Shoulder Bone-on-bone surgery alternative for seniors

Good eveningk @alanhansen. and welcome to Mayo Connect. I just noticed this post about your shoulder and my memory took me back to a similar life situation. I had injured and "over used" my right shoulder for several years. Softball and horseback riding along with a few falls here and there had left me with constant pain in my right shoulder. Building and remodeling homes also forced my right shoulder to keep "whining". So I agreed to the first repair surgery. It turned out well and then I fell down the mountain at the American Legion. With multiple breaks in the elbow and more serious injuries in the shoulder the surgeon gave it another chance with shoulder repairs. Unfortunately, that wasn't quite enough.

About that time shoulder replacement surgery was becoming successful in France. After hearing about the results in the US in Florida and Washington state, he flew to the East Coast to learn how to accomplish the reverse shoulder replacement. He returned with some films that he shared with me and began the greatest struggle......convincing the insurance company to pay for the reverse shoulder sugery. As you might imagine, the insurance folks wanted an older patient so that there wouldn't be lot of years left for me to bang it up again.

The surgery day arrived and there was quite an audience including some engineers or so I was told. My surgeon actually stayed with me in my room that evening and the anesthesist stoppped by to make sure I could sleep.

My recovery was well supported. Even the Physical Therapist worked with the surgeon to make sure they were giving my shoulder every chance. I am living the rest of my life with the comfortable use of rwo shoulders.

Soooo......what do you think?

Please let me know what you decide. There have been lots of improvements. Now you can have the replacement made to fit you well. And the post surgery care is much more timely and affective.

Let me know if you have additional questions or worries.
Chris

I am seventy-five years old and had the reverse shoulder replacement twelve das ago. I left the hospital after the surgery that day. The doctor prescribed pain medicine and inflammatory medicine. Since I had minimal pain I opted to take Tylenol and baby aspirin, but I do take the inflammatory medicine daily.
It is too early to tell if my range of movement improved. I religiously follow the post op instructions, arm in sling 24/7. Nothing heavier then a pen in my left hand. I see the doctor in five days to remove stiches and start Physical Therapy.
Bottom Line: I am pleasantly surprised that my pain level is about a 1-2 out of 10. I realize it is very early in my recovery process but compared to the pain and mobility before the operation, I am grateful that I opted for the surgery. At this point, I am looking forward to reverse shoulder replacement on my right shoulder. More to follow as I recover. I am keeping a log of my post op progress.

Hi wondering how your recovery is coming along.
I'm 75 as well and RSR has been recommended because of bone on bone arthritis. My issue is more about mobility then pain...although if I move the arm in the wrong direction it definitely lets me know. Also concerned about the window starting to close as I get older.
Hope youre coming along well.

@philly07 what ever you do expect an 8 month to more than a year recovery time. This all depends on you current physicality as well, how good the surgeon is (how many of these surgeries do they do), failure rates, etc. Hopefully you’ll have the assistance you’ll need post operatively. One recommendation though, if it’s your dominant side learn to clean yourself with the other side now. Good luck.

I am seventy-five years old and had the reverse shoulder replacement twelve das ago. I left the hospital after the surgery that day. The doctor prescribed pain medicine and inflammatory medicine. Since I had minimal pain I opted to take Tylenol and baby aspirin, but I do take the inflammatory medicine daily.
It is too early to tell if my range of movement improved. I religiously follow the post op instructions, arm in sling 24/7. Nothing heavier then a pen in my left hand. I see the doctor in five days to remove stiches and start Physical Therapy.
Bottom Line: I am pleasantly surprised that my pain level is about a 1-2 out of 10. I realize it is very early in my recovery process but compared to the pain and mobility before the operation, I am grateful that I opted for the surgery. At this point, I am looking forward to reverse shoulder replacement on my right shoulder. More to follow as I recover. I am keeping a log of my post op progress.