Total shoulder replacement

Has anyone had a total shoulder replacement?  I have severe osteoarthritis and have had one hip and one knee replaced.  I need the other knee done and at least one shoulder.  I'm afraid of losing more movement in my shoulder than I have now.  The Doctor wants to do the reverse joint procedure.  From what I understand, they put the joint in upside down.  I do know it takes months of rehab and for a person who hates excerising I don't know if I could go through with this.  Please, if you have had such a surgery or know of someone who has let me know how it came out. 

Yes, like you I hope we hear from more people.  I'm glad you still have your range of motion.  Did you have a great deal of pain before hand?  My sister has one shoulder that has no joint left and it doesn't hurt her.  The surgeon had never seen anything like it.  She does need the other one done and I think we are both waiting for the other to see if it works!

When I had the knee replaced I thought I would be out of pain sooner than I was.  My biggest problem with the knee was "trusting it".  I would say that pain lasted about six months but even now when I get out of bed some mornings there is pain.  I told myself no matter how many joints I have replaced, I still have arthritis! BTW, the hip was a dream to have replaced in case anyone out there is interested.  No PT, no pain, nothing!  I think that spoiled me.  After a year, I still don't know if I want the other knee done or the shoulder. 

You can do the stretching and other exercises by yourself.

Pamela,  Wow, what an experience.  I am currently waiting to be scheduled for an MRI on both of my shoulders.  I do know if the whole body tube MRI bothers you there are places that do MRI's with a circular open tube MRI.  My sister flat out refused the full body one.  What upsets me is the personnel do not care how much pain you are in, they just want to get their pictures.  I found that out all too well when I had to have a myelogram for a ruptured disc at L4-L5.  The resident Radiologist was understanding of my pain in certain positions.  The teaching Radiologist took over and pushed me in the positions he wanted and didn't care about how much pain I was in.  The students watching had pain on their face just watching!  Four hours later came the MRI and I was forced to be in that machine for 45 minutes.  The tech said I kept moving when I didn't think I had moved a muscle!  These people will do anything to get the pictures.  I ended up with a dropped foot from nerve injury and will never be completely sure the x-ray department didn't further injure the nerve beyond repair.  My surgeon is also at fault as this was the second time I needed surgery on the same disc.  I told him three months after the first surgery the pain was back...his only reply...lose weight.  Ten months later he took me back to surgery after my foot dropped.  I don't think my total knee surgery is what it should be either.  Is it any wonder I'd prefer not to have my shoulders done??  My present PCP seems to think even if I have a torn rotator cuff, he can fix it with a "concoction" he uses and I won't have to go to surgery.  I'm thinking I should run the other way fast!

PS

I'll be back here soon. This may be the forum where I belong.

It seems to me my primary cause of pain comes from arthritis -
Spondliosis.

Bing:

What a trial you've been through! What happened to your shoulders
to cause you to need total shoulder relacement. Sheesh.

Congratulations on your bravery and on your recovery.

Pamela

Post Edited (Pamela Neckpain) : 4/26/2009 3:39:14 PM (GMT-6)

Had four surgeries on my left shoulder, first they though it was impingment, or rotator cuff, didn't help, had shoulder replacement, didn't help, had reverse shoulder replacement, still have the same pain I had before.  After replacements  they found out that I have rheumatiod arthritis and now I have the pain in my right shoulder.  My knees are also a problem so don't know what to tell you.  I am on methatrexate (?) for the arthritis and have no relief.  I didn't have much pain from the replacement surgery, and most of the exercises you can do at home.  As I said I am the same or worse off now.  Good luck

I had a partial shouder replacement 2 months ago(hemi-arthroplasty).I had reconstructive surgury twice by the time I was 36, I was told I needed a replacement but was too young. So when I turned 50 I had it done. The pain from arthritis is gone but after a month of therapy I can't raise my arm waist high. I could before,but only waist high. I know I have severe muscle atrophy seeing I have not used the arm in nearly 20 yrs. I can move my arm laterally now but it feels like it's catching or skipping and lots of pain. Doctor took more x-rays and said implant is good and therapist said it feels like tendon.

Does anyone have the same thing?

 Woke up this morning and I can't move or feel my arm, on way to doctor office to see what is going on.  I can not afford for something else to go wrong.  I need to be able to work at least a few hours a week.  Thank god that I have family that I am living with or I would have been out on the streets already.  New medicine helps with the pain but puts me to sleep, so i have to have someone drive me all the time now. I really hate being dependent on other people.  I was promised after ten years of pain that this would help, I really hope she told me the truth, because right now I don't believe it.  I could chop my arm off right now

BHMOM

I am almost 9 weeks post op from total shoulder replacement.  I was doing really well until about 2 weeks ago when I woke up one morning unable to move my arm and severe pain.  My doctor prescribed Nucynta for the pain, which worked well for me, just very expensive.  We have managed to rule lots of things out, but have not figured out what is causing all the pain.  We have had to stop all PT since I am in such pain.  Many days I dont even get out of bed.  This has been a very frustrating experience for me.  The one thing I would say, is make sure that you have a doctor that you can talk to and will listen to what is going on.  I have been very lucky that my doctor listens to me and knows that there is something going on.  I am going for MRI of shoulder and arm.   My pain is mostly in my area between shoulder and elbow.  I have found out that I am very allergic to tape, sterile dressings and anything that sticks or cements me.  I am hoping that I am not have some type of reaction to the rod put in my arm.  I just want the nightmare to be over with.  I could not imagine having to have this surgery done a second time.  Tell your husband to keep the faith and make sure he is totally ok with his doctor.  After having many surgeries and dealing with lots of medical problems, I can say that I have total trust in my orthro doctor.  She really listens to what I am telling her and does not make me think it is all in my head as so many doctors have.  It took me 10 years of pain to finally find a doctor that was willing to do something for me.  Everyone told me I was too young for a shoulder replacement.  Please be sure to keep us posted on your husband so we can help you through this process.  I know the feeling of being in constant pain and not being able to get relief.  Tell him to talk to his doctor about the new medicine, it helped me when oxocodone wouldnt.

BHMOM and Everyone Else

I am now more than 3 months post op from a total shoulder replacement.  My replacement is right where it should be and I have finally started physical therapy.  My issue now is with the swelling of the entire arm and the inability to tolerate the pain that is in the area between shoulder and elbow.  I have had every test known to mankind to try and figure out what is going on.  My doctor has tried all she can think of that might be wrong and everything comes back negative.  I have had to go back on oxycontin for pain.  I am due to go back to work next week and I just dont know how that is going to go.  I just basically can not use my arm.  I have severe pain from picking up my coffee cup.  I am wondering if anyone else has had the same problems or is this just something that goes on during the recovery process, Any suggestions any one may have would be really appreciated.  I so want to get my life back and quit using such heavy duty drugs for pain.

Thank you for your story, it does give me a reason to keep going.  My biggest concern right now is the fact that work for a grocery store and am often needed to work the front end which means that I would be lifting and sliding things with my arm.  Right now that is impossible for me to do and i dont think it is something that is doing to come back any time soon.  I hate the thought that I many have to go on disability.  I am only 54 years old and dont like being in active.  The last three months have been difficult for me since I have not been able to do any of the things that I would usually do on my time off.  I get bored easily and when I am bored I have the tendency to eat.  More weight is not something that I need.  I had working hard on losing prior to my surgery.  I can not even hold my coffee cup in my left hand without it making my hand shake and I always have the feeling that I am going to drop it.  I have lost feeling in three of my fingers on my left hand and the swelling makes my arm so uncomfortable that some days I don't even bother to get dressed and spend most of my day in bed, needless to say the pain meds make me every tired also.  Did you have a hard time getting your disability approved, I have heard such horror stories about people trying to get approved for disability,

i have gone back to doctor numerous time, she has done all kinds of testing and nothing is showing up.  Therefore her answer is to do physical therapy and get on with my life.  I went to physical therapy today and basically cried all the way through it and then came home and had to go to bed because I felt so bad and had taken an oxycontin.  So I am sure that as I am going back to work on Saturday for 4 hours a day five days a week.  I will work my four hours and come home in extreme pain, take pain meds and sleep until it is time to go tow work again or physical therapy.  Sounds like a wonderful life doesn't it.  I thought I had made the right decision in the beginning because I was feeling so well 6 weeks ago and then the swelling started and it has been downhill ever since.  I can tell that I am starting to loose feeling in arm due to swelling.  Typing is hard since I dont feel my fingers much at all.  I go back to the doctor in three weeks and when I do I am going to give her the choice of either going in and see what is happening or just be honest and tell me this is as good as it gets and help me get disability.  I can not do anything without pain and I refuse to live on pain medication for the rest of my life.  I have a grand daughter who doesnt understand my grandma doesnt want to do anything or go anywhere any more.  Up to this point I was a very active person.  I hate my life right now, there is nothing to do to make the situation better, we have done every test known.  To my doctors credit, she has really listened to me up to this point.  I just dont know what else there is to do.  If there was I way to could reverse this I would.  I could handle the pain that I was in prior to the surgery, but not this.  having to take oxycontin all the time makes it difficult to lead any type of normal life anyway.  I am wondering if there is anyone else out there that might have had the same thing happen to them and if so, what was your answwer to the problem.  Someone please answer, as I desperate at this point

I am 5 months post op from total Shoulder arthroplasty. Started PT 2 months post op was making great gains with motion as well as strength, minimal pain.  about 5 week ago started have jolting and cramping like pain when I lowerd my arm. I went back to the surgeon though I might have torn the rotator cuff. I had a OPCT/CT scan done Rotator seems to be in tacked but they think the glenoid, PVC in socket/scapula, may have separated from the scapula. We are going to give it another 3 weeks, now 6 months post op if no improvement more surgery. FYI this happens in 5% of shoulder replacement, lucky me. Has anyone else experienced this kind of problem and where are you 5 months post op pain wise?

Post Edited (grassvalley) : 4/13/2011 5:25:22 PM (GMT-6)