If you don't have RSR .....what are your other options? I'm very happy with my RSR and had I not had the surgery, I'd not really be able to use that arm for much of anything. Couldn't have regular replacement because my rotator cuffs were toast.

Very likely your shoulder structure will continue to deteriorate and arthritic pain will increase with time. How fast this happens is very individual, and hard to predict, maybe you will be lucky and stay in a holding pattern. Your doctor can give his input, but the decision should be yours, don't be hurried until you feel you want it.

When my doctor said I was a good candidate for a RTSR, I was hoping to hold off for another year. But after a few months, the cortisone shots quit helping. I developed constant dull shoulder pain day and night, limited range of movement, sometimes even picking up a coffee cup caused me difficulty. Then I had a day with so much shoulder pain I had to ice it every time I sat down. That day finally made me decide to have the surgery, because I did not want to see that much pain in my future. I am very happy with the results of my reverse TSR, have good range of motion and no pain.

Greetings @wolfie59 and welcome to Connect. As you have already experienced, there are quite a few folks who can help you understand your options about Reverse Shoulder surgery. I actually had three surgeries........and the .first was an attempt to repair the rotator cuff. My surgeon called it "The Grand Canyon of Holes" and of course it didn't work. Even before that surgery, my insurance company made me try Opioids, PT, and Acupuncture before they would even approve the first surgery.

The second attempt was a cadaver graft and I think the outcome was even worse. Finally, my surgeon chatted with the insurance company. He actually sat on the floor and pulled out all the stops to get approval for the reverse. He got it.

Then he called me to come down the mountain to sit and watch a video of the surgery with him. The reverse is a surgery that was initiated and developed in France and only came to the University of Washington until it proved to be successful here in the US. One of the reasons my surgery approval was such a battle was because, at 70, I wasn't old enough. They didn't want me to have post-surgery issues and complaints which would then necessitate greater coverage.

The bottom line.....the surgery went well and the recovery with an ice machine and PT left me pain-free even today and I will be 80 tomorrow.

Is there any other kind of information that you feel would be helpful?

May you be free of suffering and the causes of suffering.
Chris