Topic: Having shoulder surgery/ got any advice? Tips/tricks?

[onemountain]

Hey guys, I'm having surgery on my left shoulder on the 21st. Got any advice? This is my first real surgery. I say 'real' because I did have all 4 of my wisdom teeth out, but, I mean, c'mon, that was just wisdom teeth, and went so well I was eating solid (albeit soft) food 18 hrs later.

The PA I just spoke to said that I should slit some t-shirts down the left side so I can slide them on from my good side, as I can't take off the sling AT ALL for a good week. Can't shower either for a week. Guess my Christmas gift to the family will be to sit as far away from them as possible 

You guys got any other tips or tricks like that? I don't want this to be any more of a pain in the ass (or shoulder) than it has to be.

Thanks in advance for anything you got to make me less miserable,

o.m.

Oh, yeah, thought you guys might appreciate this: when told I was having surgery, my coworkers suggested that I just have the arm cut off and replaced with something else. The top suggestions were to replace it with 1) a chainsaw or 2) a coffee urn and paper cup dispenser. When I told my friends about this, they suggested 1) a minikeg and plastic cup dispenser or 2) a rack of (firearm) magazines and shotgun shells with a slide-out cleaning rod/kit 

[Jaggy13]

I was never good with pain pills, but was told; stay ahead of the pain.
My biggest issue was always sleep. nagging pain makes it tough to sleep.

[fj40mojo]

Hey guys, I'm having surgery on my left shoulder on the 21st. Got any advice? This is my first real surgery. I say 'real' because I did have all 4 of my wisdom teeth out, but, I mean, c'mon, that was just wisdom teeth, and went so well I was eating solid (albeit soft) food 18 hrs later.

The PA I just spoke to said that I should slit some t-shirts down the left side so I can slide them on from my good side, as I can't take off the sling AT ALL for a good week. Can't shower either for a week. Guess my Christmas gift to the family will be to sit as far away from them as possible 

You guys got any other tips or tricks like that? I don't want this to be any more of a pain in the ass (or shoulder) than it has to be.

Thanks in advance for anything you got to make me less miserable,

o.m.

Oh, yeah, thought you guys might appreciate this: when told I was having surgery, my coworkers suggested that I just have the arm cut off and replaced with something else. The top suggestions were to replace it with 1) a chainsaw or 2) a coffee urn and paper cup dispenser. When I told my friends about this, they suggested 1) a minikeg and plastic cup dispenser or 2) a rack of (firearm) magazines and shotgun shells with a slide-out cleaning rod/kit 

I've got a fair amount of experience in this area being a Med/Surg nurse. I see a lot of ortho patients. Best advice I can give is follow the recommendations of your provider and surgeon. On the pain end of things, if you don't have any history of liver problems ask the PA if you can have a series of IV toredol injections. Toredol is an NSAID (like tyleonol) and in my experience does more for ortho patients than narcs to control pain. Talk to the PA about having a PCA (pain pump) for at least the first 24-48 hrs post surgery, this puts control in your hands so you can get pain relief when you need it versus when the nurse has time to come give it to you. They will ask you to rate your pain on a scale from 0-10 (0=no pain, 10=the worst pain you've ever experienced) if your pain is 3 or higher you should either be pushing the button on your PCA or calling asking for pain meds. Don't worry about the PCA, it is programmed only to give you a set amount of narcotics, you can't OD and the nursing staff should be tracking the number of times you push the button ie if you are pushing it more times than you are actually receiving meds (more demand than supply) then they know your pain control is insufficient and needs to be changed.

It's gonna hurt, get that through your head now. The PT (physical terrorist) is gonna need your cooperation and the best thing you can do to insure a speedy recovery is give him/her that cooperation. Have the nursing staff pre-medicate you before PT and work through the pain.  Be nice to your nursing staff and they will take good care of you.

[Nealio]

Just take it easy, don't do anything risky (like take your brace off just for a sec).
Then when its time to rehab, do as much as you can within the limits they set.  Also I try to ween myself off the pills as soon as I can.  Usually the first week or so I keep up like they say, then I start trying to reduce my intake during the day.  Night is harder as I usually can't fall asleep with lingering pain so I usually have to take some meds at night long after I quit taking them during the day.

I've had 6 surgeries on my left leg in the last 4 1/2 years, so now its no big deal

[dutch1911]

My advise... I highly recommend being asleep when they do it... Just sayin! 

[Bill, Idaho]

Wonderful, just wonderful. Over the last few years I noticed a decrease in the range of motion in my left shoulder. I went to a local orthopedic surgeon, at the behest of my regular doctor. They took two xrays, and after sitting/waiting in the exam room for 45 minutes, he walks in, introduces himself, and asks me my medical history.
  Then he holds up one of the xrays, points at it and says "this is a perfect example of a completely worn out shoulder."  So I asked if he could do a "scope" on it, like everyone else I know, and give it a tune-up. Without any hesitation, he replies  "That ain't gonna' happen. You have bone against bone, bone spurs, and no cartilage left. The ball on the end of your arm bone (the humerous- and might I add, NOT named appropriately!) instead of looking like the round ball that is supposed to fit into the shoulder socket--looks like the top of a fire hydrant. The 'scope (authroscopic) isn't in the realm of possibility. BUT.... I can simply replace it. I can install a whole joint.  There is actually a little less recuperation than doing the "scope.  (?) I can have you back up and running in about two months.  What do you do for a living?  I told him I was a cop. He asked if I was the kind that flies a desk or the kind that gets into fights with 18 year old tweakers. I said I was on the road. He said "Not with a new shoulder you are!"
    So, I have to deal with the lack of motion, the sleep issues, the cronic aggravation, and stay working with it.
 
Good luck.

[onemountain]

Thanks guys, and sorry to hear that Bill 

mojo: how does diclofenac compare to toradol? I've been on that, but discontinued it Wednesday in preparation for surgery. I forgot to ask if I'm supposed to go back on it afterward.

Nealio: narcotic pain pills scare me a little. When I had my wisdom teeth out, I only used what they prescribed vicodin for a day and a half. About two weeks later, I was doing some homework (this was in high school) when, out of the blue, I thought to myself "I could go for some vicodin right now." I wasn't in pain or anything. Vicodin just sounded good to me the same way pizza might when you're hungry, or a beer would when you're thirsty. Unnerved me pretty good.

And yes, I'll do whatever the PT says. This is the shoulder I injured back on the 3rd of September riding home from work to catch the BSU-Georgia football game (went to the ER instead). I've been in PT since, but re-injured it over Thanksgiving break, and it started degrading instead of getting better like it had. I really like the PT I have, and I'll have the same one after the surgery.

Funny you should call PT's 'physical terrorists;' my uncle calls them that. I wouldn't call mine a physical terrorist, but I've come up with what I think is an original description of PTs:
"A good physical therapist is half compassionate friend, and half sadist." 

Anyone got anything else?

[luckypunk]

no advice, good luck/ speedy recovery, Merry Xmas

[Idaho_Gun_Nut]

I've had both of my shoulders done, (torn rotator cuffs as well as seperated clavacle at both ends).  The surgery is a piece of cake really.  Make sure they give you one of those electric ice machines, (looks like a playmate cooler with hoses and a small pump inside).  That way you can keep your shoulder iced up properly for the first few days to help with healing and the pain.  I actually slept with mine on all night.  I found sleeping on the couch so I could prop myself up and keep the shoulder that was operated on from having any pressure on it helpful.  Good luck!

[agunforeachhand]

When I had my knee surgery I felt awesome afterwards. Then I didn't take any pain meds for awhile and that night I paid for it big time. Stay on the meds!!!

Forgot to mention good luck and let us know if you need anything

[dvc]

Good luck!  I've had both of mine done with a redo/replace coming up next fall.  Follow the excellent advice in this thread along with the Dr & PT and you'll be fine.

I can recommend (via PM) an anesthesiologist to avoid.  On my '02 surgery she botched the interscalene block and paralyzed my diaphragm on the surgery side.  If you experience a shortness of breath after a few days, I can recommend a pulmonologist to check it out.   I go in for hand surgery next month and I have told the Dr and asst, that the previous so called anesthesiologist is not permitted in the same operating theater as me.   I'm going to write the same thing on both arms and a few other prominent locations. 

Before the last surgery, we went out and found a comfortable recliner beforehand and I slept the first week in it.  Forced me to sleep on my back.   

My last surgery included damage to the bicep so I was sling bound a long time.  Someone suggest buying diapers or other absorbent products (Use your imagination! ) and sprinkle with baby powder.  Slip that under the arm and it helps with friction and absorbing sweat.

Good Luck!
dvc

[El Conquistador]

I had the right shoulder done in 02'. Find somewhere comfortable to sleep sitting upright for sure, I'm a side/stomach sleeper and had a hard time. Keep up with ALL the exercises they recommend even after your PT is done, I still have some issues and when I do the exercises it gets better.
Not to freak you out, but I'll tell you the bad part of my experience. They gave me Oxycontin for the pain, and there was pain, for right after the surgery. That made me sick, like throwing up with your arm in a sling and your not supposed to move sick, which really sucks. Completely out of it and barfing. So then they gave me compazine to stop the nausea. Well after the first day I started having muscle spasms, so my wife called in and they said to give me more of both meds as the nerves are reacting to the surgery, and I should be staying still. Long story short, she called 911 that night as I was flopping on the floor with every muscle in my body in full spasm. Fire showed up first, checked my blood pressure at 190 over 160, and decided I was stroking out. Pretty much thought I was dead as I was involuntarily chewing on my own tongue, hoping my 4 year old wouldn't wake up and see me go out like that. The paramedics show up and the girl, to whom I be forever grateful, checks the meds on the nightstand. Turns out I'm allergic to the compazine and in anaphylactic shock. She's seen it before with the same medication. Benzedrine shot and a trip the hospital and I'm all good, except for the shoulder. She said if my wife had waited another 10 minutes to call in I would have probably blown a heart gasket and been done.
So... make sure someone can watch you when your out of it and starting any new medication. Again, I'm not trying to freak you out, but since then I've talked to several people who have had similar experiences. Had my wife know what to look out for it would never had gotten to that point.

[chubbyhubby]

Luckypunk- HAHAHAHAHA!!!

FJ- Which hospital are you at?

Onemountain- PCA's are worthless because you fall asleep and wake up in pain, unless you can get your provider to give you a basal rate which rarely happens on my floor. Plus I imagine it's a day surgery deal and you won't be spending the night. Basically you're going to have one night of hell and then you'll be fine. Oh but you'll never be able to shoot again, no matter what the doc says, so I can kindly "hold on" to your guns for you Toradol is great, phenergan is the bomb for nausea no matter what anyone says about zofran.

At this point I REALLY want to make a smart-a comment about fentanyl patches but will refrain just in case the state board of nursing were perusing the site 

Dvc's rec about recliners is spot on.

My advice: you're going to need to learn to wipe your butt and pick your nose with the other hand. 

[fj40mojo]

Luckypunk- HAHAHAHAHA!!!

FJ- Which hospital are you at?

Onemountain- PCA's are worthless because you fall asleep and wake up in pain, unless you can get your provider to give you a basal rate which rarely happens on my floor. Plus I imagine it's a day surgery deal and you won't be spending the night. Basically you're going to have one night of hell and then you'll be fine. Oh but you'll never be able to shoot again, no matter what the doc says, so I can kindly "hold on" to your guns for you Toradol is great, phenergan is the bomb for nausea no matter what anyone says about zofran.

At this point I REALLY want to make a smart-a comment about fentanyl patches but will refrain just in case the state board of nursing were perusing the site 

Dvc's rec about recliners is spot on.

My advice: you're going to need to learn to wipe your butt and pick your nose with the other hand. 

Boise VAMC and I don't agree with your statement that PCAs are worthless. Yes a continuous rate for sleeping hours would be ideal but not likely to happen. It's better to have the MS or Dilauded there when you wake up in hell and push the button for your PCA then to push the call light button and hope that your nurse has time to retrieve the meds and administer them in a timely manner. Shit happens on a Med/Surg floor and there are times when somebody coding may trump you needing some morphine.