[Happy2bhere]

ZuZu,

I had RC surgery the second week of August. I was in a sling for a five weeks...yes, a big ugly black thing with a bolster.

No driving for five weeks.

I started P.T. at 3.5 weeks. I will work on getting back ROM for 3.5 months, and then work on strengthening.

Doctor said that I could maybe get back on horse around four months. I secretly have plans to do a little W/T on a lunge a little earlier than that, but don't tell

I had a very large tear and had to have open surgery (rather than getting it scoped). However, my ortho is extremely conservative and this is pretty much his timeline for most RCs, I believe.

Take the pain meds...no reason not to.

Go to the library and stock up on books. Get ones that require little intellectual strain.....narcotics and serious literature don't really blend well.

Most importantly...DO THE EXERCISES the P.T. gives you. It makes or breaks the outcome!!!!!!

Good luck.....keep us informed

[atr]

(Sorry for the continues threadjack, CC...)

ZuZu, it sounds like you had an unusually awful time with your hip--DH was back at work within two weeks of both of his, less pain after the surgery than before. Skiing 16 weeks after the second one. So when we say the shoulder was worse than the THR, it's because the THR was a walk in the park, really.

Don't panic.

[Zu Zu]

Thank you !!! Thank you !!!
Slept much better last night because of your information ~

Running yesterday and all day today ~ Fall Chores for pre-surgery ~ many horses and ponies & cats to prepare ~

Will reply to each of you this evening BUT Thank YOU so very MUCH already ~

[Melelio]

(another hijacker)

Zu Zu, get thee some Traumeel pills to have handy for pre and post surgery....I had shoulder surgery to repair a very badly ripped and shredded (from years of abuse post damage at age 19-horse related) labrum. It wasn't a much different surgery than the RC, I believe. Mine was laproscopic, don't know what yours will be.

I took my Traumeel faithfully the day BEFORE, the day OF (and right after waking up from anesthesia, too), and for a week after....I never had an OUNCE of pain from the get go. This is a surgery everyone says is SOOOO painful...nope, not for me. I didn't even take a Tylenol I don't believe, much less the prescribed meds. Didn't even have that filled.

It's not gonna hurt ya to take it, and it may do what I feel it did for me. I took a pill 4 times a day (if you're lactose intolerant you'll need to take meds for that too to take Traumeel), and after a week just didn't feel like wasting anymore pills

PT wasn't even that bad, really, until the last one...ouch.....

[Zu Zu]

Calvincrowe ~ Glad to read you are back in the saddle ~ riding makes a difference in one's disposition ask me how I know . Thank you for your help ~ really appreciate your posts . I am not worried about the pain as I took my pain pills religiously with my THR. More worried about the "where is my life" ~ long-lining and driving hackneys ( shetlands with BMW motors) and riding green horses will be on "hold" for months BUT I now know I will get to the other side. If you say I can walk to the barn and feed treats the second day after surgery I will survive . Thank goodness all my horses/ ponies and cats & I are living here on the same property for this surgery ` last time I could not get "there" due to driving & safety issues. PLUS my walker/cane scared the hackneys to death so my few visits were less than happy ~

If I can get outside to the barn and sun I will be ok ~ thanks for the advice ~ have printed this thread.
Good Luck to you and Jingles for you to feel better soon ~ keep riding ~ you are my hero ~

[Zu Zu]

Happy2behere ~ Thank you for the timeline ~ eased my worries immensely ~ spoke to surgeon's nurse today and you are "spot-on" as far as when stages are expected. Have stocked up on books and music and some projects as I am not good "contained" but sounds like I will be able to barn visit = just a short walk within days of surgery ~ so I will be out and thus survive. Hoping to be back to driving my hackneys and riding at four months . I am religious about following doctors orders and taking pain pills..

Jingles for you to get your ROM back quicker than planned and back in the saddle.
Thank you again your timeline meant the world to me and offered so much comfort.

[Zu Zu]

Melelio ~ Thank you for the heads up on the Traumeel pills I will ask about that on my next dr. visit which is within days . Appreciate your help. My surgery is "open" full thicknss tear ~ still learning about this problem. Thanks again ~

[Zu Zu]

(Sorry for the continues threadjack, CC...)

ZuZu, it sounds like you had an unusually awful time with your hip--DH was back at work within two weeks of both of his, less pain after the surgery than before. Skiing 16 weeks after the second one. So when we say the shoulder was worse than the THR, it's because the THR was a walk in the park, really.

Don't panic.

Better now not panicky ~ thanks to all this information & spoke to surgeon's nurse today ~ everything is falling into place ~ with my hip I was unable to get to the barn much and when I did my walker scared all my animals so very much that is was not a good ...my work involves working hackney ponies and green horses so the long-lining and driving was out for months (almost 6 months) as I had to find new ways to get into the jog carts due to ROM issues ,,,this time we are all living on the same location and all will be "let-down" for the winter. So if I can just walk down to the barn and see everyone I will survive. Help has been hired for 5 possibly up to 8 weeks ~ hay and bedding stocked so horses & ponies will survive ~ Not worried about pain as I took my pain pills religiously for my hip and had no pain at all.
Thank you for your help ~ eased my mind and allowed me to focus on preparation ~ now that I have a good idea of what to expect ~

[Happy2bhere]

On the advice of my P.T., I had a massage yesterday. She concentrated on my shoulder area. I have been guarding the area so intensely that that it was full of knots.

The difference is truly amazing. Today, everything feels looser and less tense. Too bad that insurance doesn't cover.... oh well. I think I'll do it again in about two weeks.

Maybe that would help with your stiffness/soreness cycle?


ZuZu........my doctor encouraged me to keep exercising as much as possible....tendons do NOT want to heal quickly, and the more blood flow you can introduce into the area, the better.

[Donkaloosa]

Part of the problem with shoulder rehab is that you don't realize how much your shoulder is actually used --- it seems to be involved with virtually every movement your body makes, so it tugs and hurts and is just a royal nuisance. Ice packs are your best friend. If you need pain meds at night, take 'em! Or if you don't want to take the prescription stuff, try Tylenol PM. Most of your healing actually takes place at night when you sleep, so you need that time. Take an ice pack to bed --- many a night I've gone to bed with 4 of them! (2 on my knees, 2 on my back, or 2 on my hands, or whatever)

[Catersun]

CC.... 10yrs+ shoulder surgery adn I still have to take the occasional pain med to sleep on cold damp days.... you will know you are all better by the first night you sleep and your shoulder doesn't bother you.

As to Rehab... yeah it's the take 3 steps forward 2 steps back dance, but that one step still is forward progress... keep the faith. If they aren't doing it already I would recommend some very gentle massage pre PT, warms everything up and makes it less miserable, or at least it did for me. I had a great PT who used every modality (ultrasound moist heat and massage) he could to get me loose before starting the work out part.