In so much pain - any advice

[dontagreewithit]

I think I might have a frozen shoulder.

It's been painful since Thursday night & I thought it was just one of those muscular things that would go away, but it's getting worse.

It is hurting pretty much constantly at the top/back of my arm, and shoulder joint. I can't move my arm much (or won't because of the pain)

No position is comfortable, so can't sleep. Was taking ibuprofen, but that didn't do anything. Have had a heat patch on it, which may have worked a little, but may have been because I was sitting very still. Am now on paracetamol extra. Has done nothing so far

Am crying with the pain. Don't know what to do with myself. Any suggestions?

Could you go to A&E? My mum had similar once and she was given an injection in A&E that really helped.

You can take paracetamol and ibuprfen together which might give you a bit more relief rather than taking one or the other.

Hope you get some relief soon.

Thanks. Really want to avoid A&E on a Saturday night if I can.

Have found a less pain inducing position in bed, sort of hunched forward. Don't see I can stay like this all night & get some sleep, though. Am hoping the paracetamol is starting to take effect & if necessary will take some ibuprofen in a couple of hours.

It's my right arm, so am really stuck, can't do most things. (typing left handed on phone now).

Know a couple of people who've had frozen shoulder & it lasted months / years. I'm praying my self diagnosis is wrong, as I don't think I could cope with this for a couple more days.

Will definitely see the GP on Mon if it's no better then.

You still awake?

If there is a 24 hour pharmacy you can get to volterol gel is an anti inflamitary and you can take it with cocodamol, which you can also get from the pharmacy.

If it is a frozen shoulder then it is swolen, the antiinflamatory will help but apply ice - yes I can feel you shudder at that thought - but it will reduce the swelling. Do you have a packet of frozen peas?

Just slept for a couple of hours, but needed the loo & now it's really hurting again.

Sorry, x post. Have taken some ibuprofen. Will send dh out for Voltarol & stronger pain killers tomorrow

No frozen peas in the house.

Hope you managed some more sleep. How are things this morning?

Can understand wanting to avoid A&E but they could really help, or if you have a walk in/out of hours clinic.

I'm on to my second frozen shoulder .

They do take a couple of years to subside but the really ,really painful bit is more like a few months .

When it's really painful ,ice ,ice ,ice is the way to go .

If it helps alternate between heat and ice but finish on ice .

Alternate between Voltarol tablets and paracetamol .

See your GP for prescrip dicloenfenac so you're not buying voltarol and for a referral to a physio .

I see an oestopath privately - the wait for physio is tooooo long .

Dry needling helped with pain .

With both my frozen shoulders I had aches and pains for months in advance , if yours came on suddenly a few days ago it might be something else .
Bursitis ? Tendonitis ?
Not that it makes much difference ,shoulders are buggers .

Good luck .

Thanks for the concern.

Have had achey shoulders for quite a long time - put it down to stress (see my other thread about shit time at work atm). Maybe it was the start of this.

Dh has got me some Voltarol spray and co-codamol (as advised also by a GP friend), hopefully they will keep me going til I can get to the doctors tomorrow morning.

Did get some sleep in short bursts. It's fine as long as I don't move at all, which is obviously unrealistic.

Was meant to be going for a long walk in the country with dh today. That's off...

IME frozen shoulder first manifests with pain in arm rather than shoulder .
Crossing fingers for you that it's something shorter lived than FS .

Thanks. The pain is actually right at the top of my arm, the outside (where you would have a vaccination) just below the shoulder joint. .

Been to the doctor's this morning. He thinks it's frozen shoulder, which is what I thought as well. (as well as some of you!)

He has prescribed co-codamol and ibuprofen and I have to go back in a week. He said that he generally refers for physio quite quickly with frozen shoulder.

My dad had a frozen shoulder some years ago, he ended up having an operation, but my understanding is that this isn't the normal. I also understand that this is a long term thing, although I'm praying the pain level will not be so bad long term.

Doctor told me I need to control the pain so that I can keep the shoulder moving, as if I don't, it will be a vicious circle and the pain & stiffness will get worse.

It is difficult though, had a shower this morning & washing hair & getting myself dry with one arm is no mean feat, particularly when the other arm hurts so much. Can't get a bra on at the moment, so that alone is pretty much confining me to the house!

Pain is more manageable now, just really tired as haven't slept properly for 4 nights.

I think in the v.painful stage you're best trying to get inflamtion down and not concentrating on trying to keep moving it .

You'll be moving it enough ,just trying to live .
( wiping your bottom ,eating ,combing your hair = all a challenge ).

And as it will be many months before you can do a bra up I'd suggest you get one of these
www.amazon.co.uk/Genie-Bra-White-Black-LargePack/dp/B005J4FGQK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1343064962&sr=8-2

Sympathies .

Thanks, your comment about wiping bums reminds me that I had a conversation yesterday with my dad where he divulged that he learnt to wipe his bum using his left hand when he had his frozen shoulder, & he still does now! This is not a conversation I ever thought I would have!

I was thinking about those kind of bras, but I am a drooping 38DD/E. not sure they would give me the support I need...what do you think?

As I say, pain is not quite so bad right now, just feeling wiped out.

Aaah - frozen shoulders as a bonding experience .

Have a look at different bras of that type - there are quite a few .
I'm overweight - hence can't easily manage the doing it up at the front and swivelling round with one hand - and think I'm a 36 F .

They're really not bad for support ,biggest drawback I find is that the stretchy lycra like fabric makes me hot and sweaty .

Also just remembered ,ultrasound was quite helpful as well .

My mother had a frozen shoulder and had a series of cortisone injections into it
Physio once the first few dire weeks were over
She has strong co coda mol and voltarol and in the end some sleeping tablets as she was in dreadful pain

I was amazed by her and amazed that it was so awful but that I had heard nothing about it..I thought it would be like tennis elbow or golfers knee

Take all the help you can, take the painkillers, rest and get physio
Dreadful for you

Poor you. I had this about twenty years ago but I can still remember the pain. If I got it now, I'd go for some Accupuncture to relieve the pain.

I hope you feel better soon.