Hello, I just recently join this forum and would like to hear eveybody's experience with their frozen shoulder. I just turned 47 years old. My right shoulder started to "freez" last November. I had tried streroid shots, acupucture, cuppping and regular PT since Feb. Now I only can pick up my arm without bending my elbow about 90 degrees from my body. I feel the stuborn pain from my shoulder daily and very sad that I can't dance any more. Now I am also considering Manipulation Under Anestheshia (MUA). Advice please? Worked? Recovery time?
Firstly welcome. Secondly do you find you pain peaks and troughs dependent on where you are in your menstrual cycle?
I am 27 days post op and still suffering.
No, the pain peaks when I wake up in the morning. After I started my day, with body movement, the pain eases some. What kind of op did you have? I am sorry to hear you are still suffering. Do you suffer from the pain or suffer from the limit movement or both?
I am currenly taking Tramadol to control my pain. It helps but I am worry about the long term side effect of the medication, such as liver damage and pain killer dependence. I am trying to take at least 2 days of the week off the pain medication, but feel very "yaky" all over my body without the medication. I am also exercising daily on my own and have PT session once a week. My right frozen shoulder just does not seem to improve and actually I think it is getting worse, pain and limit of movement. I am thinking about Manipulation under Anesthesia but not sure if it will really help? I have heard that frozen shoulder will heal on its own after about two years but will my shoulder going back to the original range of movement after it heals. I am an amatour dancer and the frozen shoulder is affecting my life too much in may ways I know there is no magical pills but I just want to see what and how helps to heal frozen shoulder faster and my shoulder can go back to the healthy range of motion?
I have had 2 very fidderent experience. My first frozen shoulder was 2008 - I had been on tramadol and had no sleep for 5 months when I then had the keyhole suregery - srthroscopic release. Whithin 2 days I was off all pain med. However it took onths of physio and excercise to overcome the muscle wastage and regain full moevement.
Thsi time when I felt it coming on (in my other shoulder - the right - and I am right handed) I was determined to deal with it differently. i did all my excercises so as not to lose muscle tone. i had physio too. I had dihidracodiene and tehn went on to tramadol. I felt it was the drugs that was causing my general health to deteriorate.
I would be woken up by the pain every 3 to 4 hours, would take more meds, sit up for an hour as I couldn't bear to lie down - and then could repeat the cycle and get a couple more hours sleep. I also learnt to do most things with my other hand.
They key management was toa void the blackout pain form jerking, hurting my shoulder etc.
When I staretd to freeze, it happened much ;later and much more rapidly, so I lost all movement within 2 weeks.
It was then I was referrred to the same surgeion who had done my op in 2008. Ahread of my appointment with him I spent 10 days dihidracoeine and tramadol free -a s I was still in pain while on them and couldnt bear the side effects.I found heat packs really helped so would wear the 12 hour patches on what ever clothing I was wearing.
I had the same op on 1st April. However I had comolications. I had impingmenets ++, inflamation ++, a thickened bursa and they shaved bone - so I also had manipulation under anasthetic and a nerve block.
Weeks and weeks have gone by and I have had a steroid injection and still an in severe pain. I sent quickly form dihidracodeien, up to tramadol, up to morphine, up to a higher dose of morhine with naproxine, paracetomol and gabapentine. Been on thsi cocktail for weeks and still in severe pain. Been to the gp 3 times plus spoken on the phone twice, seen the practice nurse to have my stitches out, seen teh physiotherapist, been back to the hospital to see a duty doctor, seen the surgeon for post op check-up and am back to teh gp today. Still off work, still in pain despite the level of meds. Since the op my movement has been better though.
One key thing I can't stress enough - make sure your gp knows how this is affecting your mental well-being - depressing and stressing and then of course the sleep deprivatuon...
good luck on your journey, i really hope you have one at the simple end of the scale.
i had the surgery on my right shoulder, and within a few weeks it was such a relief , pain had gone and had %99 use back. so it is worth having it done , my trouble is i now have it in the other shoulder :-(
Hi lilu
Ive had my fs since nov/dec time and was in so much pain i was blacking out. Ive had 2 steroid injections...2nd one at end of March, and am waiting for procedure, hydrodilitation. Which is what they offer first here in suffolk. It was supposed to be done this week but put off until june cos of steroid has to be 3 months after that! i have physio once a week and its painful, i could quite easily throw her across the room! But i know its for the best. Im still working but some days its so hard that i just want to go home. I find my work are not sympathetic to thebpain im in and feel like getting a docs note until after the op. Most days i dont takeanything but do takr 2 codeine parscetemol at night to help me sleep. I do wake up a few times but dont take any moretablets or i will be too drowsy.
Hope yr pain eases soon. Keep moving it as much as you can. X
Hello, I am sorry that you are getting it on the other shoulder
What kind of surgery did you have that worked on you the first time? Are you going to have surgery for the new shoulder? I have been in constant pain since Nov, 2014. Taking Tramadol is helping but do not want to be too medicated all the way. So I try to take it every other day, half pill each time. I have never experience such pain in my whole life, can't wait this FS to be over. I am thikning about MUA? What do you think?
Thank you for your advice and encouragement! Tramadol really help to ease my pain but I am try to take it evey other day to avoid the side effects. So you still feel the pain after the op and manupulation? But is your range of movement back after the op? Good luck!
Thanks for responding. Is hydrodilatation a kind of join injection without anesthesia? I had two steroid injections in Jan. and Feb. (my FS also stared around Nov like you), but they did not work well for me. My range movement and pain are worse each day. Now I only can pick up my shoulder about 90 degrees from my body. Very sad
I am also still working but typing can be sore at times. I also wake up in pain once or twice a night. Taking tramodel helps me easy the pain. Good luck with hydrodiitation and let me know how it goes! I am thinking about MUA (Manipulation under Anethesia). What do you think? Thanks
Ha i guess u are awake at the same time as me! Whereabouts are u? Im in suffolk. Yes hydrodilitation is a mixture of anasthetic, steroid and saline. Its similar to steroid injectiom but a lot more fluid. Basicallt it floods the shoulder so that the bones pop apart
i only have 90% too. I have physio which hurts like hell but its keeping movement so it doesnt get worse and worse. I too am at computer all day, by the end of the day im shattered and my shoulder aches so much. I had hard physio on mon and the dull aching was also shooting pains yesterday!
Hydrodilutation is the only option here as the success rate is so high. And of course less surgery. But if it doesnt work i will have mua or keyhole.
What do they offee you? xx
I am in Houston. I will have another appointment with my Join/ bone specialist next week which I want to discuss the options including MUA? Good luck with your hydrodilutation. Keep me posted. Thanks!!
Ck out this e book I found online
Thanks will check it out later.
After i msgd you early this morning i fell asleep half sitting half lying down and have cricked my back. So im struggling with backache this morning too! What a wally i am. Lol x
Oh no! I am sorry to hear that. Hope you will feel better soooooooon...I am getting ready to work now. And as always I woke up with fs pain. Life goes on... Have a better rest of the day!!
Hi Lilu, I to have been suffering fs now since July 14 
I underwent mua/arthroscopy/subacromiaul decompression & removal of adheasions for my fs this was in Feb 15 - my fs came out of the blue & like everyone else on here, suffered Sooo after this op - pain had eased a little but movements were still very restricted (I haven't been able to drive since Oct 14 & still can't) I was seen again by my consultant who took me back to theatre & did further mua - that was 9 days ago......... Wow!!! so much better 
I've now stopped taking pain killers & my movements have improved sooooo much I can raise my arm right up over my head ( with the help of my other hand) The relief is amazing...... I still cant wash my hair or tie it up yet.......but I'm finally seeing a massive improvement Go for the mau but be prepared that you may need further surgery - good luck & I wish you a speedy recovery Gentle hugs xxx
Lilu, I am now 50 years old. I am a male with no health problems and I am svelte and in good shape...no diabetes, no thyroid problems.
Idiopathic onset. A hellish nightmare for 6-8 months decreasing to a moderate nightmare for the past 8 months or so.
Steroids and intense P.T. with a big strong lady at P.T. stretching and tearing the Adhesions. I improved motion about 60 percent with tremendous screaming and yelling as my P.T. lady stretched and tore the adhesions.
Nightmarishly hideously god-awful sleep for first 6 months but it decreases.
I have about 75-80 percent of the movement range of motion that I had prior to onset.
I feared for my liver and would not take much re pain meds and then only Aleve. Anti-Inflams did little.
How is your back? Hope you are feeling better! Sweet dreams!!
So MUA did not improvement your range of movment the first time but worked the second time? How come? I am thinking about doing MUA and alreayd made an appointment with the specialist to discuss this option next Tuesday. Do you think I would need more than one MUA in order to have my range of movment back? I am happy for you that you can raise your arom right up over your head. Can't wait to do the same!! Thank you for your encouragement!! Good night!
Omg that sounds awful. Altho my pt lady started to do it the other day, with me begging her to stop!
Hi Lilu think the reason it didn't work first time round was beacuse I had the decompression & because the bone had been shaved exposing raw nerve endings it just continued to freeze its very difficult to excercise because the raw bone rubs when you excercise vicious circle really So then the bone needs to heal - once it has the mua works because you have more space in the joint (because it has been shaved) Deffo go for the surgery & get your life back xx
Hi Lilu...I'm awake middle of the night, again..we all have the same horrid symptoms...so we can all sympathise with each other...Thank goodness for sharing,
I've got my 2nd FS in 2 years & after reading through everyone's stories & internet I'm fairly convinced it's a hormone & stress related complaint.
mental & physical...like everyone says it's pure agony & so wearing to have to keep dealing with it day in & out. Have to keep mentally strong & am trying to have a pro active approach....try anything that helps!
Ive tried oesteopathy acupuncture physio painkillers etc, my first FS eventually was resolved with hydro dilation....I'm going to aim for this again, when I get through this acute freezing stage...how long will that be is a good ?! As this differs so so much with each person! & take it from there..
what works for me is anti inflammatory gel, a support sling if in total agony, gentle Aqua excercise , increased water intake,which seems to help! & Im going to try relaxation/meditation to get me through this! In my normal pre- FS life...non of the above applies btw!
good luck & thanks to all for sharing Louise