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Posted 1/18/2017 8:09 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all,

I am circling back to this never-ending issue with me. It's my left surgical shoulder (biceps tenodesis).   I did 8 months pre-op and then 8 months post-op.  During the post-op PT rehab, I don't remember doing my PT 3x/day every single day.  I remember doing PT pretty much every day at home, going to PT at the outpatient clinic 3x a week but I also remember skipping some sessions here and there. I remember straining/tweaking my shoulder over and over and over again.  It never fully got stronger.

Here's what's really bothering me.  I am not even at 10% strength 4 years post-op.  I don't really have weakness but it's not strong, I can't lift any real weights with it (bicep curls, bench press, pushups, etc.) without my shoulder getting inflamed and hurting. 

My question is this- is my shoulder not at 100% or close to 100% because I did not do my PT 3x/day every single day and strained my shoulder a bunch or is it due to borrelia and coinfections that is causing the inflammation and not allowing my shoulder to get stronger?  I want more than anything to start bodybuilding again.  It's very, very important to me.

Thanks for all your help!

Posted 1/18/2017 8:37 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Dave
I had shoulder surgery for a tear in the labrum (socket area). It took me a good 18 months to get better. This was before I knew I had lyme, actually around the time my symptoms started is when I tore my shoulder.

I don't think it is because you didn't go to every pt session. Months after surgery, My shoulder was so inflamed and then I got knots in my bicep the size of eggs. Then I got frozen shoulder. My orthopedist told me to stop pt because it was aggravating my arm and shoulder...so there you go, sometimes its not about how much pt you do at all.

Then, I tore my elbow, and dealt with the pain of that for 1 year before I had surgery. Then a year of frozen elbow and pain until I got my diagnosis of lyme and started on antibiotics. about 2 weeks after starting antibiotics the elbow was able to move again and no more pain all night long.

So, I think it is due to lyme and co causing inflammation. My dr has me taking curcumin, 2 pills, 2 times a day for inflammation. I am also on a host of antibiotics and other supplements.

I was wondering if there is a supplement someone here may suggest to build tissue back up. Because in addition to the shoulder, and elbow I still have tears in both hips that are pretty nasty and full of pain, lack of range of motion. I would rather not have surgery ever on these hips so what can be done to build the tissue/ligaments back up?

Sorry I don't have a fix for you, but wanted to let you know that lyme does find the weak spots and seem to nest in there causing pain and inflammation. I think the trick may lie in getting inflammation down and building the tissue back up with a supplement, in addition to killing off the lyme and co.
Posted 1/18/2017 8:49 PM (GMT 0)

DaveNJ41 said...



My question is this- is my shoulder not at 100% or close to 100% because I did not do my PT 3x/day every single day and strained my shoulder a bunch or is it due to borrelia and coinfections that is causing the inflammation and not allowing my shoulder to get stronger? I want more than anything to start bodybuilding again. It's very, very important to me.

Thanks for all your help!

I don't think it's because you didn't do your PT 3X/day every single day.

I do think lyme and co's are playing a big part in this.

When I first got lyme...I not only lost weight very quickly, but ALL my muscles went flacid. There was nothing I could do to to change that...until I started treating.

I am over 2 years treating now..and my muscles are looking/feeling/working more normal now. I can actually flex my bicep and feel its firmness....

I do think you can get better with treatment and time. where are you currently in your treatment?
Posted 1/18/2017 9:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hey joee- I think there are a ton of supplements out there, whether some work for you or not are a question of how your body responds. Have you tried glucosamine and chondroitin? How about great lakes collagen? How is your shoulder now? Do you have pain in it, can you workout or is it still painful and you're working through it and seeing if treatment makes it better? I appreciate you trying to find a fix smile. Just replying to this has helped!

Girlie- I'm psyched your muscles have improved! Do you have pain in your joints as well? I am currently not sure where I am. I am doing ozone, 2-3 times a week. More when I can afford more. Rife, Buhner and infrared sauna. I also do acupuncture when I can and PT. I am looking into neurochiropractor and am really considering doing abx again.
Posted 1/18/2017 10:18 PM (GMT 0)
I had all those shoulder issues repaired in 2014. Plus a bone spur in there removed, and about 5 other repairs.

I had severe muscle wastage already before going into the surgery, and the band work therapy(I did at home) only gave me back my range of motion. It did nothing for strengthening, although I can 'feel' my biceps when I flex my arm. I just don't have the ability to hold or pick up anything heavy.

My overall strength did diminish even more pronounced though, post surgery. It's the Lyme infection.

I will have to say that Japanese Knotweed had helped noticeably with the pain and swelling I was getting every night in the arm while I slept. I still have issues after trying to handle heavy weight, like moving a tub of gravel the other day, that probably weighed 200 lbs or more.

Aim for minimizing the inflammation herbally and give it time. Also, be careful of the fact that building muscle may happen during the healing process of those tiny fascia tears. Who knows what these invaders do to those minute tears, that prevents the muscle from rebuilding.

ETA: I should have clarified that the facia can stiffen up during periods of dis-use, and tear if it's not re-conditioned gradually.

Post Edited (julymorning) : 1/18/2017 3:24:14 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/18/2017 10:26 PM (GMT 0)
www.injuryinformation.com/injuries/tendons-ligaments/injury.php
Posted 1/18/2017 10:43 PM (GMT 0)

DaveNJ41 said...
Hey joee- I think there are a ton of supplements out there, whether some work for you or not are a question of how your body responds. Have you tried glucosamine and chondroitin? How about great lakes collagen? How is your shoulder now? Do you have pain in it, can you workout or is it still painful and you're working through it and seeing if treatment makes it better? I appreciate you trying to find a fix smile. Just replying to this has helped!

Girlie- I'm psyched your muscles have improved! Do you have pain in your joints as well? I am currently not sure where I am. I am doing ozone, 2-3 times a week. More when I can afford more. Rife, Buhner and infrared sauna. I also do acupuncture when I can and PT. I am looking into neurochiropractor and am really considering doing abx again.

I had a lot of pain in my joints...and its gone in some areas...and much better in the other areas.
I have or had have pain in these joints: shoulders (still working on those), elbows, wrists, fingers (every finger - I would wake up in the night with my hands clenched tight...hurting..and I would pry them apart), knees, hips.

I just did my exercises....and although not doing heavy weights, I am easily doing bicep and triceps with 5 lbs.
I know that doesn't sound like much, but even pre-lyme I never lifted heavy...I just did many reps.
...and my left arm when lyme hit...couldn't lift anything....so happy about that improvement...now I just need the pain to leave.
Posted 1/18/2017 10:45 PM (GMT 0)
Girlie, do you or have you used Knotweed? I can't remember.
Posted 1/18/2017 10:51 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, I used it for a couple of months before I was diagnosed...and waiting for tests, appt...etc.

I stopped when I started abx and then added it (with other herbs) back in several months later.

I have stopped again...I was taking so much, that I decided to pare down...so as far as Buhner's herbs I am taking: Kudzu, Greater Celandine, Hawthorn for specific symptoms.

I'm thinking of adding back JK....
Posted 1/18/2017 10:53 PM (GMT 0)
It would be good to hear if it helps you, both for the fact that your pain inflammation is diminishing, but also as a notch in the jk's buckle of usefulness!
Posted 1/18/2017 11:00 PM (GMT 0)

julymorning said...
It would be good to hear if it helps you, both for the fact that your pain inflammation is diminishing, but also as a notch in the jk's buckle of usefulness!

I really should make myself useful...huh? tongue

I'll get right on it...um...maybe in a week or two...will you remind me, if I forget? smilewinkgrin
Posted 1/18/2017 11:08 PM (GMT 0)

Girlie said...

julymorning said...
It would be good to hear if it helps you, both for the fact that your pain inflammation is diminishing, but also as a notch in the jk's buckle of usefulness!

I really should make myself useful...huh? tongue

I'll get right on it...um...maybe in a week or two...will you remind me, if I forget? smilewinkgrin



Not you, the knotweed's usefulness. Hahaha....you are SO useful! In the really important ways.

But me remind you? I can't even remember to feed the horses on time lately, or even remember if I did. I just got done saying I need a timer here.

I hate pain. I know you hate pain. Who told us on here that pain=inflammation? I believed it.
Ok, lecture over. tongue back! LOL.
Posted 1/18/2017 11:09 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know if you have this in your area but I will tell you what helped me, biomagnetism. I was having some weakness in my arm where I had a PICC line for ozone treatments. Before the PICC line my arm was fine. Afterwards I could barely lift it. It was the weirdest thing ever. Anyway I did a several treatments. The lady found many weak spots where she said viral things were hanging out in my muscles. But I will tell you this, my arm is fine and I haven't had any other issues since that therapy.
Posted 1/19/2017 12:47 AM (GMT 0)
How long do you need to take JK before it starts to work? I take mine almost two months - but I haven't seen changes.
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