Aa
Clean since January, but IN PAIN
I was addicted to Norco. Taking 180 pills in 8 days. I finally went to rehab the end of December. Was blessed to be at a great place with a great program. I started the pills because of knee pain. I had three knee replacement surgeries, 2 PKRs and one redo a TKR. My knees are the best they are going to get, can manage without pain killers. But I was still on the pills because of my shoulder. After my third knee surgery, I came off of methadone but stayed on the Norco. I've been clean from Norco since Jan. My shoulder is getting worse every day. I've been in tears for three days. I went to shoulder orthopedic at Fodren Orthopedic Group in Houston three months ago. He said I have a SLAP lesion or tear. They don't like to operate on people my age, 56 with that tear, because many are often left in worse pain than when they started. So he sent me to another doctor who is treating me with diet and PT, which I've been doing since 2012 with no lasting result. My shoulder feels like it's tearing apart inside. I've been up front with the doctors about my addiction. I hope they don't think I'm drug seeking because I'm not. I'm not taking ANYTHING for the pain because I can't take NSAIDS. I feel so hopeless right now. It's like torture. No one will listen. How is one expected to live like this? I am so tempted to drink, but I really want to stay clean. Help, or at least feel sorry for me.
The lidoderm patches are saving me. 20 days off methadone & my neuropathy had been a real live 8 at times but the patch really blocks it.
So proud of you for posting & getting suggestions.
Way to stay clean!!!
So proud of you for posting & getting suggestions.
Way to stay clean!!!
Hey hi welcome back!
Sorry you are suffering so much! I would second the water exercise suggestion and ALSO suggest you find a yoga teacher who specializes in this kind of injury. I know a few people with similar injuries who have had great success with specified yoga training. Also, have you tried prescription strength Voltaren? My mom has terrible back issues- essentially her spine is disintegrating and she also has osteoarthritis. She has great luck with this and stretching. Also, when the pain is unbearable Toradol is a terrific non addictive pain killer. Unfortunately it cannot be taken for more than 5 consecutive days as it is a powerful NSAID, but it is better than any narcotic I've ever tried for pain.
Heat and Ice.
Rest.
If you manage to build the muscles around your scapula then it may help. The danger with this injury as I understand is Frozen Shoulder- this is what I learned in my yoga training and why I suggested a yoga pro.
Sending hugs and hope for relief...
Lu
Sorry you are suffering so much! I would second the water exercise suggestion and ALSO suggest you find a yoga teacher who specializes in this kind of injury. I know a few people with similar injuries who have had great success with specified yoga training. Also, have you tried prescription strength Voltaren? My mom has terrible back issues- essentially her spine is disintegrating and she also has osteoarthritis. She has great luck with this and stretching. Also, when the pain is unbearable Toradol is a terrific non addictive pain killer. Unfortunately it cannot be taken for more than 5 consecutive days as it is a powerful NSAID, but it is better than any narcotic I've ever tried for pain.
Heat and Ice.
Rest.
If you manage to build the muscles around your scapula then it may help. The danger with this injury as I understand is Frozen Shoulder- this is what I learned in my yoga training and why I suggested a yoga pro.
Sending hugs and hope for relief...
Lu
There are a few other things you can do to help....the pain IS agonizing...sometimes I just sit and cry because of it. That's why I worked so hard to try anything someone suggested to me. The three basics I told you work the best for me...in any combination...and the lovely thing is not one of them will you get addicted to.
Another thing you need to do is go through your daily items of what you use and find ways to make it easier....for instance, hair. No matter what kind of hair we have, how long or how short, we do love to have nice hair. Well problem was I couldn't hold the hair dryer for more than a minute at a time. I searched Amazon and found a table top hair dryer stand. OMG that thing is a life saver!!! My hairdresser tried out several new styles for my hair and we finally came up with one that looks fairly good if I just come it out right, looks downright fantastic if I can use the brush a bit while drying it and looks like she styled it if I can do the whole over/under drying bit. The pictures that I have posted of me you can tell which is which....the one where I am just with hubby but not dressed up I did not use a brush to dry my hair...I finger combed with a tiny bit of product. The picture where I have the saying from Shakespeare is my styling job with the hair drying stand and a bit of the brush. Would I say it is the most awesome job? No...but I think it looks pretty darned good considering I can't hold a hair dryer :-)
Anyway, that's the gist of it. The items you use in the house that bother you the most well, look for a better product. I have trouble with vacuum cleaners so I looked for the lightest one on the market and I only do one room a day. I have those metal rods...I don't know the name of it...but you can use it to reach items higher up and grab them down without dropping anything.
You need to do a thorough going through of the house and look for items that won't irritate your shoulder so much, ask your doctor about the meds I told you about (perhaps they have samples you can try), the shoulder heating pad can be found at Walgreen's and on Amazon (I LOVE that pad!!!)
Best of luck to you...it will take time for you to find methods that work for you but I'm proof it can be done. I still have pain...oh yes, but it is manageable comparatively. I just have to be careful when I'm on the computer...which I work on of course....
Another thing you need to do is go through your daily items of what you use and find ways to make it easier....for instance, hair. No matter what kind of hair we have, how long or how short, we do love to have nice hair. Well problem was I couldn't hold the hair dryer for more than a minute at a time. I searched Amazon and found a table top hair dryer stand. OMG that thing is a life saver!!! My hairdresser tried out several new styles for my hair and we finally came up with one that looks fairly good if I just come it out right, looks downright fantastic if I can use the brush a bit while drying it and looks like she styled it if I can do the whole over/under drying bit. The pictures that I have posted of me you can tell which is which....the one where I am just with hubby but not dressed up I did not use a brush to dry my hair...I finger combed with a tiny bit of product. The picture where I have the saying from Shakespeare is my styling job with the hair drying stand and a bit of the brush. Would I say it is the most awesome job? No...but I think it looks pretty darned good considering I can't hold a hair dryer :-)
Anyway, that's the gist of it. The items you use in the house that bother you the most well, look for a better product. I have trouble with vacuum cleaners so I looked for the lightest one on the market and I only do one room a day. I have those metal rods...I don't know the name of it...but you can use it to reach items higher up and grab them down without dropping anything.
You need to do a thorough going through of the house and look for items that won't irritate your shoulder so much, ask your doctor about the meds I told you about (perhaps they have samples you can try), the shoulder heating pad can be found at Walgreen's and on Amazon (I LOVE that pad!!!)
Best of luck to you...it will take time for you to find methods that work for you but I'm proof it can be done. I still have pain...oh yes, but it is manageable comparatively. I just have to be careful when I'm on the computer...which I work on of course....
Thank you very much for the encouragement and empathy. It did make me feel better. I have a fifteen year old son at home, and a husband who is sick of me being sick (I know that's sick) haha. What Krazy said describes what I am going through. I recently quit my teaching job because of the shoulder and fatigue issues. So I'm at home, and my family expects dinner, and rides, and groceries in the refrigerator. My husband is always complaining because he has to go to work. He's 62 and wants to retire. Wha Wha Wha, God help me.
Oh I forgot the best natural thing I can do is some type water exercise. I did water aerobics which helps immensely
I too am 56 and major shoulder issues. The pain is horrible. Whatever reason when u have severe shoulder issues your whole body feels like ran over by 18 wheeler and continues backing up over u. Orthos have this stupid idea u r to old. I get it. I haven't been on pain meds since Apr except when cardiac hospital. Not bc I don't need them but don't have primary Dr yet. I only can say I have so much empathy for u. Praying God will guide direct your path.
My shoulders are so bad that if I work for more than an hour without some kind of pain aid I can't move them. I imagine that is the kind of pain you are dealing with. This is what I do now that I'm off of the opiates.
I first start out in the morning after my shower by applying voltaren gel and rubbing into my shoulders really well. Two hours later I apply a Lidoderm patch to each shoulder (deadens the nerve endings so reduces pain). If the combination doesn't do the trick (it doesn't always do as much as I need it to) I also have a special shoulder heating pad...it conforms to the shape of my shoulders so I put it on a low setting.
Usually between those three things I can keep the pain under control. Most times, if I'm very careful I only need one of them. Of course I also have to pay attention daily to what I do physically. I have to be careful about lifting and carrying, stretching up and out, getting on my knees is a big no-no because it hurts too much to use my arms and shoulders to get back up.
I hope that this helps you out a bit. Oh yes, I also periodically get a good therapeutic massage with someone who is used to dealing with my problems and I've used acupuncture before.
I first start out in the morning after my shower by applying voltaren gel and rubbing into my shoulders really well. Two hours later I apply a Lidoderm patch to each shoulder (deadens the nerve endings so reduces pain). If the combination doesn't do the trick (it doesn't always do as much as I need it to) I also have a special shoulder heating pad...it conforms to the shape of my shoulders so I put it on a low setting.
Usually between those three things I can keep the pain under control. Most times, if I'm very careful I only need one of them. Of course I also have to pay attention daily to what I do physically. I have to be careful about lifting and carrying, stretching up and out, getting on my knees is a big no-no because it hurts too much to use my arms and shoulders to get back up.
I hope that this helps you out a bit. Oh yes, I also periodically get a good therapeutic massage with someone who is used to dealing with my problems and I've used acupuncture before.
Hi...boy this hits close to home for me my wife has a very high tolerance to pain but a calcium spur in her shoulder has her in tears often she has problems sleeping and they told her surgery only has a 50/50 shot at making it better....it also could make it worst on top of that she has no ins so it is out of the question we have a homeopathic doctor in our church and he has used deep message but more then that acupuncture and after a visit she is good for about 2 weeks you may want to check that out it has helped out tremendously ...Gnarly
I'm literally afraid that I will be deemed a Doctor Shopper if I go to another ortho. This guy is supposed to be the best.
Have you seen more than one orthopedic dr for an opinion? Or just the one in Houston?
If the diet and PT isn't working, I would get more opinions so you can weigh your options. Opiates aren't really best for long term pain and you are doing SO GOOD being off everything since January.
I hope you will continue to explore more solutions.....spending the rest of your life addicted to opiates doesn't sound like a very good option.
If the diet and PT isn't working, I would get more opinions so you can weigh your options. Opiates aren't really best for long term pain and you are doing SO GOOD being off everything since January.
I hope you will continue to explore more solutions.....spending the rest of your life addicted to opiates doesn't sound like a very good option.
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