I am scheduled for surgery next month. Right shoulder has howled for several years. Ok, except for wisdom tooth removal, this late 60's fat guy has never been under the knife. What should I expect as far as recovery time, etc.

They make an ice machine that pumps iced water into a pad that you lay over your shoulder. If you can find one, get it. Ice will be your friend. Do not get behind on your pain pills or you will suffer. It will probably be easier sleeping in a recliner than the bed. If the recliner lever is on the same side as the surgery, you will not be able to put your feet down, and it can hold you prisoner. Trust me. Do the physical therepy, and on their schedule. If you try and show how much more you can do, you will suffer. Recovery can be a bear, but that first night you sleep in a bed, and realize that your sholder didn't ache, and you didn't have to keep rotating all night, it will all be worth it.

practice wiping left handed....sucks lol

Had it done last December Do as your told but PT ain’t the fixer they want you to believe I would have resistance PT and for 3 days couldn’t even move me fingers let alone raise my arm ! Use your head but don’t expect a quick recovery. Then if it does your set. Took about 6-7 MONTHS to get full range back The pulley exercises are the must do’s. Ice is king . You will know when you’ve over done it

Have had both done 14 to 16 week recovery back to work no restrictions.
The key is do the physical therapy as they tell ya no more no less.
Had major damage to right shoulder surgeon said be luck to have 80% usage and that is about what I have.

Thanks for the input, folks. I am not looking forward to the post surgery recovery.

Rusty, no spurs.

My left shoulder is about 3-4 years behind the right. Oh boy.

Agree with everything above....

Day One will go good as the numbing from the surgery will carry you through.....

Day Two sucks! That was the day I was happy for the pain meds, but I still didn't think they were enough......

I did PT for four-five months.........surgeon thought it should be six or more to be safe, PT guys says three months. Glad I went longer.....

In the end, as I approached this, I talked to A LOT of guys (mostly trappers) who've had this procedure done, and I was SHOCKED at the number that said they did NOT do things right and tore it again.......

I really took that to heart and truly believe, nearly two years later, that my movement and strength on that side is 99%........

Unfortunately, I am getting hints from my body that now the other side is possibly looking for a similar surgery.........ugh!

MZ

Follow Doc and PT’s instructions to a T…no more, no less. If you don’t leave PT in a sweat and tears, find another PT. Expect to be back to normal in 5 months. My left shoulder is the bomb now, really need it on my right shoulder but I figure when I can’t pull my bow back anymore I’ll get it done.
Again, follow orders to a T!!
And check with your insurance about the ice machine and chair. They have a chair that will come programmed that automatically raises your arm for you before you even start PT.

Lleft shoulder done in 2007 after sliding off a culvert and hitting the cement embankment. Rotator torn, bone spurs and attaching a ligiment. All went well. I second the ice machine. I had a huge problem with only 1 Ocycotan so never took anymore. PT went very well. Did not drive for 3 weeks. PT was 8-10 sessions. They want you to get 100% range of motion so they concentrate on stretching and not strength building The theropist told me if you don't get full range of motion you won't get strength. I listened. I had the surgery in March. I got full range of motion by August and it was October of the next fall before I could lift a 40 lbs. bag of dog food with that arm and toss it in the truck. It did get stronger. Glad a followed the directions and listened well.

Bryce

Wife had both hers done, anchors gave out on left shoulder, looking at another repair. Has to undergo SC joint repair in Mayo first, 6-9 month recovery from that. Do your therapy, ice, ice, ice, and pain meds.

Jeeeesh ! perfect timing OP.
I get the process rolling very soon too.
NOT looking fwd to it, but hope all is well when it all over.
Spurs and "frayed" ....... whatever that is.
Several shots over the past couple years, last a little less each time now but DO work wonders .... temporarily.
Good luck OP, and thanks for the others notes !

Had right done twice, a lot of truth in above. Second time had bicep tendon tore, they cut it, lost a lot of strength in my arm. Like they said learn to wipe left handed, sleep in recliner, it took me about 10 to 12 weeks to get semi normal. Good luck.

Late 60’s is going to be longer recovery time, but my tip for therapy is this. You want the biggest, meanest looking due in the joint, because being hurt will be good for progress.

Had my right shoulder done twice and my left shoulder once. Not a fun adventure. PT is overrated but just my opinion. In all honesty you will be in for a rough time but hopefully worth it in the end. Good luck and I hope you heal fast.

I wouldn’t have gotten my range of motion back if it wasn’t for that evil PT lady. She’s lucky she looked good cause there was several times I wanted throat punch her as hard as I could! But, she got my shoulder back to factory condition.

I have had four rotator surgeries, two per side. Do the PT as directed, although it can be different every time.

I suggest sleeping in a recliner the first few weeks. I also found that the cheapest pharmacy nylon sling provided more comfort than the very expensive ones you come out of surgery with. My favorite sling probable cost less than $10.

Be careful when you walk or climb stairs. You do not want to have to catch yourself. Should you trip and fall, wrap your arms around your chest. Do not extend you arms to catch yourself.

Remember your PT exercises and do then a few times per week whenever you sense discomfort in your shoulder, neck, or arms.

Only use a surgeon who operates with laparoscopic procedures. Do not allow an old fashion surgeon to cut you open. Been there, done that, there is a big difference.

Save your pain pills for the very worst days. Keep a few on hand for emergencies.

PM me if you have questions.

Thank you again folks, I appreciate all the input. Sounds like it's gunna suck.

I go in on Saturday for a MRI, might be next step for me, 44yrs old and dont remember hurting it, had it injected once

Everything said above is sound advice. I would add that since you're going to be on pain meds get on a stool "softner" BEFORE surgery and continue on it until you're off the pain meds Some people really plug up on the pain meds.
Good Luck.

going in thursday,not looking foward to it,will take the above advise

What everyone is saying is correct, take their advice ! . I had rotator, bone spurs, and re attach my bicep in June 2022. Have to admit, healing is some of the worse pain I every had. Especially if you accidently drop something and flinch with your bad arm!!!! They should offer you a nerve block before the surgery. TAKE IT !!! You will have no pain until it wears off. Mine wore off that night at 2:32 am. You will see why I remember the time. Make sure they give you the right pain meds. You will need them. Mine were weak so the upped them and I still needed to double up. Just be careful. Drink Metamucil while on pain meds it will help. They should give you a shoulder harness to hold the ice packs they give you. Ice really helps. You will need to sleep sitting up. If you don't own a recliner, buy one. Buy slip on shoes, you won't be able to tie your shoes. Also buy a very large T shirt or shirt, this way when they send you home form the surgery you can put it over the sling and only put your one arm through the arm hole. Make sure to wear your sling and I strapped my arm down. I wasn't one to just sit and take it easy. But, the doctor told me stories of people falling and putting their arm down the break the fall. You can image what this would do to your arm. I didn't want that to happen to me, and it almost did, I took my son bow fishing (I know, I know, my wife yelled at me enough) I did fall on my face but my shoulder was fine because I strapped my arm down. Once you get a full night sleep without that pain you will be happy you did it. Good Luck

Wishing you the best.
I go Mon for my last shot ..... then comes the knife.
I'll be thinking of ya,
we're in the same boat !

2015 had my right shoulder done.
What's been told to you is spot on.
Ain't no he-man after you wake up from the surgery and the initial pain meds wear off,
Because of my cdl license, the doc put me on a codeine oxytocin mix. Great stuff but just took the edge off.
Sleep sitting up, everytime you can, sleeping is healing

I had a complete tear in my shoulder and a 70 percent tear in my bicep. Had surgery August 24th. Like everyone has said , the first few days are brutal. Sleep in a recliner for sure. Be careful of falling after surgery.Stay ahead of the pain with your meds. I have good range of motion just need to build strength. Really glad I had it done . Wishing you the best.

well that sucked,at about a week after surgery now and its not to bad,pain wise,start pt in a week,after the blocker wore off the next day it was absolutely horrible,but i had more damage than they first thought,i quit taking the meds(percoset) cause they mess up your stomach(BMs)so now i just take ibuprophen and deal with it.im no (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) when it comes to pain,heck ive been working for a year since my accident,but that day after was horrible.just a little update.my doctor said everything went great and itll be fine after healup,they even took care of some arthitis while they were in there so thats good too.tight chains eveyone

j morse how did it go ?

Roy, my surgery isn't for another 10 days yet. I have my arm sling, pain med Rx, and am ready to go!

I sure appreciate all the input, folks. Thanks to the lot of you!

Ah, PT Funny how a 1 pound weight can kick your butt.....I had one exercise they called start the lawn mower which was a bugger but seriously Do the Home PT, it will help a lot in the long run....Best of Luck

hey jmorse and crowfoot how ya doing,ive been wondering about you guys,im about 18 days past surgery and the pain is getting less each day,but still throbs prettybad sometimes,been going to work periodically,pretty much just to answer phone and deal with customers.just curious how you all are surviving the pain

I had my right shoulder done last summer, followed the therapist to the letter.I have full use of my right side but I still do the exercises, if I don't I stiffen up like a rusty hinge! I don't drive or pull trap stakes anymore. I use 18" lags and drags. Iam in pretty good shape for the shape Iam in!?

Just had mine done Jan 23. Yup...3 days of pain, then it subsided a lot. I didn't take many of the narcotics, but used lots of ibuprofen and lots of ice. Reducing inflammation is the key to pain reduction. Mine was a complete tear with retraction, but doc told me he got it attached where it should be. Mine is dominant hand, so I practiced things left handed before surgery. Last night was the first night I could sleep in a bed somewhat. Today is my first day of PT. Gonna hurt I'm sure.

I had a totally different experience with my rot.cuff surgery. 2008. When I went home the nurse told me before you go to bed tonight take these pills and push this button for pain. And after that never hesitate to keep doing that as the pain will be bad. I did what I was told and woke up the next morning and NEVER took another thing for pain. Didn't have any just very minor discomfort. Didn't listen about the not doing anything for very long. Was lifting a little something one day and felt a little snap. Scared me. So from then on I listened and did what I was told about not doing much lifting for 3 months or so. Been fine ever since. I asked the Dr. about it and he said every once in awhile that happens. I was very lucky with mine. Hope you are with yours! Great Dr.by the way. Dr. Michael Freehill. MN Had several friends that had the same experience as most of you guys.

Our update, we went to Mayo in Rochester Dr said the SC joint issue my wife has they see maybe 3 a year, she is special! LOL. We were told risky surgery, long recovery the specialist told us 85% no surgery were going down the 7th for a guided injection. Whew were praying this is it. Now she can have her rotator cuff 2nd time on this one on the 27th. So far so good.

Well folks, I went to the hospital last Monday. Arrived about 20 of 6 am and was ushered right in. I had the usual pep talk from the doctor and anesthesiologist people, then got what was called a nerve block shot in my shoulder. It went downhill swiftly after that. The nerve block was great......my shoulder quit hurting and my arm was basically dead. The downhill part was the danged shot also deadened half of my diaphragm and I went into some scary respiratory arrest crap! I quite literally thought I was on my way out. My diaphragm would spasm if I tried to take a less than shallow breath, plus my lower right ribcage felt like it was being torn to pieces at the same time. As a result, I nearly blacked out before they got me in a position that allowed me to take a breath without severe pain. Needless to say, the surgery was postponed until this Monday. The doctor says he can use some other method of numbing my shoulder and I should do fine. I am NOT looking forward to going back! Buk buk buk buk buk buk!!

thats scary jmorse,the dead arm thing was weird,but no pain for a little while,i sure hope it goes better for you next time around,i would not look forward to going back again either.GOOD LUCK

We just get knocked out.

I have had two rotator cuff surgeries on each side. Four. I have a favorite thin nylon sling and a good recliner for sleeping. No fun. No surgery for 15 years now.

Not suppose to shoot. I did. No problems. No magnums.

Good luck and have plenty of help also get ready anything you can do without that arm get ready for it now.

good luck Monday , that sure had to be scary.,

I had a nerve block twice. The first was an injection at the base of my neck. Lasted about 24 hrs. The next was a long needle inserted in the OR and it was attached to a bag of meds. Wife pulled the needle out when ag was dry. Both worked for the first day.

Update: I am now a rotator cuff surgery survivor! I was quite nervous, as you can imagine, when I went back to the Traverse City hospital for the sawbones to do his thing. It went very well.....I didn't cry, scream, or shove anybody coming out from being knocked out. I was, however, kept overnight and not sprung till the following afternoon. This arm sling is a royal pain, as is doing everything else one handed. My pain has been minor, in fact, it was worse pre-surgery. One thing I am fighting, that I believe is from sleeping propped up, is a real hard bit of sciatica in my right leg. That crap is worse than the shoulder pain ever was. I have suspected for years that I am a candya++, but it is now confirmed! I eat way more pain meds for the sciatic nerve than for the shoulder. Can't wait to be shed of the dadgum sling.

glad you came out ok,as far as the arm sling,at my first pt session i asked the guy about the sling and he said i dont have to use it all the time,mainly its for not doing something dumb with that arm.im a month out now and i dont wear the sling at all around the house anymore.but as soon as i go out the door it goes on.he did say there are 4 differant cuff surgerys so that could make a difference?mornings are the worst for me but once i get going the pain goes away.im back at work only doing things that i can do left handed,and i wear the sling alot at work.i'm quite amazed at how proficient ive become with my non dominant hand,anyhow one thing for sure is do your pt at home as prescribed i try to push it a little more,BUT not too much,good luck

thats great news , now do what the pt say to do ,

Dang you guys are bad luck. I just got home from urgent care a little while ago after hurting my shoulder working with a bull this this afternoon and the diagnosis is a suspected tear to the rotator cuff. First time in the left shoulder, have torn the right one a couple times. Never a complete tear just partials but they are not fun. Have to follow up with the ortho to confirm and treat, but having been here before I think they are right.

Sounds like you had a very good outcome with the surgery, now it is up to you and your PT person to make sure you optimize your recovery and get the best results possible. I don't know how bad your cuff was before your surgery but I went through several months of much limited usage with pain before I had surgery. Recovery can seem slow but remember you are recovering and getting stronger and more motion range every day, instead of going backwards every day.

Bryce

Hope the recovery keeps going well Jan.

I ran into my wife's Tahoe with my ATV (it's a long story) going about 15mph. I broke my nose and after a MRI found I tore my left rotator cuff. I can still use my left arm, just can't lift it over my head without peeing my pants. After hearing some horror stories from several people who've had the surgery, I decided I can live with the pain and don't need to raise my arm over my head. The ones I spoke to all say the PT is the worst part because it's painful and takes a long time.

Its all about your quality of life ..... however much you may have left.
If all you plan to do is scratch you a s s with one hand and pick your nose with the other, you're good to go.
Some folks get along just fine with one arm completely removed.
You got this.

The ice water machine is called a Polar Cube. You can find them used on eBay.

Ask about a pain block. Different types but they last 24 hours.

Sleeping in a recliner will be more comfortable. Maybe the first week or two.

Be careful what you lift even with your good side. Every rule you break during the day will come back to haunt you at bedtime. Trust me. Had this surgery four times.

Thanks folks. I am actually pleased with the near lack of shoulder pain post-op. I'm thinking that is a good thing!

UPDATE! I have been doing PT now for 5 1/2 weeks since removing the arm sling/brace thing. My arm still aches, mostly at night, but I sleep on my right side 99% of the night. The PT girls say I'm doing "awesome" as far as range of motion is concerned. We are now doing strengthening exercises more than stretching exercises. I hope to be able to use a chainsaw by July, then, this fall I intend to drag a bull Moose out of the Newfoundland bush single handedly! Ok, the guide will likely do it with an Argo.

Great to hear you are on the mend....and envious of your upcoming moose trip...! Hope to see some pics upon your return

Thank you, Midlander. If I luck out and fill my Moose tag you'll hear me hollering clear back here!