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Chronic pain AFTER rotator cuff surgery

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Chronic Pain
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Posted 8/8/2014 7:15 AM (GMT 0)
Hello,

I'm new to the forum so I apologize if I posted this in the wrong place. I had surgery June 9 after learning my rotator cuff and labrum had both torn. Two months after, I am increasing in pain. Day to day my wrist, fingers and bicep are hurting. I've never had pain this bad except for a frozen shoulder before surgery and the needle like sensation right after surgery.

My fingers sometimes involuntarily twitch and it's extreme pain. The pain in the bicep area is almost as if the bone is rubbing against the surface of the skin. There is what looks almost like a tear pattern on the skin in the same area.

The shoulder itself barely hurts and from the research I've done it appears I could have a damaged nerve from either the sling or the position the shoulder was in during the operation. I'm up late at night, and I'm really trying to not use the pain reliever prescriptions because of my depression issues which the pills. The pills make it worse. One point I got extremely depressed.

Should I just ask for a surgery redo and see how that goes? I've been doing my excersizes and icing the shoulder along with PT twice a week. The surgeon says we are two months behind on recovery. I'm at a complete loss as to what I should do. Is another MRI needed?

I'm 22 years old and male.
Posted 8/8/2014 8:13 AM (GMT 0)
Hi. I don't really have any advice. I'm sure someone else will be by that does. But I did want to welcome you to the forum and I'm sorry that you need to be here.
Posted 8/8/2014 8:17 AM (GMT 0)
My shoulder surgery(have had 2 looking at a 3rd), took many months to recover from. Sometimes it takes different amounts of time for nerves to wake up, to heal, for muscles to do the same. Each person is different. Nerve pain is a hard one. But don't get to discouraged yet.
IF they used internal sutures (metal or dissolvable) you may actually be feeling or dealing with that. Its a tough surgery. I"d say a good 6 months is needed to really heal from shoulder surgery(just my opinion).

If its intolerable pain, then yes pursue a why and do what you feel is best, but sometimes recovery can be slower for some. Although the increase/different pain is more worrisome. May in face be nerve injury.

Was it done open or arthoscopic? could that 'tear" spot possible be where a scope was put in? I have a few and they sometimes cause a stwing of pain....
Just know your not alone, and welcome to HW.
Posted 8/8/2014 9:10 AM (GMT 0)
Hello DCB and welcome to HW.

I'm sorry to hear your having is such issues but AngM gave you some excellent advice. No two people will heal at the same rate of time and nerves inevitably get severed anytime something Invasive is done. Most grow and heal without much problem,some of the larger ones getting severed or damaged can take month's to years to regenerate and nerve pain is unlike any other pain. It can go from a deep achy feeling tingling,numbness,sharp shooting like pains and even a relentless like itch that when you scratch you feel the scratching elsewhere.

If in fact your dealing with nerve pain and coming off the shoulder it could be likely the pain meds won't help much if at all. There's actually meds designed for that pain specifically and some of the older generation antidepressants work as well.

We can't begin to guess however what if anything out of the ordinary post-op issues are going on. I'm with others in the fact that its still early out in recovery and healing and the normal healing period is actually around the 6 month's mark.

You can give yourself more time,be patient and follow the therapists directions for exercise and use or attempt to get a second opinion but majority of Drs are going to say it's too early to tell if the nerve damage should that be what this is,will be permanent.

Sorry we can't be more helpful and talking with your surgeon is important.

Glad you joined us and be kind to yourself.
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