Let's try some of this!

So after 2 months of physical therapy, xrays, and an MRI this week, the orthopedic surgeon says "Lets try some cortisone in that shoulder, and see what happens". So he sticks this looooong needle through the back of my shoulder into the bursar sac that sits underneath my collarbone and on top of my shoulder. The idea is to get the inflammation to go down, thus reducing the pain I've been dealing with for the last 6 months. Then we can rehab the joint tendons and muscles. FECK! It feels like a horse is trying to kick a railroad spike into my shoulder joint.

I'm torn between getting drunk, getting high, or drowning myself in the hot tub.

Any other ideas?


Randy

Hookers and Blow, man.
You must be hurtin', or you would have figured that out on your own.

Jonbouy

Then we can rehab the joint tendons and muscles

My Mrs had some micro surgery done on her shoulder a year or so ago which has fixed her right up.
 
She hasn't looked back since...

Sorry to hear her shoulder surgery effected her neck like that.

rsp@odyssey.net


So after 2 months of physical therapy, xrays, and an MRI this week, the orthopedic surgeon says "Lets try some cortisone in that shoulder, and see what happens". So he sticks this looooong needle through the back of my shoulder into the bursar sac that sits underneath my collarbone and on top of my shoulder. The idea is to get the inflammation to go down, thus reducing the pain I've been dealing with for the last 6 months. Then we can rehab the joint tendons and muscles. FECK! It feels like a horse is trying to kick a railroad spike into my shoulder joint.

I'm torn between getting drunk, getting high, or drowning myself in the hot tub.

Any other ideas?


Randy

Somehow I think if you actually tried having a horse kick a railroad spike into your shoulder joint you may realize the actual pain ain't so bad because I think pinching your underarm tissue* will not distract you from the pain.


*my first thought

Having had a barage of sports-related injuries I can confirm that getting a cortisone shot in your should is NO fun. But, worse, it's only a temporary relief and can actually make things deteriorate in the long run. It sucks, but the best thing to do is ice it down (to reduce swelling) then warm it up (to get the healing blood flowing - hot tubs are great for this). Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc.) can help reduce the swelling and the pain, but sometimes you need to feel a bit of pain so you don't accidentally hurt it worse. I had three months of PT on my last rotator cuff injury (in lieu of the surgery I actually needed because my insurance would only do that if I was a professional athlete - ended my days of playing softball, tennis & volleyball).

sharke


I don't want to come across as some kind of new-age hippie,  but have you thought about some sessions of Reiki? My dad is the world's biggest skeptic but he swears by it for pain and stress reduction. His girlfriend is a qualified practitioner. He says that after a session his heart rate and blood pressure are way down. Lower stress = less pain. 

Also consider adding an astaxanthin supplement to your daily diet. It really is a remarkable antioxidant and has  anti-inflammatory properties which can help with pain. To the same end, it's worth taking a turmeric supplement as well. Google around about the anti-inflammatory and pain reducing properties of turmeric, because there's a lot of excitement surrounding it. 

Yeah!  I'm into some woo-woo stuff.  Especially 1st Degree Reiki where you're have to put your hands all over people!  Yeah!
(A little secret:  I'm actually a 3rd Degree Reiki Master though I don't practice.)

There are usually a small number of exercises that can be done with light weights (e.g., 5 pounds or less) that can be very useful.  These help strengthen the muscles to hold the bones away from each other (therefore preventing them from pinching the nerves).  I used to have a sheet with them listed, but I have no idea where it is now.  They are pretty basic, but useful!

sorry to hear that Randy.  hope you find relief soon.

Hey Randy,

Sorry to hear man.

I have bad joint probs with Osteoarthritis and spurs.

The things that help me make it thru the day are,
I soak in VERY hot water when I get up int the morning to get started,
The doc gave me a TENS unit which helps distract the pain and I believe it help the body with some other things.

When its time to sleep,  a Medical Cookie is about all that will help me get the pain off my mind so I can snooze.
They have had me on all the narcotics (WHICH I HATE) cause all I do is puke if I try to take them, all the other meds just destroy your body.

Anyway, thats kinda how I deal with it for now.  Im dreading the day they want to slice me open and fuse everything together YIKES!!!

Hope ya find something to help 

rsp@odyssey.net


I'm going to track some guitar work and vocals this weekend for a collaboration I'm doing with a fellow forum member. He's a relentless taskmaster this guy, so I really have no choice. I can't defend myself against him with only one useful arm, especially considering he is almost as tall as I am, has 2 good arms, and massive, well defined moobs with which he could inflict serious damage.

Randy

This person sounds worse than me. I'd ditch him/her.

I feel for you. People who do not have pain do not understand. It may make you feel better to punch out the next person who says anything to the affect of, "suck it up and just deal with it".

Pain WILL take over your life. I don't now what you have tried but if I were you I would get a referral to a good pain management clinic. A good one will give you injections under a flouroscope so they can see exactly where the medicine is going. They also can do a "radio frequency treatment" on the nerves affected. It burns them away and can give complete reief for a while, possibly for good. IF it is muscle pain, spasms.. you need muscle relaxers. They will knock you out for the first few days but then you get used to them.
Narcotic pain relievers are very effective if you actually have pain and you will not get addicted unless you abuse them. You may develope a physical dependence but that is totally different from addiction where one wants more and more in order to feel "high". Vicoprofen is very effective, better than vicoprofen and less bothersome that percocet.
Cephadyn is a good pain killer but can make you irritable because is has a barb in it. Klonopin can help, it has a muscle relaxer effect. Xanax may help too, it is really good for stress headaches because it helps to relax your neck and shoulders, yu have to taper off it slowly though.. but it may help you a lot.

You know Randy... if you are not getting results, you need to find another doctor. It is YOUR body and YOUR health... and YOUR pain and NO ONE will care for it like YOU do. Most of the time the quality of care you get is up to you.

BTW, the worst shot I EVER got was a pennicillin shot in a butt cheek. It was a thick liquid and there was a LOT of it. It felt like some one inserted a golf ball in my arse cheek (n0, not my arse proper).

I think you need a referral to a pain management center. We have a great one here called Pain Solutions. Look on the internet for chronic pain forums, you may find some good info and possibly a line on a good clinic in your area.

Feel better soon Randy.

Julien

Sorry to here Randy. Pain like that sucks big time. I've been there (shoulder pain). 
Fortunately cortisone worked for me. This was like 10-15 years ago I think. 
So, there is hope.