Shoulder arthroscopy - be honest with me please!

[homebythesea]

Considering whether I should go for this after failed Cortisone injection

If you have had this please tell me about recovery - I'm not frightened about the surgery itself but I'm scared the recovery period will be more painful to life in general!

[homebythesea]

Bump for evening crowd

[sausagefortea]

My DH has had this on both shoulders. His was keyhole and it was to scrape away whatever was impinging his joint movement. His was day surgery and out that day. I don't think he found recovery too bad at all. I don't remember him complaining it was particularly sore. Took the pain relief prescribed and that was that. Is yours keyhole or opening you up?

[napoleonsnose]

DH had this done about three years ago. It massively improved the pain and mobility BUT he is starting to get symptoms again now in terms of reduced movement. I don't know if the op only has finite ability to keep the arthritis at bay. He had keyhole surgery, wore his arm in a sling for a few weeks. I don't remember him complaining too much about pain. I think he found it uncomfortable in bed as he was used to lying on the side that was affected and couldn't for a while. Good luck if you decide to have it done.

[sausagefortea]

Just asked DH and he said the op wasn't really painful but recovery was quite slow. By that he means the shoulder feeling markedly improved. He had a bit of trigger point pain - but better pain than he was in before. It was a gradual process of recovery where he kinda felt he reached a plateau at 80-90% better after the first few months, but then remaining bit recovered with swimming. He said it was absolutely the right thing to do though. He went from constant dull nagging pain to symptom free (albeit needing to be a bit careful with his shoulders....and knees, wrist and elbows!!!)

[homebythesea]

Thank you so much- reassuring! It would be keyhole, and to improve movement and near constant pain

[Pollywallywinkles]

I've had it. Lots of pain afterwards controlled with coedine. Had to wear a sling day and night for 6 weeks. Lots of physio. Was off work for 8 weeks and had to have a phased return.

Hardest part after surgery was lack of mobility which initially was much, much worse than before surgery. Therefore it was difficult to shower, wash hair and get dressed unassisted. This obviously got easier as time progressed. Full mobility didn't return for well over a year. My recovery was hindered by frozen shoulder setting in after about 6 months and I ended up having intensive physio privately (NHS physio was rubbish).

Still get the odd twinge, but don't suffer from the horrid pain that I had before the surgery.

[Britchic]

I had it a year and a half ago. I'd put it off for about 4 years, then my shoulder got 20 times worse suddenly and I had it done immediately. I couldn't believe I'd waited 4 years! My pain went almost instantly.

Obviously every condition is different, and every surgery and the complications that go with them will be different, but in my case I'm really glad I had it done. I had minimal pain afterwards, had full range of movement within a week, only hassle was not being able to drive for a while.

Good luck with your decision OP

[TheFuzz]

Had a decompression about 3 years ago - three little holes patched with hydrocolloid plasters after the op. In and out same day.

You get a nerve block, so your arm will be dead for quite a while, so you leave the sling on. Once you can move your arm, then you need to remove the sling, and use it as much as you can bear.

Getting dressed is painful, but you'll probably laugh as you struggle to get a coat on - you'll need some help at first. The key is to keep using it to get your range of movement back. I was back to 95% range within a couple of weeks.

I do alot of sport. I was off work about a month, and back into my sport after two weeks of the op and took it easy.

The recovery of 3-6 months isn't quite right, maybe 80% recovered. It was 18 months to two years before I was at 100%.

I would do it again though. It was worrying that the recovery was taking along time, but doing sport probably aggravated it.

I'm three years post surgery and my shoulder is great.

[KissesBreakingWave]

I had three weeks with the sling on and am now with a good physio. Range of movement is better, it's getting stronger and the scar doesn't even itch any more. All is good.

[homebythesea]

Wow different experiences! The surgeon I would choose says on his website only 2 weeks max no driving, 2 days with sling, and get moving as quickly as you can within reason including physio afterwards. I already can't get a jacket on without wincing so I'm used to that!

[Pollywallywinkles]

Very different experiences.

My surgery was on my right shoulder and I am right handed, recovery may have been easier had I been left handed, or it was my left shoulder.

I was told no driving for 6 weeks along with sling for that long, other than when doing physio. Even when I started driving I had difficulties with getting my hands at a comfortable position on the steering wheel and turning to look over my shoulder was problematic for quite a while longer.

I had my surgery under the NHS at a private hospital and was given exercises to do by their physio. When I saw an NHS pyhsio a few days later, they were horrified about the amount of exercises I'd been given. But as I'd been doing them and she was happy enough when she observed me doing them told me to continue.

At my three month follow up a chap who had the surgery the same day was way behind me in terms of recovery.