Say no to reverse shoulder replacement

Yes, some people do regret a Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement when pain and weakness persist, and while improvement can continue for up to 12–18 months after surgery, severe pain, significant weakness and poor mobility at 9 months are not typical, so it would be reasonable to discuss further testing or a second opinion with your surgeon to rule out complications or mechanical issues.

@lucasego Thank you for your advice x

Hello everyone,
I am over 12 months down the track. My experience has been brutal, as I have said in previous posts. I said I would report back here after a second opinion surgeon appointment and starting on alternative therapy. However, I don't have anything to report after the second opinion from a shoulder surgeon. I think they tend to close ranks around here.
One year down the track it still hurts to drive, to get dressed and undressed and to dry my back after a shower. Nerve damage with RSR surgery is not rare (>20%), but usually resolves within 6 months according to the literature. Sharp pains in the shoulder and under the shoulder blade happen with certain actions. The pain I had because of damage to my rotator cuff has slowly abated, but new pains limit my lifestyle and I feel my life consists of one medical appointment after another.
I have decided not to have the other shoulder done.
I have now had three cranio-sacral and non-spinal chiropractic sessions. The therapist is highly experienced and qualified to Dr level. At last I had a qualified person interested in working with me, not gaslighting me, and respecting my knowledge I've built up over the last 12 months. I have suffered such extreme pain deep in the shoulder, and it seems the muscular component is result of poor response of the subscapularis in accommodating its altered role (in RSR, the humerous attachment is inferior- below- its original location). This, and to date unresolved damage to the lateral branch of the brachial plexus nerve, is why I have had stalled recovery since the RSR and new neurological pain. Ongoing severe pain has caused chronic reactive muscular spasms and the brachial plexus pain has triggered my existing occipital neuralgia into a full blown trigeminocervical neuralgia. The therapist is treating muscular tightness and I am now seeing a neurologist for severe unilateral facial neuralgia attacks, called cluster headaches. Brain MRI has not shown evidence of MS, stroke or neuro-vascular compression. This is good. But having a rare facial neuralgia may take some time to deal with.
I stopped all physio exercises months ago because they hurt and I resumed lap-swimming, tai chi, and yoga and devised shoulder exercises for myself in the pool. I am happy enough with my shoulder RoM but use and strength is limited.

2 yrs post op left reverse . All went great, great surgeon and had good pt that tx with with no pain therapy. Only problem is when I do something stupid like over stressing muscle. Keep up your exercises to maintain muscle.
Sorry for your bad experience

@jdshep I appreciate the encouragement. My PT gave me exercises that tore muscles unfortunately. I'm autistic, so I feel pain differently./ I believed the PT but after a while told them I am sure it's tearing, confirmed by new physio. I now know my conjoint tendon was too tight; the muscles shouldn't have been doing strengthening physio before further surgery or as I'm now doing, cranio-sacral and non manipulative chiro release. I keep posting here in case others are getting the wrong advice like me. It really set me back and gave me much more pain and disability than was necessary.

For those on the fence about having the procedure or not, here is my take on it. I've heard/read positive and not so positive experiences after having the total reverse shoulder replacement. In my case my left rotator cuff was damaged beyond repair. Orthopedic Dr recommended this procedure after first 6 wks of PHYSICAL therapy. The physical therapy DID noticeably help. After researching the procedure I had to weigh out the pros and cons. Right now I may have 40 - 50% use of arm shoulder. I can reach behind me enough to get dressed, no overhead strength or side lifting. I can live with what I have use of now. After procedure I would lose behind reach to a point. Limit weight holding and be prone to accidentally dislocating shoulder. In my case I chose to pass on the surgery for now. It will be 1 yr since I injured it and am learning to be cautious as it is. I'm 74, active as can be. If I was in constant pain or things really got worse I still have the option to have the procedure

@warrend In my situation, I had reinjured my rotator cuff to the point where the pain and loss of function gave me a poor outlook. So I retired (age 68) and went ahead with the surgery 12 months ago.
Most people are happy with a RSR.
My chief concern is that everyone undergoing this procedure needs to know the facts and watch out for a number of complications that can occur in a minimum of cases. In a perfect world there would be an information sheet listing known risks and a short description of these known complications for reference after the surgery, with advice to talk it over with your specialist if your recovery is atypical. This is very important if you live on your own, rural location etc.

They want to replace both shoulders I had both hips replaced with in 45days of each other it was like a miracle went from a wheelchair to walking on my own. But am nervous about the shoulders had my right one repaired 23 years ago and never once had any relief from pain. Just learned to live with it and that I should of known I wasn't invincible reading these comments are giving me some insight of what to expect on recovering from the surgery. Thanks this is helping me what to expect.