It is So Nice hearing about your progress after surgery. I think we all feel a bit depressed for a while afterwards. I’m sorry for anyone that has to go through this. Glad I found this Patient. thing , on one of my painful sleepless nights. Thank You for sharing and giving Hope.
Hi Antioette
Been a while since I posted on here but remember the anxiety well.
I had both my rotator cuffs operated on in 2018. The right shoulder in April and left shoulder in October.
I hope the fact I returned to have the 2nd operation gives you some comfort.
It’s a slow road. Trust in your PT. As long as they are good in my experience it was a case of no pain no gain. Yes, it’s sore and worrisome at the time but you are having to mend the scar tissue, regain motion and strength.
My right arm best it has been in years. Not sure the left will be that good but still much better and I have to remind myself 6 months fresher.
Keep the faith and good luck with it.
It’s been a long while since I posted.
Thought I’d follow up for anyone new discovering this post in search of reassurance.
Had my right shoulder operated on April 2018. Thinking I may never get a nights sleep again I discovered this post.
For me the inability to be able to get sleep was the worst part of the whole experience. I had a good recliner but invested in another (which was awful) then a futon type thing but nothing was really the cure except time.
Second worst was the immobilizer. I had a ceremonial burning of that evil thing once I was cleared to escape its grasp.
I found the PT initially caused those waves of anxiety “Have I damaged it?” but it was just the process. By the end I wanted them to push me to the limit.
Thanks to the insane medical system and having incurred huge out of pocket expense for the fun of this I opted to have my left shoulder operated on in October. Kind of a ‘buy 1 get 1 free’ deal. Having just gone through it was a blessing and a curse. The good news is I knew what to expect. The bad news was I knew what to expect.
Quick side note. First time they messed up with the nerve blocker and I awoke in agony. I guess they (nor I) wanted a repeat so this time I got an extra dose. 24hours later I couldn’t move my fingers. I was beginning to panic when sensation began to return. This actually helped in a bizzarre way as having begun to fear paralysis the road to recovery suddenly looked like something to cherish.
I actually slept (only about 10 Netflix binges this time) and coped better 2nd time around. I remained careful not to over extend until the dreaded immobilizer joined its brothers ashes. Physio was nowhere near as scary as I knew what to expect.
So, right shoulder 15 months on is fantastic. Full range of motion and feels stronger than it has in years. Left has had some trapped nerve issues but overall still a vast improvement and of course 6 months behind on the healing process.
My best advice is not to fear the pain. Be careful (especially first 6 weeks) not to over push but your body will protect you buy letting you know if over doing it. When the true recovery starts push through that pain if you want it to fully recover. Better some soreness for a while than forever if you don’t.
Good luck everyone.
Thanks for the positive message. Yeah, awake now from stinging discomfort at incision sites so got on here to get any relief !? Lol Well, its funny you say about getting both shoulders done because my left has been having that slight stinging pain off and on. Probably since using it more. Well Thank God it hasn’t hurt All day. I’ve said and thought, theres No way mentally , physically or $$ wise I could go through this again. Thats my thought now and I know I’ve still a long way till this right side is ok. Of course if I end up in constant pain everyday like I did with this side, I would have no choice. I’m Glad you are doing a lot better, and yes, I will TRY to keep the faith. 
Thanks.
The key to your post was your final words “keep the faith”.That is the most important thing you can do.After just getting out of my sling (6 weeks post surgical)
I was walking my dog and like a fool put the leash in my right hand which was my surgical side. All was going well until she saw a rabbit and took off like a bullet and of course the leash was wrapped around my hand so my shoulder suffered the entire brunt of her surge. I thought I was shot by a rifle in my shoulder at that moment. For weeks after that, severe pain and I finally convinced my surgeon to do another MRI. The results were negative (to my absolute amazement). I did take a week off from PT after the incident just to rest my arm (at my surgeons advice) and it helped a little, but not much. Then back to PT and my normal everyday life. The doctor assured me that I would recover (I thought he was nuts) and it would just take time. Well, I am now 4 plus months post surgical and things are finally coming along. Still some intermittent pain and an almost constant stiffness or soreness but I can still see a big improvement over just a month or so ago. My shoulder really hurts when I first get out of bed in the morning which baffles me. I would think it would be totally rested and calm. But the first thing I do is some pendulums and circles (just light) and in a few minutes I’m good to go and I generally have a good day. I’m back to cutting grass and doing moderate lifting and general day to day things, just trying to watch the weight level when lifting. I’m up to curling 10 lb weights and it hurts a few hours later but then goes away. I’m 76 years old and I know the recovery is slower than 12 years ago when I had my left shoulder done. But at my age I’m very pleased with the progress, even after a setback for a few weeks. Just can’t wait to get the green light to go back to bowling. Dr. said maybe another 2-3 months. I’m going to increase my weight gradually over the next few months so a 15 lb bowling ball won’t kill me. TO EVERYONE WHO IS STRUGGLING WITH PAIN AND DOUBT I WOULD SAY PLEASE BE PATIENT AND CONTINUE EXERCISING WITHIN THE LIMITS AND YOU SHOULD BE FINE IN THE LONG RUN. SOME PEOPLE MAY HEAL IN 6 MONTHS AND OTHERS MAY TAKE A YEAR, BUT BE PATIENT!!!
I first posted on this site a few months ago when i was having a very hard time. To recap: in Oct, 2018, at age 73, I underwent a full thickness rotator cuff repair, subacromial decompression and distal clavicle resection. on my dominant side. One week post op I started twice weekly PT that continued for five months. The post op pain was not nearly as bad as I anticipated. I progressed well, often saying I felt just good enough to be dangerous! Then at about six months it seemed that not only was I not progressing, I felt that I was going backwards: more nagging discomfort, stiffness/soreness. It was depressing. . It felt like my whole life was going to be consumed with nursing my shoulder! But I continued my home exercises; alternating flexibility and strength days. My chiropractor recommended one of those hand held percussion massage devices. GREAT!! My surgeon assured me that I was doing well and was to relax and be patient; saying 12-18 months to full recovery is to be expected.
I’m now nine months post op. My major limitation is in weight lifting: 5 lbs overhead and 8 lbs otherwise. I still don’t have the full back zipper thing yet but it’s almost the same as my “good” arm so… I also still have some mild but noticeable swelling from shoulder to fingers. Doctor said it sometimes happens and may not go away. My chiropractor has started doing lymphatic drainage massages. I still do exercises at home. I try for 3-4 days a week though not always successful. I have noticed that doing normal daily activities does not replace the shoulder targeted exercises!!
One more thing. I’ve noted the comments about the cost involved. It has made me even more grateful for my health insurance. I have had no out of pocket expenses at all, including an emergency department visit via ambulance. I can’t imagine going through this with the added anxiety of having to come up with money too!!
Wow! All you went through and may still be going through. I’m heading into tenth week post rotary cuff surgery, massive tear they said. I’m 65 and plan to just retire since I’ve always done physical work. Yes, this thing is very hard to get through physically , mentally and $$ wise. My left shoulder ( good one , not worked on) stings at times, since I use it more I guess. I truely will not go thru another surgery unless I get pain every night as I did with this other shoulder. Well I mostly got on this reply to say you Must be a Strong Person mentally, to be able to go through all that. I felt like not going back to my PT a week ago since it hurt So Bad, but I am continuing it. Good Luck to you and if you can do it, it should inspire us all. Thanks !
It’s good to read a reassuring post whilst in the early rehab stages. I am three and a half weeks post op for SAD procedure and yes, I have forgotten what a decent night’s sleep feels like. I also had a slight set back when I overdid the exercises given to me by the physio but hopefully back on track now.
Thanks for the update and the reminder that it really is only time that effects a good outcome.
Time and faithfulness to your rehab routine!
Funny how these things go. I’m back to work now, and I’m still feeling my way around how much I can do. The good doctor, wanted me to take more time off, but March 5 was quite some time ago, and I’m not getting any thinner from lack of work. I’m a USPS letter carrier and most of the weight is carried by my left arm and the surgery was on my right. I stopped going to PT once I went back to work 2 weeks ago. I’m finally sleeping now that I’ve gotten a script for zolpidem from my internal medicine doctor. Has a little hangover that a couple of cups of coffee takes care off. My biggest problem at this point is the ability to reach behind my back and sudden movements with my right arm can be painful also. That said, I have most of the other range of motion back and I’m certain that the behind the back ability will return in time. Like you though, I have a bad tear in my left shoulder also, and it was found before I had the right shoulder diagnosed and repaired. So next year, I’m seriously considering what you have done. I’m 59 and planning to be able to do things without pain when I do retire.
I am post surgery 15 months and the behind the back thing takes the longest. I am just now being able to reach behind my back, although not fully. I say this not to discourage you, but to know that this particular motion seems to take the longest to regain. wishing you success in returning to work. 
My surgeon and my physical therapist said the behind the back/internal rotation is hardest to regain. I’m almost 10 months post op and have about the same back reach on the surgical and “good” side. There’s still some mild-moderate pain involved.
I am over two years and behind the back is fine but I do feel tightness. I do have a tip that might help someone. Right handed, right shoulder repaired. I confess to the bad habit of playing cards on my tablet whenever I watch TV, or sometimes just sitting. Which means I hunch my shoulder. My bicep was very achy, even when it wasn’t cold and damp. I think I made the connection and made an effort to break that habit. Then I had a deep tissue massage which hurt and bruised but my bicep is much improved. Now we’ll see what happens in the winter. I’ll keep my trusty heating pad handy! Thanks for listening.
I know it was two years ago, but I’m so sorry. I really relate to your story, it made me tear up a little. I’m a 42 year old male and like you, I can usually deal with pain pretty well. But ever since my shoulder surgery on the last week of June 2019 I have been in so much pain. I had a torn rotator cuff, bone spurs, and a detached biceps tendon. My surgeon was able to perform the surgery arthroscopically as well, so no major incisions. I’m also right handed so having my dominate arm incapacitated has been frustrating and annoying to say the least. The pain radiates from my shoulder down my entire arm and also across my chest, neck, and back. I sleep maybe three hours a night and I have to be to the point of exhaustion before I can even fall asleep. While sleeping my arm goes numb and gets pins and needles and it wakes me up, which has never happened before. I had oxycodone/acetaminophen for the first week, then they told me to just take Tylenol as needed. The oxycodone never really relieved my pain it just made me tired and nauseated. the Tylenol does absolutely nothing for my pain so I started taking Advil which I felt like it helped a little. During my two week post op appointment I was told to stop the Advil because it will slow the healing process and to only take Tylenol, well I already know Tylenol does nothing for me. I called the doctor to tell them about my pain and he gave me a prescription for tramadol, but sadly all that does is make me sleepy, no pain relief. I am 6 weeks out from surgery now and still experiencing more pain than I bargained for. I have another post op appointment next week and supposed to be able to remove my sling, but with my pain I just don’t see that happening. I really fear I’ve done something that caused the surgery to fail, but I’ve been diligent about keeping my elbow to my side and protecting my shoulder. I’m getting really depressed about the whole thing and starting to regret doing the surgery. I had almost no strength in my arm before and only a little pain, but at least I could live with it. I just pray my shoulder actually is healing correctly. I can’t imagine going through this again. Anyways, I just want you to know you’re not alone, and I hope you healed quickly and I hope you are back to a normal life now.
It’s also been awhile since I posted but I’ve been receiving several notices in my email from others talking about pain after rotator cuff surgery. I wanted to just quickly summarize my progress which might alleviate your fears and anxiety.
I had my arthroscopic surgery for two full tears on my right shoulder (dominant side) on March 6th. Honestly, I have never experienced such intense pain in my life—with the exception of childbirth. I was given Percocet that I made last for the first couple of weeks. Agony. I cannot take motrin because I also take Warfarin, so I was told to take Tylenol. Useless. I “slept” sitting up in bed propped up on pillows with my arm in a sling for 6 weeks. I first posted to this site because I had become desperate emotionally with the intensity and never-ending nature of the pain. I started rehab after two weeks and the early exercises seemed ridiculous—they were so simple and painful, I couldn’t believe anything would ever help. Several times the discomfort was so intense I too thought I had re-injured myself. My surgeon gave me a very conservative, and slow protocol for rehab because the tears were complicated and difficult to repair. He emphasized that it could easily take up to a full year before I regained maximum movement. For the most part, I performed the exercises daily, but sometimes I slacked off. During this time the pain continued at a level 7–I just hurt all the time. I was finally able to turn partially onto my left side to get a few hours of rest after about 10 weeks.
It’s now been 5 months since the surgery and in general the pain is 85- 90% gone. This didn’t even begin to happen until the fourth month, literally over 16 weeks. It was a long, slow, depressing time. I too, was afraid that I’d made a mistake to have the surgery and thought more times than I can count that the whole experience was total BS from beginning to end–including arguing with the doctor for a second prescription for pain relief AND going to physical therapy. But, now at 20+ weeks I just want to encourage anyone reading to remain patient and persevere. I still have discomfort (some days more than others), lack full range of motion, have to be very careful holding/carrying anything heavy (which I do more than I should, groceries, grandbaby, etc.) but the worst of it seems to have passed. I think for most people, this surgery does work, but it’s so hard to remain positive when the pain is constant and wears you down psychologically.
I hope my own story encourages anyone reading who is hurting and scared that along with the pt exercises, patience is really the key. It does get better. Best of luck to all.
Lisa - I also just read DMN’s post and empathise completely having spent a very restless night once more following shoulder surgery. Although mine was nowhere near as extensive as either of yours this time (SAD procedure although four years ago RT tear) the night time pain is just as bad as previously. You are so correct that time does make the difference - no medication seemed to help at all as it just threw up different problems. It is very comforting to read positive posts. When you are lacking in sleep it has a knock on effect on your whole life and you go through the day zombie like. Thank you for posting and reminding us that it IS going to get better. I can’t offer any better comfort to DMN than you have, except to say that I agree with you and although we do go through a period of wondering what we have done, we have to play the long game. I am a couple of weeks behind DMN and still using ice packs on a regular basis even though at the moment they are not helping as much as I would like. I hope everyone going through this continues to improve, albeit slowly.
Thank you. I appreciate the encouragement!
Thank you!
In reading the various posts about post op pain and difficulty sleeping, I’m reminded of my almost opposite experience. I never had the level of pain I expected! I was prescribed percocet which i took around the clock as directed. After about 3 days I switched to tylenol during the day and the percocet at bedtime which would get me through the night. If I woke up it wasn’t pain, it was being uncomfortable in that recliner! I started PT a week post op. I took a pain pill before the sessions, as directed, but I was able to cut it down to half before and tylenol after about two weeks and just tylenol after about a month.
My surgeon was very emphatic about sleep! He believes sleep/rest is necessary for healing and that you should get it however you can. Icing before bedtime as well as medication was the primary recommendation. I used an ice machine 24/7!
I’m almost 10 months out. I have an almost constant dull achiness in my shoulder and upper arm. I use ice, a percussion massager and sometimes my TENS unit. I rarely take anything for pain. I sleep well but am careful about positioning.
Regardless of where you are in the process, I’m sure it’s better than last month, last week or even yesterday. I saw a post by a ortho surgeon on the subject of the length of recovery. He tells his patients that recovery is when you can use your shoulder without thinking about it..:
I hope I didn’t sound like this has been easy because it certainly has not been and is not now. There have been “I can’t do this/why did I do this days”. Days when it seems my whole life revolves around my shoulder: if I do a full exercise routine, percussion massage, then ice and TENS, then another 10-15 minutes of ice, that’s pretty much my morning; with no guarantee what I’ll be able to get done the rest of the day. Frustration runs high over not being able to do small things without causing pain/discomfort. Actually considered putting a hole in the milk carton because it was too hard getting that plastic cap off. Forget cutting into a melon. Grocery shopping still takes planning: how am I going to get it inside? Dressing still takes planning: do I try for the back zipper? Cooking still takes planning: can I lift the pot/pan?
I have decided to reclaim as much of my life as I safely can knowing that everyday I am a day further in the journey. It is hard so cry when you feel you need to. I have and do. Whatever it takes to get you through the roughest patches.