total shoulder replacement pops out of socket
Hi, I had a total shoulder replacement in December 2005. Went through the therapy and rehab and after 4 months it seemed to be binding up. The therapist worked me harder as she thought the shoulder was trying to freeze up. I went in for therapy after a weekend and told the therapist that my shoulder was popping out of socket. She rolled her eyes and said there was "no way" and asked me to show her and I did. She took me, immediately to the doctors' office. She told him and he also said "I have done over three thousand of these total replacements and Never had one pop out. Take him to X-Ray."
After the X-Ray, I was walking back to the examining room, when I passed a computer screen and saw my name. The shoulder was obviously out of socket. The Doctor, therapist, and me went into the room and I told them that I had not done anything to cause the dis-location, and if I had I would certainly admit it. The therapist thought she had worked me too hard, but the doctor stopped us and said "it all comes down to me!"
Needless to say, he did a revision (another total replacement) several days later (4/06). The doctor would not say what he found on the revision, except that he put the new humeral ball in at a different angle and had a problem with the Glenoid component (socket) staying in position.
It is now October, 2006 and I am still out of work and suffering with pain and lacking any significant ROM. It seems that the problem continues from alot of scar tisssue and even though it is a total shoulder, I feel popping (they call if grinding) when I do my therapy and even though I should not feel it I can tell when the weather is about to change, from my shoulder.
The doctor and therapist both tell me that I cannot be having pain as it is all new, artificial parts in the shoulder. I tell them that I know that is the case but the new parts must be pinching me somehow as I get sharp pains when I try to use the arm and it feels like a bullet has passed through my shoulder (front to back) and I am still tender in that region. I also feel numness in the morning if I have slept on the shoulder. I will roll over and have to, literally reach over and bring the affected arm back to my body.
Having been out of work now for 13 months, I am afraid that I will never get any real ROM from this shoulder.
The situation has also aggravated a pre-existing condition of severe scoliosis. Since my activities have been curtailed tremendously during this time, I have lost muscular support in my spine and find it difficult to even stand on my feet for very long. I've had to give up hobbies like golf and restoring classic cars.
I am effectively a one armed man and have been offered No options from the doctor, who is a well known Orthopedist that teaches new techniques on joint replacement surgery acrross the world.
Has anyone else had a similiar problem with a total shoulder? I am at wits end and will be pursuing some kind of remedy for this situation, soon.
Thanks,
and good luck!
