HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

I hope this isn't some sort of set-back!

Support Forums
>
Chronic Pain
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 10/13/2009 2:47 AM (GMT 0)
I've been going to physical therapy for 3 weeks now. Over the weekend my arm became swollen up in the deltoid area and some red  areas appeared. I iced it off and on....no unusual pain. When I went for therapy today I showed the therapist before we started anything and he and another therapist looked at it and made me call the surgeon from there. The surgeon told me to come right over and he took an X-ray and did lab work. Thank goodness the X-ray looked perfect and he couldn't feel any masses but agreed that it was really swollen. I showed him how no matter how hard I try I cannot raise my arm straight up in front of my and extend my elbow. I have full range of motion when the therapist does it passively but I can't do it on my own yet. I must be getting a little impatient. I've gone to this surgeon for 25yrs. and  he has taken wonderful care of me. He said today that "with the crazy way you are wired neurologically and the way my body is built that it could take some extra work to get the arm working good." He wasn't being a jerk...just speaking the truth. I have RSD in both arms anyway and that could be a problem. They started to work on a few trigger points Fri. to see if that might release the arm some. I found out later today (I have a friend in the lab) that my sed rate is now 40 (normal rates are 0 to 30) and my C-reactive protein is 41.1 (normal being 0 to 0.9) so there is some big time inflammation going on. Hope this isn't going to be a set back of some sort. I'm on a prednisone dose pack and have a raging headache. Just wanted to keep you posted. Have any of you had a shoulder replacement and if so how long was your recovery? Take care everyone. You are in my prayers.

Nurse2

Posted 10/13/2009 3:08 AM (GMT 0)

Nurse2,

I haven't had shoulder replacement but did have both knees replaced.  It took about 6 months honestly before they felt like they belonged to me and for the swelling to be gone.

So sorry to hear you are having continued problems!

(((((((((((((((((Nurse2))))))))))))))))))))

You are in my thoughts and prayers!!

XXOO
Patti

Posted 10/13/2009 3:32 AM (GMT 0)
Nurse2,
I haven't had a shoulder replacement either, but just wanted to say it was good to hear from you, even if the news at this moment isn't so great.

I think setbacks are more common than we realize as the body heals. Just follow your surgeon and PT's instructions completely, since they seem to be working well with you.

Hugs,

PaLady

Post Edited (PAlady) : 10/13/2009 1:47:38 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/13/2009 6:14 AM (GMT 0)
Nurse2

I am afraid I can not be much help to you, I have had the shoulder surgery but not anything like what you have had, but I agree your labs don't sound good! I don't envy you on that Predinsone dose pack at all!  I just wanted to say Hello to you and to wish you well, and hope you are doing OK and getting better from your surgery!

All my Best to You Nurse2

White Beard

Posted 10/13/2009 11:03 AM (GMT 0)
Do you have a follow-up appt scheduled to review your blood workup or did you already have it and he prescibed the prednizone? What is RSD? Just curious.

Hope everything gets better soon!!
Posted 10/13/2009 1:36 PM (GMT 0)
I hope the predisone is helping by now with the inflammation...maybe go in and
get more labs done...Hope your feeling better soon..
Keep us posted and soft hugz...
((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Nurse2))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Posted 10/13/2009 2:41 PM (GMT 0)
Nurse2 I think we all talked with you before the surgery. I'm happy you made it this far. When I read your post it so reminded me of my husband after rotary cuff surgery. For the first month they had to do his range of motion he couldn't do it on his own. Then the swelling set it. They watched it very closely. Then about a week after the swelling started his arm froze. The doctor said some people scar really bad. I hope you keep your arm in constant motion he had a chair at home that looked like a torture device. It moved his arm for 3 hours at a time. This was after the second surgery to break all the scar tissue up. Its been 8 months now since the last surgery (2) he still struggles to close cabniet doors.

I'm also thilled you brought it to their attention so quickly it must be the nurse in you...

Laurie
Posted 10/14/2009 4:41 AM (GMT 0)

Nurse2, so glad to hear from you, I was wondering how you were coming along after surgery. Your right, lots of inflammation going on somewhere. How is the Lupus, is yours in remission, or could this be a flare up? The dose pak ought to help, are you scheduled for repeat labs soon? I do hope its not the RSD going on the war path.

Please keep us posted. Hugs. 

Posted 10/15/2009 2:45 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all of the good wishes. I saw the NP and the rheumy's office today and she wants a lot of blood work after I see the surgeon again on Mon. I also saw the doc who does the nerve blocks and hopefully in early Dec. he will do nerve blocks in the occipital area as well as C1,C2 and C3 areas. Hopefully this will kill the horrible headaches and nausea. RSD (refles sympathetic dystrophy) is a muscle disorder usually brought on my trauma. I've fallen a lot over the years before I had my knees replaced. When it flares up it is hard to use my arms. Who knows what is going on with me....I'm so "unique"! I hope all of you have a good night tonight. I'm on the prednisone rush so I've been awake for 2 days now and I don't really see any sleep in my future tonight. I do have a good book to read so I think that's what I'll get into. Love to all of you....I have missed talking to you.
Nurse2
Posted 10/16/2009 10:07 AM (GMT 0)
Nurse2 several of our clients developed RSD after undergoing different kinds of surgery. This was back when it was first given a name. Most people didn't believe there was such a disease, ins comp would not pay for treatment and most drs would not acknowlege it either. I saw first hand alot of destruction due to ingorance.

I hope your drs can get this nailed down quick. Hugs.
Posted 10/17/2009 12:30 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks, I hope they do, too. My upper arm is more swollen today and I don't feel very well today. Could be the prednisone. I basically warned my husband today that "today was going to be a steriod day...all I want to do is cry ...my arm is hurting...so I'm apologizing now for not being my usual perky self". What I really meant was "this day sucks and I need you to kiss my butt all day so as not to make it worse". Do any of you ever feel this way? I'm really ashamed to admit it really. It makes me sound so selfish.
Nurse2
Posted 10/17/2009 2:26 PM (GMT 0)

Nurse2,

NO WAY are you being SELFISH......all that you are going through in addition to what you deal with on a regular basis....YOU DESERVE to have a RE-GATHER DAY...thats what I call it when I've reached my limits and its just too much to deal with.  Usually my family cannot handle when I have one of these days...I find it best to be alone either with a good book or catch up on all my DVR'd programs!  Out of frustration my tone offends someone so I become a hermit for a short time shocked

I hope you feel better soon till then just know we are sending you understanding thoughts and lots of prayers and HUGS!!

((((((((((((((((((((((Nurse2))))))))))))))))))))

XXOO
Patti

Posted 10/19/2009 6:51 AM (GMT 0)
Absolutely no way are you being selfish. Ater what you have been thru just recently alone is more than enough. That extra little something can go a very long way with a person.

I remember all so well the steroid days, how my family survived is beyond me. Its ironic, a few days ago my daughter and her husband were talking about those days. I was getting trigger point injections every 2 weeks sometimes every week, it was for both the neck & back. My dr would do as many as 16 injections at a time. I managed to be very active back then. They both said I was like clockwork to predict. I was going full steam ahead, then all of a sudden they wouldn't see me for 2-3 days because of severe pain. Then it was time for the injections and they were always done on a Friday morning, the kids stayed up alot of times with me for the next 48 hours I never went to bed. It was as hard on them as it was me,lol.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply