Hurt shoulder because of crutches?! Really scared...:(

[ChrisAngel]

3rd time acupuncture today. Feels not different than before. Shoulders in pain, but only as much as usual. Ankles painful today. Well, good night to ye all and have a nice weekend! 

[ChrisAngel]

Hey again...me here. Having burning sensation and pinchy pains in the right shoulder. Hurts pretty much all the time still. It's now been 5 weeks next wednesday. Getting frustrated about HOW much longer this still will take to heal...?! I really should return to work...I'd really want to if I could, but I am also afraid it wouldl only make recovery longer if they get more painful. I really dunno what to do with this. I've been doing things, like making dinner, which hurts. But resting does not take the pain away either. HOW much more would it hurt if I'd try going to work...? I'm afraid, because I cannot just go and try. If I am AT work, I have to STAY there. I cannot just "go see how I'll do".

Tomorrow should decide what to do about next week. Am I gonna make my boss happy and announce I'll be off work again or what, I dunno...

Seeing my GP first thing in the morning to discuss my situation again. Got an 8am app, yay...*yawn*

[ChrisAngel]

Went to work today. Only for 3 hours, but I went. With my GP we decided this morning, that now I will try and see how my shoulder responds if I go to work. Well, *I* decided, since how could the GP know what's inside my head and shoulder...I had to make the decision for myself. Came to that conclusion after thinking the situation over and over last nite. App was at 8am, so had to leave home 7:15am. It was absolutely FREEZING, since temperatures have finally gone down here in Finland. About -7 celcius (equals somewhat 19,4 Fahrenheit) degrees....hrr...!! Felt really cold, since it has been 10 degrees warmer most of the time this fall! That first drop in temperatures always feels BIG!

GP offered to give me a cortisone injection later, if I wanted. I said I will think about it. I think I'm gonna get it. With the knees, cortisone shots were a DISASTER, but this is a different joint..

Experiences of a cortisone injection given into shoulder, anyone?!

I really had to go back (even if it's a little while), since the temp still has not been found. I'll take it easy, avoid certain movements and try take breaks every now and then. I hope I can work only for a couple of hours a day if needed. Doctor said that would be good. Not any heavy lifting or wide arm movements...just normal deskwork, with regular breaks.

Now shoulder feels REALLY painful... I wonder if I shouldn't have gone to work after all, but after 5 weeks, of which the last 3 I have been off work, I thought I really should go and see what happens. Otherwise I wouldn't know. I hope I made the right decision. I'll take it one day at a time. How tomorrow goes, will be seen then.

Night is dark. Wish we had some snow already.

[Patty0513]

Hi Chris,

   I have had cortisone injections in my shoulder.  The injections weren't painful, for me, and they actually helped for about 3 months.  Good luck!

Patty

[ChrisAngel]

Hi Chris,

   I have had cortisone injections in my shoulder.  The injections weren't painful, for me, and they actually helped for about 3 months.  Good luck!

Patty

Thanks, Patty!  Good to hear they might help. The healing process might itself be so long, it would be nice to get some of the pain off for a while. Would make the waiting shorter.

[ChrisAngel]

Howdy. Been "back" at work 3 days now. Really cannot do much, today I had to leave after 3 hours. Ouch..  Might be due to my boss giving me a big writing assignment that was too much for shoulders.. I haven't done much writing, until today. Otherwise I just try to take care of the most urgent matters. I've done short hours these first days back at work and seems I will be doing so for some time now. Hope it will be okay for my boss..

Still, I'm trying the best I can. I feel really incompetent for not being to do the regular things at work I do. I constantly have to remind myself to take time to do things and not overdo. Really difficult, when u're usually this busy-bee doing many things at once and with little time. I was always proud how fast I could write...now it feels it's taken from me.

Now I'm just trying to make it through the day. The smallest tasks feel painful. Not to mention my ankles, that are killing me not that softly..cannot even use a crutch now with these painful shoulders. I've looked into platform crutches, and seems they are not available in Finland. And I have no money to buy myself one from the net. Using cab to get to work is expensive enough..

Tomorrow I'll be given a cortisone shot into my shoulder after work. I'll have friday off, in case the shot makes the joint achey. Wish me luck..

[ChrisAngel]

hey! got a cortisone shot (ouch and ew) on right shoulder on thursday. shoulder painful right now, but GP said in 2 weeks we well see if it has had some effect. i really hope this would help..

short post, only 1 hand to type with now. bye all and enjoy ur weekend!

ps. we finally got some snow here in finland!! 

[ChrisAngel]

Tomorrow 1 week from cortisone shot on right shoulder. Doesn't actually feel that much different yet, but GP said we'll give it 2 weeks to see if there is any effect. Yesterday was a REAL bad day... During the 6 weeks of shoulder-problems, there's maybe been one another time they've been that angry. That and yesterday.

Today an old friend dropped in. My knees started to act up again...they've been quiet recently, or it's just been the other pains that have kept my attention elsewhere. Funny, isn't it? Every time we hurt something else, the "older" pains kinda fade into the background, for at least a little amount of time.

We'll see. I just hope knees won't get very angry, since I cannot use any kinda crutch now...

[ChrisAngel]

Well, well. Here we are. 2 weeks from cortisone shot to right shoulder. 7 weeks in total, from where the shoulderpains started. No noticeable change so far. Kneepains woke up a week ago and put me into the so familiar hell again. Been emailing with my PT and am now going to search a new OS to talk the situation about. 

Impossible in this is, that how am I gonna be able to use crutches, when shoulderpain does not allow it?! I attached a picture of a platform crutch to the email for my PT to ask if he knows is there that kind of crutches available in Finland..

[DeeDee]

Hi Chris

Just seeing how you are doing, I see the cortisone shots are not working and your knee seems to be giving you trouble again, all I can say is hang in there, and I hope you get some relief soon. Are you still at work?

I am in the same place as you at the moment, with lots of pain, my leg is still swollen 4 weeks post op, and now my pain meds are interfering with my blood pressure meds, my blood pressure went down so long the other day that I passed out, so I will be seeing the my GP on Monday to sort that out and I too have been having problems with my shoulders and my arms from my crutches, but I do need them, so I try to stay off them as much as possible.

I hope you feel better soon, take care.

Hugs Deedee x

[ChrisAngel]

Hi Deedee and thanks for ur thoughts! Been off work since monday. Tuesday was a national holiday, finnish independence day. Been off work because I got some cold. Legs and shoulders ache all the time (NOT due to the fever, they do it anyway!). I'm so sorry to hear about ur situation, DeeDee. It's awful, that the stuff that is meant to help u, is doing harm to you. Happened to me, when I was diagnosed with reflux disease last summer and had to change my pain medication to a more stomach-friendly one. The current stuff does not really help, but is pretty much the only one I can use, that is stomach friendly. I really wish u get the medicines sorted out. Best of luck in your recovery and keep us posted how u're doing!!

Must be back at work next week, but my dad said he can help me a bit on monday. Dad is still recovering from his cancer tumour removal, but is doing better now. He is involved in city politics and has now been attending meetings and stuff, when he feels strong enough. I'm SO beyond grateful he can help me in this!

Since the holiday season is approaching, I have to send about 500 christmas greeting cards at work (official xmascards to businessmen, companies etc). Gotta 1. fold the envelopes open, 2. stuff the cards in, 3. close the envelopes and 4. put the stamps on. Basically I go through the pile about 2000 times with those various stages! Shoulders will not like it, but that's with dad says he can help me a bit with.

I guess all of us that have to do postings at work at times know what I'm talking about..!

2 weeks 'til christmas. Then I have 1-2 weeks off from work. Currently in search of a new OS. My PT suggested me one woman OS, that I'm gonna "try out". I saw her once a year ago and unfortunately must say, that the first impression was not the greatest one. But my current PT said some good things about her, so maybe I should give this one a second chance now, that she would be briefed beforehand of my case by my PT.

Happy christmastime, everyone! 

[ChrisAngel]

Now I'm on the brink of panic...

Now this shoulderpain has bugged me over 9 weeks. It went severly worse after knees started to bug again about 2-3 weeks ago. I'm having a new knee surgery maybe in January. I've asked if the place has anyone with special experience with arthrofibrosis...but the answer was, that surgeons does not have things called "special experiences", yet sure everyone has seen scar tissue before. Like I was asking something stupid. Like that I want the doctor with the purple head and no one else is good enough. DUH!!

I didn't like the answer. It came from the new OS I met. She was personally recommended me by my PT. I value his opinion and "tried her out". She is good in her job I'm sure....but why in heck does everybody say the same thing about doctors having special experience in arthrofibrosis??!! Like I'm asking for some extra demanding treatment by asking if anyone has experience ESPECIALLY in arthrofibrosis?!?! Argh!!! Otherwise she was okay and the visit was informative. Maybe I'm asking too much with wanting to get along with my OS like I do with my PT (who is awesome). And I really have no money to see more OS's right now...going to private costs every time. And this place I go is private.

I'm only seeing a Pain Doctor in January (one good thing this OS arranged for me), who can refer me to some pain clinic. Getting to a clinic might take months, so that is not gonna happen anytime soon either.

I'm starting to be so fed up with this. My shoudlers are hurting very badly now...this typing hurts so much, but there is no other way to get to you here in forum! I have this very nasty pinching sensation in my right shoulder...forcing me to drop the other crutch today when I visited work (has now been on sickleave cuz of my impossible situation...crutches and sore shoulders). Now the left feels more painful, when it has to hold my entire weight. It feels kinda numb, but there is no the tingling sensation. It's just like stiff and makes me want to wiggle my fingers every now and then.

I cannot travel anywhere else so find a good surgeon. Not enough money and no one to ask if from. Absolutely no one. Parents cannot help, since Dad's medical bills have taken so much money from us. Friends have no money I could borrow...I cannot even afford living on my own yet (live at home), salary too small for anything pricey. Just gotta take a loan for the operation like I did the last time.

I have to go to private to have the knees done. Going tp public health care makes me wait in line for maybe 9 months. *So not* an option right now.

My boss is not happy about me still not being able to work. My dad can maybe fill in for me as a temp in january, if I work from home the entire month. It's a forced situation and no one is liking it. My dad had cancer surgery this summer, but is doing better now. I don't feel happy for putting him into this situation. He is in a better shape now, but I still feel awful. Of course no one is demanding him to do so, but it still makes me feel guilty. He and my boss know each other via city politics, so he has helped with my work earlirer as well (like after my last surgery) and knows the things.

Now cannot write more. Happy holidays everyone..