How many????

[buglebe]

I had rotator cuff surgery Friday. The physical therapist came in and spent 3 minutes going over exercises I am supposed to do. I am supposed to do 3 sets of 10 arm lifts 3 times a day. Does this add up to 90? 3 x 10 =30 x3 =90
Are they crazy? I am supposed to lift my hand straight up above my head 90 times a day? After surgery I went to the recovery room, I was offered something to drink but finally my daughter gave me some bottled water out of her purse. Of course my bladder was full to the exploding point and then they made me cough, anesthesia, and you know what happened. They offered to change the sheet but never did, my daughter took care of that problem too. I asked to go to the bathroom and finally dh and daughter took me. The anesthesiologist told them to give me some demerol but the nurse didn't want to because "it would make me sleepy". After the hour was up and I wasn't gone I was just pretty much ignored. I was discharged home from the recovery room with a prescription for percocet. I guess this is cost effective medical care and I am lucky we had insurance so I could have the surgery but this is rediculous. When I worked people at least got to stay for 24 hrs and get a little demerol. The drugs are out there in the streets. You just can't get them legitamitely evidently. I am so mad. And I hurt. I guess this is what has happened to medical care today. Any one else had similar experiences? Very unhappy camper!! Thankfully I can type with one hand.

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I WENT TO THE DOCTOR TODAY. HE ASKED ME TO SHOW HIM MY RANGE OF MOTION. I RAISED MY HAND ABOVE MY HEAD 1 TIME (NOT 90) AND HE SAID YOU ARE DOING BETTER THAN 90% OF MY PATIENTS. DUH!!! SO WHY WAS I TOLD TO DO 90???!!!

[Kelsey1224]

Yea...this sounds like "managed health care" for you. I'm sorry you are feeling so badly.

Just do the physical therapy that you can. 90 arm lifts does sound like a lot...but it is only 10 at a time. So...if you only do 5...and then 6 tomorrow. It is still improvement.

(((((((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))))

[schsa]

Do what they tell you to do. Then when you see your doctor, complain. PT is the only way to be sure that you recover full use of your arm. And if you aren't sure, call the hospital and ask for PT. Tell them who you are and what you were in for and tell them that you were too out of it to remember what they told you to do.

They will help you. But sometimes you wonder if they aren't pushing you out of the hospital a bit too soon.

[Jaidness]

I feel for you I have had rotator cuff problems on and off for years, but the PT really helps me, do what you can and just try to do one more than you think you can, I was told you don't want to push it too hard so as not to reinjure it. Good luck and I'll keep you in my thoughts.

[evrita]

I begged not to be in the hospital the 2nd time around I cried the dr didnt tell me till he was wheeling me into the surgery room he said BTW you will be staying tonight I was like I thought I was going home he then asked would you be having the surgery if I told you differnt? I didnt say a word the man knows me too well.


Let me tell ya getting that arm going right off is a good thing you dont wanna freeze up and have that surgery for nothing.


When I had my knee done by the 2nd day they had PT in my room and getting me moving and by the 3rd day i was walking and doing stairs.It hurt like heck but you need to get this stuff moving right off.

The percocet is usally the drug of choice now a days for ortho work. I cant imagine it didnt help you pain it knocked my butt thru a loop :eek:

[belle5691]

I can only imagine how miserable you feel. I, too, think they push you out of the hospital too soon. But in my husbands case, I wish they had discharged him the day of the rotator cuff surgery. Instead they kept him overnight, and overdosed him on a mixture of morphine and codeine. He had to be rushed to a different hospital by emergency ambulance because his respiratory system was shutting down...and ended up with a 5 day stay from the surgery and overdose. Sorry to vent in your thread...I wish you the best in your recovery!

[jayhawkfan]

It does suck to be pushed out too soon :( But I cant stress enough that you need to PT to get back the mobility in your shoulder. My DH works for an orthopedic surgeon and its amazing how many patients just blow off the PT and end up with all kinds of other problems. (Not saying youre blowing it off, I mean people doing nothing, ever) When they do total knees they have the patients up walking the same day just to start the healing and mobility process. It amazes me the way the body bounces back after stuff like that.

Good luck in your recovery and I hope it gets easier.

[buglebe]

Yes I raised my arm above my head and he told me I did better than 90% of his patients just one week after surgery. So why did they tell me to do 90 and I was so upset because I was not able to do 90? His stupid PA told me if I was having so much pain I should have stayed overnight for pain control. I said I wasn't offered that option. Then she said well after I got home and I was still having so much pain I should have gone to the ER. Yea right. She said she was the person who controlled pain prescriptions and it would be no point in talking to the doctor about my lack of pain control. I am still so angry!!! She said he never gave anything stronger than what I got. I have had 15 surgeries. I remember when a Lortab would knock me on my b**** but after than many surgeries I guess my tolerance has grown because it doesn't do for me what it once did. Guess what, I did tell him about the pain and he did give me a stronger prescription. I would have loved to have shown her one of my fingers as I was leaving but I am a nice person.

[evrita]

I am sorrry you are in pain but sometimes our bodies build up a tolerance if we are on alot of meds.

You should limit your computer time too if you are in such pain and just sit back and relax it will help your healing

[queenangie]

So glad that your surgery was a success and you are on the road to recovery, dear!

Hope the pain issues get helped and you reach a full recovery.

[queenangie]

BTW - new standards for knee and hip surgeries post op.
Up in the chair 1st PM day of surgery,
next AM begin Physical & Occupational Therapies with IV Pain meds going to oral,
next AM more Physical & Occupational Therapies with removal of drains,
next AM discharge either home with home health or a rehab facility.