Left sided scapula pain

[JenM]

Hi everyone-

I haven't posted in a while but I still read the forum everyday. I am currently 4 1/2 months post-op. Two months ago I had excrutiating pain in the front of my shoulder, it was so bad I didn't know how to get through the pain. I went to a local shoulder specialist and he gave me oxycodone, which really didn't even touch the pain. I started physical therapy in the pool, and that really helped the pain. I think at the time the pain was so bad since the muscles in my shoulder atrophied and as a result my shoulder dropped. I'm pretty sure I had a bad pinched nerve coming off of my neck causing this pain. THe physical therapy since then has built up my shoulder. I almost developed a frozen shoulder since I wasn't able to move my shoulder for so long, but again, the therapy has helped and I am able to move it alot more and have a better range of motion now.

Now, instead of the pain being in the front of my shoulder, it is now in the back left side of my shoulder blade. The pain is relentless in that area for the past 8 weeks. It never goes away. It is a burning, throbbing type of feeling. I was scared something was wrong so I went to see Dr. Boachie last week. He said all the hardware looks good and told me just to keep up with the therapy. He said the problem looks like it stems from the cervical spine. He said I could start taking Advil, which I was shocked because I thought you couldn't take NSAID's until after a year. He told me to come back in 6 months. I know others have had this problem with the scapula because I did a search on this forum. I was wondering, does this really take a long time to go away? I am sooo scared this will be permanent. Every week that passes by it doesn't seem to get any better. When I take my hand and rub it against the left side of my back, it is all numb and feels like I was just cut open yesterday. But my right side of my back feels totally normal. Very strange that this is all happening on the left side, especially the upper part of my left back/shoulder blade.

I guess I am worried that the hardware is irritating the muscles around my shoulder blade. A local doctor told me this could be the case, but Dr. B said to just give it time.

So I was wondering, how common is shoulder pain after surgery, and how long does it take to go away?

Thanks so much!!

JenM

[titaniumed]

Jen

Its good news that your checkup went ok with Dr Boachie. It seems that the pool work has helped you out in the past, maybe you should continue with that program. It probably helped your neck also, I hope that is doing better now. You really had us scared.

I agree with you on multiple shoulder complaints on the forum... I did not have these issues and cant really say what the timeframe would be, but I do know that my recovery took 1 year to get to 90%. The 2nd year was the final 10% or fine tuning. Try not to worry about permanent pain, like Dr B says, give it more time. Your muscles will toughen up in the rod areas.

Ed

[foofer]

Hi Jen,

I'm happy to hear from you again but sorry to hear that you are still struggling. I wish it were different for you.

Your story interests me personally, as so many of your symptoms are ones that I have now but not intensely as you have. I'm also pre-surgical, so not the same as you.One of my concerns about scoli surgery is that it seems to bring out neck and shoulder issues. My entire left side has burning, tingling sensations and deep aching (has for several years), and the right side is just "there", not painful, not numb, probably how it should be all over, in a perfect world. If I get a massage, all I want done is left scapular and lower into the left lumbar hump area (I call it Grand Mesa- a nicer image) I went to have steroid shots this summer and received a lumbar shot, but the pain doc would not give me one for my neck unless I had a neck MRI. I did and it showed bulging discs, bone spurs, arthritis, but considered basic wear-and-tear.

I saw Dr B a couple weeks ago, and based on my summer issues with pain, he said to think about surgery-that I had more arthritis and would not be getting better- only worse. He thought that scoli surgery "might" help with my neck issues.

I'll be watching your progress and as much as it may be a downer for you to report in (for you I mean- I think that so often people do not want to tell their harder stories for fear of seeming a "wet blanket"), I hope you do keep us posted. It helps to know what may come. It's also better to be able to commiserate and comfort you- so much better than you fading away into whatever-happened-to-?-land. You have been through a tough recovery.

You sound worried that you will never shake out of this syndrome, but I think you will, given time and gentle exercise. Let us know...Don't give up.

Your scoli-pal,
Amy

[jsully]

Jen,
I have been having pain in my hip lately. I too wonder if this will ever go away. I do notice some things getting better and then others seem to pop up and make you feel worse. It is very depressing. Hopefully, we will get through this soon.
Janet