Surgery questions

[volshooter]

I never had any surgery in pert near 61 years. In the next month I have two cataract procedures and a rotator cuff surgery.
I would love to hear from and ask anyone who has their rotator cuff worked on to enlighten me on what I'm in for. Doc said 4 months recovery. I would like to know exactly what to expect. As well as cataract surgery.
I've lived a good hard satisfying labor life.
I cannot believe that I'll spend six weeks in a sling shot sling before any rehab can start.
Please, I need to hear from members about what to expect.
Thank you Rick,

 

[any ruger]

Had both eyes done takes longer to prep you than the actual surgery. Worn glasses since the 7th grade now I just wear them for reading. Doc says so close to 20 20 that a presciption wouldn't be needed.

 

[gramps]

When they do rotator cuff surgery, it is necessary to stretch the muscles some. That is why the sling, which allows the muscles to take up that slack, to keep the shoulder intact.
gramps

 

[snowman2]

Your doctor is not lying to you I had rotator cuff surgery and was told the the same thing. I though he was full of it but he was right six weeks before I started rehab and six months before I got back to work. Do all the rehab they tell you to it does make a difference.
best of luck Harry

 

[toysoldier]

My sympathy for having to wear an immobilizer in hot weather. I had to, and it wasn't fun. As for immobilization after surgery, studies have shown no difference in range of motion between early therapy and delayed therapy. Delaying gives things time to heal well before putting a strain on the repair. Therapy isn't fun, there's some pain, and it's boring. It is also very necessary for good results.

Cataract surgery is a breeze. You go in, get some drops and I-don't-care medication, get the work done, spend a little time in a recliner, then walk out with near 20-20 vision. It's usually less than 2 hours, total.

BTW, the sling can be a good place to put your carry piece.

 

[Colonialgirl]

ToySoldier has got it right on the cataract surgery; I had both my eyes done; Should have someone to drive you home.

 

[WAYNO]

I had the whole whiz bang rotator cuff surgery two years ago. He told me 6 months recovery. Then at 6 months, he said, "did I say that? I meant 12 months". This was a tough recovery.

There are different procedures for the same outcome, and each doctor seems to have their own ideas of the best procedure. And when I say the whole whiz-bang, there's often more to it than just the rotator cuff itself. In my case, they also did a clavicle relief and for whatever reason, they also relocated the attachment point of my bicep. Apparently they don't know the whole scope of the injury til they get inside and actually see what they're dealing with.

If you want to talk, PM me your phone number.

 

[Robb Barnes]

I have been through three shoulder repairs/rebuilds and a fourth to reattach the bicep to the forearm. One were bad recoveries, just follow doctors instructions and do the rehab. One other thing is that I got REAL tired of the strap of the sling digging into my neck. I took an old leather shoulder holster and grafted the sling straps on to it and added a snap to release it at the front of sling and it relieved all the pressure off the neck. My doctor saw it and encouraged me to look at fine tuning the finish on it and make them to sell. I never did but a bunch of friends sure used it. I wish I had a picture for you.

 

[Busterswoodshop]

I don't know anything about cataract surgery but have been through a few shoulder surgeries.
I had pins put in it. Then had them taken out. Then had reconstruction.
Then had 3 inches cut off my collar bone and the top half of my shoulder blade cut off.
That was back in 1981-1982 and my shoulder still hurts.
Rotator cuff surgery would have been a piece of cake.

 

[caryc]

I had cataract surgery done in both eyes. They did one eye, then about a week later, they did the other one. When I first went in, they had me lay on a bed and put some drops in the eye. Kind of stings a bit but not that uncomfortable. About 15 minutes later, more drops and a shot in the arm to relax me. Seemed like ten minutes later they took my bed into the surgery room. I remember talking to the doc a bit, then he started. I felt nothing at all but I remember seeing something red moving around my eye, a laser, I guess. a few minutes later, he taped a see through plastic shield over my eye and said I was done. I had to wear the plastic shield to bed that night. They gave me two or three little bottles of eye drops and I had to apply the drops to the eye every four hours.

The drops were the only PIA part of the whole thing. I had to use the drops until the bottles were empty, a few days if I remember right.

A week later, I went in for the other eye. Since I knew what to expect, it was no more traumatic than getting a hair cut. You'll love your new vision !

There are some videos of cataract surgery on the net but, I really don't recommend watching them until after your surgery. They make the whole thing appear a lot worse than what you will actually go through. Remember what I said, it's no more traumatic than getting a haircut and the surgery actually takes less time.

 

[Jeepnik]

For years I had a saying, still do, that if God had meant for us to have surgery he'd have put in zippers. The chest splitting of a couple of years ago has convinced me that a saying started in jest was never the less true.

Seriously, follow the doc's and physical therapists orders and things will turn out a heck of a lot better and improve as fast as they can.

 

[any ruger]

My wife had a reverse shoulder replacement she is doing well. It takes awhile to heal up at 69.

 

[Achigan]

3 rotator cuff rebuilds here. Shaved off the bone spurs, re-attached bicep tendons , the works. THREE DAYS after surgery I was out of my sling, scared to death, with a physical therapist. All I could do was bend at the waist, lean on a desk with my good Armand SLOWLLY swing the other arm in small circles. First one direction then reverse for about 10 minutes. All surgeries are different. Do what the doc/ therapists tell you to do. I’m 85% percent+- mobility wise of what I was before the first time damaging myself. I pull a 45# long bow, drag my deer from the woods, haul my own fire wood etc. G’luck and Godspeed.

 

[Coop]

I cannot speak about your RC surgery.

I had cataract surgery summer of 2018, after several years of failing sight, especially
Night vision. My results were incredible successful. I have my vision as good as my college days. I am 76 yrs old.

 

[Rook]

If you're right handed and you have surgery on that shoulder like I did it's a real experience learning how to do things with the left hand especially going to the bathroom.

 

[gramps]

The last surgery I had was in 1968 to repair an Inguinal hernia. My temperature hit 106 degrees afterwards (malignant hyperthermia). They packed me in ice and mopped me down with iced alcohol. I won’t have any elective surgery now. That being said. Back in 2013, I had shoulder issues. Cured in 6 months using active isolated stretching exercises. Very similar to what they do for women after breast surgery. Good luck!
gramps

 

[BROKENBEAR]

Cat eye surgery is just a speed bump in life ..go for it with little worry ..

Rotator cuff surgery a bit more invasive but the real deal is ...don't just go to an orthopedic guy for that surgery ..find the Doc with in 2 to 3 hours (or less) of you who is KNOWN as the Ace surgeon of rotator cuffs ...the guys pro atheletes, professional teams and big universities use as their "go to rotator cuff fixer

Lastly stay with the rehab no matter what ..don't wimp out ...because where you stop rehab at function wise .. is what you will most likely spend the rest of you life with.

Bear

 

[vito]

I've had lots of surgery, much of it life saving as well as for quality of life such as my double knee replacement. As others have said, rehab is critically important for a good recovery. And while rehab can be painful, at least you know that it is getting you better, not doing more damage, so psychologically it is easier to work through the pain.

As to your shoulder surgery, I hope for your sake that you have gotten at least a second opinion. I don't care how good your surgeon is, getting the input from another qualified surgeon can mean all the difference in the world. For one thing, the second surgeon may not recommend surgery but only physical therapy. Shoulder surgery is notoriously uncertain in its outcome, and surgery should be the last, not the first option. I'm not accusing, but sometimes the motivation to recommend surgery might involve more than just what is best for the patient. The first surgeon might have a light schedule, plus wants a new big boat. Seriously, get a second opinion, preferably from a staff orthopedic surgeon at a teaching hospital. If both surgeons that examine you agree on the necessity of the surgery, even then they might have different ideas on technique. I had to have a kidney removed due to renal cancer. The first surgeon's technique, what he was trained in decades ago, involved removing a rib and adding a year or more of painful recuperation. The surgeon I eventually used was a teaching staff surgeon at a university hospital, who uses a more modern technique that allowed my ribs to be untouched. Still a few months of painful recovery, but not a year or more as it would have been had I gone with my local surgeon.

FWIW, I have torn rotator cuffs in both shoulders. Lifting anything more than a few pounds higher than my shoulder is difficult or impossible at times. But I have had extensive physical therapy and for the most part can live a normal, active life (I have no trouble handling my Honda Goldwing, over 900 pounds, despite the bad shoulders at my age of 76). Rotator cuff surgery, in my opinion, should be only done if absolutely necessary. Good luck.

 

[Mobuck]

"Rotator cuff surgery, in my opinion, should be only done if absolutely necessary."

I'd second that. After doing some research and talking to people who had this fix, I decided it wasn't for me. If I'm going to be limited in what I can do, I'll just skip the surgery and live with the twinges. Probably 2/3 of the men I talked to indicated they'd damaged the repaired shoulder again and one woman commented that she was pretty sure hers was going to need a do-over. I got a shot in my shoulder and made an effort to limit movements which caused pain and have managed two full years w/o the surgery.
Take a close look at what the surgeon is offering. A restored joint with full capacity or relief from pain at a reduced performance level--which can YOU live with?
Prior to my hip surgery, I asked the surgeon what his repair would do for me and how it was going to affect my future capabilities. I don't think I got the entire truth and I now have serious doubts the surgeon understood what I was expecting. Tomorrow may be an awakening for the surgeon when I broach the subject that's been on my mind for the last two weeks--was I misled in order to fill his surgical schedule?

 

[toysoldier]

I have 100% function of my shoulder following rotator cuff repair. Results vary, depending on the nature of the injury, patient's age and physical condition, and response to therapy. It is NOT a bogus operation.

 

[jack black]

They call it the PRACTICE of medicine each of us will heal and regain function differently My surgeon said to expect 70% I had 20% so a good trade for me but it is a roll of the dice Remember they get paid either way.

 

[Colonialgirl]

Anybody ever had any work done on an ankle?

 

[volshooter]

I really thank all'yall for your advise. Sunday at church I spoke with 5 fellers that have one or more of the shoulder operations that I'm a looking at. I feel much more at ease now. I'm more worried bout being put under than anything else. When I asked the doc how long till I'm over it he said 4 months...…
Since I aint never had anything worked on I thought I would unable to do anything for that 4 months.
According to my brothers that aint so. I remember seeing one driving a tractor cutting hay six weeks after they done his. My doc is very highly rated round here. My sister is a nurse there and knows him....good enough for me. Right now I cain't brush my teeth or comb my hair with that arm. Cain't remember the last good nights sleep. I wish they would call and do it ASAP, I got things to do. They are so booked up I gotta wait 2 more weeks with a useless money maker right arm. I'm more worried about being put under than anything else.
I'm ready, lets get it done.
Last night I couldn't even hone my knife...………...