Rotator Cuff Tear

RRP said:

MaC122 said:

so I just got out of surgery today. Nerve block didn't work so I was in pain as soon as they woke me up. They gave me 2 rounds of fentanyl, 2 rounds of dilauid, and 2 percocets and I still have pain. They had to put in 6 anchors into my bone and I doubt ill get any sleep tonight. Thanks for all the advice, you guys are great. Who knew that the BGE forum is a catch all for life events, too!

 I'm impressed! The day and that night that I had surgery I was kept in the hospital heavily sedated! Here you are knowing what all meds you had and able to type all this as well! You da man!!! Good luck from here!

Here is that cooler system that I was given that you were talking about earlier.

@ladeback69 I've been in and part of hundreds and hundreds of RTC repairs, you've got my email if you have any questions.  As far as shoulder replacement goes, if that is the ultimate recommendation of your primary ortho, you need to know how many they have performed.  Total Shoulders are NOT as common as hips and knees.  You need someone who does them regularly.  We maybe had 10 a year and were were considered high volume for our part of Atlanta.

Dude, @smasch, That's more than a normal looking TKA to me.  Did you have to have a realignment procedure as well?  Osteotomy of the bone to straighten it out?  That's a rough one there, buddy!

The Cryocuff from Aircast was invented by a friend of mine who helped get me into egging.  I've got the ankle, knee, and shoulder attachments.  Yes, I am accident prone.  My dad had the Breg unit that was mentioned earlier with his total knees.  Seemed simpler to operate.

 

I always insisted on taking out the staples that I put in people....  You have no idea how much those things can bite unless you've had them yourself.....  4 back surgeries in high school from football.  I had some evil nurses in those offices!  Empathy goes a long way!

Ouch!  That number is eerily familiar to me; its coming very soon!  I know that TKA's are in my future thanks to high school and college football.

DaveRichardson said:

Could easily be a cuff tear. The overhead pain is also indicative of impingement of the cuff muscles. Typically it's a bone spur on the end of the clavicle at the top of the shoulder that hangs like a stalactite over the cuff. Every time you move, it rubs and pinches one muscles causing micro trauma. Overtime, the spur and micro trauma get worse. 

Painful activities often include: 
overhead activities
reacing into back pocket
pitting stuff in overhead cabinets
reaching back to grab seatbelt
fastening seatbelt

get it looked at. They will want the X-rays that were done, or they will do their own. Then more than likely, they will do an MRI to evaluate the status of the cuff. 

Then, if the cuff is torn, and arthritis is bad, there will be some decisions to make. 

Can an you get pictures of the shoulder X-rays?  I'll send my email in a PM later on. 

This is what I have on both shoulders. I had shoulder decompression surgery on my right shoulder in October 2013.  They also discovered a slight tear but decided not to repair - the tear was a result of the spur buildup. 

Just waiting for the cortisone to wear off on the left, and will get that done in a year or two.  Can't lift anything to heavy over my head now, but still able to play hockey and golf.

post op day 3 update. Pain sucks but its only if I try and move the shoulder. I went to my first physical therapy today and it sucked but it was not that bad. The best part is that I have been sleeping great. I bought some bed wedges from amazon and I prop them up on my couch. I popped some pain pills and Benadryl the first 2 nights and got 8 hours of sleep. They give you a nerve block before surgery that makes your arm useless but this did not take for me. I was shaking hands before the operation and I consider this a blessing. I was hurting bad in the post op room so I knew what to expect when I got home. Everyday seems to get better but the mornings are the worst because your arm is stiff. The sling is the absolute worst and I only wear it to go out or sleep. Ill update later

week 2 update. Pain is gone. I cant move my arm worth a **** but therapy is helping. I have been sleeping all night without the sling but I still wake up sore in the morning. cant wait to touch my head

Yep, cuffs are a PITA!!!  If you can get by with just the decompression (think removing the upside down speed bump that dings the cuff every time you lift the arm) and give the cuff more room, you should be ok. If it's completely torn (arm kinda raised....) then repair is best. Yes, the nerve block is awesome; you don't think so when they are doing it, but that night, it truly is a great thing (and if keeps patients from calling me at 2am!).

All I'll suggest on the blocks is to start taking the pain meds when you get home. Yes, it doesn't hurt now, but it'll hurt like a sum-a-beach the next day when it wears off!!  When the hand starts waking up, TAKE A PILL!!!!

Jeepster47 said:

@smasch ... with a surgical scar like that, you've just got to go get a tattoo.  Just a small one ... of a zipper pull at the end of the scar.  It would be worth it just to see nurses and docs see it, pause, and try to comprehend. 

I've had patients do that!  It is awesome!

From grannies with piercings and inappropriate tattoos....  I have seen it all!

Its a sick world, I'm a happy guy!

Had to call some old patients and asked them to send their scar tattoos....

At least you could poop.  At that amount of oxycodone, I'm surprised you weren't clogged up tighter than some on those guys in the BGE Facebook groups!