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I'm having surgery in the morning: Shoulder NOT back

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  • I'm having surgery in the morning: Shoulder NOT back

    Hello all.
    I haven't had the patience to put up with how slow this site has been for the last month. I haven't disappeared totally. I just thought I would update and let you all know I'm having my shoulder surgery in the morning. My pain management doctor thinks the problems are caused by the scoliosis. The orthopedic doctor that is doing the surgery isn't convinced. Either way, I'm a little nerved up after hearing all of the horror stories about shoulder surgery. They aren't quite sure what they'll find in there. They are kind of going in blindly since my symptoms don't fit what the MRI showed. They aren't going to fix the torn ligament unless it starts giving me more trouble AFTER this surgery. They are hoping to find what is limiting my range of motion and loosen that up. Fixing the torn ligament would tighten things up and they can't loosen and tighten at the same time. I was hoping for one stop shopping with this. I just hope the HAGL lesion doesn't ever bother me, then I'll be done.

    On the flip side of things. After recently suffering from chest pain and having the CT/angiogram, I learned that my heart is being squished and is malformed from the scoliosis, but is functioning well. That kind of puts me on edge for ever having the surgery for my spine. No one commented on the thread that I started on that topic, which is okay. But, I really think it's an important topic to consider. My fear is that if my back were to be fixed and there were suddenly "room" for my heart, the deformity wouldn't work like it is now and the valves might leak. If anyone has any thoughts or experience with this anomaly, I'd REALLY like to hear your input. We tend to focus on cobb angles and such so much. But the real issue is organ function that is affected by our twists and curves. That's the BIG issue for having surgery in the first place, right? Of course, pain plays a role in some people's decision for surgery. But pain is a result of the effects of the twists and turns on the nerves, so it's kind of all the same.

    Anyway, I thought I'd get two subjects in at once. My ribs are concaved under the scapula where I'm having the shoulder surgery. That's why my physiatrist thinks it's playing a role in what's going on. He's convinced that there's some impingement going on. I'll try to post back and let you all know my outcome. This website is driving me crazy, though! I can't pop in and out like I used to. I don't have the time to just sit and wait for it to load. But I'll do my best. I miss you all and wish I had the time to read everyone's posts to see how y'all are doing.

    Take care and be well!
    Be happy!
    We don't know what tomorrow brings,
    but we are alive today!

  • #2
    This is my third time trying to wish you luck with your surgery. The other times, the message went to a black hole and never loaded.

    It must be very frustrating to go into surgery and not know if it is going to help or not, but unfortunately, even with all of our modern technology, they just need to look at it the old fashioned way and do an exploratory.

    Re: your heart, you need to have a consult with a cardiac surgeon who can answer your questions in an authoritative way.

    Sending you healing thoughts and hopes that you are on your way to less pain and more fun in the future. Keep us posted on your recovery. I hope that they finally get this forum working faster without all of the spam. I know that there are probably others trying to wish you well, but access is limited.

    Hugs to you, Susan
    Adult Onset Degen Scoliosis @65, 25* T & 36* L w/ 11.2 cm coronal balance; T kyphosis 90*; Sev disc degen T & L stenosis

    2013: T3- S1 Fusion w/ ALIF L4-S1/XLIF L2-4, PSF T4-S1 2 surgeries
    2014: Hernia @ ALIF repaired; Emergency screw removal SCI T4,5 sec to PJK
    2015: Rev Broken Bil T & L rods and no fusion: 2 revision surgeries; hardware P. Acnes infection
    2016: Ant/Lat Lumbar diskectomy w/ 4 cages + BMP + harvested bone
    2018: Removal L4,5 screw
    2021: Removal T1 screw & rod

    Comment


    • #3
      hey rohr
      surprised i could get on here today...
      want to wish you the best...hope all goes smoothly and the doctors
      are able to fix things so you are not in pain afterwards...
      wondering what cardiologist thinks about spinal surgery and how your
      heart might function if no longer "squished"

      thoughts and prayers for a successful operation and uneventful recovery...

      jess...and Sparky

      Comment


      • #4
        Yes, the slowness is the pits. I am praying for you also and that all is going well. I don't know anything about your heart questions but agree with Susan and Jess about seeing a cardiologist about it. Sending love and healing wishes and gentle hugs along with my prayers.
        71 and plugging along... but having some problems
        2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift)
        5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
        Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago

        Corrected to 15°
        CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
        10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring

        Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

        Comment


        • #5
          I tried twice to post my best wishes to you for your surgery. I hope this posts.

          Good luck.
          Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

          No island of sanity.

          Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
          Answer: Medicine


          "We are all African."

          Comment


          • #6
            Sending healing prayers your way! (THAT'S why the site is working today, so we can encourage you)

            I agree that a cardiologist could give you the answers you're seeking. You certainly have a lot to consider.

            Peg
            Peg
            61 yrs old
            75 degree lumbar curve with thoracic kyphosis
            T3 - S1 surgery with Dr. Buchowski in St. Louis, on 10/27/14
            Working on healing in Columbus, Ohio!

            Comment


            • #7
              rohrer, best of luck with the shoulder surgery. If deserving has anything to do with it, it'll be a great success.

              Yes, I agree with others, a visit to a cardiologist should give you some answers.

              Thinking of you!
              Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
              Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
              T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
              Osteotomies and Laminectomies
              Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free

              Comment


              • #8
                Healing thoughts and prayers coming your way for a successful surgery.
                Sally
                Diagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
                Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
                Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
                Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
                New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
                Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/

                "In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.

                Comment


                • #9
                  I hope that the surgery was successful and you're recovering well. Thank God this site is back to normal - I quit checking it because it took forever to load. Good too see everyone here again.
                  I am stronger than scoliosis, and won't let it rule my life!
                  45 years old - diagnosed at age 7
                  A/P surgery on March 5/7, 2013 - UCSF

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Rohrer,

                    Hope you are recovering well!! Have someone post for you when you can.

                    R.e. the heart issue, I wonder if your heart is actually deformed or just appears deformed from being squished. Also, if your curve gets worse, will it get further squished. This is a major dilemma. I wonder if you ever have surgery if they could just kind of freeze you in place so the curve doesnt get worse? Advice to consult with a cardiologist is good, but I also think some of the more advanced scoliosis surgeons should have dealt with this issue. I know it's the one doctors always mentioned to me with very large thoracic curves. Anyway, you've got time to deal with that later when your shoulder is better.

                    For now, rest up and heal well!

                    Best wishes,
                    Evelyn
                    age 48
                    80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
                    Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
                    Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
                    Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
                    Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Finally, the forum is working up to speed. I haven't checked in lately because it was so frustrating.
                      I am sorry I didn't get the opportunity to wish you the best before your surgery. I hope the surgery went well and that you have a smooth recovery.
                      Karen

                      Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
                      Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
                      70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
                      Rib Hump-GONE!
                      Age-60 at the time of surgery
                      Now 66
                      Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
                      Retired Kdgn. Teacher

                      See photobucket link for:
                      Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
                      Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
                      tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right.
                      http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Thank you everyone for your well wishes. I'm not in a tremendous amount of pain and they only upped my oxycodone by 20mg/day. The first night was horrible after the nerve block completely wore off.

                        They found a bunch of thick scar tissue in the shoulder socket, which is typical for frozen shoulder. They also found the upper bursa to be extremely red and inflamed, which is typical for impingement. The surgeon didn't mention impingement, but said that he remove the bursa. In my booklet that they gave me, this is done for impingement syndrome. So I guess I had both. Right now I don't hurt any worse than I did before surgery, so that's great! I have to be careful when I take it out of the sling to do PT on it. It seems to pop a couple of times sending shooting nerve pain down my arm. Once this happens it feels okay out of the sling.

                        I asked the doctor of he was able to see the HAGL lesion. His reply was to tell me how he was going to do surgery #2 to fix it if I start dislocating. I hope it stays in the socket because surgery #2 involves open incision and bone grafting. UGH!!!

                        As far as the heart issue, the cardiologist I saw seemed very disinterested in everything. I didn't even follow up with him. He wanted me to follow up with my PCP and change meds to a calcium channel blocker instead of a beta blocker. I don't think he's the guy for me. I felt like he wasn't even listening to me an could care less about anything unless I was surgical. I won't be going back to him. I'll bring it up with my scoliosis doctor at my next visit in about three years. For now everything's working so I'm just counting my blessings that the deformity is a functional deformity. I just wondered if anyone else had been told the same thing about their heart and what the outcome was. I thought for sure Linda Racine would have seen some of this. But maybe she doesn't get that far into the records. She does go to a lot of conferences, though. I would think that this would be a dominant issue for people with scoliosis. Maybe I'm wrong.

                        Thus far my recovery is going much smoother than my last surgery. They didn't make me eat anything before I was ready. This has been much easier on my GI system for sure!

                        Again, thanks for all the well wishes!
                        Be happy!
                        We don't know what tomorrow brings,
                        but we are alive today!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          so glad to hear from you rohr..
                          and glad the surgery is over...
                          am guessing you are home...it must help to be recovering at home...
                          i hope you heal well...and as quickly as possible...

                          rest and feel better...
                          jess...and Sparky

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Great that you are in recovery. Onward and upward! :-)
                            Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

                            No island of sanity.

                            Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
                            Answer: Medicine


                            "We are all African."

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Rohr...

                              Heart issues rarely come into play with curves that are less than huge, but I suspect you have the issue because your curve is so high.

                              Hope your recovery continues to be relatively easy.

                              --Linda
                              Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                              ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                              Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

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