Rotator Cuff Surgery: Anybody Have Experience?

GrreatTeacher

My husband is going in on Tuesday to have surgery to repair a badly torn rotator cuff on his right shoulder. He is right handed.

He's 51 and is great about exercising and staying in shape. However, while doing push ups, his shoulder just snapped. He knew immediately something was wrong.

The doctor requested an MRI and the news was bad. Do not pass go. Do not attempt physical therapy. Go directly to a surgeon.

He was fortunate to find a highly recommended hand surgeon who does rotator cuffs. A little bit of good luck later and he is going for surgery at an outpatient surgery center in Annapolis, Maryland this coming Tuesday.

Does anyone here happen to have any experience with this and any advice?

He's got an ice chiller apparatus for his shoulder. He's been told he'll be in a sling for 6 weeks and he's not to move his arm or he will do unfixable damage.

I'm just worried because he's an active, stay busy all the time guy, and I'm afraid he's going to drive me crazy.

He can go to physical therapy after 6 weeks and hopefully back to work by 3 months. He does a physical job.

Fortunately we have excellent health insurance, but for the first time we are becoming acquainted with our Out of Pocket Maximum and will be paying $1500 to the surgery center to play. Then, surgeon fees and anesthesioligist fees. The OPM is $2200 for the year, so if I break his other arm out of frustration, that'll be covered 100%!

nonjwspouse

The important thing is that he follow the rule of not moving his arm for the required amount of time. The first days/weeks will be very painful. The pain medication should be taken on time, even if you have to wake him up. Don't wait for the pain to get bad, you have to stay on top of the pain for at least three days. Then he can wait to take the pain meds until he feels like it.

If the tendon is torn after being reattached, he may never be able to have full range of motion. Maybe that will help keep him following the Drs orders.

GrreatTeacher

Yes, I'm familiar with pain management as he's had spinal surgery about 10 years ago. He has a very high pain tolerance, but he was HURTING. He ended up with a Fever of Unknown Origin and had to stay in the hospital for a week.

He doesn't remember this, but he cursed out the phlebotomist, called her a vampire and other choice, no, actually very nasty and vulgar words (that he would never use in real life), and I had to go apologize.

It all went very badly and so I'm concerned. Although, he did heal well and now cycles 30 miles at a time.

I think pain brings out somewhat of a childishness? Not sure of the right word to explain it. I'm afraid he's going to get angry and start swinging, forgetting that's exactly what he CANNOT DO.

He told me to only give him full strength pain meds for the first three days, and then he wants to start cutting back for fear of getting addicted.

It's not like I can't handle this because I've done it before, both with him and both of my parents who were in a very serious car wreck. I guess I'm just a bit unexcited to, in essence, have a big old baby that I'm going to have to play parent for.

And, yes, the doctor put the fear of God into him. He told him if he destroyed his tendon, then it would be like "stapling jello to the wall" to try to fix it again. He got the visual on that!

Thanks for the reply!

GT

Sea Breeze

Had a bone spur in the rotator cuff on right side. Had the surgery and was surprised how long it took to heal. Pain is pretty significant. Wife told me the doctor wouldn't prescribe any more pain pills after a few months. (She lied )

Do the physical therapy, even if it hurts; and it will. Initially, I blew off the physical therapy. To this day, I must do two simple exercises at the gym once to three times per week. If I don't do them for two weeks or more I get bad muscle pain in my back.

If I do the short exercises at least once per week, I am perfectly fine. Small price to pay.

GrreatTeacher

Thanks, Sea Breeze.

I'm sorry you still are bothered with muscle pain. Sometimes I get muscle spasms in my neck and, boy, that is painful. Twice I've had to go to the doctor to get muscle relaxers and it takes a couple of days to unlock itself.

I really hope my husband is good with physical therapy. In the past, his problem has been working out too hard and ignoring the pain. I think that's what got us here. I have to keep reminding him over and over again that pain is your body telling you to stop before you really do damage. He generally just ignores it.

May I ask how long ago your surgery was? Do you feel it really made a difference?

Sea Breeze

Surgery was 13 years ago. Took a year to heal.... mostly. Continued to get better for a year or two more. Was definitely worth it. No more pain.... as long as I do one or two brief back/shoulder exercises at least once per week. No biggy.

GrreatTeacher

Thank you.

It sounds like this is definitely what he needs to keep him moving and healthy.

Chronic pain really wears on you.

Magnum

he's not to move his arm or he will do unfixable damage.

???

I know somebody who had shoulder surgery a few (10?) years ago. I thought it was rotator cuff surgery, but he had to rent a machine that he sat in every night for, it seems, like 30 minutes or so. The machine continuously moved his arm in a certain controlled way. So, his arm was moved after surgery. Maybe it was a different kind of surgery.... or maybe the after-surgery recommendations have changed in the last few years?

Anyway, he seems to be doing fine now; haven't heard him complain at all.

GrreatTeacher

I think that machine will come later, but at first there can be no movement.

Well, he's allowed to flex his wrist just to keep the blood moving, but the arm has to stay immobile in a sling attached to his chest. He's wondering how he'll be able to wash it and get deodorant up in his armpit.

Maybe it has to do with severity?

He has a 2 cm tear on the edge, as in, he's nearly torn the tendon completely in half.

Then there's another 1 cm tear 'inline' if that makes any sense.

Now I'm wondering if this recovery is going to take forever.

He's planning to go back to work in 3 months. At least he's still getting paid disability for that long.

Bill Covert

Yes . three surgery. The third day after surgery I had to use a pulley to raise arm all the way above my head all the way straight up. The issue is scar tissue. If he stays in a sling and does not move his arm the scar tissue will freeze the shoulder! You need to get a second opinion. You can probably go on line and research scar tissue, rotator cuff surgery and immediate mobility.

The scar tissue is as painful as what he is enduring now. Depending on body type, mine grows scar tissue like a farm. I actually had someone manually go into the joint and rip the scar tissue in order to eliminate the pain.

Find a shoulder doctor.

Rotator Cuff Surgery: Anybody Have Experience?

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