Shoulder Xray

[Kathi49]

I had my shoulder xray done Saturday. And I thought I had a fracture until I realized there is supposed to be a space between the clavicle and "A" joint. But I feel so stupid I won't go there. :o

Anyway, I cannot see a thing wrong but I am no radiologist or doctor either. Of course there hasn't been an MRI done yet either.

All I can say for now is that I know there is arthritis there although I couldn't begin to tell anyone where it is exactly. I am just wondering if it is an impingement type of deal, what do they do for that? PT just made it hurt a heck of a lot worse. And this doesn't feel sensory or like there is weakness..it is just very painful especially if I reach forward.

Anyway, any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated. Oh, and this doesn't feel like this is coming from my neck at all. Although it could be I suppose.

[lobelsteve]

Don't reach forward! JK

A shot in the AC joint is essentially worthless. Steroid injections are good even if they only get close to the right spot.

[Mark N]

Steve beat me to that old joke:D. Sorry you haven't found an answer for your shoulder pain yet. I hope the film gives your doctor a better idea for treatment.

[Nana4&cntn]

Kathi,

I am praying you find the reason and a remedy for your shoulder pain. I also thought of the saying Steve said. This is something I hear often.

Tale care,
Kathy

[Kathi49]

Okay,

I knew I would run into some jokesters LOL!

And nothing was mentioned about a shot into the "A" joint itself. However an injection was mentioned. Maybe bursa? Heck, I don't know. :confused: Maybe something is torn...just don't know. I need an MRI of this thing I think. Ugh, I am just sooooooo over this whole bodily mess!

Which brings me right back to the Fentanyl patch. I wanted to start a new post but will just add it on here.

My husband said he will be home for the rest of the week starting tomorrow. So, tomorrow would be a good time to start it...12mcg by the way. But I forgot to ask some more questions. Sorry, but I keep thinking of things.

1) If I put the thing on in the morning, is it okay to ALSO take the 1/2 of Vicodin and 1/2 of Klonopin that I normally do? Should I wait an hour or so or what? I normally take those in the morning perhaps I should wait until around lunchtime. I also take the rest in the evening.

2) I also signed up for aqua therapy again. That pool is about 93 degrees. Should I nix the PT because of the heated pool? Some people have said they still take hot baths and such so I am just wondering. And I am normally in the pool for 30 minutes.

3) My PM said to try it for 24 hours. If I feel overly sedated and/or sick he said to just remove it and clean the area. But I still wonder...then what??!!

I can't apologize enough for all of this but I am scared to death of thing. On the other hand if it works as well as Vicodin does, it would be wonderful! And honest to God, if I could take other types of meds like NSAIDS, etc., I would! But the stomach and brain just can't hack it! I am just trying to say that if I could remain as functional as I do on Vicodin I would be happy.

Ugh, I guess I just need to accept the fact that they are saying it is a low dose. But I still worry.

[Nana4&cntn]

Kathy,

When I was on the Patch, I took my other meds as prescribed. My PM did tell me no hot baths or heating pads as they can cause a increase in the amount of med the patch absorbs into the body. I did take hot showers and never noticed a difference. I will say they caused me incredible constipation, I ended up in the hospital with an illius(sp). Make sure you have stool softeners etc. on hand.:eek:

These are MY experiences, others may have more info that contradicts mine.

I am very proud of you for taking this step!!

Take care and keep us posted.
Kathy

[lobelsteve]

Chicken?

Slap on a patch and take your meds as prescribed.
See if it works.

PT prior to MRI for shoulder pain. Your doc should guide you- if PT hurt, then they need to change what they were doing or you need to see the PT and not the ATC or PTA.

[Kathi49]

Yes sir Doctor Steve! :D (Thank you for the go ahead) :) No, seriously, I appreciate it...just wasn't sure how to handle the other meds.

The PT that was done on my shoulder oh about a year ago was done AFTER an MRI of my neck. And I think you are right...I DO believe she was an assistant. And I say that because I vaguely remember them telling me she was filling in for the "main therapist". In any case it hurt!! The pool PT was different that was for the lumbar and felt great. She did very, very little with my arms; mainly just had me to some very easy neck stretches and that was it. Anyway, I will see what my PM has to say about this xray. Oh, and I forgot earlier he did say something about arthroplasty I believe. Gosh, I wish I would listen closer LOL! The conversation too, at that time, is that I did NOT want the Ortho doc giving the injection if need be. I wanted my PM to do it instead since he uses numbing meds and the Ortho doc doesn't. He just uses some kind of spray. :eek: And the one and only injection I had from him was for trochanteric bursitis. And, NO, I did NOT run to him for an injection the minute it started hurting. :) I was in PT for months and it would just not go away! After the shot is when the hip stretches and things of that nature really helped.

[Headspin]

Due to lax ligaments, my shoulders dislocate constantly. I can relocate them myself though (Similar to a 'rubberman'). My left shoulder gives me a lot of pain though, and I am sure my right one will in the future. All of the joints in my body dislocate with ease, so I have this pain throughout my body. It is an inherited thing. When I was younger I could dislocate anything without pain, but now when my joints dislocate, many of them cause quite a bit of pain. My shoulder especially

[Lil E]

Could be rotator or acromium, maybe bone spur. I've had surgery on both shoulders for spur and acromium. A shot can be diagnostic and help to find out whats wrong. MRI definately.

Headspin, my SIL used to have that and they shortened her tendon for that shoulder.

[Kathi49]

Thanks Lil E,

My PM did take a look at the xray and there isn't a darn thing thing wrong with the shoulder. I have had an injection before which helped a great deal. He thinks it could be coming from my neck but for now aqua therapy it is. When the PT did an evaluation the other day it hurt only when manipulated a certain way; other manipulations did not hurt. I think it might be tendonitis again but if it continues I will ask for an MRI. It can be bad...but it is not painful ALL the time...sort of comes and goes. I want to see if maybe exercising it easy in the pool first might help. What I am saying is it it might be a repetitive type of deal.

[slipnslide]

Kathi,

I agree with Steve and Mark!;):D:p

But seriously....I was going to offer up another possibility. It would only show up on an MRI though. In the past, I've had calcium deposits in my shoulder, and let me tell you, the pain is intense, like it's on fire, and as if there are razor blades shoved in between the tendons and muscles:eek:. At the time that I had the problem, they were sure it was a torn rotator cuff, but as it tuned out, it was just little calcium deposits (which was one of the most painful things I've ever experienced).

Best wishes,
Kim

[Kathi49]

Thanks Kim,

I don't have burning or a razor blade feeling just an ache or a catch when I reach forward. Otherwise it is tolerable if I reach for things in a different way. I am about ready to call the ortho doc though because the pain in my upper/outside of my thighs is horrible. Now THAT is burning and aching. I think it is bursitis but I could be wrong.

[Eppy]

Hi Kathy,
My husband just tore his rotator cuff because of a bone spur underneath the ligaments. Our ortho said that reaching out in front of you is all movement of the rotator cuff. You should get an MRI. Maybe that is what is going on. His didn't show up on x-rays either. Now he has to have surgery but he needs to come off his pain meds because they won't be able to handle his pain after surgery because of the amount of meds he was on. Hope this helps!