Anyone here had total joint replacement surgery on a shoulder?

In my apparent subconscious attempt to have surgery on every part of my body, the doc told me today that the only way to fix my shoulder, was to replace it. I was speechless. Yes, me. Speechless.

I hurt my right shoulder about 10 years ago while building a fence. Reached above my head to grab a strand of barbed wire where we were crossing a hollow and something popped. I went to the Andrews clinic and saw one of the high profile doctors. He said I'd partially torn my labrum. He gave me a cortisone shot and that fixed me up. Around 5 years ago I was rolling a hand winch above my head and tweaked it again. This time I saw a Doogie Howser kid doctor at one of Andrews satellite offices. He did an X-ray and told me I had a bone spur in the same shoulder. He gave me a cortisone shot. It had no effect. I was keeping bees then, and started using bee stings to my shoulder. That actually helped quite a bit except sometime around then I had to stop sleeping with my right arm above my head. It hurt too bad.

For the past year it's just got to where it hurts more and more often. About 2 weeks ago I was opening one of the gates at the shop. I grabbed the gate and turned my body to pull it open. It felt like someone stuck and ice pick in my shoulder. I had to grab a knee and sit there for a minute.

I got a referral to who is supposed to be one of the best shoulder surgeons in the nation. Dr Adkinson at St Vincents in Birmingham. He did shoulder surgery on Bill Clinton while he was in office. He has a practice in China and one in Birmingham.

I got an X-ray then went back to see him. He did some range of motion tests and said I had lost 30% or more in my right shoulder. He did some tests to see how my rotator cuff tests and all that was good. Then he dropped the bomb about having no cartilage left in my shoulder joint and that the only complete fix would be total joint replacement. He showed me the X-ray and it was obvious bone on bone. No space between the head of my humerus and shoulder joint. There is also that pesky huge bone spur that he referred to as a "goat's beard" He said it was a "huge" one.

He said we'd treat with cortisone shots every 3-6 months until I decided I wanted to have the surgery. I asked him how long that would be and he said that when I couldn't stand the pain, come have it fixed. He also said that the shots might prolong this for quite a while.

Of course I thought of several questions on my way home.

Does anyone know if post surgery, if I'd be able to lift weights? What about other types of physical work or activity? This is my non dominate arm. He also said that the replacement joint he used was superior to the ones most used and it would be nearly impossible to wear it out, even if I lived a long life.

I gotta tell you, no birthday has ever bothered me at all. Those are just numbers. To know I am facing should replacement at the age of 47 has hit me pretty hard. Not so much the surgery, just the reality if I've already had 2 disks completely gone in my neck and now the cartilage in my right shoulder completely gone, leads me to believe that I'm going to have more issues later. My left shoulder has an injury of some sort but it doesn't hurt as bad, as often as my right one. My luck it'll need replacing too.

Be careful with the steroid shots, they can cause big problems. Especially if you have osteoarthritis. Long term use causes significant impact. http://www.center4research.org/steroid-injections-joint-pain/

I haven't had anything remotely comparable to what you're dealing with but I'm sending you prayers, my friend.

Interesting. It says the shots cause cartilage loss. In this case it cant' if it's specific to the injection site, because I don't have any in that joint. If a cortisone shot anywhere, decreases cartilage everywhere, then I'm in trouble. I don't know if this cortisone is the same cortisone you'd get when you have a respiratory infection but if it is, I've had lots of those.



Thanks Marlon! I don't know if I whined about my shoulder hurting the day we fished together, but if I didn't it would have been unusual. That hurts it more than anything else that I regularly do. It sucks, but I'll get past it.

A friend at work recently had what I believe was simple shoulder surgery and he was off work for 2 months. Then about 2 months of PT and his was done at St Vincent’s but no idea what doc he had

My left shoulder is completely rebuilt, collar bone, ball and socket and enough rods and pins and screws to hold it together. It was over a year before I could pick up a glass of water.
It was worse in my case because my shoulder blade was and still is in 3 pieces and unrepairable and all the muscles from my spine to my arm were ripped off.

I was told I had no cartilage in my knees and had to have replacements too. I have since learned that ortho surgeons make big money replacing joints.

I have also seen medical testimony with X rays where joints regenerated over a couple years with a perfect diet and therapy. I've been trying hard that way to get mine better for about a year. A year ago I was ready for surgery,now there's no way I would want my knees replaced.

I'm sure there are cases and ages that replacement may be a choice like a critical injury, but make sure to get as much info and second opinions as you can first.

Fur my oldest brother had a complete shoulder replacement done. He lives in Arkansas and used a surgeon up there. He said it was the best decision he ever made and wish he would have done it sooner. He had the same issue as you with bone to bone. He had not serious issues post op and his recovery went well. If no one on here can give you the information or reassurance about the surgery I can put you in touch with my brother. I am sure he will be glad to speak with you.

I can also relate to your thoughts on having a joint replacement surgery. I had a total right hip replacement at 43 and will have a total left hip replacement surgery in my near future. It definitely sucks to have major joint issues at that age especially when I haven't abused my body. I also have a degenerative disc in my L-5 of my lower back so if I live to be an old man it going to rough. I already feel like a Mack truck has run me over most days.

Well I'm in trouble. Of course I don't have any cartilage left in my knees, so that's not a problem.
But if it kills cartilage everywhere, I'm screwed. I've had roughly 30 steroid shots. And likely to have several more.

Those shots can be a life saver lol. I get them in my neck several times a year

I take Turmeric every day instead of the shots. As long as I take it, I have no pain anywhere.

Same thing here for me. Had mine done at 18 years old from an injury the surgeon said was as bad as he’s ever seen. I used Dr. Dyas in Russellville and been over 15 years old without an issue. Yes it hurt like hell. It was misery.

My 2nd shoulder surgery on my right arm was a total replacement way back in March 1997, my freshman year of high school at the age of 15. Believe it or not I started the first game of the year the following August and played football the last 3 years in high school. I worked out and lifted weights just like before and have ever since. It did however end my baseball days as I could no longer throw a ball. 22 years now and still holding fine, although it hurts some most days. Dr. Clancy at Health South in Birmingham did mine, Atkinson is supposedly the best there is.

Thanks for all the replies. I have no intentions of going under the knife anytime in the near future. I'll put this off for years if it doesn't get worse than it is now. I can handle the pain that I have now for the rest of my life. The biggest issue for me is the range of motion loss. I'm going to try some exercises to see if that improves.

Light stretching everyday! It’ll take some time.

Was warned by TOC doctor last week on danger of cortisone shots in trying to prolong rotator cuff repair. He said it weakens tensil strength of tendons.

Good luck, Brad. I’m curious as to recovery time for shoulder replacement.

Thanks man. Dr Adkinson has a patented procedure where the rotator cuff isn't removed then reattached during surgery. He said I'd only be in a sling for 24 hours.

I had a buddy who had some serious problems eoth his neck. He went somewhere and got some of his stem cells places in the affected area and it hasn't given him problems since. I have read some articles where stem cells can regrow cartilage.

Maybe worth a try before surgery... Who knows. If interested, let me know and I'll track the info down. If I don't reply to this thread please shoot me a PM.

You had a total shoulder replacement at the age of 15? I’ve never heard of anyone that young getting a total joint. Did you have some type of significant injury that led to that?