For those that have had shoulder surgery!

[Skippy909]

Hey guys, I’m 35 and have arthritis in both shoulders. My left rarely bothers me, but about 6-7 months ago my right shoulder started killing me! It’s too the point, that by the end of the day I can’t hardly use it! Went to the doctor a couple weeks ago and he said I have pretty bad bone spur and that’s where most of the pain is coming from. Had anyone ever had one removed from their shoulder? I really want to put surgery off until winter because my job is seasonal. I just don’t think I can though. Just looking for some advice from someone’s that been through it. How was the pain afterward and how was the recovery time? I was hoping to have the surgery on a Friday and be back at work on limited duty by Monday. Thanks for any advice fellas!

[Bass281]

I've had three major shoulder surgeries, all rotator cuff related. Two on the left, one on the right. I've also had four knee surgeries and both hips replaced as well as a number of minor surgeries. That's what thirty years of big city firefighting and forty two years of rec league hockey can leave you with, but no regrets. By far and away the shoulder surgeries required the longest recovery and therapy times. You will have discomfort so plan on it. Six months off for major rotator cuff repair, although I beat their projected deadlines every time. Good luck. Do the rehab work.

[Skippy909]

Luckily mines not rotator cuff, but a bone spur. I think the doc said eight weeks, but I don’t have that kind of time! Thanks for the info!

[fxdwgkd]

Bone spur is fairly common, causes damage to tendon. You have the same symptoms my wife had. Felt pretty good in the AM, but by the evening she could barely move it. Wife had hers done little over a year ago. She was out of work for quite a while, 8-10 weeks if I recall. She had bone spur, they ground down and re-paired damaged tendon. Post OP keep up on your stretches and exercises, will help with recovery and prevent frozen shoulder.

[Bamaman]

I asked our physical therapist what the most dreaded injury he comes across? He said.shoulder injuries and replacements. They take up to a year to get over.

And I know there may be no good time for you to have surgery. But misery is your body's way of telling you a change is warranted. Now is when you have the surgery and don't put it off.

My wife just had a knee replacement 6 weeks ago. She could have had bone spurs removed, but the replacement was inevitable. Fortunately we have Medicare and a great supplement because the hospital bill was $100k.

You are awfully young to be experiencing severe arthritis. You may need to consider changing vocations to a less physical job. Arthritis simply gets worse over time.

My wife didn't listen to her doctors when she was told at age 28 to go on disability. She quit working at 48 years old when stenosis made her legs quit working. Surgery and controlled substances keep her walking and in society. Otherwise she would be an invalid.

[coachs]

I had the bone spur and arthritis like you at about the same age. Had everything done never had to have any meds for the pain went back to work in two days but i didn't have to move my arm (i was teaching at the time) Now to use my shoulder fully to a while. It was over a year before I could throw a ball ( coached football) this was frustrating to me because that was the main reason I finally had the surgery. Hope everything goes well for.

[BigMouth]

Ask your doc if a cortisone shot would help or delay the need for surgery?

[tailchaser]

Both of mine done. The left was torn RC took 8 weeks. The right was bone spur. Day after surgery dr had me take off sling. What ever the case I kicked myself for waiting as long as I did to get them fixed. DO THE THERAPY. It works. It sucks but it works.

[edwonbass]

End of July will be a year since I had major shoulder surgery. Torn rotator cuff, labrum, and bone spurs. After six months of recovery it still hurt like hell and I was worried that I made a bad decision to have surgery. I didn’t follow PT as well as I should have so I’m sure that was why. Then I went back to PT and got serious this time and now it is strong again and only gets stiff on occasion. I think stretching has been the biggest help. I will probably get the left done next year. This time I won’t go back to work after 3 weeks.
You are young now so get it fixed and enjoy life!

[Bwell]

I just had a bone spur shaved down and fraying repaired about 2 weeks ago, the surgery wasn't bad but I was out of work for 2 weeks. I am on light duty now at work but I am hope with therapy I will be back to normal soon, it seems every day it gets better.

[Bassman Ia.]

Ask your doc if a cortisone shot would help or delay the need for surgery?

with bone spurs cortisone just masked the pain---- the problem and destruction gets worse.

I had some spurs removed------------------bone shaved, a complete tear ( torn in half) a partial tear, 20 inches of cord installed. I kept putting mine off ( working all the time) Hindsight--- at the first sign of trouble i should have had it taken care of. Took the surgeon almost 4 hours to fix me up------ and 6 month recovery.

Get er done as soon as you can

[Skippy909]

Thanks for all the info guys. I’ve already had four cortisone shots and the doctor won’t give me anymore! I’m gonna ty and make it to the end of August and get it done. I just have a lot of responsibilities to be off work for more than a few days, as everyone knows kids are expensive!

[Lil Mo]

Sorry to hear of your condition. While thankfully I haven’t had bone spurs, I had RC surgery and tendons reattached due to dislocations from playing tennis. I have about 5-7 bone anchors holding everything together. Recovery wasn’t too bad. The main thing is to follow thru with the PT.

[mike petro]

Im 46. 2 yrs ago I was told I need full replacement on my left shoulder. But they dont recommend yet cuz of my age. It is horrible. Their advice is cortisone shots if it is too painful. I have full blown arthritis in shoulder due to 9 dislocations and 2 seperations.

[RonCat]

End of July will be a year since I had major shoulder surgery. Torn rotator cuff, labrum, and bone spurs. After six months of recovery it still hurt like hell and I was worried that I made a bad decision to have surgery. I didn’t follow PT as well as I should have so I’m sure that was why. Then I went back to PT and got serious this time and now it is strong again and only gets stiff on occasion. I think stretching has been the biggest help. I will probably get the left done next year. This time I won’t go back to work after 3 weeks.
You are young now so get it fixed and enjoy life!

July 28, 2017, basically same issues. I was serious about the PT, stretching, movement. Today strong as ever, no pain, of course it took about 9 months. Not sure what the doc did, but my golf game has improved significantly--every club is 10 yards longer, and a slight draw where I always had a slight fade.

[dwmgg17]

Cortisone will hide just about anything but like stated above, the problem will only magnify over time because you will go back to doing everything you can think of and that could be bad 6-12 months down the road. I put my left shoulder surgery off for almost 2 years by getting the shots and when i finally decided to have the surgery it was not much left in there to repair. Good thing is they found the worst problem which was a spine disorder where bone growth was not allowing the spinal cord float in spinal fluid and was chocking the spinal cord and the nerves to my left shoulder. I was in surgery the next day because a slip could mean being paralyzed. Had the rotator cuff surgery a few months latter and it was worse than the spine surgery for sure!!! Got to have my right one done soon. Good luck with yours.

[A Wood]

Well I think your time frame is a little on the ambitious side. I had rotator and labrum done in January and it still hurts. Even if it is only a bone spur that they can do arthroscopic they are probably still going to have to move muscles out of the way to get to it. That is the worst pain. Hope it works out for you, I went 5 years of enduring the dead shoulder by noon bullcrap before I did the surgery. Dumbest thing I ever did. Do it, in the end you will have a better happier life.....

[blakesfav]

So here’s the deal - any of the posts above where someone has had a repair of some sort such as a labrum or rotator cuff probably don’t apply to you. Apples to Oranges.

If your mri shows an intact rotator cuff, then you may just need decompression with a scope. It’s a 20-30 minute procedure with literally no post op movement restrictions. The “arthritis” you have is likely in the AC joint and can also be treated with the scope - add 10 minutes. Sling only for comfort and begin active range of motion exercises the next day. Fish in a few weeks but you will be sore a while. It’s a much smaller recovery than if something is repaired and has to be protected to heal.

[KyLakeLunker]

5 scapula muscle reattachment surgeries - torn trapezius and rhomboid on the right (3 surgeries), and torn rhomboid on the left (2 surgeries). Best advice I can give, if your surgery is going to be on your dominant shoulder/arm, learn to wipe with the non-dominant hand now. In terms of returning to work, everyone will be different. I am not sure about your job, but returning to a desk job will be much sooner than physical labor. Just be sure to rehab it but do not overdo it when you return to work.

[Skippy909]

I’ll be returning to work at a desk. I’m a shop foreman, but can push paper for a few weeks. I appreciate all the info fellas, thanks!