Shoulder surgery shirt

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WriteON

WriteON

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Anyone have their shoulder redone?.....I am next month. It's sling time for 6 weeks. How did you handle clothing. Did you purchase post surgery shirts. Where and what did you get. Thanks
 
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I had 4 right shoulder surgeries and need a 5th. I was a pitcher in college. Ask the surgeon, how much mobility you can expect to have after the surgery. For all of my surgeries, I wore a sling for 6 weeks, but was able to put on/wear a loose fitting t shirt. What I learned as I approached my 2nd surgery, was practice doing things with my non-dominant hand; especially activities that require you to reach behind (pun intended) :-).
 
Bryguy said:
I need to do this, but can't figure out how I will turn pens and play the accordion after the surgery. So I keep putting it off! Let me know how it goes and best of luck.
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Let you know how it goes?? I'm looking for someone to take my place. I'm not use to sitting still.... Maybe I'll leave the dust collect running cause everything is gonna get dusty for a while.
 
I had a friend that had shoulder surgery and he wore over sized sweat shirts. He just kept the arm in the sling under the sweat shirt and put his good arm through the sweat shirt arm. Worked well especially if you don't have to go anywhere.
 
Looks like what we have here is a clear-cut case of the need to improvise, adapt and overcome soldier. Just spoofing ya, I'm looking at replacing 2 knees like for the past 10 years - and I keep putting it off, and will continue to do so until the pain of movement becomes greater than the fear of surgery.
 
My shoulders are fine, thankfully. I'm staring down the barrel of spine surgery to help out spinal stenosis, though. I'm hoping the surgeon says that perching on s shop stool and turning during the recovery phase is okay.
 
Put me on the list of need shoulder surgery. I too am putting it off. Some nights no sleep at all. That is why I am on here at wee hours in the morning. Left one real bad and now right one acting up too. Construction work took its toll on my body for 43 years. Just have heard too many horrid stories about the surgery. They say it is one of the most painful of surgeries. Good luck and keep us all up to date as you go through it.
 
Have had both knees and shoulder complete replacement. Like DrD said just adapt to needs and for sure one most important item is do the therapy , its' hard but pay off is results ,to maintain full mobility of the joints after. After six month shoulder will be good to go.
That has been my experiences with joint replacements.
 
I had my right shoulder rebuilt about 5 years ago. Doing things with my non-dominant hand was a real challenge. I suggest lots of pre-surgery practice. Don't let anyone convince your otherwise, this is a major surgical procedure and the recovery can't be rushed, if you want a good outcome. It is imperative that you do all of the physical therapy. Good luck!
 
I had my shoulder replaced years ago. Clothing not a problem. Three important things: do physical therapy as directed and make sure you have a comfortable chair that you can sleep in for up to six weeks. Post surgery upright sleeping is a must. Lastly pick a good surgeon.
 
DrD said:
Looks like what we have here is a clear-cut case of the need to improvise, adapt and overcome soldier. Just spoofing ya, I'm looking at replacing 2 knees like for the past 10 years - and I keep putting it off, and will continue to do so until the pain of movement becomes greater than the fear of surgery.
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I have several friends who have had knee replacement, one friend had both replaced at the same time. General consensus is the surgery is a piece-of-cake. It's that rehab that brings tears to the eyes. Right now I'm on my second cortisone shot in the knee. So far, so good.
 
Listening to all of this talk is making me realize that my doctor better keep a supply of needles & cortisone handy for a long time. Currently taking cortisone shots in both knees.
 
The most important everyday function that must be adapted to is what Tony punned about..it must be considered. Which is exactly why I have not had my much needed shoulder surgery on the only arm I have...there is only so far exwives will go.
 
1shootist said:
The most important everyday function that must be adapted to is what Tony punned about..it must be considered. Which is exactly why I have not had my much needed shoulder surgery on the only arm I have...there is only so far exwives will go.
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I thought I had it all figured out until I had to do that. In anticipation of my second shoulder , i started practicing right away. It came in handy :)
 
It was late 2002, some of the memory may be fuzzy...for the first few days i stuck with a bathrobe draped over the right (surgical) shoulder. After that, i'd slip out of the sling and slide my right arm into the sleeve of a t-shirt and/or sweatshirt and pull it on from there--then right back into the sling. A few that are a little larger than you'd normally wear will help, but it really wasn't that bad. The button front shirts were much trickier--easier to put on, but one-handed buttoning with the wrong hand would have made funny video!! (i had divorced earlier in the year, and though my 17 year old son was living with me--he spent most of my recovery traveling as a freestyle BMX rider)

The comments on physical therapy are spot on. Work it. in 35 years of health insurance work i have found that 50% of patients love their orthopedic surgeon, the other half thin he/she is a quack. I'm almost 100% certain the difference is adhering to PT as required by the therapist.

Best wishes, but you can do this!!
earl
 
Went through the Cortisone shots to the point the doc had to change sides of the knees, lateral to medial. That last surgery on the left knee was major, but I can still get around just fine. The Cortisone shots were very painful when they hit bone. I've got both knees scheduled for replacement probably in 2021. Not sure about my back yet but I'm pretty sure they're going to suggest lumbar fusion, we'll wait and see. Had my thumb rebuilt back in the 80's and it's held up pretty well. Went bald in the 90's...wait, that doesn't count. Lost a bunch of weight in 2019...that doesn't count either. I hope your surgery goes well and your recovery is quick and painless. Do what the doc says and don't push it. While you're laid up maybe you can write a book about your life for the family. That's what my wife has scheduled for my for post-op recovery.
 
lederer3617 said:
I had my shoulder replaced years ago. Clothing not a problem. Three important things: do physical therapy as directed and make sure you have a comfortable chair that you can sleep in for up to six weeks. Post surgery upright sleeping is a must. Lastly pick a good surgeon.
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Sleeping is my nightmare. I toss and turn at least 10-15x an hour. Cannot sleep on my back. Sleeping in a reclining chair is going to be a challenge. I might put the surgery off for about 25-30 years. By that time...oh never mind.
 
What Lederer posted is exactly correct! Get a good physical therapist and follow exactly what he/she tells you. I have a friend that laughed about the PT and refused to do it. Several years later he can hardly use his shoulder. I have had both rotator cuff surgery and a knee replacement, and let me tell you, the shoulder is by far the most painful. I had to sleep in a recliner for nearly three months. Finally my doc prescribed a muscle relaxer to get through the night. Don't put it off like I did until age 80. So glad I had it done.


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Jsavage4 said:
What Lederer posted is exactly correct! Get a good physical therapist and follow exactly what he/she tells you. I have a friend that laughed about the PT and refused to do it. Several years later he can hardly use his shoulder. I have had both rotator cuff surgery and a knee replacement, and let me tell you, the shoulder is by far the most painful. I had to sleep in a recliner for nearly three months. Finally my doc prescribed a muscle relaxer to get through the night. Don't put it off like I did until age 80. So glad I had it done.


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Appreciate what you are saying. I tend to work at recovery...and follow Doc's orders. The surgeon comes highly recommended. Highly.
 
WriteON said:
Sleeping is my nightmare. I toss and turn at least 10-15x an hour. Cannot sleep on my back. Sleeping in a reclining chair is going to be a challenge. I might put the surgery off for about 25-30 years. By that time...oh never mind.
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After ignoring it for 20 years, I had my right shoulder done 4 months ago. Luckily, they found the rotator cuff wasn't torn, and I just needed a clean up. Still, two months of recovery.

I tend to flop around at night as well. The first three nights I slept in a recliner, or on the sofa with my surgical shoulder on the "open" side. I also bought a wedge pillow for the bed, which slowed me down. I got one which was around 30" long as I'm tall, but I made the mistake of getting one 12" high. The height was a little too much, and I wish I'd gotten the 8-9 inch version.

Also, discuss a nerve block with your doctor and anesthesiologist. Basically, they shoot long-acting local anesthetic into a nerve plexus in your shoulder/neck area, and suddenly you don't have an arm for 18 hours. Really helps with the initial pain control. YMMV, but I only took two pain tablets, and one was because they told my wife to give me one prior to the block wearing off.

Good luck!
Brian
 
My wife sleeps in a recliner every night... she had a septic infection a few years back that destroyed the discs between 2 or 3 vertabra and she cannot lay flat, even with the wedge pillows... we bought a really plush recliner that has an electric motor to raise and lower the foot rest and the back so she doesn't have to strain to put the chair up right... works great for her. I have a similar chair that I nap in before bed... you don't want to go to bed too tired now do you?. 😀
 
Here I am 1 week later. So far so good. Hopefully all goes as suppose to. I'm in sling for 6 weeks. Cannot do anything with arm until cleared 3-6 months. No pens or playing pool and that is my heartbeat but this is temporary so I'll eat it. If for any reason I cannot turn for a long stretch or never again I made sure I turned as much as possible since day one. Turned everyday like it's my last day...I try to live everyday like that regardless. My surgeon is Jonathan Levy at Holy Cross Institute in Ft Lauderdale. He is the one to see for shoulder and elbows. I definitely made the right choice. So for now I'll simply check in here and see what you guys are up to. I'm looking forward to the day I blow the dust off of the chisels and the air smells from wood / acrylic. Little things huh.
 
WriteON said:
Here I am 1 week later. So far so good. Hopefully all goes as suppose to. I'm in sling for 6 weeks. Cannot do anything with arm until cleared 3-6 months. No pens or playing pool and that is my heartbeat but this is temporary so I'll eat it. If for any reason I cannot turn for a long stretch or never again I made sure I turned as much as possible since day one. Turned everyday like it's my last day...I try to live everyday like that regardless. My surgeon is Jonathan Levy at Holy Cross Institute in Ft Lauderdale. He is the one to see for shoulder and elbows. I definitely made the right choice. So for now I'll simply check in here and see what you guys are up to. I'm looking forward to the day I blow the dust off of the chisels and the air smells from wood / acrylic. Little things huh.
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Don't rush it and keep that sling on. It is also they so that you don't instinctually reach out and try to grab something that may be falling.
 
TonyL said:
Don't rush it and keep that sling on. It is also they so that you don't instinctually reach out and try to grab something that may be falling.
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Thanks...I'm locked in....and yes the arm wants to reach out. It wants to help out.
EDIT FOLLOW UP: anxiety #1 is not too bad so far. Have been sleeping in a recliner and making it though the night.
 
Hoping your recovery is quick and complete. A friend had shoulder surgery and is still in recovery and rehab after several weeks.
 
WriteON said:
Thanks...I'm locked in....and yes the arm wants to reach out. It wants to help out.
EDIT FOLLOW UP: anxiety #1 is not too bad so far. Have been sleeping in a recliner and making it though the night.
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I'm glad to hear your doing well. For me it was quite a shock when the nerve block wore off. Be sure to use the sling as long as they say. Its tempting to try to do things you shouldn't and risk further injury. Do all of the exercises the Physical Terrorists tell you to and if you have an ice water circulating machine available it is really good after therapy. Good luck!
 
tomas said:
I'm glad to hear your doing well. For me it was quite a shock when the nerve block wore off. Be sure to use the sling as long as they say. Its tempting to try to do things you shouldn't and risk further injury. Do all of the exercises the Physical Terrorists tell you to and if you have an ice water circulating machine available it is really good after therapy. Good luck!
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I really liked how I was treated in hospital. I was told to take a pain pill before the block wore off. They said control the pain now...don't try to catch up. I was down to 1 pill a day after a few days and plan to stop next day or two. Physical Terrorists....good one
 
randyrls said:
When you go to PT, ask if doing more than the minimum will help or hurt recovery. Within limits, the more you exercise the shoulder the better.
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Hi... Was given set of exercises I can do at home without a therapist. That's it for the next 6 weeks. Works well for now. Anyway other than my arm is confined I feel pretty good. I'm managing. Will do my best to get on track in whatever time it takes. What I do not understand is why people still try to shake my strapped hand. I'm speechless.
Edit: the after surgery shirt is not necessary ... not really so great. An oversized short sleeve shirt button up the front works best.
 
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