I had taken advice I had found on this site and spoke to my doc before shoulder surgery-I had a potential rotator cuff tear from my dogs pulling me down and continuing to pull last September. After PT and cortisone injections nothing was helping, so arthroscopy was the next step.
Long story short, the ortho's were pretty understanding. They gave me a nerve block numbing my whole arm before even putting me under, in an attempt to reduce the central sensitization. They were also careful handling me while "asleep" as I had found many bruises after my hysterectomy several years ago (prior to fibro dx) and didn't want that again, so I asked for extra care.
The problem I ran into was pain meds. I was already taking roxicet for fibro for almost a year (only 5/325) so they did not understand that they needed to give me more than they would give someone who was not already on a narcotic. It took a couple of visits to get them to adjust medications...I could not do the physical therapy necessary to get the arm moving right with the severe pain. It has now been 4 weeks and the shoulder is getting better, and I will see what happens next week. They tell you in advance they will wean you off narcotic pain meds over time. Smart, but I expect by next week they will have me down to 5/325 (pre-surgery level) and am not confident that that will work out. BTW, I did not have a tear, but a "frayed" tendon, so they fixed that, removed the bursa, and "scraped" arthritis and a bone spur that had been causing most of the pain. Also shaved bone off my clavicle. Didn't even know I had these issues! Those were not from injuries but more likely normal wear and tear, they say.
So bottom line, follow guidelines from others with experience, and really educate your docs if they are not savvy on fibro. Or find one who is. Ask for what you need, because they can't read your mind.
Rose
Hi!
I've been a 'lurker' on this site for a little while. Sometimes makes me feel better that others understand my pain issues...not happy that others are in pain, but knowing that I'm not crazy!
I have rotator cuff surgery scheduled for next week & am getting very scared about dealing with the surgery pain along with my fibro pain.
Anything that you could share about the recovery would be VERY much appreciated. I've been worrying about the pain meds too. I'm on Hydrocodone (5/500) now & I'm guessing I will need something stronger. I've also been told that I will need to wear a sling for 6 months...wondering if you could share anything about that (getting dressed, sleeping, ect) Anything you can share would be very helpful.
I'm hoping that you are doing better now & that your on your way to a pain-free shoulder...and all other fibro pain.
THANKS in advance!
Pat
Post surgery I am still struggling. They are keeping me on the 10/325 Percoset, now going into 4 weeks (?). Physical Therapy is frustrating, I am gettng motion back but have a constant pop/pain during every rep. Will see the surgeon friday and find out if I have to live with this or if it will go away.
Best advice post surgery is go VERY SLOW resuming activity. I keep overdoing it, can't totally ignore my overgrown herb garden. Getting dressed and doing self-care stuff is still hard, and sometimes I forget and put the arm in a bad position. Then scream. But it's a short term blast of pain and will subside.
I only had to wear the sling a day. JUST GO SLOW! You will find tricks to getting dressed, etc, using the arm that was not worked on. My "good" arm was already stronger before the surgery and is getting stronger every day. I am right handed and that arm is the "bad" arm so it's been an experience becoming left handed. Washing my very long hair is a very slow process. Do what the docs and PTs tell you for exercises, they really are more important than you think. Even if they hurt, best do them shortly after taking pain meds.
If you have any other issues with the "bad" arm be careful. I have irritated my wrist (have De Quervin's Tendinosis) and so my right arm is useless even after a day of relatively light use. I don't wan't another cortisone shot and forget surgery. I really fear that the shoulder will not be better than it was pre-surgery...and I am normally an optimist despite my conditio. I have learned that some people with cuff tears will not have surgery because it takes time out from work and they cannot afford it. They live with it. Even a hairdresser I know!
If I had it to do again I wouldn't do it, but that is today. Maybe in a few more weeks or months I will see improvement. I sure hope so.
Good luck to you and stay in touch!
Rose
THANKS Rose for your reply! I had my surgery last Friday & am starting to move around better. I had the nerve block on my whole arm too-boy did that feel weird! To touch your fingers - w/good arm - & know you were touching fingers but couldn't feel a thing. But when that wore off I got very sick; couldn't keep anything down-not even pain meds. (5/325 oxycodone) That only lasted a day, thank goodness! When the pain is real bad I take 1 1/2 and that seems to help...wish I had something stronger, but will try to hang w/this.
I'm still having a hard time sleeping; which was why I had to have the operation. I had ripped my r.c. over a year ago & in-between the cortizone shots the pain would wake me up every 2 hours. When dr said no more shots I knew I couldn't live on that little sleep. Now it isn't so much the pain in the shoulder that wakes me up but back pain for trying to sleep on it. I've had back surgery 6 yrs ago, but have never been able to sleep on my back. I've been getting up to 4 hrs sleep now b/f waking up w/horrible back pain.
Even though I hate wearing the 'monster' sling, taking it off is so painful! Only remove it for a shower but had to have Hubby make a 'shower sling' out of a pillow case to hold my arm up...killer pain when I even try to let my arm hang.
I start PT next Tues & even though I'm scared about the pain, I know I have to get this arm moving again. I'm learning to do things w/1 arm, but am feeling very lucky that it is my left arm in the sling...I can't imagine how hard it must be for you to do things left handed!
Hope you are feeling better & that your getting stronger every day. Thanks again for your advice!
Pat
Pat, you are welcome, and I send warm wishes your way for an easy recovery. You had more extensive surgery than I did so it will take a long time to really feel better than before. My doc said last week that it's normal that I still have pain, especially with fibro and the multitude of trigger points I have. Even for me he said it will take 3 months to heal; your RC surgery will take longer (6-9 months?). It's really hard and frustrating but what I do is imagine the time it will be all better, and I am just dealing with the usual stuff.
And I am working on my TrPs as much as I can on my own. And doing my exercises, still.
I can empathize with the lack of sleep. Catch the winks whenever you can to make up for bad nights. It helps some. I have back troubles too. Pinched nerves and bulging discs that cause my left leg to collapse at times. I use heat, cold, or lidocaine patches, depending on what my body is telling me. We have to listen to it...I forget sometimes, but it's really important.
Would love to hear an update in a few weeks!
Rose
Karen,
I am very enthused with the information you have provided and I will keep it in my file. I truly am more ready to go ahead with procedures. I have been forearmed with more potent knowledge and have been made better able to converse with whoever my doctor is at the time.
Thank you so much!
diane
I've had fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome for fifteen years. It has been hell with some less hellish periods from time to time. Not good days and bad days, just less hellish days.
I read of your experience with post surgical pain with great interest. I had a surgical breast biopsy three days ago. With extreme pain I endured having my already painful breast compressed in the mammogram machine, the radiologist injected a local anesthetic and then inserted a wire to guide the surgeon as to where the tumor was seen on with ultrasound. The compression hurt so badly that I almost passed out. Today with some research I found that almost passing out is to be expected with this procedure.
Anyway, on to surgery. The anesthesiologist tried to get an IV line started twice without any success. I had already had my blood drawn that morning, and also the morning before for pre-op testing. On the fifth stick, the nurse anesthetist was able to get a line going. My arms are so black and blue that I am going to take pictures and send them to the head of anesthesiology and suggest they find a better way of doing things so that a person isn't stuck five times within 24 hours. Four of those times within an hour of undergoing surgery. Why couldn't the woman who drew blood just before I went down for the mammogram part of the procedure started a line from where she drew blood? Is it a union thing or something? Just kidding.
Anyway, I had the open surgery breast biopsy, and will find out the results next Tuesday.
Right after the surgery as I was in the recovery room and then the final recovery room where you put your clothes on, have a glass of ginger ale and some crackers and are given your post op instructions and prescription. I told the nurse that I wasn't having any pain at the incision or my breast. She said that when all the medication wore off I would surely have pain and that I should have the vicodin prescription filled to have it ready for when I needed it. Well, I haven't needed it. My perception is that my every day fibromyalgia pain is worse than the pinchy burning feeling I have in my breast. The squishing in the mammogram machine just before surgery was very painful as I have a hematoma from a needle biopsy done months ago.
The only other surgery I've had since the start of my fibromyalgia was carpal tunnel surgery, the open surgery method, on both hands, about four weeks apart. I had a feeling of ground glass in my hands, but again, not much to complain about in comparison to my every day fibro pain.
Not sure what all of the above means, but wanted to share my experience with post surgical pain, it sounds somewhat similar to your post op experience with
pain. If having the mammogram with local anesthesia right in my breast helped me from having intense post surgical pain, then I feel better about going through that. I actually have some ptsd symptoms from the experience, which I'm hoping will fade soon.
Best regards to you and all who are fighting the good fight.
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I have had more than my share of surgeries over the past 6 years- 6 bone grafts (for the same tooth) to prepare for an tooth implant (over 4 years-very painful), 2 cataract surgeries and 2 thumb basal joint surgeries.
Several things I discovered- 1. I need to be relaxed while awaiting surgery- an mpg player with favorite music helps- (also listened during each tooth surgery- along with valium to relax)
2. codeine - oxicodone & hydrocodone, etc. don't last very long (maybe 2 hours) but prescription says take every 4-6 hours- I try to take tylenol 8 hour & get about 6 hours of relief. During the very painful times, don't let the pain meds wear off, take the next dose about 1/2 hour before the current wears off for more continuous pain relief.
3. I finally found a hygenist who understands me- she has to put topical pain reliever on my gums before she can even to a simple cleaning, not because my gums are in bad shape, but because of my sensation of pain- less pain, more cooperation on my part- because I am not jumping out of the chair. Also take tylenol before an appointment helps.
Fibro stinks- diagnosed about 6 years- had it at lkeast 10 years. but had joint pains most of my life. I'm 54 and had gall bladder attacks at 12- but since I was a kid, no one listened- probably had arthritis, too. Along with fibro I have rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis & borderline diabetes. There are days (like this morning, I just wanted to stay in bed)