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Say no to reverse shoulder replacement
Joint Replacements | Last Active: 1 day ago | Replies (81)Comment receiving replies
My reverse was done just a year ago. Did physical therapy enthusiastically. They called me a rock star and discharged me from Phys Rehab. About 5 mos ago I tried to lift somethinbut was unable to. a few minutes afterthat my arm was locked with the elbow bent. That instnce was painful but a small weight held while doing bent over rotation got it unlocked. That's been heappening off and on since then caled my surgeon about , he said he's never heard of that, didn't think an xray woule be helpful. For my year check I jumped up and doen over the phne demand an xray. didn't see anything still hasn'nt heard of that happening. He said my componets were in place and looked fine.
I haven't been able to advance my strength that much I still get lock ups varying in intensity, pian only briefly till it's back "in place". Fine motor movement is tenuous. So push on with life, trying to be aware of when my dominant arm might fail on me, and not being on a ladder or carrying something sharp.
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@reversed Thanks for posting.
We need to educate the surgeons, so that they have opportunity to learn and improve. I took a one-page printed sheet that I read off at 6 months (14 Nov.).
Mental and physical anguish is not why we signed up for this. In hindsight, I did not give informed consent. I did not know getting worse was a risk and my former life was about to end. I thought that I'd have a rehab period and be back at life better than before.
My whole body mechanics have been altered.
I composed a concise but full summary of what has happened since surgery. What has got worse and how my life is affected. Described pain and function, compared with prior to surgery.
At 14 Nov., the surgeon ordered blood test to check infection and yet more x-rays and I will go back at 7 months, before Xmas. At this next appointment, I will work on him again to get some soft tissue diagnostics and what his view of the outlook ahead could be.
Summary and a whinge: I am 7 months after L RSR and still in more pain than before and have poor RoM. I've done everything I've been told. I've had 3 sets of x-rays ("nothing wrong here") when I keep saying that it is not only a deep pain inside the new joint, but in the soft tissues. Pain, lack of power, not being able to get comfortable in bed, elbow pain, restricted ROM that prevents ordinary tasks. The physio exercises were actually tearing the anterior deltoids and getting worse. Physio also ignored me so I had to cease all exercises to allow muscle recovery.
The surgeon knew that my outdoor life is essential to my well being. After his surgery, in response to "when can I return to farming, caving, riding, sailing, kayaking, bushwalking" he said it can take 12-18 months to achieve full improvement (I knew that) then told me that anyway, the point of RSR was to relieve pain. BUT the pain is still worse! In fact, it even hurts to turn my car steering wheel and to pull the handbrake on.
OK, some patients get relief and/or are functionally better than before but it is the surgeons' disinterest when it doesn't go right that is brutal. Our life is on "pause" and our whole future hangs off their advice and guidance. The mental anguish is constant and is worse than the pain. But in my case, the pain sets off my other pain sites so in my life there is now constant pain. I keep looking into the future and making dates for joining activities, but have cancelled them all until a week ago, when I pushed myself out of anguish and frustration. I couldn't bear to cancel another date. But I needed a lot of help and since then, I have been hurting and weak all over from the poor all-over body mechanics and sleeping poorly despite all the analgesics I am taking.