SHOULDER PAIN

[Imagine1]

Hi everyone,

I have wrote on here quite a few times now about me. This is now about my husband, he had a nasty accident where he was tripped up playing football, it turned out that he broke his shoulder badly. He eventually had an Xray and it showed up on there, he also had massive bruising all down his arm. He went to see the specialist a few weeks later and his shoulder wasn't getting any better, it was getting worse, he couldn't lie down in bed so he had to sit in a chair all night. I asked the specialist if my husband could have an MRI Scan but he said that it was only bruising and that it would get better on it's own. We both knew different. When he next saw the same specialist a few weeks later, I asked him again about having an MRI Scan, this time he said he definitely needed one because his shoulder was getting even worse. Six months later, he still can't sleep in bed and sleeps in a chair all night, his MRI Scan showed that he has a large rotary cuff tear and now needs an operation on it and he also has Tensynovitis in his bicep muscle. What I don't understand is I asked him at the beginning for my husband to have an MRI scan and he said he didn't need one, when he broke his shoulder he also tore his rotary cuff and has been in complete agony for six months, he has to wait quite a while for an operation even though this should have been done six months ago when he first had the accident. My husband is 73 years old. How can they leave him like this for this long? it is absolutely disgusting how they treat the elderly in this country.

[BenHall1]

Hi Imagine1,

Very sorry to read of your husbands drama. I have had a similar experience.

On the 15 November 2023 I had to visit the bathroom for a comfort stop at 01.30am. Despite our night lights being on I tripped over our cat. Predicatably, I went flying, threw out my left arm in an attempt to break my fall. Instead all I did was damage an already osteoarthritic shoulder. My wife phoned 111 and managed to dose myself up with pain killers and follow the advice given, 111 also made an appointment for later on that morning with our Minor Injuries Unit (MIU). MIU did Xrays but nothing broken. Just rest up.

Despite my age (79) I’m still working part time and so took 7 days off work. Returned to work and the pain got worse and so, with only a telephone conversation my GP signed me off sick from 1 Dec 2023 to 15 Jan 2024. In January 2024 I went for an Ultrasound which revealed my tendon had torn from the left shoulder rotator cuff. I was never offered an MRI.

And that’s it ! Nothing since. Returned to work 16 January. Still in pain. GP ( useless ) prescribed me Amitripyline – no good, side effects were diahorrea: then prescribed Gabapentin – same side effects, told GP to stop playing around I’ll stay with CoCodomol 30/500. Which I am. Daytime I’m generally fine because I can control my activities and therefore my level of pain. Night time is a bloody nightmare because I’m a side sleeper, so even if I start sleeping on my right side without pain, I tend not to stay there. I always seem to end up on my left side …. thus a night of broken sleep and ongoing pain. I have tried sleeping in a chair but just cannot get any sleep at all – other than broken sleep.

My cat gets better healthcare from her vet than I get from my GP ( at a price ). The cat of course is thriving ! I’m getting to the point where I am so disgusted at treatment of the elderly by GP surgeries I’m researching making a complaint under Age Discrimination legislation. If you have the energy you may well have to make a formal complaint along the lines of myself.

I do wish you and your husband well and hope you are able to get his pain issues resolved soon. So sorry I cannot be of more help.

John

[Imagine1 in reply to BenHall1]

Hi BenHall1

I am so sorry for what has happened to you. It seemed to be a simple accident that has become severe for you, this is what happened to my husband, but saying that he plays walking football and there is no contact whatsoever, but this idiot tripped my husband up from behind and this is what happened to him. His doctor is a waste of time and the so called specialist is even worse. They don't care about the elderly. The NHS should respect the elderly and treat them like they deserve to be. All he gets is that he is living too long and is too fit because he plays walking football. What is he supposed to do, sit in a rocking chair with his slippers on watching telly all day? Doctors haven't got a clue.

[Konagirl60 in reply to Imagine1]

I’m so sorry your husband is being neglected.

[Grandmaster6667]

Similar, male 58, builder, havent worked for 6 months due to a shoulder injury accquired in 2020. First sought help in 2020, 4 years later ive given up. I have been treat with utter indifference, last time i spoke to the consultant, i was informed i would be disabled....

Subequently i have ignored the idiotic advice of just carry on as normal, you cant make it worse, binned all meds, read as much as i can on said injury, modified my activity, plenty of exercise and despite their best efforts, im 80% pain free and improving!

I could go on and on, i have little faith in either primary or secondary care in this country. The NHS is, in mine and family's extensive experience - a complete shambles!

[Imagine1 in reply to Grandmaster6667]

Hi Grandmaster6667,

The NHS is useless, it is not fit for purpose. I have heard so many horrific stories like yourself, me included. I find out more on AI than anywhere else. By the time the doctor get's his finger out the patient can deteriorate. It makes my blood boil. I am so glad that you have managed to keep your pain under control as much as you can. I am classed as disabled now because of what the NHS has done to me, lack of care from a broken ankle, no treatment, no cast, no physio, just told to walk on it and doing so I now can't walk properly and in pain all the time.

Take care.

[Konagirl60 in reply to Imagine1]

You were utterly neglected and it’s so unfair.

I’m Canadian and doctors where I live disabled me at age 51. It’s not right and I believe neglect should be deemed criminal.

[caringkriket]

I am sorry that your husband is suffering as I know ALL TO WELL what he is going through! Last year May I hurt my left shoulder mowing and suffered 6 mths before I had surgery. And it was my dominant hand and had surgery in October. I fell on my surgical arm and overused my right arm and it started hurting me in February 2024 and got a cortisone shot on the 18th. Like a month later the shot only worked 24 hrs. Now the pain is excruciating and they're telling me to wait and I know I need surgery but they won't do anything but it has been 6 mths since my last surgery and I am suppose to go back to work April 1st. I type for 6 hrs so how am I suppose to do that? I am 68 and no one seems to take it seriously and I have rheumatoid arthritis and am on RA drugs. I was told that there is a specific shoulder arthritis that is different. I sympathize with your husband as I know what he is going through and like him I can barely tolerate the pain! God bless!

[Imagine1 in reply to caringkriket]

Hi caringkriket,

Aww thank you for your kind words. It is shocking how we get treated and the amount of time it takes to get any treatment is absolutely shocking. The problem is these so called specialists, can't feel the patients pain so just leave them. I suffer from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome which I am told is rare, my specialist doesn't believe that I have this, even though i have been diagnosed by a specialist hospital who deals with this. He doesn't understand it so just shrugs it off. It is absolutely awful. Take care.

[Batty1]

His doctor left him with a torn rotor cuff because he wasn’t smart enough to know that an X-ray won’t show cuff tear ….Not shocked!

[Imagine1 in reply to Batty1]

Hi Batty1,

I totally agree with you. He had 2 X-rays for some stupid reason, he already told him that the break had healed so why give him another one? Stupid or what. Obviously nothing showed up and when he eventually had his MRI Scan that is when they found it. I had to beg first though. I am no doctor but I knew there was something else wrong with his shoulder but the specialist just wouldn't listen to us. Who was right? us of course. The patient knows when something isn't quite right but they think they are Gods which they definitely are not.

[caringkriket]

I understand completely and I know what you are talking about. Just tell me why you don't think this is painful or important or why I am being brushed off! Pain mgmt Dr said call or come in anytime and I will see you! NOT! Ortho that did my left arm surgery brushing me off WHY? Just give me a reason that's all. And you think I can type in April? NOT! Not doing that again. It has been 6 mths from surgery and I read where folks have had surgery 3 mths after one shoulder was done. We don't know how long we have here on earth and I just want to maybe enjoy what time I have left! This has taken a year of my life and I am tired of the pain! I am also battling this awful RA which I wouldn't wish on my worse enemy! Take care God bless and thank you for caring! Seniors get no empathy or too much understanding! I feel like they think we'll it's okay they will deal with it and not complain which is dead wrong. Dr's get paid whether you are 10, 20, 80 or anywhere in between!

[Imagine1 in reply to caringkriket]

It is absolutely shocking what we have to deal with. I have been waiting for 4 years to get pain management, I have been shrugged off all the time, saying it is in my head. Eventually after numerous emails I have finally got an appointment at The Walton Centre in Liverpool, that is through perseverance. The specialist referred me there eventually but it was another 6 months of waiting so I emailed them constantly and told them about my condition and how long I have waited and they brought the appointment forward to 2 weeks time instead of September. The original referral was supposed to have been urgent but wasn't, so I had to do his job for him.

[caringkriket]

I completely understand. They scheduled my 1st surgery 5 months from the time I was told I needed it! Now I am begging for the right one! SMH! It seems like UK and the US are no different! I wish you the best and I am praying for you! Huggs XOXO

[rabbits65]

I am so sorry to read your husband is in such agony and yes it’s disgusting the lack of support and care for the elderly. 10 years ago I fell down the stairs where I used to live and dislocated my shoulder, that was bad enough and took ages to heal and also the stiffness took ages to move the arm again, but I was lucky because. I had good physiotherapy team helping me, that was ten years ago and now I am 72 and agree with you I cannot get any help with all my other pains in my body . I do hope that your husband can get to a bed somehow or other, maybe a good physio will be able to suggest some good positions.

[Imagine1 in reply to rabbits65]

Thank you for your reply, I also fell downstairs and broke my ankle and it never healed because of lack of care, this was over 4 years ago. My husband has been going to Physiotherapy but it has been a waste of time. The exercises were making his shoulder worse so he no longer goes now because the physio has said that there is nothing more he can do for him and that until the rotary cuff tear is healed then he won't be able to sleep properly. There is no chance of it healing due to the size of the tear and he has to wait for an operation on it, which could take months.

[rabbits65 in reply to Imagine1]

Well it’s very sad to read this I do feel really sorry for your husband. All I can say is that he does have your wonderful love and support even though other things have failed. . Maybe pay privately for a top specialist opinion. Or prayers and healing. Good luck to both of you.

[Imagine1 in reply to rabbits65]

Aww, thank you for your kind words. It is a complete waste of time going private, most of them are NHS doctors doing this on the side for extra money and they charge the earth. It is the amount of time he has been waiting for something to be done for him. I don't know how he is coping with not sleeping it has been 6 months now and it is getting beyond ridiculous, but they don't care.

[rabbits65 in reply to Imagine1]

well let’s hope that your husband does get his operation soon. You may have to keep pushing them. I wish you both very good luck.