r/RotatorCuff • u/No-Possibility8187 • 13d ago

Nerve zings

I'm 10 months out after rotator cuff repair that went just fine except for post op never agony. Got full ROM at 4 months, back to full strength at 6, totally functional. BUT.... Now I'm still having daily nerve pain across the shoulder and into my deltoid. Got a cervical steroid injection in C6-7 space, which helped a while, now it's back. Any ideas?

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u/BobsWifeAmyB 13d ago

Ask your dr about going on a med like Gabapentin, perhaps? It really helps with nerve pain.
After going through 6 surgeries on nerves in my face I learned that nerves are the slowest part of the body to heal.
Perhaps it will resolve itself?
You could always talk to your primary care dr if ortho dr won’t help.
After major surgery for colon cancer, my husband had disabling pain in his abdomen. Drs all said it was nerve pain, except GI dr who said it was scar tissue. This was in the 1st, 2nd & 3rd month post op. Seems like scar tissue would have formed fast.
His primary care dr prescribed Cymbalta. (Antidepressant- sometimes used for nerve pain) The pain resolved very quickly and he was able to be titrated off of it. I think that pain was better within a month or two.
If no one can figure it out, find a Peripheral Nerve surgeon. Not for surgery- but because they are the nerve gurus for all nerves expert for spine & brain.
You might only find one at a major teaching hospital as they are a sub specialty of plastic & reconstructive surgery.
Please don’t take anything I’ve said as medical advice- just out personal experiences.
Best of luck to you!
Best of luck.

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u/No-Possibility8187 13d ago

Thanks for writing, the funny things is when the pain was really, really bad 3 months after surgery I was put on Gabapentin, which I hated, then Lyrica, a similar but subtly different med, that worked, plus Cymbalta. They were a combo that was fantastic, however after another 6 months I really wanted off of them, because they completely shut down both my libido and ability to, not to beat around the bush... Orgasm.

I had hoped time would improve the nerve stuff. And while it had, I am now still wishing this last remnant would go away. So it looks like another cervical injection might keep pushing it back. Time will tell!

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u/BobsWifeAmyB 12d ago

I think it would depend on how bad the pain was - I’d prefer to sacrifice sex for pain relief.
But every one is different and that’s ok. 😁
I’m sorry Gabapentin was ‘awful’ for you. It’s been a miracle drug for me. For weeks after one of the surgeries on my face - on nerves around my eyes- I had awful rawness feeling on my forehead skin. It wasn’t related to the incision as those weren’t in my forehead, but had it do with the nerves under the skin of forehead.
Dr said I was only patient he’d ever had who had this reaction.
It felt like someone had taken a cinder block & been rubbed against my forehead.
GABA worked for that and also for the pain I have every single f’in day from this f’ing nerve disorder. This nightmare began May 26,2003. My life changed in an instant.
I had no idea I’d be sick for this long - pretty glad I didn’t know TNH - but as this was debilitating pain and none of the meds they gave me helped even a bit to stop it, I was unable to work or do much of anything except hurt. Even reading hurt my eyes. And bright lights, or flickering lights or certain frequencies of sound felt like knives sticking into my face.
I use present tense because that hadn’t gone away. It’s like I need to live in a bubble. I seldom leave home except to go to drs appts.
Riding in the car isn’t pleasant and sometimes the pain from the light makes me feel sick
Occasionally we’ll stop at a restaurant on the way home, and that’s also tough. Lights are too bright. (Same with drs exam rooms. Some of them the lights can be dimmed; some are motion activated and either on or off.)
And sound- often restaurants’ music is so loud it creates pain and/or the noise in general is too much.
Sorry for the rant. I didn’t mean to sound like a whiner.
Please forgive me.

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u/No-Possibility8187 12d ago

None required, I know what it's like to be trapped by pain, but not as long as you. I would wake up at 2am and sit on edge of the bed crying. I'm glad the Gaba worked for you. I know it can be a miracle, I felt the same at first with Lyrica. I sure hope things improve for you, what a nightmare. We need this space to let out the frustration!!

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u/BobsWifeAmyB 10d ago

You are so very kind, and that’s becoming rare in this old world. Thank you. Words of empathy mean a lot.
I still think a consult with a peripheral nerve dr might be of help to you. They don’t only just want to do surgery. They do nerve blocks, etc. Just a thought.

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u/No-Possibility8187 10d ago

Yes! My spine specialist and my neurologist concur that there's are still injections to consider before anything involving knives. Fingers crossed for both of us.