Frozen Shoulder???

Help! It has been 7 months since I received my pacemaker. Now in the 6th month I started to have pain in upper right arm. Not angina, I know how that feels, it just keeps getting worse when I reach or move arm certain ways,etc. My cardio checked it out and sent me to a ortho doctor. I can't lift my arm when straight out to the side hardly at all. Very painful to do much. He thinks I have a frozen shoulder or a tear in rotar cuff. No injury or accident just the pain came on slowly and continues to get worse. Since the can't do a MRI ( because of PM) if meds and therapy 3 times a week don't help he said they would have to do surgery. Yeck! Would a CT show up anything? The put me on Celebrex and I wouldn't take it. So he prescribed Lodine. Side effects aren't much different. If it is frozen shoulder is this from the PM or what? I have been fine as far as the arm goes to this. Any advice?
Thank you and God bless you,
Amy

4 Comments

Bummer!

by auntiesamm - 2008-02-02 03:02:22


Sorry to read about your shoulder. It does happen sometimes without explanation and other times with good reason. I developed a frozen shoulder after hanging wallpaper for a couple of days. Haven't done it since! Have you tried using ice on the shoulder? It will sometimes help with the swelling and stiffness and allow you to exercise the shoulder. Wise to refuse the Celebrex in view of your cardiac history. I took Vioxx for 4 years, developed cardiac problems and am now involved in the class action suit against Merck. Vioxx was truly a wonder drug; I took it for arthritis of both knees which have subsequently been replaced. I know your shoulder is painful - I hope it is not a rotator cuff tear. My frozen shoulder responded well to steroid injections, ice and a darn good physical therapist. This all happened a number of years back and my shoulder still bothers me from time-to-time but I recognize when to get the ice bag out and start working on it! I hope and pray it is nothing that will require surgical intervention and that you will be good as new very soon. God bless you and your stubborn shoulder!
Sharon

PS: Please keep us posted.

Frozen Shoulder????

by 220 chandler ave - 2008-02-02 03:02:53

I too have had problems with my left shoulder since my impant seven months ago. When I lift my left arm straight out the pain at times is quite bad. Not all the time. I have been through X-Rays and Physical Therapy, which did not help much. When I asked my cardio doctor he tole me the pain is not from the implant, but it started after my PM implant. At this point, unless it becomes unbearable, I can control the pain with Tylenol. I do not have any advice that would be helpful, since I have not received any answer from the Docs. Have a great day!!!!! Sharon B

Frozen Shoulder

by hooimom - 2008-02-02 05:02:23

My husband,. who doesn't have a PM, was just diagnosed two weeks ago with frozen shoulder. The orthopedist gave him a corizone shot and ordered physical therapy for 4 weeks. He felt much better after the shot and could move his arm without as much pain minutes after the injection. The physical therapy is helping as well. He has a partially torn rotator cuff, which the doctor said probably led to the frozen shoulder, and they will decide in two more weeks whether he will need surgery at this time. His symptoms sound a lot like yours.

Michelle

Thank you!

by cottontop - 2008-02-02 08:02:40

I really appreciate all your comments. Michelle, your husband 's situations make me wish I would have taken the shot. He wanted me to and do the 4 weeks of therapy,with the Lodine and if that doesn't work he said my only option is surgery. Please keep me posted.Sharon I will try icing it down. Anything to help! Sharon B I have tried Tylenol and Advil for the pain and they don't help at all. If I move it the wrong way or try to lift it above my shoulder sometimes it's more than I take. I hope the therapy helps ! I should have taken the shot before therapy because at this point I can't even imagine someone trying to force it. Thank you all I just love this site!
Amy

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