Would you go back to doc who sent you away or look for a new one?

Here's the dilemma:

     I went to a shoulder doc (surgeon) for severe shoulder pain not controlled with tramadol or even Vicodin.  He had me lift my arms a few times, took some x-rays, said it wasn't arthritis, gave me a steroid shot in the big bursa.  The shot seemed effective for a couple of days, then nothing.  So when I came back he said it wasn't arthritis or bursitis or tendonitis so I should see a neurosurgeon or a rheumatologist because it was either in my neck or it was just the fibromyalgia.

     Then I went to my pain doc who had me lift my arms a few times, gave me 3 trigger point shots (boy did those hurt!) and sent me for an MRI.  The trigger point shots did help on the back side of my shoulder.  The MRI showed tendonopathy (doc called it tendonitis - just called, left message, no visit) and bursitis because there were signs on the tendons and fluid in one of the bursae.  He said I needed to go to a shoulder specialist.

I tried Mobic after I found out I had tendonitis and bursitis because they cause swelling.  That just upset my stomach.  So I took 3 Advil, which helped quite a bit!  I'd really like to get another shot, maybe in a different place, different bursa or in the tendon area.

So do I ask to be seen back at the shoulder surgeon? Or should I go find someone else, maybe the rheumatologist the shoulder doc said is not too far away but I have never seen???  I do trust that the shoulder doc is competent.  I think he just didn't spend enough time with me.  But maybe that's reason not to see him again. 

 The Surgeon looked at my MRI and said "I don't see anything surgical" and dismissed me. I decided I wanted a second opinion, and scheduled one. I knew I had severe chronic pain, and I was sick of being treated like I was imagining the pain.

 The second surgeon said the MRI didn't show much but he was willing to do exploratory (arthroscopic) surgery since I was in pain for so long. When I came out of surgery the surgeon showed me a bunch of pics he had taken of all of the arthritis and cartilage tears he had cleaned up. He told me since the cartilage was torn like "flaps" it did not show up on the MRI, but were quite evident when he went in.  I have an appt to consult on the other knee next week and I am sure they will find the same.

So from my experience I would definitely pursue your case further with another surgeon. If I had listened to the first surgeon I saw, (who by the way is mysteriously not there anymore??) I would still be in pain with no answers as to what was causing it. You really have to be your own advocate. Good Luck

Was the MRI of just of your shoulder?  You said that your shoulder doctor said it might be your neck, did they check your neck, cervical spine for nerve impingement  that could also cause shoulder and arm pain? Or have they ruled that out? I ask this only because just because the pain is in your shoulder and or arm it doesn't mean that the cause is there, spinal nerve impingement is notorious for causing pain in the limbs away from where the actual damage is.  Anyway I was just curious if they had check that out. 

 You know I have problems with my right hip and I was sent to this one surgeon who told me there was absolutely nothing wrong with it, he even told me the MRI was normal and nothing showed up on it. (I guess he did not know I had already seen the Radiology report of the arthrogram and MRI of my hip).  Which said there was some major problems with it! Anyway I left his office knowing he was a quack!!  My pain doctor was amazed at his response, and he  ended up sending me to another surgeon, who agreed that there was a problem but he wants to wait before doing surgery. The thing I am trying to tell you, is if you had seen this one surgeon, I would go and see a different one and get a second opinion, and if need be maybe even a third oppinion!  I do hope you have a little bit of time that you can give your shoulder a rest!

I wish you all the best and hope that you have a very nice Christmas!

White Beard