Shoulder pain

[Churchie]

I have had a pain between my shoulders for sometime now which is getting worse to the point it now wakes me up at night and although it probably isn't thyroid related I wondered if anyone else has had same experience. I have looked up frozen shoulder symptoms and was surprised to read that thyroid disease is a risk factor for frozen shoulder and there is an autoimmune connection. However I had no loss of movement with my arms and in fact moving them makes no difference to the pain so it doesn't seem to be muscular related.

I had a hemilobectomy last week which I am still recovering from and I had hoped this might ease the pain ( I know wishful thinking) so it might improve as a get better but depressingly thinking this may not be the case and I will have to start again on the rounds of doctors

[Marz]

Could be caused by the tension both before/during and after your surgery. You have just had surgery - so give things a little more time. Doing some yoga would be great but not a good idea whilst you are convalescing.

We have more muscles than bones - and the muscles in that area are complicated....

bandhayoga.com/keys_shoulde...

Hope you soon feel better....just be kind and gentle to yourself until you have recovered....

[Churchie]

I don't know what these are but will investigate. thank you for the suggestion

[twinbulls]

I have been hypo since November 2010 and then was diagnosed with PMR in January 2014. One of the first symptoms was pain in my shoulder but this then moved on to the other shoulder and across my pelvic area. I got to the stage of not being able to lift my arms higher than my chest and, couldn't get out of bed without assistance, had to drag myself upstairs. Hope this isn't going to happen to you but PMR is an autoimmune condition too.

[Churchie in reply to twinbulls]

Thanks for the info. Did you respond to treatment?

[twinbulls in reply to Churchie]

Hello Churchill, I did indeed respond to treatment got the PMR - I was prescribed Prednisolone 15 mg and the impact was remarkable. Within hours, I started to feel that the edge was being taken off the pain and within 4 days, my range of movement had improved. I have gradually decreased to 7/8mg - I am told by the 'experts' (other folk with the same disease) that this is a really good rate of reduction and should not aim to reduce too quickly for fear of the risk of developing GCA.

I do hope that yours does not turn out to be PMR but good luck anyway. Let me know if I can be of any further help.

[shaws in reply to twinbulls]

This is just a guess. Could it be that your Polymalgia is actually fibromyalgia seeing you are already hypothyroid? If so, maybe an increase in your thyroid hormone medication would bring relief.

If you haven't had a recent blood test ask for one and get a copy from the surgery, with the ranges and post on a new question for comments. Make the appointment as early as possible, NOT taking levothyroxine until afterwards. Always take other supplements/medication 4 hours apart from levo.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

[twinbulls in reply to shaws]

I have not heard of anyone with Fibromyalgia with the same symptoms that I had. Not being able to turn over in bed, not being able to get out of bed without being hoisted out, not being able to walk up or down the stairs, having to crawl, not being able to raise my arms above chest level, not being able to put my legs up on a stool ewithout having to left each leg up, excruciating pain across the whole shoulder and hip/pelvic area which meant I was crying to my GP over the Phone, none of even the strongest painkillers even remotely touching the pain. Taking the Prednisolone was like a magic cure that worked within hours of the first dose and continued to alleviate the pain totally within 4 days. Speaking to other folk with PMR, I know for sure that, unfortunately, it is PMR.

I am going to get blood tests asap and I will post my results - it will be interesting to give feedback.

[shaws in reply to twinbulls]

Excruciating pain is terrible to cope with and I am glad than prednisolone works for you.

[Lionyx2006 in reply to twinbulls]

Hm. Those are some of the same symptoms I've had with hypothyroidism. They go away on the right dose.

Initially a doctor diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia. My endo said it was not Fibromyalgia but hypoT. Before I got the proper diagnosis I was in excruciating pain everyday. And I'd walk down the hallway like a crab - that's my husband's description of my crawling-like walk.

[Spareribs]

I had this pain before finding out about low vit D (& rib cage pain front/back) - just one of the things to eliminate in case it helps...

Of course I thought the stabbing pain was something to do with those darn extra ribs, nerve/vascular entrapment malarkey - but so relieved when it wasn't & went - and no, it's not the same as frozen shoulder (had both them too - I'm so lucky! - 1 for 18 months, other went after PT op - I think it's more of a hyper thing - just my take) I think gallstones is more towards the shoulder blade - well that's what my Dad had anyway....

sorry for daring to guess - just my experience... J x