Shoulder Surgery

[Brett's_daddy]

So, my left shoulder has been hurting for quite a while. Getting in to see the orthopedic doctor wasn't easy but I did it. She did her little in office tests of strength and determined that if I could push her little hands down or stop her from pushing mine down that it definitely wasn't my rotator cuff as I'd be in too much pain to do that. I asked for an MRI just to find out what was wrong and they finally 3 months later got me in for one. Low and behold the doctor was wrong...I DO have a torn rotator cuff. In fact I have two tears, my supernatus tendon has a full tear and my inspiranatus tendon has a partial tear (I'm sure I spelled those wrong...lol). It is my left shoulder which is my non-casting arm but it hurt a little just to reel too (I'm right handed but use a left handed casting reel, rod in right hand and reel with left). So after getting my results yesterday the doctor said that surgery is really the best option for a full tear and she said I won't lie, recovery from a rotator cuff surgery is long a painful and typically takes about 6 weeks. Well, due to Covid and having a couple of kids my sick time is almost at zero and if I take time off now I go off payroll and won't get paid so that's not happening. I said my job involves a lot of desk work and typing on a computer which I could do 1 handed since it's not my dominant arm that's injured and she said sure, as long as I felt up to that she thought I could return to work in 2 weeks...again, not happening. So the route she suggested was to get a cortisone injection now for the immediate pain and put surgery off for 6 months but looking at the calendar that's right when bass season starts again next May. Would you get the surgery at the beginning of the season and miss the first 4 - 6 weeks or would you put it off until the Fall and fish the summer (if the pain is tolerable)?

[A-Jay]

10 minutes ago, Brett's_daddy said:

 Would you get the surgery at the beginning of the season and miss the first 4 - 6 weeks or would you put it off until the Fall and fish the summer (if the pain is tolerable)?

First thing I would do,

is get a SECOND and Perhaps even a third opinion. 

Then I should be in a better position to make a decision.

Good Luck.

A-Jay 

[TOXIC]

Unless your income is derived from fishing either tournaments or guiding, it should not be a factor.  I’m not a doctor but it doesn’t seem right to put off repairing damage to your rotator cuff.  Scar tissue etc., should be a consideration.  I would also get an opinion from a sports doctor who sees and repairs these type of injuries on a regular basis for people who’s careers depend on it. 

[GaryH]

As said by AJ second opinion. As for recovery Time it all depends on severity of damage and wether it’s open or arthroscopic surgery. I’ve had both done. First one was open with a lot of damage to rotator and labrum. 5 screws latter and they didn’t even start therapy for 6 weeks. Total time was 5 months. Then the  other shoulder was arthroscopic with 3 screws. I believe therapy was 12 weeks. But then you must be very careful until it’s completely healed.

[Brett's_daddy]

3 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

Unless your income is derived from fishing either tournaments or guiding, it should not be a factor.  I’m not a doctor but it doesn’t seem right to put off repairing damage to your rotator cuff.  Scar tissue etc., should be a consideration.  I would also get an opinion from a sports doctor who sees and repairs these type of injuries on a regular basis for people who’s careers depend on it. 

The main reason for putting it off now is I have no sick time left and don't want to go off payroll. In 6 months I should have a couple weeks of sick time built up.

[GaryH]

1 minute ago, Brett's_daddy said:

The main reason for putting it off now is I have no sick time left and don't want to go off payroll. In 6 months I should have a couple weeks of sick time built up.

The one thing to keep in mind. On my first shoulder I went the route of cortisone shot and put it off. The Dr. said I did extensive damage. So if you do go that route baby that shoulder till you get it done.

[TOXIC]

2 minutes ago, Brett's_daddy said:

The main reason for putting it off now is I have no sick time left and don't want to go off payroll. In 6 months I should have a couple weeks of sick time built up.

In getting that second opinion from the sports doctor, I would inquire if there is any consequence to postponing it.  Loss of motion, etc., a lifetime of problems isn’t worth putting it off even if it would be a strain on the finances.  Good luck on whatever you decide.  

[Dwight Hottle]

6 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

Unless your income is derived from fishing either tournaments or guiding, it should not be a factor.  I’m not a doctor but it doesn’t seem right to put off repairing damage to your rotator cuff.  Scar tissue etc., should be a consideration.  I would also get an opinion from a sports doctor who sees and repairs these type of injuries on a regular basis for people who’s careers depend on it. 

 

X2 Find a surgeon that has done a high frequency of rotator cuff surgeries. 

[Jigfishn10]

A second opinion is always desirable and in this case for a course of action. MRI’s don’t lie, so it’s a fix it solution. 
 

As far as pushing off the surgery in lieu of 6 weeks rehab? No brainer, I’m getting it repaired as fast as I can to fish the rest of the season. But…that’s up to you. 

[Chris Catignani]

Get the surgery now...bass season never starts and never ends.

I would use my down time to learn something new....there always more to fishing than just actual fishing.

[Jig Man]

My daughter had rotator cuff surgery.  She was in a sling and doing therapy for weeks on end.  Now she has recovered and back to work.

[CrashVector]

I had two surgeries on my right arm August of last year, and one on my left arm September of this year.  Both arms..torn biceps tendons.

 

I'd say do it asap.  Spring bass isn't really going til March anyhow.

 

[Hoosierman]

Look into "Short Term Disability".  

 

To qualify for short-term disability benefits, an employee must be unable to do their job, as deemed by a medical professional. Medical conditions that prevent an employee from working for several weeks to months, such as pregnancy, surgery rehabilitation, or severe illness, can qualify to receive benefits.

[fishhugger]

you might be able to get some sort of disability, re: work - since you're contemplating typing with one arm.... 

 

i'd see a couple more specialists - who only do shoulders. wait, this lady who messed up --- i hope she's just a gp..... and NOT a surgeon. oh, wait, she's a surgeon.... omg.

 

since you can't type or even use your arm to reel -------------  i'd put this as a first priority.  yes, over bass season.

 

i'd speculate that chronic injuuries, which i assume yours is, are much harder to fix than ones where there was some event that caused pain in a specific spot. 

 

my podiatrist (okay, wrong limb) said double any recovery time the orthopod says... he knows what he's talking about. oh, and since your injury is chronic, yeah.... you'll have to deal with the recovery. but, bright side: imagine if it were a leg, foot, ankle, knee ---- now that is hard.

 

bass season may be over for you............ gl!

 

 

[WRB]

Most rotator cuff surgeries are performed arthroscopic in lieu of cutting. As mentioned go a well known athletic shoulder surgeon who does these procedures on a regular basis.

My right shoulder rotator cuff tendon was damaged by a large bone spur severing the tendon over time and needed to be reattached using Kevlar and screws for a anchor. This required cutting and stitches.

My left shoulder rotator cuff was button holed again but a bone spur and repaired arthroscopic leaving a few holes to heal, less aggressive surgery. I learned by the right shoulder not to wait.

Both required 6 weeks to heal enough to be functional with lots of physical therapy. 

Cortisone shots will reduce the inflammation and pain, surgery will repair the damage.

I wouldn’t wait.

Tom 

[slonezp]

I've had 3 surgeries on my left shoulder. 2 orthoscopic and 1 major where they went into my back. You won't be healed in 6 weeks. You'll be healed enough to go about your daily work. Possibly able to do some fishing. You should be somewhat back to normal after 90 days providing there are no other issues and you are religious doing PT, as well as home exercises your therapist gives you. Figure about a year before you are fully healed.

[fishhugger]

yeah.... i forgot to mention, i had one rotator cuff surgery. i'm pretty obsessive... i probably consulted half a dozen guys --- all shoulder guys. i was able to tell the dr's - i hurt it doing (this) and it hurts (right there). i think that really helped. a quick injury, not a lot of chronic stuff (although i'd had the injury a couple years, but it wasn't bothering me a lot)...  yours is a lot more serious than mine was.

 

yours might go fine, with a short rehab time...  but i'd bet the longer you wait, the longer your rehab might be... the cortisone shot for me i looked at as a diagnostic, not something to let me do stuff iwth less pain.  

 

my shoulders been great ever since... 

[Bankbeater]

First thing I would do is get a second opinion. Second thing I would do is get clarification on recovery time.  When I had my first shoulder surgery they said a recovery time of 6 weeks.  Turned out that was the time I was in a sling.  I had 2 months of PT after that because it was my dominant side that had the surgery.

 

 

[king fisher]

     I just had two surgeries on the same shoulder for torn tendons.  I wish I had got a second opinion before getting the first one.  After having the surgeries, I have done the research I should have done before, and found out I might have been able to avoid surgery all together.

        The original problem may have been what is called a frozen shoulder.  A frozen shoulder starts out as inflammation causing extreme pain.  The next stage most of the pain goes away, but the shoulder is stiff or frozen.  The third stage is the recovery stage, with therapy the shoulder gets back to normal.

     The problem is during the inflammation stage everyone is in great pain, and the doctors try a shot, but it doesn't work.  Then you get an MRI and it shows torn tendons.  The tendons are torn, but probably were torn for years.  If you were very active in your youth, you probably have partial tears in your tendons, and have probably had some shoulder pain for years.  It may be time to fix the tendons, but it may also be the wrong time.

     Getting a surgery during the inflammation stage of a frozen shoulder can be like throwing gas on a fire, causing more inflammation, and pain.  The shoulder gets more frozen, and therapy is more difficult.

      I had to get a second surgery not only to fix the botched job on the tendons, but to unfreeze the shoulder.   While under anesthesia they were able to move my shoulder, unfreezing it, then orthoscopicly remove the scare tissue created by the first surgery.

      If you recently injured your shoulder and know when and how, than you probably tore the tendons at that time. If you can't really think of any one time you hurt it, than a frozen shoulder is a possibility

      I am not by any means a doctor, and your condition may be completely different than mine.  You also have the advantage of being able to get on average better medical advice in the US than I could get in Mexico.  I am simply telling you my story in hopes that it encourages you to get a second or third opinion, and do some research, before getting a surgery.  Make sure you ask your physician about Frozen Shoulder.  They may say it isn't even a consideration in your case, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

       As far as recovery from surgery goes, I was out of my sling after a week, and able to some physical work after 4 weeks from my second operation.  I am working now 8 weeks post OP. but still haven't got full range of motion, and my strength is only 50% of what it was.  6 week full recovery time is a very optimistic prediction.

      Again, please don't take my experience as any kind of diagnosis, or recommendation for treatment.  I am not a medical professional.  I only want to help you realize that there are many different opinions and procedures that different medical professionals may recommend.   I simply want to encourage you to get more than one opinion, and research as many options as you can. 

[Smalliefan2]

I tore the rotator cuff, muscle and tendon in my left shoulder in January. Got second opinion, after they tried PT first. Got MRI, and scheduled arthroscopic surgery. Had it July 4th wknd. Doctor had me out a week, I could have had six if I wanted. Then I went back to work, managing in Walmart supercenter. Wore the sling for six weeks, and did my PT at home everyday. Still fished. Set up a spinning rod to cast right, and reel left. Didn't move my arm reeling, just my wrist. Helped keep my sanity by fishing. Out of the sling at six weeks, but full recovery took longer. Been a while, but I guess six months or more before I was confident I was 100%.

I had short term disability available, which covered the week I was out. I would suggest checking on short term, and second opinion. 

[geo g]

Don’t worry about fishing, you will have many years of pain free fishing after the surgery.  Get it done as soon as it fits your schedule.  Put this thing behind you or it will get worse.  Remember the physical therapy is as important as the surgery itself, and it will not be fun, but effective.  Good luck!

[WRB]

PT; “wax on wax off” in the warm shower is priceless for shoulder recovery. 

Tom

[throttleplate]

8 hours ago, CrashVector said:

I had two surgeries on my right arm August of last year, and one on my left arm September of this year.  Both arms..torn biceps tendons.

 

I'd say do it asap.  Spring bass isn't really going til March anyhow.

 

did they cut the biceps tendon and just let it shrivel up or did they repair it? I have had 3 shoulder surgeries and dr told me  for bicep tears they just cut it and let it be as repairs often cause future problems.

[J Francho]

You shouldn't have to take PTO for this. This is what Short Term Disability and and Supplemental Disability insurance of for. I also get injury insurance, which costs very little but helps tremendously with paying any out of pocket expenses. 

[Jigfishn10]

Agree with JF....as long as you're enrolled in it with your employer...at least that's the case with my employment. The other down fall of short term disability, again, for me, is waiting for the funds to get released.