Help for Shoulders - Torn rotator Cuff
 

Do any of you know about any preferential treatment for Torn Rotator Cuff ?
The N.H.S. in this area (Buckinghamshire) seem overwhelmed and telling them you are ex military (ie Veteran) means nothing.
5aday

See if you can get in with Frimley Park, there are two helpful military shoulder surgeons the within the bounds defined by the NHS!

For info this is my Rotator Cuff experience -I saw the GP on 17/1/17, I then had four separate appointments at the hospital for ultra sound/x-ray; scope nurse; pre op assessment; Consultant (on 27/4/17) and am scheduled for the surgery 8/6 - that's S Yorks. I didn't think the time scale was too bad. What did surprise me was that at the latter three appointments there was a 'Support Worker' present at each interview who did buggah all but sit there. Nor did she introduce herself nor say why she was there-until I asked.

5aday. Check PMs

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Well I'll bite. Why was she there?

has a supraspinatus done a year ago, wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy...

almost a year later it's only as good as it was after the incident that tore it (as well as the bicep and deltoid) after HRT which was unassociated.

If I did it again I'd try HRT prior to surgery.

do anything to avoid surgery is my tip.

Hi 5 a day
To get your PMs is simple.
On the top right hand of the page it say,s Welcome ******, underneath is Personal Messages (PMs), just click on that.:ok::ok:

5aday. I've emailed you a copy of what I posted on the pm.

Chef Bruz. It depends on the surgeon . In my case both the supraspinatus and the infraspinatus were completely ruptured, detached from the bone, and the tendons had retracted. The op and the recovery were as close to painless as you could wish. Certainly nothing that the odd paracetamol couldn't handle. The worst pain is now, some two months after surgery, which I assume is the muscles and nerves sorting themselves out. Again, standard painkillers once or twice a day are sufficient. I agree with the motion though. It is little better than before the op, but I'm told by both the surgeon and the physio that it will come back totally over a matter of months. I'm waiting for the revelation.

When I did mine in I was still on flying status with the RAuxAF. I sought medical advice and was told that surgery would take me out of fitness for the best part of a year. Without surgery and receiving treatment it would be restored in eighteen months. With no treatment it would recover by itself in a year and a half. I elected for the leave it be principle and all was serviceable in a year and a half as predicted. It was never as robust as before but as I was never a left handed overarm bowler nobody noticed. I just wish I could fix the arthritic knee I have that was caused by coming off an inflated banana at warp speed.

It depends on the extent of the damage. A torn tendon has a good chance of healing. If only a minor tear, it should recover of its own accord. In my case, they weren't torn. They had both separated totally from the bone. There was no chance that they would recover. It was necessary to insert hooks into the bone, pull the tendons outwards and attach them to the hooks, then stitch them down. The final link was made by scar tissue. I'm told that mechanically, all is as it should be (joint, bones, tendons, muscles etc), but it will take time (talking months here) for it all to function as it should.

So for 5aday, a lot depends on how badly damaged the tendon is, and the specialist's opinion as to the likely recovery.

She was there to see if I required any 'support' in regard to access to/fro hospital, post op support re washing, dressing, changing dressings etc,getting to physio etc. Any such info could have been established in the first 90 seconds or so, I didn't want to appear discourteous and tell her go away, and so she just sat there. Seemed a bit of a waste of manpower and there was a support worker for each room and there were three rooms being used simultaneously.

Didn't do "counselling" for you as a "victim" too did she

My view was, I suppose, that since many Government and quasi Government Agencies are so keen on Data Protection, that she ought to have introduced herself/been introduced, straightaway. It didn't bother me too much but I may have felt differently had it been the STD Clinic. Also it seemed to me to be a waste of resources in an allegedly cash strapped organisation, not to send me post each consultation to join a queue to see a 'Support Worker' if I needed one.
In regard to the OP, it never, ever, crossed my mind to point out at any stage that I'd served a grateful nation as a 'veteran'

Seems like a waste of resources, certainly. My op was done privately, via insurance. Consultation with surgeon one-to-one, MRI, second consultation, again one-to-one, op. I saw him next day and then three weeks later to have the stitches removed. No "support worker", none needed.

Has anyone else had experience of the new anaesthetic? I remember the old ones, with the countdown from ten, and waking up feeling dizzy and nauseous. This time, the anaesthetist came an hour or so before, gave me the usual calming pill and inserted a catheter. I can remember going into pre-op. I didn't see either the surgeon or the anesthetist, and woke up in post-op clear as a bell!! Marvellous

Herod, mine was a full thickness tear, but still attached. The anaesthetic experience was similar, however the post op pain had me sitting on a lounge suite for three days, consuming two weeks supply of synthetic opiate pain killers. I wasn't told (didn't realise) the paracetamol / ibuprofen combination killed pain as well as synthetic opiates.
When I returned to the outpatient clinic for a new prescription, the nurse said to me "everyone knows you combine synthetic opiates with paracetamol and ibuprofen."

Trouble with rotator cuff injuries is that some do well without surgery and some do not. Those that do badly without surgery do worse with a delay as muscles waste and tendons retract.

Identifying who is in which group is difficult without crystal ball.

For Herod. I have three (of the main four)completely detached tendons and should know better tomorrow what they can do locally. The hospital (in Vilnius ?)say it is no problem but costs a bit more than a simple through the key hole job.

5aday, I've just dug out the bills for my op.
The surgeon himself £ 750
Anaesthetist £ 475
MRI £ 574
Hospital (overnight stay) £ 2363 That of course included the use of theatre, drugs etc.

Total £ 4162

Plus a couple of consultations, several physio visits, say anothe £ 500

Good luck.