Fed up frozen shoulder discussion

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Tonight I am feeling cranky as... I am sick of this. I know that there is no point in maning but heck, I feel as if someone might relate. Why can't anyone help us all? There are so many out there suffering as much, if not more than I am. I have had this since last June, which, by my judgement, is almost 9 months. I have been shoved from pillar to post. My moods have matched my Doctor's diagnosis... that is to say they have been up and down, lost and found, optomistic and hopeless. Tonight, after teaching all day and being unable to hang my kindergarten's paintings on the walls because of my USELESS arm, I feel lost and sad. I am sick of not sleeping through the night. I am sick of not feeling like a woman should feel.... read into that as you might ...

I am fed up feeling tired, run down, and hopeless.

I am tired of trying to be happy and optomisitc.

Yes, there are people far worse off than me. Yes there are those with a terminal illness.

Yes there are people who have months, weeks, days or hours to live and my heart goes out to them. But some days this feels like a slow road to nowhere because nobody sees the tears, the sleepless nights, the effort that we go to just to keep our jobs, our sense of huour, our minds. The paina nd discomfort slowly eat away at my optomisitc view on life. 

Thanks for listening !

2

Oh Claire!  I wish I could do more than listen and sympathise.  It's certainly hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel when you are in pain but it really will get better.  I wish the doctors were more help but they seem to have little idea and less sympathy for this condition.  Take care.  Maria x

3

HI Claire,

Just happened to see your post as have been off this site for a while.  If you havent seen my old ones...my fs history.  Started on its own no injury in September 2014 - left arm...hell on earth, couldnt drive, dress properly, wash hair etc. all the bloody horrible things that go with fs.  Finally had surgery in Feb 2015 (cap. release) - best thing I ever did, pain went straight away, just physio to deal with but this was fine in comparison, back to the gym in 3 weeks.  Slowly fs started in the other shoulder, but not as bad, had 6 months of hell and then slowly it has started to thaw..I was literally on the verge of booking surgery when I felt a slight change, no more spasms just aching.  I didnt bother with physio as it just aggravated it, injections were useless, I just left it alone.

My point is this - you havent seen any improvement in 9 months, go to your surgeon and ask his opinion on whether to have manipulation, my sister had the same thing and after about 9 months had the mua and felt fabulous instantly, bit of physio and all good, she did not get it in other shoulder.  You know your own limits, life is too short to live in misery, set a time scale and if you see no improvement by then, go for the mua and you will be loving life again and looking forward to summer.

This awful thing WILL END.  You will be able to wear jeans, heels and put your make up on and put your hair in a ponytail again!!!

I felt just like you, it is not cancer I know, but it feels like something horrible has taken over your body, your mind and your joy, it affects your relationships and social life.  Trust me you will get beyond it - I have almost forgotten that I had it now, though both arms are a little stiff in the mornings, but I am ok with that.

Wishing you well Claire - take control, draw a line in the sand and if no improvement get the mua etc.

Chin up! xxx

 

4

Claire I read your post with tears in my eyes because I could of wrote every word myself and I am definitely feeling your pain.. I too cry in the darkness of night (usually around my witching hour of 3am!! )

I work a 40 hour plus week and I refuse to give up and let this condition beat me.

Everyday is a struggle , dressing hair brushing etc., and yes I haven't felt like a "proper women " for a while as the pain gets in the way not to mention that my husband and I are seperated each night with a pillow in between us to rest my arm on!!! I am normally an optimistic person who is happy in her world but ;

I've given up going to the GP and the physio; both in my opinion can not do anything to stop this happening , the exercises offered by the physio just aggravate the condition and the drugs offered by the doctor will just give me other symptoms to deal with that I do not currently have,, so best avoided (again in my opinion ).

I'm having a deep massage this evening and I aim to book a course of them, I may try a TENS machine but other than that I aim to face it out, i tell myself each day " this is not forever ""this too will come to an end "

We all know there are worse things to contend with, and others are dealing with those , I know as my mum has faced and beaten a brain tumour and lung cancer . But we are allowed to feel sorry for ourselfs , the pain is constant and effects the whole of our days (and nights).

Be strong Claire , that's all we can be at the moment and be there for each other...

That's my rant over too

Take care all

Cindy x

5

Dear Claire,

There are many of us who know exactly when you're going through, and feel your pain and frustration. Like you, we have all had to rearrange how we do stuff and how we work to make it through, moving stuff to lower shelves, stuff on counters, longer hair, clothes with buttons instead of pull over your head.  The list goes on.

My story is 2 yrs. long, and not quite over yet.  Surgery next Friday to repair failed race with new tear.

There is one bit of advice I can share. Having worked in medical my whole life, I can share how to talk to you doctor in a way that they are familiar with.  

If you look at medical articles, at the top is generally a paragraph with the summry of the entire article.  The pages then fill in the details.  This is how medical articles are always written. This is how medical folks learn. So, I make a list on paper of my physical complaints, bullet points, data,- how painful, how far I can lift my shoulder, where exactly the pain is when I move, whatever objective stuff I can.   Then put them in order of bad to not so bad, in case visit time runs out.  Be very sure to relate the symptom to how it objectively affects your daily living - can't shower, dry hair, put on clothes, pick up baby, drive, etc.  This paints a clear picture of what effect your pain and disability has on your life and work. Be concise.  Mention how this is getting you down and you really need it fixed. If you focus on depression, which is a medical diagnosis, you will be treated for depression, not your shoulder pain. I am guessing that there are far more treatment options for this than the shoulder complaints we have.  Keep your healthcare person focused on your shoulder pain and disability and all related symptoms will also get treated too. 

Don't forget to emphasize how little sleep you get, how that effects your working and family life.  That's a big problem with shoulder conditions.  My go to was lots of ice. Took a big ice bag to bed. When I woke up, go get another one.  Took up lots of freezer space, but gave me a few hours sleep here and there. 

Keep your life together as best you can for now, keep your friends close and one day at a time you can say, today wasn't as bad as yesterday.  We are all wishing good thoughts for you.

6

THis is a response to all of you who took the time to reply to my rant! THANK YOU to all of you 

I am feeling a bit more positive today - I know it will end  - I just get frustrated and fed up with the lack of "CURE" or diagnosis from the medical profession. (Plus I had a hard wekk with the FS)

THanks again everyone - I have never valued an online community so much!

7

Dear Claire50742,

I'm glad you got to vent. I know it helps to be able to do that. If nothing else, for a few seconds your

mind is diverted from your pain. I know you find

this hard to believe but I admire your courage. It

takes a certain amount of courage to admit how

much you've been through. Also you have been

enduring a most difficult situation. You haven't given up although you might want to. Just remember, we have a right to complain,

scream, cry, we are entitled to our feelings. We

will always feel bad for those less fortunate, it won't take away our pain. Just try and keep in mind .No matter what we are going through today,

things will look completely different a year from

now. I can just about guarantee it. (In the meantime do what's necessary to get through it

and know you are not alone.

Dorene

8

I live in the States and I can't believe all the endless suffering that I hear about on this blog.  I had Frozen Shoulder and did physio and it went away.  When it came back after 4 months, I had surgery to correct it and a rotator cuff tear, then had 3 months of physio.  All of that was painful but I am recovered now and fine. I am amazed at all of the pain and suffering all of you go through. Skip these GPs and go straight to a surgeon and get it fixed.  There is no need to suffer like you do. I feel terrible for all of you.  Feel better!!

9

Firstly I love the name - Lambchop! (Reminds me of a TV character from years back!)

Yes, I agree, I am getting to that point HOWEVER, the MRI on my neck was read by a guy who has written a report that details surgery on my neck is needed, he believes my shoulder may be caused by impinged nerves. SO - with that in mind I asked the physio and he agrees it MIGHT possibly be the root of the problem. My GP has given me a different diagnosis, the Bowen therapist told me that as long as I have excellent movement in my neck then steer clear of surgery in such a difficult area. THEN the Dr who did the hydrodilatation said it was not a FS at all and was caused by muscle/nerves and she was adamant it wasn't frozen.....................so you can see why I have no idea who to believe, no idea who to trust, no idea how to tackle it really. MRI and Xray etc. show nothing...except a neck issue  - my shoulder however is not free to move and fits the standard FS diagnosis...??!!

I agree - all I want is somebody who can fix it.

10

Well then you do have a very unique problem indeed!! And you have to be careful.  I didn't realize you have a neck problem involved as well.  Good luck as they try to figure out what is wrong with you exactly.  My last name is Lamb so I always try to go with Lambchop when I can!!

11

I too live in the states and can't believe the suffering. Yet it's true, I believe in part, because of needing a primary care doctor or a family doctor to send you to a specialist because of certain insurance coverage. I was not confined by that, thankfully, and went directly to a specialist.  Even so I have been almost 2 years of doing what was recommended, almost permanent physical therapy X 3 times a week.  Sometimes poop happens and it doesn't heal or it repeatedly tears.  In any case, suffering is unacceptable for anyone for whatever reason, and physicians need to hear and treat this condition seriously. If you are in pain, don't accept the answer that there is nothing they can do. That just isn't so. If your doctor can't or won't help you, it's time for another one.  Not always easy, but better that living in such pain.  I know from experience that this is constant, unrelenting, not ordinary pain, and there are so many motions and tasks daily that can't be done.  In my case I believe  I did everything I could right, and still it re-tore as well as a new tear.  Or maybe it wasn't found at the last surgeries.  Don't know that I'll ever know.

This forum is a great resource for the frustrated to vent, or get some direction where to go next for help, and I, for one, and very grateful for it. 

To all. Please lean on us all and be hopeful that it will go away, one way or the other.  Keep trying to get relief, and don't be afraid to ask for help from friends and family.  Thank you all.