My Frozen Shoulder story (Adhesive Capsulitis)

I am sure you will remember that I was complaining of a sore shoulder and I have said in my last post that I have got one of my first Diabetes related Complications.

Here is my shoulder saga.

Last year I complained of a really (insert curse word ????) sore shoulder. So at the beginning of this year I went to the GP not the usual one I see but someone else in the practice that Mr P had seen before and he said he liked him. He checked my range of motion and said I had a rotator cuff tear. (Even showed me a shoulder model to explain it.) I had to have a cortisone injection and if it did not improve I had to see a Shoulder Specialist as I then definitely had a tear. Good but he forgot that I sometimes refer to myself as a part time google researcher. After he injected cortisone which had no effect I did a bit of research. I came across other Diabetics with Frozen Shoulders I even chatted with one on Reddit.

 I did a quick check list.

Affects more women than men - þ 
Injecting a shoulder with an anesthetic (done to me when the cortisone was injected) in a person with Frozen Shoulder this will not improve mobility, whereas in people with other shoulder conditions it will. þ 

Can have a link to Diabetes - þ 
People over the age of 40 -þ 
There are more symptoms that I checked but I can't remember them all now but one was that it is painful when moved by yourself as well as movement assisted by another person. þ þ þ 
Tick Tick Tick Tick Tick I was nearly convinced I had a Frozen Shoulder.

I had to see the GP again because that is what he told me to do. So I did.Here was basically how our conversation went:
Me : "Are you sure I don't have a Frozen Shoulder."
Doc : "No this is definitely not a Frozen Shoulder."
Me : "But the cortisone and anesthetic injection did not help?"
Doc: "Oh well then it must be torn." Got shown the shoulder model again.
Me: Will Physio Therapy help? 
Doc : Only if you want to waste your money.
Me: I wanted to see the best shoulder specialist (this was confirmed by many people who had fallen off speeding bikes) I want to see this guy - Dr B.
Doc: I don't know him but here is a note you can make your own appointment.

The waiting list for the best was also one of the best I had seen but I waited. You didn't even have an option to talk to him before X Rays where done. I had to have X- Rays in hand when I arrived at his rooms. Now the thing with a Frozen shoulder is that your X-rays look wonderful nothing wrong perfect joints. That was me and now this is my final diagnosis. R1,025.00 for the Doctors 10 minute appointment alone and we are back at what a non - medically trained patient had thought and yes you guessed it months and months of Physio hopefully not to waste my money.

This is a couple of comparison pictures to show what I am experiencing: (Please note that is not me, I like to believe my bingo wings aren't quite that bad yet.)

 The ABC are with the buggered up arm, DEF are the other arm.C is the worse one for me oh the pain. As you can see this will restrict a lot of things like Putting on a bra,zipping up a zip on the side of your clothes,Shaving underarm,scratching your back,throwing a ball for the furbabies,catching a ball. I am sure you can think of a ton more.

I have exercises I must do 3 times a day. These hurt but I am hoping we are cutting months or even years off the fixing of the shoulder. Frozen shoulder usually fixes itself after +/- 2 years but you might not regain full motion. You are basically doing stretches. It seems to be a bit of a hit and miss situation as experts do not know for sure what causes frozen shoulder, but they think that the joint becomes inflamed and scar tissue forms as this forms the tissues inside the joint shrink and harden make the shoulder harder to move. 

The recovery is a slow process as this is a chronic condition. 

Because of 20 to 30 % of Diabetics getting this condition it has gained a bad rap, with it being said that it is due to bad sugar control. Umm think of it, they don't know what causes this condition but if you are a Diabetic it is due to bad sugar control. I have even seen notes of people saying that it is because sugar has collected in the joint and now you have to break away the sugar. Yes maybe bad sugar control increases the chances of you getting it. Yes most definitely (as with most ailments) if you have it and your sugar is out of control it will take longer to fix it.

I will admit I was very worried with my diagnosis. Maybe all I had been told about my good control was untrue and here was the proof. Maybe this was just the start of worse to come, Maybe I was on a slippery slope downward and I could not stop myself. (It is not really easy to stop yourself slipping down that hill with a bloody Frozen Shoulder), I could carry on and on worrying about what Diabetic thing was to happen next but is this going to help. I could be just as unfortunate and die like Mike Edwards from the band Electric Light Orchestra when a large bale of hay rolled down a hill and collided with the van he was driving. Anything could happen.I like to relate it to this "No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow your progress, you are still way ahead of someone who is not trying."  I can certainly say that I must be better than some Diabetics who don't try at all.

Yes even though I have HBA1C's of 5.7 , I still want to get a CGM ( a continuous blood glucose monitor.) So I can be sure and be more confident in my results. And who knows maybe this will lead to a pump too. (Don't forget us Diabetics don't like change.)

Oh and don't be caught like me remember this - People with Frozen Shoulder very rarely need imaging tests such as X Rays, MRI's or Ultrasounds.

Sorry Discovery Health Insurance I think this medical condition is going to cause you some increase in expenses this year. No really don't worry I pay you over R8,000.00 per month and I will still have to worry about a self payment gap this year but that is a whole other conversation.

Keep health and keep Linked

Kim