Anyone been diagnosed with shoulder calcification?

scotty1971

elantan wrote: »

Yep i did too ... Was told the same thing lol ... Sleeping can still be a nightmare for me ... I used to sleep on the less painful shoulder at an angle ... But would always have to turn around ... I used to also need loads of pillows to support each shoulder , hubby barely got space for himself lol

It would take me ages each night to get the pillows in the right place as every night the comfortable position changed

When i would try and sleep on my side i would have to have pillows between my arms keeping my bad side supported , i also remember having to wake hubby a few times because i was stuck and couldnt move as i had stiffenend up, he would have to roll me over , he would then say well dont lie on your side , i would say ok , a few hours later i would have to shout him again as the same thing had happened ( i toss and turn alot in my sleep)

I cant lie to you i had a really intensive few months of agony which i never want to go through again , but it does slowly get better till you can get to a stage where it's manageable

Good luck

my wife says the same to me,tells me to stop moving about!!! lol

mazza111

scotty1971 wrote: »

they problem i have is that i have is that i have it both shoulders,the physio says this is quite uncommon its trying to sleep at night that i find really hard,just can't get comfortable!!

I hear you. Due to arthritis in several places, calcification and nerve damage, it's usually a couple of minutes on one side, a couple of minutes on the other side, onto the back, which annoys the hips, then back onto the side with a pillow between the knees! It's endless. Get a few spare pillows, sometimes you can manage to prop bits up just to get into a comfy position. Can't see my mattress for pillows most of the time :rotfl:

I didn't have cortizone injections for the calcification, but did have them for my elbows, I didn't find them too sore, more uncomfortable than sore.

If you're already seeing a physio, no doubt they will have told you to keep the movement going in the shoulders, but found physio and time were the best healers.

scotty1971

shoulders are certainly kept mobile,my work see's to that

mazza111

What does your physio say with regards to your job? Are you managing it ok? I couldn't have done my old job as a postie with it in all honesty, but then with 2 bad shoulders and carrying all that weight. Has physio suggested resting them for a couple of weeks or anything like that?

BTW I found the cortizone injections worked better in elbows if I didn't use the arm at all for 24 hours after the injection, so used to sling it up to remind me not to use it.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Memory foam mattress toppers and a shaped neckcare pillow may help you get a better quality of sleep.

I've got RA, hypermobility and a tendency to dislocate from the most ridiculous things, including my shoulder (which was, tbh, the most painful, the most debilitating and the longest lasting injury I have ever had in my life - it took a good three years before it felt anything resembling normality again, including an extended period of [strike]the physiotherapist looking at it from a distance and suggesting I moved it sometimes [/strike] physio) - and something that supports you without putting stresses on other parts of your body is vital.

scotty1971

mazza111 wrote: »

What does your physio say with regards to your job? Are you managing it ok? I couldn't have done my old job as a postie with it in all honesty, but then with 2 bad shoulders and carrying all that weight. Has physio suggested resting them for a couple of weeks or anything like that?

BTW I found the cortizone injections worked better in elbows if I didn't use the arm at all for 24 hours after the injection, so used to sling it up to remind me not to use it.

in regards to my work,in a perfect world the physio would like me to take some time off,but i just have to get on with it as i have a family to keep and have bills to pay.

one thing i must say is that i am so sick and tired of taking painkillers,its ben about 9 months now since the pain started.waited 18 weeks for a physio appt, and was just diagnosed with shoulder calcification last week.my physio has been excellent throughout.

mazza111

Agree with Jojo about the mattress toppers. I have the full mattress, and was advised of the mattress topper for my daughter who has HMS. So we got her a new bed with MF mattress. She now sleeps with pillows between her knees to stop them dislocating when she's sleeping. I can't get on with the shaped pillow though. I tend to build a sort of nest out of my pillows, so my head is supported but my shoulder isn't, all the pillows are kinda stuffed under my head/neck.

Several pillows work for me, although it can still take some time to get to sleep even with these. I've also found a hot bath before bed can help relax the muscles long enough to get to sleep.

Scotty, I understand the financial side, but what if you make it worse and can't work because of it, maybe a week or 2 off to rest them would be enough as fix it? Any holidays owing you could take off to give it a chance?

scotty1971

well i'm off to santa ponsa tomorrow so hopefully give them a good rest,mind you i have three young kids so don't know how much rest i will get!!!

elantan

enjoy your break

Savvy_Sue

The pillow thing is good advice for shoulders.

Are you able to get to a warm swimming pool, because moving your arm in water may be easier. Ask for hydrotherapy if you can!