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Rotator Cuff Tear-Surgery 8/31

BovaJP

BovaJP

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Staff Member
Feb 15, 2013
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Hi Everyone.
Well, this is happening...my rotator cuff repair surgery is scheduled for 830aCT, this Friday, 8/31. I have been on these boards for a cpl years and more active this past year. I like the anonymity of it all. It's like warm blanket.
FYI....it is my right shoulder; I am right handed.

Just did my first bodybuilding competition this year on 3/31/18. Shoulder was bothering me in prep in Dec, 2017, so went to see my sports med ortho doc and he suggested an MRI. Test come back as a full thickness tear in my supraspinatus. Got a PRP injection in Jan, 2018. Got through my prep and competed.
After prep, was continuing to lift as I have a few goals now and areas to work on. Shoulder started to bother me some more. Went back to the same doc and he recommended surgery to repair it. Well, when it comes to surgery, I want to seek out others opinions. So I met with 2 other docs. Both said same thing, surgery to repair. So I researched and read, and read some more and researched some more. Then I resounded to the fact that in order to get back I would need this surgery. I currently have pain every day, numbing in my one hand, trouble sleeping, every day use has diminished due to pain and weakness. Not to mention the effects it has had on lifting at the gym.
A local fellow female bodybuilder had shoulder surgery last year also, the same surgeon is doing mine. She has made full recovery (took her awhile), but she is also young lol. My surgeon has been doing this for about 30 years and I asked him how many he has performed, he said about 13,000.
While I know that this type of surgery is very common, i'm still bummed AF about it.

About me: 47 years young, female, life lifter just competed in 1st bodybuilding competition, but got the bug and want to do more.

My plan is:
Take a full week completely off gym and work.
The 2nd week, I may end up working from home (I'm an IT Project Manager by trade, so just need my laptop).
When I go back to gym, I plan to obviously do legs only/light cardio (depending upon on jarring it is on my shoulder). I do not want to push it at all, I want to COMPLETELY heal, so I will be listening to my body. I will evaluate how I feel week to week. When I feel up to it, I may train my one good arm, because I've read about how if you do that, it helps with the bad one.

Anybody have any motivating books to read while I'm down? I don't want this surgery to play head games with me (well it already has lol), but any recommendations for some reading materials/movies on Netflix, etc. While i'm resting and healing, I want to make sure I also work on my mental state and healing. That is just as important. Because i'll be facing some significant muscle loss (the muscle I worked so hard in building up <sad face>), i'll need to work on this aspect of the mental game the atrophy is going to play with my head. I think that is the worst part of this surgery i'm worried about actually. The physical is easy...do what doc says and go to PT when it is time, etc.
When I had knee surgery 8 yrs ago, I was non weight bearing for 6 weeks, my left leg atrophied terribly...but you know what it also bounced back.

So...wish me luck everyone! I'll check back into this post all week up until the surgery. Then probably post in here next week. Will see. So you won't lose me just yet y'all!
 
Determined

Determined

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2012
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I don’t have any books to recommend but hope the surgery goes well! Stay positive!
 
Rider

Rider

TID Board Of Directors
Aug 27, 2010
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Speedy recovery! The best advice I can give you is to stay positive, maintain a progress log, and stay on the forums. There are many inspirational and supportive people I met on the boards.

Also use the search engine to gather info on a variety of topics. TID’s search engine is a goldmine of solid information throughout the years. I refer to it whenever I have a question I’m not sure about.
 
Lizard King

Lizard King

Administrator
Staff Member
Sep 9, 2010
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@FlyingDragon tried to give me this motivational book about how to give handjobs with my left hand, told him I wasn't interested.

Listen to you doctor and do not push shoulders or upper body until he says to, the shoulders are your gateway to your whole upper body and you need it to be ready to go.
 
BovaJP

BovaJP

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Staff Member
Feb 15, 2013
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well, it is done! whew...
1.5 weeks post surgery as of this writing.
Pain come and goes, have had a couple very bad days. im icing it up, have a machine i fill with ice and water and it pumps it through padding that is on shoulder.

went to gym today, just sat on bike for awhile and pedaled.

man, my trap is tight af!

im not sleeping very well, but all part of the process.

more to come!
 
BovaJP

BovaJP

Senior Moderators
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Feb 15, 2013
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2 weeks post surgery.
Man, this surgery was no joke. Everyone that had it done, said so and everything i read and researched has been true lol. It is a m'fer.
i have had a couple of really bad pain spells. par for course there.
Sleep eludes me, but the tylenol PM is helping lol. I'm sleepin in recliner sofa, and have a bunch of pillows in bed that i sometimes do as well. I miss sleepn with da hubs.
the last couple of days im really puffy/bloated. not sure whats up there. doc has me on a couple things for pain and inflammation: Gabapentin (300mg), Meloxicam (15mg) and Tylenol. he offered this mix in lieu of narcotics.
i am getting the delivery of a cpm chair today. will post pics. i cant wait. it is a chair to sit in. strap your arm in and it moves your arm for you to work on range of motion.
i was out of vitamin c for a couple days last weekend and i caught a cold/virus the other day. fun times.
stayin positive, and craving a beer. may get one this weekend, see how i feel. my diet is shot to shit. trying to get back on track.
 
5.0

5.0

VIP Member
Nov 3, 2012
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Gabas and meloxicam are a good combo. I take 800mg gaba nightly and imo it works better for my shoulder than narcs. Best wishes recovering fully!
 
BovaJP

BovaJP

Senior Moderators
Staff Member
Feb 15, 2013
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IMG_9035.jpg


This puppy delivered today.
Here is the cpm machine to move my arm. Cant wait to try, prob tonight. Anything to get out of my sling lol.
 
Lizard King

Lizard King

Administrator
Staff Member
Sep 9, 2010
14,536
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Looks like a sex chair, enjoy!
 
BovaJP

BovaJP

Senior Moderators
Staff Member
Feb 15, 2013
1,261
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@Lizard King i have a sex chair, this is not a sex chair lol.

last week i worked from home. Today, i went into work. Everything is a struggle with one arm, nondominant arm.
Today, i start on the chair, the cpm machine. i logged 1 hour in the chair so far, its kinda like gettin yer cardio in during prep. so i take it one half hour at a time lol. have to get 2-3 hrs in each day.
 
trentracks

trentracks

TID Board Of Directors
Apr 23, 2011
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703
This is my first time Reading this post and I can't think of anything sarcastic to say I'll try back later
 
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