Hello everyone, I have been diagnosed with FS 2 months ago and in so much pain.
I can't sleep and so depressed.
PT is so painful, I have gone 5 times.
Taking Aleve and Tylenol, but it doesn't seem to help. Will this ever get better?
Sigh........
I am so depressed.
Hi Kathleen,I'm afraid this will go on a while yet & all I did was sleep here and there when I was tired,it does get easier but it'll take a few months.As for PT if it is painful don't do it,I just did little movements with my exercises & didn't push my limits,although I did buy a shoulder pulley which I found better for me than what PT I was doing,there's no point doing it if it's to painful,you don't know how much damage you might be doing.I took 7 weeks off work because it was to painful & I was really down.Mine started last Dec & only now is it much better although I still can't raise my arm up past chest,how I wish things were back to normal,you'll kind of get used to doing lots of things with your other arm.Try using som thing under your arm to rest on at bed time so your arm doesn't ''flop'' down & is more level with the body.Hope some of this info helps.
Thank you Sheila, I was thinking that the PT was making me sore and more painful. My ortho insists on going, but I just can't. I do have some home exercises. My neck hurts too.
This is one miserable thing to have.
Do you take anything for pain? The doctors seem to think over the counter is good enough. They don't seem to work too good. I will do the pillow for trying to sleep. I thought... Well... If I just stay up and don't sleep, I will just pass out sometime...
God...
Thank you again for your reply😊
You can try a portable tens unit. That helped me. Also ice packs help as well.
This is a miserable condition that affects your whole life. I have had it in both shoulders, the first time I didnt really know much about it and just let it run the course, about two years of pain. The second time I had surgery. Best decision I ever took. The surgeon that sorted my shoulder has the view that physio is a waste of time and may make things worse until you have had the shoulder fixed. He described FS as a benign self limiting condition. Different things work for different people. Good luck, keep in mind that it does eventually come to an end.
Hi again Kathleen,my doctor gave me Co-Codamol 500g [ 100 ] he also told me to take Iburophen as well.I think your neck is probably hurting because you're using your good arm more to compensate which I found & also my good shoulder hurt as well,that's when I came off work,I couldn't stick it any longer & needed to rest.
Hi Kathleen:
Reading through the Frozen Shoulder forum gave me something to do when I was up wandering in the nights & not able to sleep. One discussion with lots of practical ideas was called Helpful Tips. The poster's name was Frosty. That thread is currently on page 5 if you search in the Frozen Shoulder discussions from almost a year ago. (Sorry I'm not sure how to post it here again for you directly.)
From other discussions I learned so much about FS & was able to talk more effectively with my doctor to get the meds that worked for me, and with my physio to get the kind of care that would benefit rather than hinder.
Glad you found this forum, Kathleen. Courage to all as we heal!
Liane
It is here:
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/helpful-tips-28439
You can add links to your posts and if they are to other pages within this site they will not go for moderation. You can also find discussions you are a follower of etc in your user profile. The FAQ section linked at the bottom of the page has more info if needed and is here:
https://patient.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/topics/59133-discussion-forums
Regards,
Alan
Great to know! Thank you very much.
Liane
Great to know! Thank you very much.
Liane
Hi I started in Oct 15 with frozen shoulder just came out of the blue, was referred to physio and had months of pain and ensuing restriction by December it was depressing, extremely painful and I was at my wits end.
I had MRI scan on my neck 23 Dec and was told in January that it was a rotator cuff issue, inflamed capsule in my shoulder.
January was a blur although I requested a cortisone injection, had this on 9 th Feb no different but the pain killer also injected with the steroid gave some relief. I was very disappointed because I had thought that this injection would work and that I would be miraculously better. Returned to physio and the incessant crying when trying to exercise. I was taking 1000mg naproxen daily and paracetamol but stayed working and driving.
I went back to my doctor and asked to be referred to a specialist, I couldn't cope any more and could barely raise my left arm which was also my dominant arm. My hair was a constant mess and getting dressed was a huge ordeal, brushing my teeth was the hardest thing to do.
Popping pain killers was my only salvation although normally I wouldn't take so much as a paracetamol previously, I had no choice but to take them.
The appointment came, I was in for 3 minutes to be told I had severe frozen shoulder. I was offered an operation date of 23 rd May and it is now the 10th of June, 3 weeks on Monday since the capsular release and synovectomy. They removed some damaged tissue too.
After the op pain was ok, physio straight after was difficult so I switched to taking 2 tramadol 3 times a day around my 3 bouts of physio to minimise pain.
I can honestly say I think this op was the right thing for me. I can lift my arm up to head height with support from my good arm and I can eat normally. The pain is still there but minor. I am sleeping but can't drive yet.
I was advised to stay off work for 4 weeks and return to work on the 20th June, all being well.
The shocking pain if I jarred my shoulder was the worst pain I have known and I have given birth to 2 babies with gas and air and occasional pethadine.
One thing to note is everyone's journey is different. Please take control and follow your own gut on where you are with physio and pain levels. I wish everyone good luck with this horrid infliction. My journey is ongoing and I am not there yet
Hi Grahame87245. What type of surgery did you have? I am scheduled for outpatient surgery for my FS next Thursday and was wondering about recovery time.
Hi Sandy, I had arthroscopic capsular release. Outpatient as well. Basically I went in to hospital got ready and waited for my turn. I had an injection in the shoulder. Don't worry absolutely no pain. It's basically a nerve block. Then a general anaesthetic. Woke up a couple of hours later. My arm felt totally numb. Actually no feeling at all. A bit like Harry potter when he lost the bones in his arm. I went home after an hour or so. I started straight away with moving my arm. Well my wife did it for me. I could move it the following morning. It took about a month to be pain free so keep popping those pills, but the gut wrenching pain is straight away gone. Surgery is worth it just for that. I had my surgery on a Friday back to work on the following Monday. It's really important to work hard on physio after the surgery, but believe me it's worth it. I wish you the very best and would say don't worry this is the best way. Life just gets better.