Say no to reverse shoulder replacement

@debhunter this week I too had my last appointment with my surgeon and my occupational therapist until August of next year. I too had a list of questions but it just seemed to me that they were bound and determined to get me out of their care for now. I have been going every week solid to occupational therapy since the surgery in May. He claims he has done everything in his power to get my hand back. It's not even close. The surgeon passes it off as arthritis. I told him that's really funny that you say that because before I had the surgery, I had a completely usable right hand. He mumbled something about my nerves being disassociated from my arm. Wants me to continue to take pain pills says it will help my shoulder and my nerves to reconnect

Like you sleeping is difficult. I still have to sleep on my back. They are telling me that my left shoulder is worse than my right shoulder was before the surgery. I was in a freak accident in 2018. That's when all this started. It was also the year that I knew my husband of 41 years was dying. I knew that if I submitted to an MRI And all the testing they wanted to do that surgery would follow. I had been taking care of my husband 24 seven for over 20 years. I wasn't going to stop now.

Of course my left shoulder is worse. My husband was diabetic in a wheelchair without a leg and he was obese not grossly. I had to compensate and not use my right hand arm and shoulder as much as I was using my left.

Oddly enough, I had less pain in my shoulder than I did in my hand right after the surgery. That remains true. I've had to make changes around the house because I can't get my arm very high. In the kitchen, I've taken everything out out of the top shelves and put them on lower shelves. A friend of mine made me a finger walk. I have that installed in my dining room. I use it every day.

Now they're telling me at the end of that visit that they want me to order a paraffin bath. They say that it will help my hand not be so painful. I have a feeling they didn't like my prepared questions. I've done a lot of research before making that list. Was honestly starting to feel like a guinea pig anyway under their care

No, you are not alone. I'm sure there are other people who are also suffering
From complications from a complete reverse shoulder replacement.

Hang in there hopefully it will get better for both of us.

@spcb Thanks for getting back on these issues. Keep up your self-help, you husband would have wanted that if he had noticed your pain. Good luck.
I wish I hadn't been so intimidated by them and their "one-size-fits-all" attitudes and over used one-liners. I have been just in too much pain to do anything but outright weep or cringe in their appointments until now.
I intend to get on with life as best I can. At least I have a good physiotherapist I had prior to the surgery- she is back from long service leave. And I have a new GP who is intellectually interested in my complex neck-shoulder-trigeminal neuropathy pain* issues. This is good.
Keep in touch. I will too, after my appointment in one month.
* I did not have severe trigeminal neuropathy before the surgery.

@debhunter just one more comment. My surgeon when he showed me the x-ray of my left shoulder where I'm bone on bone. He was so matter of fact about having the surgery on the left side. I almost felt like I gone through a drive-through in order to hamburger and he just said "would you like a side of fries with that" it may not be a big deal to him, but it's a very big deal to me. I am in my 70s and I am not planning on having this surgery ever again.

@debhunter this week I too had my last appointment with my surgeon and my occupational therapist until August of next year. I too had a list of questions but it just seemed to me that they were bound and determined to get me out of their care for now. I have been going every week solid to occupational therapy since the surgery in May. He claims he has done everything in his power to get my hand back. It's not even close. The surgeon passes it off as arthritis. I told him that's really funny that you say that because before I had the surgery, I had a completely usable right hand. He mumbled something about my nerves being disassociated from my arm. Wants me to continue to take pain pills says it will help my shoulder and my nerves to reconnect

Like you sleeping is difficult. I still have to sleep on my back. They are telling me that my left shoulder is worse than my right shoulder was before the surgery. I was in a freak accident in 2018. That's when all this started. It was also the year that I knew my husband of 41 years was dying. I knew that if I submitted to an MRI And all the testing they wanted to do that surgery would follow. I had been taking care of my husband 24 seven for over 20 years. I wasn't going to stop now.

Of course my left shoulder is worse. My husband was diabetic in a wheelchair without a leg and he was obese not grossly. I had to compensate and not use my right hand arm and shoulder as much as I was using my left.

Oddly enough, I had less pain in my shoulder than I did in my hand right after the surgery. That remains true. I've had to make changes around the house because I can't get my arm very high. In the kitchen, I've taken everything out out of the top shelves and put them on lower shelves. A friend of mine made me a finger walk. I have that installed in my dining room. I use it every day.

Now they're telling me at the end of that visit that they want me to order a paraffin bath. They say that it will help my hand not be so painful. I have a feeling they didn't like my prepared questions. I've done a lot of research before making that list. Was honestly starting to feel like a guinea pig anyway under their care

No, you are not alone. I'm sure there are other people who are also suffering
From complications from a complete reverse shoulder replacement.

Hang in there hopefully it will get better for both of us.

Hello everyone,

I'm new here and for the first time I am really reconsidering having this surgery. I met 3 surgeons and found The One. I trust him completely and he has an excellent reputation and track record. I am 68 years old.

I've done a lot of reading about RTSRs. To make a very long story short, I believe this surgery is far more brutal and risky than our surgeons lead us to believe. While I've read a lot of success stories, I'v also noticed that when things go south, they *really* go south.

I've begun searching for alternatives: various injections I was never educated about nor offered, Tumeric for inflammation, acupuncture, the injections seem to have the most potential, Have any of you tried alternatives to surgery? What were they like?

Thanks in advance for your responses!

Hello everyone,

I'm new here and for the first time I am really reconsidering having this surgery. I met 3 surgeons and found The One. I trust him completely and he has an excellent reputation and track record. I am 68 years old.

I've done a lot of reading about RTSRs. To make a very long story short, I believe this surgery is far more brutal and risky than our surgeons lead us to believe. While I've read a lot of success stories, I'v also noticed that when things go south, they *really* go south.

I've begun searching for alternatives: various injections I was never educated about nor offered, Tumeric for inflammation, acupuncture, the injections seem to have the most potential, Have any of you tried alternatives to surgery? What were they like?

Thanks in advance for your responses!

Hi there - If you had known then what you know now would you have had your surgery 6 months ago?

Here's a clip from what I wrote above:

I believe this surgery is far more brutal and risky than our surgeons lead us to believe. While I've read a lot of success stories, I'v also noticed that when things go south, they *really* go south. And sometimes years later! I don't know if those people are considered in formal research.

I've begun searching for alternatives: various injections I was never educated about nor offered, Tumeric for inflammation, acupuncture, the injections seem to have the most potential, Have any of you tried alternatives?