Anyone go through a full shoulder replacement?

[Sigarms]

Time is getting near for a full shoulder replacement.

Started about 15 years ago whitewater kayaking. Turned out I had arthritis in the right shoulder. About 10 years ago, it was brought up I would be looking at an operation. 5 years ago turned out it's going to have to be a full replacement on the right shoulder.

I was told originally I was a bad candidate for the operation because the pain on my end was more than manageable. Reality is though for some time couldn't handle a chain saw any more, and over the weekend was using the pressure washer for some time and I told my wife I finally would go in and see if a cortisone would help for now (it's always been kind of bad, but getting to the point where the pain at night isn't becoming manageable).

In my my mind, I may make it going into next year, butt, it's on my radar now that it will have to be done.

Just wondering from others past experiences and the rehabilitation you went through?

I did talk to one guy last year that had one actually in 2024, and he said honestly it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be, and only in a couple of months he was actually feeling good. I'm generally on the pessimistic side and perhaps things have gotten with the procedure over time?

 

[akadave]

Not me but two guys I'm close to had it done and both say they'd do it again but not wait so long.

 

[duffer]

Most good docs will advise cortizone shots until they don't work anymore, rather than just jumping into surgery. You could get a year or two or three from the shots.

My sister in law just had her shoulder replaced, and like your friend got better in a couple of months, but that doesn't mean you'll operate a chain saw by then. And in her case, the doc said she would only get about 80% of full use going forward. You might want to have that conversation with your surgeon.

FWIW.

 

[Sigarms]

You might want to have that conversation with your surgeon.

I'm going to believe me, just like personal experiences if that makes sense.

 

[kenmac]

Not me, but I had a friend that had his replaced last yr. He said all was great. Then it started to just pop out of socket for no reason. He said it even did it while in bed asleep. He went back to his doc, and they went back in a couple months ago to replace a piece of plastic ( his words not mine) any way. it was great for a while. I talked to him yesterday and he says it's popping out of socket again. He is suppose to go back to his doc next week, but he doesn't expect there's anything they're going to be able do to fix his shoulder

 

[BravoXray]

I had my right shoulder replaced back in 2018. Complete replacement, normal type, not reverse. The ball on my humerus was completely wasted, and I had no damage to the rotator cuff. I knew it was getting bad, but over stressing it while helping a friend work on his F150 pushed it over the edge. Woke up the next morning in horrible pain, got into the clinic the next day. They took x-rays and they showed how bad it was, tried to get me to do therapy. I told them if it needed to be replaced, replace it, I'm not wasting time with therapy. Told them I wanted their best surgeon, and they hooked me up with the one that had done my sister's hip replacement a year before, with great results.Talked to the surgeon a couple of days later, a great guy that really put me at ease, and had surgery a week later.
I had heard so many horror stories about shoulder surgery I was really concerned about the outcome, but it was great. Had the surgery in the morning, spent the night and went home the next afternoon. The pain wasn't that bad, in fact, I refused to take any pain meds the evening after the surgery, which prompted a visit from a supervisor. Told her I didn't need the pain pills as I really didn't have a lot of pain. When they discharged me they gave me an RX for pain meds, of which I never took a one.
Went to rehab therapy a week or so later, and after 4 or 5 sessions, I forget how many, they released me. Range of motion was excellent and virtually no pain. I was supposed to use the sling for a month, I ditched it after a week, and at the 2 week post-op with the surgeon, told him I only had it on for the office visit. He said if I felt good not using it, fine. I gave it back to him in the office.
Honestly, if I didn't have that 6 inch scar, I would never know I had it replaced. Not everyone will have as good of a result as I did, but I think that as long as the rest of the joint is in good condition, the result will be a lot better.
I thought I had the before and after x-rays, but I can't find them, due to my completely logical and flawlessly organized filing system.
Good luck with your replacement!

 

[Oz_Kioti]

I'm interested in this thread, as I've had a cortisone shot into each shoulder at different times over the past couple of years to treat bursitis. The pain manifests itself about halfway between the shoulder and elbow. A very fine needle directed into the bursa by ultrasound settled the symptoms in a day or so.

Then my right arm pain came on strong a couple weeks ago when I put abnormal strain on my right arm, and when I saw the doc last week, he said that as long as the pain was decreasing, then let it be. When they x-rayed that shoulder 12 months ago, they saw a tear in something or other, and gave me the shot which settled the symptoms. He said last week that another shot now would not be beneficial with the healing of the torn whatever it is.

So is this the sort of ailment which is a precursor to a shoulder replacement?

 

[RayIN]

I've been getting shots in both shoulders for a long time. The Dr. told me to wait as long as I could bear the pain before coming in for shots, as they can only inject so much before they stop working.
It's been 3 years now and I'm ready to see the Dr. again, I've gotten to the point I take Tylenol to sleep, and with bad kidneys that cannot continue or they will fail again; my kidney Dr. said it will put me on dialysis(again) for the rest of my life this time.
I'm an organ donor, but the jokes on them, everything's worn out already.

 

[ConawayFarms]

You probably went ahead with the surgery by now since it's been months since you posted, but the night pain is usually the breaking point anyway. I had a total shoulder replacement done by Dr. Michael Bercik after years of putting it off and waking up constantly.

The physical therapy schedule is brutal for about twelve weeks, but the joint stability afterward is night and day compared to bone-on-bone arthritis. Focus heavily on the post-op passive range of motion exercises early on

 

[newbury]

Seems like TBN is getting a lot of us that need OUR body parts repaired or replaced. Maybe TBN needs a "Tractor Owner Parts and Health" forum to discuss how best to maintain us. I'm pretty sure I could use a couple of knee replacements.

 

[Sigarms]

You probably went ahead with the surgery by now since it's been months since you posted, but the night pain is usually the breaking point anyway.

Not yet.

Dealing with a general contractor who is becoming a major PITA with his lack of communication between us and all of his sub contractors as we were supposed to be moved into a remodeled house this past March, and we're now hoping it might be by the end of next month, THEN we have to put our current house we're living in on the market.

I'm holding off on any surgery until we're at least moved in at the other house and most likely not until we sell our current home.

Pain isn't going away and probably getting worse and some nights I don't even have to do anything and it can kill me.

 

[zzvyb6]

I had a reverse shoulder left side. Cut off the bone, screw a ball joint onto your shoulder blade, punch the other end into your arm bone. No more pain, full angular rotation and displacement. 2 days of sleeplessness (opiods don't affect me). It's the physical therapy that makes it come out wonderful: Angle measurements, increased weight lifting and stretching. And I can now sleep on my favorite side. Nice to crawl under cars, mowers and tractors without loss of range, wrench torque or pain. Liftting a large weight (over 50 lbs is not recommeneded).

Only one downside: I now have full access to my wallet. Use to be a good excuse.
BTW: The Doc wouldn't give me the arm bone end for my dogs to appreciate...

 

[bigtiller]

BTW: The Doc wouldn't give me the arm bone end for my dogs to appreciate...

He's a killjoy.

They let me take home my tonsils in a glass jar.
I wanted to take them to school for show and tell but they disappeared.

 

[WinterDeere]

I'm an organ donor, but the jokes on them, everything's worn out already.

lol... I'm going to have to remember that one, as I'm also a donor, and headed the same direction.

Last time I took my shirt off in front an orthopedic surgeon, he said, "ouch... I could teach a whole class on your shoulders!"

Watching this thread with interest. I'm still younger than most of you, and haven't had the replacement conversation yet. But have had shoulder problems for many years, due to a combination of dislocations and broken bones.

 

[RayIN]

lol... I'm going to have to remember that one, as I'm also a donor, and headed the same direction.

Last time I took my shirt off in front an orthopedic surgeon, he said, "ouch... I could teach a whole class on your shoulders!"

Watching this thread with interest. I'm still younger than most of you, and haven't had the replacement conversation yet. But have had shoulder problems for many years, due to a combination of dislocations and broken bones.

The last time i dislocated my right shoulder was about 1998. I had parked my truck and stock trailer on a steep incline so I could wash it out. I had most of it washed out and was turning around to walk out. My feet slipped on the wet wood and I fell sideways. I reached out and grabbed the manger rail with my right hand.
Next thing I knew was blinding pain in my right shoulder. I managed to get back on my feet and walk to the house.
I rang the doorbell and when my wife opened the door she nearly fainted. My right arm was about 6" below my shoulder joint.
She took me to the ER, where a woman DR tried to reset the joint by pulling on my arm, which was a massive failure. Then they called-in a shoulder specalist, who turned out to be a retired Army surgeon, who put me out and reset the joint via surgery.
I will never consent to shoulder surgery again, as long as I can tolerate the pain with the shots I get every 6 months.

 

[not2old]

I broke my humorous Jan 4th. and had a reverse replacement done in the middle of Feb as x-rays showed lots of splinters and a destroyed rotator cuff. Had surgery over again at the end of the month due to it coming apart. Serious pain after the first surgery. I don't remember why I didn't get the routine nerve block, but there was a reason for it. Discuss this with your surgeon before hand and be prepared. First time I cried in over fifty years. Second surgery was comparatively a picnic and no pain medication after just a few days. Doc says nerve damage from my crash is responsible for a useless left arm and expect about a year for recovery. It is getting better but you need feeler gauges to measure my progress. I can now scratch the top of my forehead and could't reach my chin a month ago. The only pain I get is after pushing my therapy exercises too hard or cramps in my bicep while washing or scratching my other underarm. After talking to several others, I feel most of my problems are caused by my crash, not just the replacement. I can't dwell on "did I do the right thing". I'm confident it will work out OK in time and given the few future restrictions I'm just glad this didn't happen years ago. I'm 78 and expected to experience less capability.

 

[fatjay]

I need one done, so I asked around. I got 2 answers. 2 people said it was great, no problem. But 2 people said after it was done, they had lingering pain they didn't have before, and it didn't go away, and it's been years.

I already have mild pain most of the time, I don't like the idea of rolling the dice. I'm going to put it off for a while longer.

 

[WinterDeere]

...had lingering pain they didn't have before, and it didn't go away, and it's been years.

There's also the complication of physical addiction to painkillers. Not saying this happened to either of the two you know, but it's possible. Your body will tell you there's pain when there's no actual problem, as a mechanism to get that painkiller.

 

[QRTRHRS]

No replacement, just rotator repair with screws and cables holding things together. Six hours under. Four days in, blood clots went through my heart into my right lung. Six days in the hospital likely did not help my therapy. I got to horizontal but beyond that, like mentioned, maybe 1/4" so it took a lot of work to get to vertical. That was 2011. I still have a little pain, not enough to push me to take any meds. I have to be careful with lat exercises. Shoulders slumped, minimal weight depending on which style. I chose the surgery after I could no longer reach the radio in my pickup.