SHOULDER DIAGNOSIS - NO SURGERY BUT THE DOCTOR IS A JERK

Good news bad news. Good new first:

NO SURGERY! The tendon tear of the supraspinatus that was there before is still there. There is no obstruction in my shoulder that is keeping it from moving.

Bad news:

The surgeon obviously thinks that I am lying about my pain and immobility. He would not listen to my questions. He was brusque and in a hurry.

I told him that it was my physical therapist that told me there was an obstruction. He talked over me, saying the MRI does not lie.

I asked him why I could not lift my arm, and he took hold of it and tried to force it to go up, which of course caused me pain and I could not do it.

I told him I was confused why it would not go up, and he looked me right in the eye and said, "There is no reason why it can't go up."

I said, "Well, if the rotator cuff is not torn, and there is no obstruction, then is it just frozen?" He said, "There is nothing wrong with your shoulder."

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!

I asked him what the solution is, and he said I have to hit the PT hard for 6 weeks at the least, and if the therapy does not hurt real bad, it is not going to help.

I found myself trying to convince him that I don't want the surgery and that I am relieved but confused. Did he take that to mean that I am some kind of weirdo that seeks out surgery?

After he left the room, I got a copy of the MRI report. I caught up with him and asked him if the tear had improved since the first MRI in December. He looked at me like he was irritated, and said there was no way to tell. And then he said, "It hasn't gotten any worse, if that's what you are trying to find out."

Like he thought I was trying to make more out of it than there was, when the opposite was what I was hoping for. I wanted to at least be encouraged that the tear is healing.

I walked out of that place so angry. What is his problem?

Any way, I just looked up frozen shoulder and it looks like they were writing about me:

What causes frozen shoulder?
There are patients who develop a frozen shoulder after a traumatic injury to the shoulder, but this is not the usual cause. Patients who sustain a shoulder injury, or undergo surgery on the shoulder can develop a frozen shoulder joint.

What are the typical symptoms of a frozen shoulder? Shoulder pain; usually a dull, aching pain, limited movement of the shoulder, difficulty with activities such as brushing hair, putting on shirts/bras and pain when trying to sleep on the affected shoulder.

I have the symptoms of a frozen shoulder, but the doctor looked right at me and said it was not frozen. And I can't imagine why. He is either an idiot or he thinks I am faking.

I wish there had been a secret video camera in my house showing me unable to get dressed, unable to hook my bra, unable to fix my hair and unable to put my own hand on my own stomach when I lie down in bed.

Sorry for the rant. I'm just so mad I could spit.

On a happier note, I have an appointment with a new physical therapist tomorrow morning.

Also, my niece is a PT, and I just got off the phone with her, and she gave me some good advice. She said that if I have pain and immobility, I need to go to a pain clinic and get either shots or pills so that I can do the PT without having pain. She said she does not believe in pushing through the pain with PT, that it will only make the inflammation worse.

She said that since the second injury was three months ago, that it is obvious that I have chronic inflammation in the shoulder joint and am heading for a frozen shoulder.

I guess she knows more than the surgeon.

Okay. Now I blew off steam and I feel better.

NO SURGERY! DOUBLE YAY!