topic Re: FALLING APART! in Among Friends

FALLING APART!

Shanus — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 13:35:45 GMT

OK, so I'm not one to whine and have a high pain tolerance. A few weeks ago my shoulder started hurting. I thought nothing of it until I tried to reach behind me and hook my bra and OOPS! My arm just could not reach back and up.

I went to my PCP first who said it looked like a rotator cuff injury...inflamation of the surrounding "capsule", not ruptured, so no imagry needed. Huh, how did I do THAT? I'm so careful lifing weights and doing yoga. I did gymnastics from age 4 through the team in college and was a runner (6 miles a day until age 65) without injuries and NOW at 72 I'm falling apart?

So, for the last several weeks, PT twice a week, acupuncture twice a week (my acupuncturist is also a physical therapist...double whammy) and exercises with strechy bands to do at home each day. Today I hooked my bra. YAY!!!

I have 3 more weeks of PT/acupuncture and finished. It feels much better. Hot baths with epsom salts help, too.

Kinda "down" since this is my first age related sign that's limited some activity. Never one to give up or give in, I'm still doing my makeup/skincare appointments, walking and working out except that shoulder. I'm also still able to paint.

Advil is wonderful!

Re: FALLING APART!

poco09 — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 13:42:49 GMT

Sorry to read of your shoulder pain. You may want to try hooking your bra in front and spinning/twisting the hooks around to the back and then pulling up the straps. I started doing it this way when arthritis made it too painful to reach around my back. Hoope this helps.

Re: FALLING APART!

Big Joanie — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 13:50:15 GMT

I had shoulder pain .. intermitent .. on and off .. for about 5 years ..

I also have a high pain tolerence .... but then the pain got severe .

where I would just cry .. it was like a constant tooth ache ..

finally had torn rotater cuff diagnosed ... had surgery ..and the

shoulder is no problem now ....

Re: FALLING APART!

KailaS — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 13:50:57 GMT

I hear you. I am 73 and currently am in PT-- this time for an SI joint issue and severe knee arthritis. I was 100% active and independent until my early 60s. Throughout that decade of life, I battled all kinds of illnesses with cancer taking all or parts of several organs. But I kept moving forward, by myself, and into my 70s. I breathed a sigh of relief. Now my joints and muscles keep sending me to PT. I keep asking if I still have a warranty on this old body. I am happy to be on this side of the dirt, so I have no big complaints. At least my body has not been recalled.

Re: FALLING APART!

Big Joanie — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 13:52:00 GMT

Yes .. its discouraging .. when things start to go wrong at our

age .. I am 73 ... but we just have to keep plugging along ...

Good Luck ...

Re: FALLING APART!

shaggygirl — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 13:55:12 GMT

Hang onto your boot straps because from here on.........well I'm not even going to say it.

Well okay I will but will be gentle with this news.......every month or so something new will crop up. For the most part just little things that will make you say "oh cr*p now what" but that's the way it is.

Re: FALLING APART!

PINKdogWOOD — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 13:58:46 GMT

@Shanus Not sure it's old age, stuff like this just happens to us. I couple of years ago I suffered the same pain and did nothing in my life like you've done. What I can say is keep doing your PT and acupuncture to help you through this. This is what saved me - along with a couple of cordisone shots that just became necessary for me. My pain was keeping me awake because at night there was no position I could get into that did not hurt.

Good luck, I hope eventually the pain goes away and you can get back to your normalcy.

PS - oh that bra thing - hook in the front then spin it around, be careful slipping into the straps.

Re: FALLING APART!

Shanus — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 14:01:50 GMT

@poco09 wrote:
Sorry to read of your shoulder pain. You may want to try hooking your bra in front and spinning/twisting the hooks around to the back and then pulling up the straps. I started doing it this way when arthritis made it too painful to reach around my back. Hoope this helps.

@poco09 Problem solved. I purchased a few front hook bras at Kohl's...I also wear my sports bra that hooks up the front. TMI...could get by without wearing a bra at all. LOL

Re: FALLING APART!

Shanus — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 14:03:52 GMT

@KailaS Sounds like you're a fighter, too. Onward and upward. Keep feeling well.

Re: FALLING APART!

Shanus — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 14:06:41 GMT

@shaggygirl Oh, I hope you're wrong. I'm healthy as a horse with great habits, diet, exercise, keep my weight low and all systems are GO. Each time I have my physical, I get an A+.

Re: FALLING APART!

shy bobcat — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 14:07:49 GMT

@Shanus

I am sorry you are having this problem with pain. I have had similar symptoms and so far, have not needed any surgery.

I know it does feel like you are falling apart but, this seems to just be a "bump in the road." My pain took several months to disappear but it finally did without a visit to my physician or PT. I applaud you for seeking medical advice and hope your shoulder is better soon.

Re: FALLING APART!

Shanus — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 14:10:46 GMT

Thanks @shy bobcat . Surgery not on the horizon since rotator cuff not torn or ruptured...just a warning to strengthen the surrounding muscles.

Re: FALLING APART!

shaggygirl — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 14:47:54 GMT

@PINKdogWOOD wrote:
@Shanus Not sure it's old age, stuff like this just happens to us. I couple of years ago I suffered the same pain and did nothing in my life like you've done. What I can say is keep doing your PT and acupuncture to help you through this. This is what saved me - along with a couple of cordisone shots that just became necessary for me. My pain was keeping me awake because at night there was no position I could get into that did not hurt.

Good luck, I hope eventually the pain goes away and you can get back to your normalcy.

PS - oh that bra thing - hook in the front then spin it around, be careful slipping into the straps.

@PINKdogWOOD

I've had a couple of those cortisone shots in my day for frozen shoulder and can I just say I'd like to have grabbed that doctor by the you know whats and ripped them off so he'd know what real pain felt like. It was awful But even worse was one I had in the joint where thumb meets hand. I saw stars.

Like you I also hook in the front and spin because my left arm still doesn't go as far back as needed to get the job done.

Re: FALLING APART!

CrazyKittyLvr2 — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 14:56:16 GMT

I'm glad the PT is working for you. I started fallling apart at 66 or so.

I had left hip replaced 9/18, right knee 11/19.

Up until a week ago I had no joint pain anywhere. Nada, zip, zero.

I got up out of a chair and bam, the left knee started up. I did nothing that would have caused pain, no fall, no twisting etc.

I'm done. I will never have another knee replacement, it can fall off.

Re: FALLING APART!

BlueFinch — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 16:40:35 GMT

I remember reading someone's comment about aging. She said: 'Every morning when I wake up, I feel like I just stepped on a landmine. I spend the rest of the day trying to put myself back together again.' It made me really laugh, until it was me.

Re: FALLING APART!

riley1 — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 16:49:26 GMT

@Shanus - When I was meeting with the surgeon that was going to do my rotator cuff surgery, I mentioned that I thought I did everything right. Been active all my life, played tennis, bowled, weights, ate right, etc. Here's what he said to me - "That's the problem, you've been active all your life and things are wearing out". Funny answer, but not, lol.

I had my shoulder done and it took months of PT, and by about a year it was pretty much back to normal.

Btw, those darn bands hurt the most in PT.

Re: FALLING APART!

just bee — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 18:04:48 GMT

@Shanus

Sorry to be the one to tell you, but we're at the age where checking your blind spot can lead to paralysis.

Be careful out there.

Re: FALLING APART!

teganslaw — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 18:09:08 GMT

@Shanus I'm only guessing here, but is it possible that the pain is caused by too much exercise and your joint got worn out?

I mention this because my sister does yoga and injured her leg while doing it. I guess she twisted it, so had to quit yoga until it healed.

Re: FALLING APART!

LindaSal — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 19:20:02 GMT

@riley1 That's a very good point. I also was very active all my life, gymnastics, cheerleading, skiing, step aerobics.....on and on. I have been pretty fortunate most of my life as far as injuries go. I did fall down the stairs at age 16 and fractured my tailbone and it would bother me on and off over the years but I would always bounce back. I've also had sciatic pain on and off but again, it doesn't stop me from being active as I still push myself to work out. The past 6 months has been a little different for me and I just turned 60, yikes! My sciatic bothers me more and more and my PCP sent me for an xray which showed multifple levels of arthritis in my left hip and lower back. I'm sure most of that is from that good 'ol fracture but he also said some could be from over exertion when I was younger. All in all, I keep plugging along as well as I can (we must keep moving!) and I realize now it all comes back to bite you in the a**.....LOL

Feel better @Shanus .

Re: FALLING APART!

Shanus — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 20:07:37 GMT

@riley1 wrote:
@Shanus - When I was meeting with the surgeon that was going to do my rotator cuff surgery, I mentioned that I thought I did everything right. Been active all my life, played tennis, bowled, weights, ate right, etc. Here's what he said to me - "That's the problem, you've been active all your life and things are wearing out". Funny answer, but not, lol.

I had my shoulder done and it took months of PT, and by about a year it was pretty much back to normal.

Btw, those darn bands hurt the most in PT.

@riley1 I don't mind the bandds. I know the muscles around the shoulder area need to be stronger.