taking naproxen here and there anyway. It barely does anything. My mom suggested I call tomorrow and try and get a message to him and request a script for an MRI in order to be ahead of the game so when I see him it’s one less thing I need to do but I don’t know if the office will take kindly to me telling them what I need to do.

Something is not right. I asked my husband to try and lightly rub the shoulder blade area last night but I couldn’t stand the pain. He said it felt like stuff was “shifting “ all over the place. His words were “nothing felt stable or in place”. Has anyone gone through this or have any thoughts? Is it possible that I didn’t have a tear before but now I do? Is there any other sort of injury that makes sense? I do not believe it’s frozen shoulder based on what I read. Please share any and all experiences you’ve had with shoulder pain, injury, surgery and how you coped. All ideas welcome. I hope you all can help me shed some light on what I’m dealing with.
Thanks.

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Default Feb 16, 2020 at 06:08 PM
  #2
Sarah, I have no insights, but wanted to say I'm thinking of you.

Would applying hot or cold help?
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unaluna
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Default Feb 19, 2020 at 06:29 PM
  #3
I popped in because I was thinking post- abdominal surgery shoulder pain is common, but... not what you have going on at all. I have shoulder pain too but its likely to do with spinal issues for me, so I honestly don't have any ideas for you either. I am so sorry. I am currently propped up on a heat pad for mine, not sure if that would help or hurt for you. Maybe ice if its very inflamed?

My pcp suggested aspercreme with lidocaine for some of my acute muscoloskeletal pain and it does help also. Just don't use it if you use heat. Ice should be fine I think.

Regardless, I am thinking of you. So sorry you are suffering like this. Big hug. (I still don't know how to use the hugs feature. Sry)
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ArtleyWilkins
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Default Feb 20, 2020 at 01:00 AM
  #4
If you are particularly sensitive to light touch, and the shoulder feels cold or the coloring is off, they may need to consider the possibility of CRPS (Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome). It’s rare, but the pain is excruciating and out of proportion to the injury. Hopefully this isn’t the issue, but CRPS following surgeries is one of the more common ways it gets started. I don’t want you to jump to this but it may be important to bring up this possibility to your doctor. They don’t tend to think about it because it is a rare complication, but it is imperative that it be diagnosed quickly and treated quickly in order to prevent the syndrome from worsening or becoming permanent. My husband has lived with CRPS since 1985. If this is a possibility, you will need an excellent pain specialist who knows what he’s doing. They can be hard to find.
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Default Feb 20, 2020 at 05:34 AM
  #5
Ohhh, I feel so bad for you.

I tore my rotator cuff years ago. I did a bunch of good physical therapy and had a cortisone shot. It took a year of PT (including daily at home), but it seemed to heal.

A decade has passed and for some crazy reason my shoulder has started hurting again...feels like an achy razor blade deep in my right shoulder. I don't know why and I don't know what I'll do if it doesn't go away.

My suggestion is to either get PT or look on youtube for the appropriate exercise info. I found the colored bands were very helpful.

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