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Frozen shoulder or Osteoarthritis

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Dizzydi

Dizzydi

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
As the above says. The pains I have been experiencing for the last 10 months is either frozen shoulder or the spread of the osteoarthritis I already have in my hands and fingers.

I'm having blood tests tomorrow to see if they can shed any light.

If it is frozen shoulder I will need steroid injections in both shoulders which will then play havoc with the D. I'm gonna look this up as I have no idea what it is, and apparently its something that goes hand in hand with the D.

If it is the osteoarthritis pain relief and exercise.

The pain is horrendous at the moment and I can barely raise my arms which is difficult as Harry needs a lot of picking up and carrying.

How old am I ?
 
Very sorry to hear this Di :( We have a few members who have suffered with frozen shoulder - there does appear to be some extra risk where diabetes is concerned. Hopefully, they can help by sharing their experiences. Hope you get some clarification from the tests, and that the treatment offered does the job without causing problems elsewhere {{{DizzyDi}}}
 
Good luck with the tests Di.

Have you been seeing a rheumatologist for the arthritis? If it's just the GP I would query the diagnosis because osteoarthritis is usually in the lower limbs and due to wear and tear. Rheumatoid arthritis in much more common in upper limbs/extremities and is an auto-immune disorder. The treatments are very different.
 
LeeLee said:
Good luck with the tests Di.

Have you been seeing a rheumatologist for the arthritis? If it's just the GP I would query the diagnosis because osteoarthritis is usually in the lower limbs to wear and tear. Rheumatoid arthritis in much more common in upper limbs/extremities and is an auto-immune disorder. The treatments are very different.
Click to expand...

Hi LeeLee, im just under the gp at the moment, just been putting up with the pain in my hands and fingers for a fair few years. It's definitely osteoarthritis. My fingers joints are like this picture on Wikipedia but nowhere near as bad http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteoarthritis. My little fingers are the worst, my other fingers flare up on a regular basis. I believe it is hereditary as well. My gran was riddled with it xxx
 
Hello Di, good luck with the tests. I had a frozen shoulder and was offered either the steroid jab or manipulation under GA. I didn't have either and it got better on it's own - took a good 18 months though. It's a horrible thing and I think everyone has to decide for themselves.xx
 
Ditto to Flutterby's post - though I did have one steroid injection, my BG reaction wasn't as bad as it could have been as it happens - but it did NBG at all, and took in my case about 2 years to right itself from when it was agonising 24/7. This is of no help to you whatever. And I went to see a surgeon re having it manipulated and he actually said not to - he said all they do is knock you out and FORCE your shoulder to move and it can cause ripped tendons and God knows what, and if he was me, put up with the pain because it would eventually go. A chiropractor (Nigel up the top end of Church Street, Karen!) and several physios at Kidd hospital agreed with the surgeon. So no thanks anyway!

I used to drop things all the time when all the 'action' went down my whole arm and into my hand. Purgatory. But if you can support your arm in bed by sticking the pillow from the spare bed down the length underneath that arm, you can sleep a bit better when it's at its worst.

No help to you at the mo of course and sorry about that. But if it is frozen then yes you will definitely recover - eventually.
 
I'm another who was offered a steroid injection for frozen shoulder but didn't go for it (physio said it might help 'a little' but complications of D worth bearing in mind). My shoulder was never excruciating tbh, and it took me over a year even to get to the GP to see what it was - kept expecting it to just ease up.

I was told that there are 3 phases. Stiffening, painful but not getting worse, improving mobility/reducing pain until it clears. Each phase lasts the same length of time, but that time varies person to person. So if phase 1 is 6 months, in about 18 months you'll be clear.

Good luck with your tests, decision and any treatment you go for
 
Awe thanks everyone.

I'm guilty of ignoring the pain as well left arm since Jan, right just recent. I go back on the 29th to see what the verdict is and treatment options x
 
Just a thought Di, are you taking a statin? I had upper arm pain when I'd been taking simvastatin for several months. They swapped it for atorvastatin and the pain went away.
 
Hi LeeLee I'm not taking statins. So far my cholesterol is OK x
 
So it just goes away eventually?

My left shoulder is stiff and getting worse and I've been thinking about seeing a physio / getting a massage. But you guys think it'll get worse then disappear. How come it disappears?
Should I go swimming - will that help?

Anyway, hope u find a solution that works, dizzydi. There's nothing worse than chronic pain.
🙂
 
Hi Di , I have had steroid injections because of a frozen shoulder I've had for several years , I too was worried about bs but was told that the steroid wouldn't effect bs as it is not an oral steroid and only works in the area it's injected , and I've had several and my bs haven't been affected 🙂
 
you have my sympathies Dizzydi

I had a frozen shoulder L in the 90`s
had steroid injection by GP. told to see him again in ? days
first time he said it would be 3 injections. on return visit as there was no improvement he injected again, then said that's your lot/max dose I can give for some time as Ive used the lot....thankfully it worked

same thing happened again in the 00`s with the R shoulder and for some reason I ended up with a consultant at the hospital .. sorted again
as a parting shot he said you won`t get it in that shoulder again, you just have to hope you don`t get it in the L one
told him It had been and gone years ago
His reply....Oh, that's good, you only get it once so you are clear
He was right, never had it again
 
Jennywren said:
Hi Di , I have had steroid injections because of a frozen shoulder I've had for several years , I too was worried about bs but was told that the steroid wouldn't effect bs as it is not an oral steroid and only works in the area it's injected , and I've had several and my bs haven't been affected 🙂
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Thanks for the info guys. I go back to the drs on the 29th to see what all the blood test results are etc. If it is frozen shoulders I think he wants to do the steroid injections.

Its interesting to hear jennywren that the steroid didn't affect your bs. I had one in mexico 2 years ago for bronchitis and my bs went mad x
 
Dizzydi said:
.../Its interesting to hear jennywren that the steroid didn't affect your bs. I had one in mexico 2 years ago for bronchitis and my bs went mad x
Click to expand...

I've had a few steroid injections in recent years and my BS has always gone nuts too.
 
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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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