Shoulder Replacement

[Industrialsize]

On 12/16 I'm going into the Hospital to have my shoulder replaced with a new titanium one. I've already had 3 surgeries on the shoulder to repair rotator cuff tears, a ruptured biceps tendon and the removal of 2 bone spurs. Now they tell me that all of the cartilage in the joint is gone and that is what is causing the unrelenting pain. I've known people who've had knees and hips replaced but I've never heard of anyone having their shoulder replaced. Has anyone here had it done or know someone who's had it done??? I'd love to know what I'm in for. They tell me it's going to take a year of physical therapy to regain my range of motion and strength back. To be honest, that would be a bonus. All I want is for the pain to stop.

 

[justine]

Greetings just finished a year of therapy for both knee replacements. My advise to you is please follow the Dr. drug therapy for pain management. The first knee I did not follow and would wait for pain before taking the meds, second knee followed the program exactly and no problems what so ever. The lack of me taking the pain meds also had a great impact on therapy as I was unable to take the pain of the physical therapist and it slowed progress. Second knee progressed much faster and even now the left knee still does not function as well as the right. Best to you in up coming surgery.
Justine

 

[601900]

I 've never had any type of surgery,but i wish you all the best and a speedy recovery.

And hopefully this will be the last one.

 

[ManlyBanisters]

This is kind of limited, but may be of some help.

When I was having physio for six weeks my appointment companion (by coincidence not design) was a lady who just had a shoulder replaced.

She had been in physio about 2 weeks ahead of me getting there and still had very limited movement in the first week we were attending appointments together. She seemed very happy despite that because the pain she had been in was gone and could at least make herself a meal without being in agony. She made excellent progress in the 6 weeks we knew each other and was looking forward to having her other shoulder done about a week after I last saw her.

I don't have any real insight into the process other than to say that after 8 weeks physio she had enough pain free use of her shoulder and arm to be able to have the other shoulder done. The main thing that bothered her was that she needed help dressing. Only certain items - before she could manage it by bearing the pain - after the op she had to limit her movement more (for a short time) and that was a real bother. Now you, Indy, don't wear a bra (or at least I assume you don't) and the bra was her main problem, so perhaps that won't be such a bother for you.

All in all, my observation is that she was very happy and that the physio, while certainly uncomfortable looking for her at times, was very effective.

Best of luck with it. Let us know how you get on.

 

[Industrialsize]

. Now you, Indy, don't wear a bra (or at least I assume you don't) and the bra was her main problem, so perhaps that won't be such a bother for you.

All in all, my observation is that she was very happy and that the physio, while certainly uncomfortable looking for her at times, was very effective.

Best of luck with it. Let us know how you get on.

I don't wear a Bra(except or special occasions) but getting dresses is not easy. Getting any sort of "pull-over shirt on is next to impossible. Luckily my husband is getting pretty good at getting me dressed. I keep joking with him that it's good practice for him for when he has to take care of me when I'm old a feeble....

 

[witch]

My sister had a full knee replacement in July, we are still dealing with swelling and building strength back into the leg, as she has been favoring it for years. The other knee is do to be replaced Oct. next year and we now know she can’t handle the large doses of pain killers ( upset tummy).

That being said, she tells me the sheer relief from the “pain” was worth any discomfit from the surgery. Another pain-in the-butt was She had to come off “all” medicines a couple of weeks before the operation, could only take Tylenol until a few days before going in.

I don’t know about shoulder replacement but be prepared to use that arm right after surgery, doctors orders
Doctors do thousand of these replacements every year and the vast majority of people are very happy that they had it done.

I know I’m glad to see my sis in less pain, now to get that second knee fixed.:biggrin1:

 

[nudeyorker]

Besides following your doctors and physical therapist recommendations to the letter is to get your home user friendly for after the surgery. Things that you may have to reach and strain to retrieve should be moved.
This also gives you the perfect excuse to get all of your holiday shopping wrapping etc done early so you can just rest and recover with out stressing about the holidays!

 

[Enid]

my only advice is to take a pain pill 30 minutes before your PT :smile:

it helps me, i'm in 2nd month of therapy for a new titanium arm

my doctor said perhaps 6 months to get full range of motion back, it seems like that's spot on. it's very stiff after surgery, hard to move. but the exercises work and usually there's some feeling of accomplishment after the sessions when your therapist measures and you can see how you've gone a little farther than last week. that's nice. the massages after are nice too because some of the exercises hurt a little -- but that's why a pill right before can take the edge off!

good luck indy wish you a very speedy recovery!

 

[Industrialsize]

Besides following your doctors and physical therapist recommendations to the letter is to get your home user friendly for after the surgery. Things that you may have to reach and strain to retrieve should be moved.
This also gives you the perfect excuse to get all of your holiday shopping wrapping etc done early so you can just rest and recover with out stressing about the holidays!

Actually it gives me an excuse to have my husband wait on me hand and foot!.......He's pretty good at it.

 

[petite]

I have no advice to give, just wanted to say that I'm sorry to hear that you have to go through that and I hope that you recover well and quickly. :flowers1:

 

[Industrialsize]

I have no advice to give, just wanted to say that I'm sorry to hear that you have to go through that and I hope that you recover well and quickly. :flowers1:

Thanks heaps Ms. Petite.

 

[hsarge]

Industrial: Good luck. A close friend of mine had both hips replaced within 6 months. He's 2 months out from the second and is already back to ballroom dancing. The advances in orthopedics is just amazing.

Enid: we wish you the best; yours is a surgery I am not familiar with.

 

[Empathizer]

Good luck and a speedy recovery to you both!

 

[B_hardasarokkk]

Now kiddies... here's a lesson on what happens when you are into Industrial strength wanking, dont over do it!
Oh well.... you'll just have to learn to jack off with the other hand eh?

 

[Enid]

this kind of thing may help you in rehab!

Dynaflex Powerball Pro Gyro Exerciser

 

[petite]

my only advice is to take a pain pill 30 minutes before your PT :smile:

it helps me, i'm in 2nd month of therapy for a new titanium arm

my doctor said perhaps 6 months to get full range of motion back, it seems like that's spot on. it's very stiff after surgery, hard to move. but the exercises work and usually there's some feeling of accomplishment after the sessions when your therapist measures and you can see how you've gone a little farther than last week. that's nice. the massages after are nice too because some of the exercises hurt a little -- but that's why a pill right before can take the edge off!

good luck indy wish you a very speedy recovery!

Yikes! Titanium arm? Two months ago? Well if I aren't the least observant person on earth! I'm sorry that I'm such a dufus that I missed that entirely. :redface:

I'm glad to hear that your recovery is going so well. :smile:

 

[D_Gunther Snotpole]

Pain is a real bitch, so good luck on this, indie.
And be a good boy with all the post-surgery instructions you'll have.
But you're a nurse, right? You'll do what's needed.

 

[Drifterwood]

Do they let you keep the old one Indie? I would mount it in a glass case with a sign, "Break only in emergency for shoulder to cry on".

Apologies if that's too EAP; my very best wishes for the procedure and a speedy resolution, recovery, rehab etc etc. I am sure that you could easily find a few more willing slaves if required.

 

[Industrialsize]

Pain is a real bitch, so good luck on this, indie.
And be a good boy with all the post-surgery instructions you'll have.
But you're a nurse, right? You'll do what's needed.

Nurses make the WORST patients because we know everything...

Do they let you keep the old one Indie? I would mount it in a glass case with a sign, "Break only in emergency for shoulder to cry on".

Apologies if that's too EAP; my very best wishes for the procedure and a speedy resolution, recovery, rehab etc etc. I am sure that you could easily find a few more willing slaves if required.

I asked my surgeon if I could have the parts of bone they're going to saw off of me. I wanted to have them bronzed or polished and made into a necklace. He told me it was against the law for him to give me my own body parts. I thought that a bit strange.

 

[ghb69]

I asked my surgeon if I could have the parts of bone they're going to saw off of me. I wanted to have them bronzed or polished and made into a necklace. He told me it was against the law for him to give me my own body parts. I thought that a bit strange.

Even auto mechanics have to give you the worn out parts if you ask..