Graves' disease n shoulder surgery

[Jmmacomber]

I need to have a shoulder replacement and I have graves. Will they do surgery if I just started taking thyroid meds

[silverfox7]

They would like to see that you are stable. Surgery can mess up our reading so you need bloods monitoring after so keep an eye on that. I has surgery Monday following a fall and breaking my wrist so been in a lot of pain which thankfully is much. Ether now but my son has been upset that I'm putting my thyroid before pain relief so that nothing upsets my thyroid further! I'm leaving my stronger pain relief well away from my thyroid meds to ensure I get some sleep.

[Clutter]

Jmmacomber,

Anaesthesist probably won't agree to surgery until T4 and T3 are within range.

[LAHs]

From what I have read, your T3 must be optimal to recover easily and quickly from surgery. There was a study done on post surgical patients where it was shown that people with high T3 recovered normally whereas people who died as a result of the surgery had very low T3. Sorry I am not sure if I can find that reference but I will look when I have a bit of time. Oh, and I am not saying you will die if you have low T3, you will just have a harder time getting over the surgery. The low T3 results were found in the people who died.

[AZWobbly]

I know that this was NOT your question, but have you gotten more than one opinion on needing the shoulder replacement? I'd get at least 3 before doing it. Any shoulder replacement will greatly reduce your muscle strength. I KNOW, cuz I've been there and done that, and wish I had NOT. Be careful, as any replacement surgery is not always what it is cracked up to be.

[Jmmacomber in reply to AZWobbly]

Thank you very much and I think I will see about getting more opinions.::my arm has been locked down with very little movement due to bone spurs and regeneration.:..one of my friends was telling me to get another dr to look at it...and I think I will...I wasn't looking forward to the surgery.::I was scared to death....thank you for helping me out

[PattiTilden in reply to Jmmacomber]

I have bone spurs and pain in my right shoulder, and my left is so screwed up from surgery with lots of pain. My range of motions is sooo limited and muscles are so weakened on the left. Surgery should be a last resort, and NOT first resort. My opinion given my experience and what you have said: Do get more opinions, AND try massage and physical therapy first if you have not done so already. A good physical therapist should actually do both massage and exercises to stretch and strengthen your muscles, and get range of motion back. You would be amazed at what can be done with that and some time doing it. I SO regret listening to 4 doctors who recommended the surgery, only to have a great shoulder specialist tell me 2 years later that surgery would not have been recommended by him. He would not criticize the other doctors by giving me a flat out NO, but it was in essence what he ended up saying. And, listen to your own gut saying that you are scared to death!!! I learned the hard way to be my own health advocate and not necessarily trust doctors who were too quick to say "Surgery". It you try the other things I suggested, and/or live in great pain for a long time after that, THEN do surgery as then you will know it is the only option. I wish someone had told me this and that I had done that. Once you go through a surgery, you can't undo it. I do hope this helps as I hate to see anyone end up with problems like I did. I can't undo those either.

[Jmmacomber in reply to PattiTilden]

I am calling to get a physical therapy appt on Monday....it can't hurt and I think maybe it can help and I thank you for your response as it has really opened my eyes

[Stourie in reply to Jmmacomber]

Hi, I don't know if it would be similar or not but a few years ago I had a very sore lower back which was affecting my legs. It turned out I had bone spurs on my lower spine. Duly operated on and I have had no more problems but was told they could grow back in 5 or so years. Touch wood but more than 5 years has passed and no sign of them returning.

I don't know if the shoulder could be operated on in the same way. I don't think that physio would make the spurs disappear. They have to be removed.

Jo xx

[AZWobbly in reply to Jmmacomber]

Good to know. I see Stourie's message, and she is right. Only surgery can remove the spurs, BUT, you can also learn to live with them like I have. Just get your shoulder moving again and see what happens first. We all end up living with more pain as we get older. Such is life. It just depends on the amount of pain and if you have tried other alternatives first.

Good luck!!

[Jmmacomber]

I thank you and am going to do what u suggest....I am scheduling or on Monday...I'll keep u updated

[AZWobbly]

Good! I hope all goes well.

[Jmmacomber in reply to AZWobbly]

Btw..:.im JoAnne and I'm from Santa Cruz,California

[AZWobbly]

Hey JoAnne, I live in Phoenix, AZ. We could actually talk on the phone sometime if you'd like. We're practically neighbors compared to our friends over the pond.

[AZWobbly]

Hi Joanne, how goes the physical therapy? I've not heard from you for awhile.