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ISO Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis) Sufferers - HELP!

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Chronic Pain
Would you . . .
Have Arthroscopic lysis of adhesions - 75.0% - 3 votes
Wait and see if it gets better (even tho 18 mos. have passed) - 25.0% - 1 votes
Go back to PT - 0.0% - 0 votes
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Posted 5/17/2013 8:33 PM (GMT 0)
I have had frozen shoulder since December 2012, ~19 months now. I started with anti-inflammatories and PT. PT did nothing but cause a rebound effect, making the pain worse. I have autoimmune disease, which tends to lengthen the recovery period of this condition.

I went back to my ortho doctor this week and asked for MUA, hoping that the manipulation would be sufficient. It is his opinion, however, that the length of time my shoulder has been frozen and with how tight I am indicates I would benefit from arthroscopic lysis of adhesions.

He would make three small incisions on the anterior shoulder, scope and resect the adhesions, cauterizing as he goes to minimize bleeding and to hinder formation of scar tissue. I will be in PT -- THE VERY NEXT DAY!! Argh! I am so scared that it's going to be worse before it gets better, and I am already in hell. Here is how my life is affected:

- Can't drive because I have manual transmission.
- Can't sleep flat, so we bought a loveseat recliner that I've been sleeping/living in for more than a year.
- Difficult to wash my hair, dry my hair, apply deodorant.
- Difficult pulling my pants up after bathroom. Very hard to put a bra or shirt on.
- Unable to exercise because my muscles have atrophied to the point that I have no core muscles to support my back, which suffers from degenerative disc disease.
- Am on a pain patch 24/7, anti-inflammatories and am unable to back off the meds because I'm still in the painful stage.

So I ask, to those of you who have been unfortunate enough to contract this condition: Do you think I should go through with the surgery? Would you? Do you know if I'll be in a lot more pain after than I am now?

I scheduled the surgery, but I'm considering not having it.

Thanks for any/all insight you might have.
Posted 5/17/2013 10:05 PM (GMT 0)
Divinem1,

Welcome to HealingWell and the CP forum.

To be honest, I know nothing about your shoulder dx, other than what I've read here on the forum. Hopefully a member will come along that knows something about it, and can answer some of your questions.

You can also use the search feature - to read through old threads and see if you can find any info out there.

But at least wanted to welcome you! Take care, Tina
Posted 5/17/2013 11:57 PM (GMT 0)
I can only speak for myself, but I have had the surgery twice and would not think twice about doing it again. It was nothing compared to the surgery I had to repair tears. PT the next day is to get it moving so it will not freeze up again. I had no trouble with that as well. Mine was only frozen a few months. Probably not as severe as yours. I could not stand the thought of living like that another day. I was using my arm as normal within days. Frozen shoulder is AWFUL!!!

Goodluck with getting that fixed. It was not a bad surgery at all for me.
Posted 5/18/2013 12:04 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks, bigecase.

So you had arthroscopic lysis of adhesions? What was post op pain like? I'm not in a lot of pain if I'm not moving, but not moving is causing me pain in other places, like my bulging discs, etc. I feel like a turtle trapped on my back!

But this is the devil I know . . . Your words give me hope though! Thanks for your input.

Melissa
Posted 5/18/2013 12:32 AM (GMT 0)
I did not have much pain at all. I had the surgery because I wanted to move! I didn't like not being able to raise my arm up. I originally had surgery for tear. Shoulder froze about 4 weeks into post op. It was the most painful thing during the freezing stage. I recall crying half the night. I was so happy we did the release. The way it was explained to me is that they break up the adhesions that are frozen. Apparently he didn't get ALL of mine with first surgery because 15 months later I had it again. But I was so much better after first surgery. I was moving pretty good but there was some movements that had not come back. Mainly behind the back. It wouldn't go past lower buttock if that makes sense. I could not touch lower back with it. I was out of work the day of surgery only. Really nothing to it. (at least mine wasn't)
Posted 5/28/2013 6:17 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you to those that replied. I know frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is not a common condition. I seem to get all the weird ones: autoimmune thyroid disease, raynauld's syndrome, gastroparesis, bell's palsy, cholecystitis at 22 with cholecystectomy immediately following, non-alcoholic idiopathic pancreatitis, unexplained weight gain, etc. There's more, but I won't bore you.

Surgery is 11 hours away. I am awake preparing foods so I won't have much preparation time. I've scheduled PT immediately following the surgery. I know my recovery is 80% on my being compliant with PT orders. UGH.

Pray for me, people. I need it! I'm scared to death of how much pain I'll be in after the surgery, and I'm already in a lot of pain.

Will check in when I can.


Best,
Melissa
Posted 5/28/2013 6:19 AM (GMT 0)

Blessedx8 said...
Divinem1,

Welcome to HealingWell and the CP forum.

To be honest, I know nothing about your shoulder dx, other than what I've read here on the forum. Hopefully a member will come along that knows something about it, and can answer some of your questions.

You can also use the search feature - to read through old threads and see if you can find any info out there.

But at least wanted to welcome you! Take care, Tina

Thanks for the welcome, Tina. I'll be checking in regularly since I'm in for a long-haul recovery. :D
Posted 5/28/2013 2:28 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck on your surgery. Most people do very well from this surgery provided they do as their drs tell them post-op. I saw quite a few people have this surgery & they did very well. Take care....Susie
Posted 5/28/2013 6:16 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck on your surgery. Let us know how it goes when you can. Take care.

hugs
Loretta
Posted 5/29/2013 12:31 AM (GMT 0)
I hope surgery went ok today. Hopefully you are home and resting comfortably. Give an update when you are up to it.

~~Hugs~~
Shell
Posted 5/29/2013 8:35 AM (GMT 0)
Hopefully your resting and your surgery went well. Sending healing thoughts and prayers your way.

Update us when you can.
Posted 5/30/2013 12:51 AM (GMT 0)
I had this major shoulder pain. Dr. Said give it a week or two. Got worse. Frozen shoulder he said. Got worse. Finally took my coupon to a chiropractic office. My shoulder was dislocated
Posted 5/30/2013 1:02 AM (GMT 0)
Dev. Geta second opinion x rays. Maybe even an mri. Before you consider surgery. Shoulder pain has many causes. Sometimes a symtom of an under lying condition.
Posted 6/24/2019 6:20 AM (GMT 0)
I'm not sure if I'm posting in the right place so be patient with me please.
I am new to this forum and to frozen shoulder. I was diagnosed about 5 weeks ago after having shoulder pain for about 3 months. I do have fibromyalgia but I do not have any of the other predisposing conditions. I did have a little trouble casting my fishing pole about 5 months ago for which I saw the doctor for and was told I had a little tendinitis. The pain got progressively worse and my ROM started to become more limited. My primary finally sent me for an MRI where I found out there was a labral tear. She sent me to an orthopedic surgeon who said I have frozen shoulder. He gave me a steroid injection and sent me to physical therapy. The pain at night is excruciating and I have barely slept in weeks. Pain medication does not do anything. Most recently I have developed cramping pain in my arm that travels to my hand. My hand has also started to swell and appears slightly red and warm. I am so new to this and am having trouble finding info on line. Has anyone else experienced this kind of symptom? I cant find anything about the cramping and swelling. I will be making an appointment but that takes forever. Thank you for letting me join.

Post Edited (beachlover#) : 6/24/2019 1:54:00 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/22/2020 3:20 AM (GMT 0)
Beachlover,
My frozen shoulder has progressed the same as yours. It is right down my arm, giving me spasms in my bicep and my hand and wrist hurt too. I am about two months into this journey. Knowing that it will take 1-2 years is absolutely depressing and defeating. It is in my left shoulder and 12 years ago I went through it with my right shoulder. When it started, I was thinking, oh no, not this s*&t again! I remembered the pain. The last time I got a cortisone shot and it helped the pain and took me into the thawing stage immediately. Right now I’m a waiting list for ONE YEAR! Just to get a shot, and I don’t even know if it will work. Sometimes I feel like I could just cut my arm off with a chainsaw instead (dramatic yes, but all consuming my life). I am exhausted. I can’t sleep and can’t do basic tasks. It takes all my energy to shower, get dressed. Hair in ponytail, nope, can’t do it.
Anyway, I’m in hell and I keep reading everyone’s experiences, looking for answers and the only conclusion I have is that nothing really works and it takes time to heal. And, that sucks. I hate taking painkillers.
Posted 5/22/2020 11:58 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Frozenhere. You've commented on a very old thread. Perhaps making a new post on the topic will get replies.

I've had 2 rotator cuff surgeries on BOTH shoulders and have had the beginning of 'frozen' on one since that sent me to PT. When I feel the beginnings again, I try to do the same exercises I did when there. The towel over the head and behind the back seem to help the most with keeping it moving.

I've also found that taking some Benadryl with Motrin can help with swelling/inflammation for me. Being an anti-histamine and histamine being part of the swelling/inflammation process...I really do feel benefit from adding it now and then.

Hope you're better soon!
Posted 5/22/2020 12:00 PM (GMT 0)
You might try swimming in a warm pool.
Years ago both my shoulders locked up and I couldn't get my hands up to the top of my head. I went down to my pool, scared to get even in the 3 foot end because I knew I couldn't swim to save myself. I was terrified to even bend over at first. I doggie paddled with my hands just under my chest, reaching as far as I could. Every day at least once a day for just a few minutes. At least it didn't hurt.
It took all summer, but I got ALL my range of motion back. At the end of summer I was swimming laps, even got onto my back for backstroke, although it was sloppy.
No surgery, no PT, no drugs.
Posted 5/22/2020 1:53 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Pitmom. I did notice that date after the fact. Beachlover is probably healed and off enjoying the beach. Thanks for reaching out!
Posted 5/22/2020 6:40 PM (GMT 0)
I have several frozen shoulders and had surgeries for all. I would definitely do the arthroscopic again. The closed shoulder manipulation didn’t do as well. I couldn’t do it for two years.
Posted 6/8/2020 1:09 AM (GMT 0)
Hi there - haven't been here in a while, but saw your post tonight and had to reply.

I had frozen shoulder in my right shoulder starting back in 2018. I went to see a shoulder surgeon who has specialized in shoulders only for 40 years. At my first appointment, which was at about 2pm in the afternoon, he told me he had seen five patients that day for frozen shoulder. He told me that over the decades, they have come to learn that this condition tends to last about 18 months or so, and its not permanent.

I really didn't believe him at the time, but he was very reassuring and had been doing this for 40 years so I trusted him. He told me I could try PT but it wasn't necessary and most likely would not speed up the process. He also said I could get cortisone shots if I wanted.

My right shoulder eventually got back to normal and then sadly, it began to start up in my left. He told me 1 out of 3 people end up getting it in both shoulders. I am currently several months into the pain phase, and boy is it rough!!!! Thankfully I know it is going to end, and that helps me cope with it mentally.

I am now trying to do regular stretches with my right shoulder so I keep that one in decent shape (not sure if that will help, but mentally its a tactic I'm using).

Anyway, my surgeon told me that his patients with this absolutely cannot stand the pain... but it is not going to last forever.

Take care!!
Posted 8/24/2021 11:34 PM (GMT 0)
I had shoulder surgery to remove some bone Spurs and clean debris and scar tissue. Surgeon said should be simple surgery. I would be in sling for 2 weeks and in 3-6 mon I would be 100%.

Going on 5 months and 2 stints with PT I'm still having shoulder pain. I have full range of motion, but have pain in mornings and if I turn my arm wrong way. The surgeon says he doesn't understand why. I've since gone to another surgeon who seems to be good but he is perplexed also.

He said he could go on and scope around, repair a bicep tear and trim off collar bone which has spur other dr missed. Or he said give it 6 weeks and re-evaluate.

Don't know what to do?
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