What are your experiences of frozen shoulder?

[thunderbird69]

How long was it frozen for, what treatment did you have, how much movement did you end up with? Has anyone had a shoulder that never unfroze?

I had one once in my mid 20s. I can't remember all the details now but the pain lasted a few months, I think. I did have to have a few sessions with a physiotherapist (my mum paid)

I have had this problem with both shoulders & had them operated on (keyhole surgery) & it was about a year apart.

See my posts:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/1819693-Surgery-on-a-frozen-shoulder-Anyone-had-this-done

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/1997007-Could-this-be-a-frozen-shoulder?msgid=45069288

If you want any more info - PM me or I'll reply here.

I had it last year, couldn't even undo my bra!

Had a few physio appointments, and did my exercises at home, and it got better pretty quickly (about 3 months)

I had a recurrent one for about 3 years. I'd have physio and it would settle for a few months then I'd do something like carry shopping home and it would flare up again.

I made a big effort to protect it, and be gentle with it. Did the exercises I was given and it took about 6 months after the last bad seize up

I had it for about a week, couldn't move. I had to take valium to relax the muscles and anti inflammatories and then had physio.

Just to give a bit of background - I am suffering for the second time (diff shoulder), this one has frozen following an operation. I had another operation (keyhole) to try to fix it but it only partially worked (whereas it worked really well for my other shoulder). However, it is nowhere near as bad as my other one was, I can reach up but only with a bent arm and can't lift any weight above my head. I can reach behind but not as far as bra strap.
Consultant has said they usually fix themselves within 18-24 months. I'm only about 9 months in, so far. I was just interested to hear other people's stories and to see if they never get back to normal.

I have also heard that they do eventually fix themselves. If it were me I keep exercising it - am sure you had post op exercises to do & I reckon it will get better.

Both my 'opped' shoulders got better & better over a period of about 18 months - 2 years.

You have my sympathy - it's a horrible condition.

Thanks magmedi

You obviously understand what it is like. Thankfully I don't have permanent pain any more, although had several months of it and very little sleep earlier in the year. No one seemed to appreciate how bad it was and it really got me down.
I've only had a brief period of having 2 fully functioning arms in the past 4 years, from frozen shoulders and bone spurs/tendonitits.

I had one for about a week. I was in agony. I bawled in the doctors as the doc got ahold of my arm and moved it. I could only move my shoulder about an inch forwards at its worse. It was awful. I took a strong anti infamatory (can't remember name) and tramadol. I did need physio but it was dramatically better after the first week with medication.