rotator cuff repair

Turns out I need one hurt it at work almoust 3 years ago and just wont get any better just cant keep going like this tryed to live with it but cant any more anyone had it done looking for what is coming my way?

If I remember correctly it was 3 years ago this month that I had mine done. My Dr would not let it be used for quite a while and still longer for therapy. While in Thearapy they said a gentelman that was in there while I was had the surgery twice and his Dr had him on therapy right away and that therapy tore the repair out before it started to heal and he had to have it done over. So my thought are if Dr. wants to start right away get a second Drs idea on that. For 2 year I still had limited movement and trouble with raising my arm, doesn't bother now.

Do it as soon as possible. I let mine go too long and almost lost the use of my arm. When it gets so you can't sleep it almost too late. I was very lucky. The doc said I may not ever get the use of my arm again. This was the morning after the surgery. Do it now.
Richard in NW SC

Do the physical therapy! Even if you start it and learn what they want you to do continue to do it. you need to work to get the range of motion back.....takes persistence ! I set up pully and rope in the shop and did the exercises several times a day for a few months. Today I have full range of motion and only enough pain to remind me which shoulder was operated on. I also tried for bout a year to see if it would get better......
Good Luck,
Andy

Had on 11 months ago.

Do ALL the PT, it will seem like nothing is improving the first 2 months, then gets better after that. It will take about 5-6 months before you are really up to snuff.

What exactly are the signs that you need this rotater cuff surgery? I'm only 46 but my shoulders have been hurting for a few months now....seems to be worst at night, depending on what side I sleep on.

Wife wont let me sleep on my back due to snoring, and when I sleep on my side, whichever shoulder is down sometimes just hurts so bad it wakes me up. Have normal stuff where I cant raise my arms very high either, especially the left one....

Ron, You just described the symptoms.

Brandon, My son has had 3 rotator cuff surgeries. once on the right and twice on the left. I know several people that have had the surgery. My son was around 20 when he had his first surgery. A friend had the surgery in his late 60's. Doing the therapy is very important.
Recovery time ranges from 6 months to a year. Some regain full range of motion but some loss of motion is common. In my son's case he lost about 15% range of motion with one arm and still has nearly full range of motion with the other.

i'm a self employed bricklayer and had this done in spring of 2011. tendon was ripped completely into 1/2 inch from attachment to my arm. had my full range of motion in less than a week. therapists said this is not the normal and I had to be careful not to do anything to rip this before It healed they cut the end of the tendon off so it will bleed and that will cause the bone to get sticky and the muscle will attach to the bone. that takes 6 weeks and then 6 weeks for that to heal so I could start to go back to work. do all the therapy and exercises they give you. good luck.

Mine started hurting when I moved it straight out to the side. Got worse and I had to sleep on the other side and then could not sleep at all. I went to my doc and he ordered an MRI. Then went to the ortho surgeon and he looked at it and said there was not much left to repair. I let mine go much too long but was lucky and got most of the use of my arm back. Do the therapy. It hurts but it helps.
Richard in NW SC

When I had mine done six years ago the doc said most people have it done so they can sleep again. The other guys have explained it pretty well so I won't be redundant with advice that's already given.

A year ago I was at an orthopedic clinic waiting in the hallway to see a nurse and on the hallway wall they had charts explaining the different surgeries they do and what to expect. I was reading through thru it and the information about shoulder surgery caught my eye. The recovery period for different shoulder surgeries was the most interesting to me. According to their information A rotator cuff surgery recovery period is twice as long as the recovery period for a complete shoulder joint replacement. After rotator cuff surgery the shoulder should be nearly completely immobile for several weeks and the patient isn't back to work for six weeks with a period of limited use after that. For complete shoulder joint replacement they want you to be moving it right away and you're typically back to work in three weeks. I thought it'd be the other way. Anyway, Google is your friend. You'll find out more about rotator cuff surgery on the net than you will in the doctor's office. Good luck and let us know how it turns out. Jim

nov 11 i had mine done i had impingment to (fancy medical term for hole 2 small) i made a big mistake not reporting it a work thought it was pains and aches so they said i did it on farm .luckly insurance has so far covered it .started last june doc then thearpy finnally day of thearpy i asked why cant i do this i was lined up aganst a door and found out i was compensating with other muscles .next doc then mri and surgery . i delayed surgery until i got things done around here( big thanks to all who helped) .after surgery went home and back to work.i was able to keep going with one arm and be very carefull what you say pt lady got a little upset about me and chainsaw! Anyways sling off at xmas pt 2 a week and homework to do next do appt the 28th. had very little pain put 4 holes about pencil size in .they took bone out cut and reattached bicep and rotator was split in 2.watch out for asking for help found cute lady asked for help with zipper dang near got the other arm broke hey it aint easy getting your jacket o i still dont know why she got mean. if you need more try [email protected] and good luck

Mom had hers done and couldn't move that arm for eons. Dad had to do her hair. She pretty much looked like she'd been drug through a knot hole for a couple of months.

Like said, do the therapy to the letter and give it lots of time. You aren't going to be using it for a long time. Which arm is it? Better start learning to wipe and shave with the other arm. We don't want to hear about you slicing your nose off and smelling like the north end of a south bound skunk.

I hrerd it pop and it did not stop hurting untill i got a shot in my sholder but that did not last for ever the first one lasted two weeks the second lasted 6 mounths and the last did not work they wont give anymore said i have to haveit fixed

thanks for all of the replys

Had both of mine done. Both from work related accidents. First one They said was one of the worst tears they had ever worked on. It is better now than it was for a long time before I hurt it. Went to pt once every 2 weeks and they just gave me things to do at home and I worked at them religiously. That's been close to 18 years ago. The second one they ended up putting 4 screws in it to hold it together. Did all my therapy at home like the first time but it seemed to take longer to get full range of motion back. One day while driving the tractor with a full bucket of dirt and struggling to get it to turn I felt it get real different. I thought I had re-injured it and was cussing myself. But the next day it was looser than it ever had been since the surgery. Doc said I probably loosened some scar tissue up. That one has been close to 12 years ago. With both of them I can put my arm behind my back and scratch it no problems. As others said, do the therapy religiously and good luck.

I've had both of mine done, some time back. Second was arthroscopic, with three little incisions, They had to do a lot besides at the same time. I did all the PT and was throwing bales of hay twelve weeks later.

Cold therapy is always a good thing, especially if you are still active with your injured side. There is a BFST (blood flow stimulation therapy) shoulder wrap that promotes blood flow to the area. This will help heal a tear and for those post-op who have limited mobility, this will help lubricate the joint. Circulation is always beneficial.
Thttp://www.kingbrand.com/Rotator_Cuff_Treatment.php?REF 46PV5