I'm doing fine after surgery

[johnniebear]

i had rotator cuff surgery on tuesday..  i'm doing good so far.  
if i compare this to pain before a during and after back surgery last year..  this  isn't to bad,  that back pain  was the worse- i had a swollen nerve in the lumbar


i take my pain meds every 4 hours & i think i can cut back to every 6 hours on saturday.

sleeping sitting up is still difficult - not to bad when thats my main complaint..


take care
jb

[debgen]

Hi JB,

So happy that your surgery went well :) I hope you start feeling a bit better every day.

(((gentle hugs)))
Deb

[twopack]

Glad the surgery went well jb. It sounds like you had a lot done on that shoulder so make sure you have specific instructions from your surgeon about how he wants therapy to progress.  

A good therapist should be able to assess how far to push -- but sometimes they go a little too far.  My husband found this out when he and a (once trusted) PT pushed a bit too hard after rotator cuff surgery.  The tissue ripped right away from the sutures.  

DH had had a successful surgery on the same shoulder years ago so the 'repair' surgery he needed was the third on this shoulder.  After that one he wasn't allowed to move the arm AT ALL for 6 weeks, had strictly PT administered passive movement for the next 6 weeks and then very slowly added in active exercises.  He received no promise of success before the last surgery but it did relieve his pain and (after a year with a new therapist) he is able to lift that arm almost level with his shoulder.

Therapy will be painful for sure jb but keep in mind that not every level of pain is good or expected.  Once the therapy starts, make sure you communicate your pain level to the therapist.  I think DH grits his teeth and bears whatever therapy deals him.  I think that might describe you too?  I completely understand this theory in the pursuit of a goal.  Just remember, sometimes it's fine to say "Stop!" if you sense you've reached a limit for the day.

Sorry I got so carried away.  Just wanted to say I'm glad the cutting is behind you on this one and the healing has begun.

[anon07072023]

Yes, it's painful to lift your arm up during the PT - and of course other things. Yep, you can handle it - they don't call it physical torture for nothing.   ;-)   I think before the PT you're supposed to keep your arm at rest, so the things that they fixed heal together.

[rendean]

JB

So glad the surgery is over and things went well!!  I hope the pain lessens day by day and recovery is speedy and uneventful!!

Ren

[Lulu54]

JB - did they give you any gentle exercises you can do to help slow the development of scar tissues until you get to pt?  I hope the healing goes well.

[johnniebear]

PT is the next hurdle in about 6-8 weeks,  i'm told thats painful because the scare tissue builds quickly,   i can handle it ...


all is good so far,,


thanks
jb

[michelleric]

So glad this is behind you now. Wishing you speedy healing!
Michelle

[anon07072023]

Glad the surgery is over with for you.  The less pain the better.
Now I guess physical therapy may be starting fairly soon?  I don't remember the waiting period before you start that.

[HVAC]

Hang in there. I used to have to fall asleep with an ice pack on my shoulder.

Alex

[kwarendorf]

I'm happy to hear your on the mend! There is no question that the post surgery soreness is much better than the chronic pre surgery pain. You know the soreness will get better :-)

Kyle