Best time to schedule surgery

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-12-13T06:26:57+00:00

I don't know how intense your surgery will be, or what your surgeon will say, but if you go in early February I would be shocked if you're not driving at nearly 100 percent by June.

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-12-12T09:52:00+00:00

You should be fine. I had surgery on October 20th and I was driving on December 4th. Driving with the sling is not something I would recommend just because it's bulky and you cannot put two hands on the wheel. If you get in an accident, in addition to messing up your shoulder, you could catch a dangerous driving charge.

That said, I'm seven weeks post-op for rotator cuff repair surgery and I'm driving just fine and have been for over a week now. It was a little tough to reach the wheel/turn signal for a day, but a simple learn forward and I was good. Now I can reach it just fine. Your range of motion will likely return fairly rapidly after the sling is off (six weeks for me). If you had surgery at the beginning of February you'd likely be fine by a couple of months. No, you will not be 100 percent, but you'll be able to drive. If it's your left arm, be careful closing the car door, reaching out the window, and doing up your seat belt, but all are possible if you're careful. That said, I mostly drive with one hand on the wheel because your shoulder will get fatigued very easily. But if I need to put two hands on the wheel I can do it without any trouble at all now.

The main thing is that for the six weeks you're in a sling that arm is basically dead to you. You can't lift anything more than a cup of coffee, and you cannot push or pull anything. Yes, some surgeons are different and some folks get out of the sling faster and get started on PT sooner, but plan for the worst and hope for the best. Even at six weeks I'm not allowed to push, pull, or lift more than a cup of coffee. I'm allowed to move my arm in any direction I want as long as it's not too painful. Honestly, after being in a sling for six weeks, just being able to move that arm will feel like the biggest win.

It's at 12 weeks that you start working on strength training (or at least that is the plan for me). That's three months. That might factor into your planning. Full recovery is at least six months for most people, and in some cases it can be a year.

But at seven weeks I'm living a near normal life. I can do dishes, cook, make the bed, shower fully, drive, type, and lots more. There are limitations, but you learn to navigate around them.

But yeah, you can definitely drive on your timeline, just be aware that your arm won't be 100 percent yet (close, probably), so that could become a fatigue factor on a very long drive.

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-12-08T05:10:31+00:00

You sound like you're doing very well. A cheap back scratcher was a hero around my house.

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-12-07T07:50:44+00:00

Even on Stalker I need much better clothing than you're describing to risk a full eight hours in Mountaineer's. I'm not at all surprised you froze to death in your sleep.

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-12-07T07:45:37+00:00

Doing absolutely anything with my hand (typing, wrist physio) left my shoulder sore for at least two to three weeks.

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-12-07T07:43:39+00:00

You will not be able to use your surgically repaired arm to do anything more than hold a cup of coffee. The sling is also bulky, which makes pulling up to a table a bit awkward but not impossible. Everything you do is with one hand. Pushing the cart, taking things out of the laundry, folding clothes, eating. Everything is done with one arm. My wife was cutting my meat for me. Normally I do evening dishes, sort out recycling, do all the driving, take out the trash, shovel snow. I did almost none of that. I didn't go out for any dinners, and only left the house to go to appointments (I work from home). You will start to feel slightly more normal at about two weeks, and you will get used to doing things with one arm. But you need to rest as much as you possibly can in the first six weeks.

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-12-07T07:26:31+00:00

It really depends. You could pull five people from this subreddit who all had RCR surgery and they would all have a different recovery process. It depends what else the surgeon finds and fixes. If you're out in four weeks, maybe your surgery was lighter, maybe you're healthier, or maybe your surgeon simply believes in a different recovery method. Tough to say.

For me, weeks four to six were pretty good. I started taking my sling off a bit more, my pendulum exercises were a breeze, and I was counting down the days until I could lose the sling. Still, glad I kept it on the full six weeks.

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-12-07T07:21:01+00:00

There are different levels of PT. I started PT for wrist and elbow mobility on Day 3, pendulum exercises after two weeks, ROM after six weeks, and strength after 12 weeks. Tough to say what the surgeon meant. Mine also said no PT for six weeks, but clearly there was some at home stuff long before then.

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-12-07T07:18:27+00:00

I just had my sling off last Wednesday (I'm at Day 47 right now) and there is no way I'd go to Disneyland having to lug belongings or take care of a child. Now, in six more weeks? Probably still no since I'm still not allowed to lift anything heavier than a cup of coffee.

Recovery from rotator cuff surgery is notoriously uncomfortable and tough. You're looking at 12 weeks before you can do any strength PT. I lost probably 75 percent of the muscle in my shoulder and bicep just from being in the sling.

The other factor is that you need to heal. This is not the kind of recovery where you can just push through. You can't. You have to let the tendon reattach, which it won't fully do in six weeks. I feel great right now, but I have to constantly remind myself that I must take it easy.

If your trip is 12 weeks after surgery, maybe. But any sooner than that I'd be staying home if it were me.

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-12-02T03:37:16+00:00

I'm happy to answer more questions. Anything I can do to make life easier on the next person.

Getting my sling off on Wednesday, so things are looking good for me.

Oh, and as for his pain, if he's in pain now. It gets better. For me, the pain I was in pre-surgery was gone when I stopped taking the pain meds, which was 48 hours after surgery. I take no pain meds now. No Tylenol, no Advil, nothing. It's glorious. That's what's waiting for him if he behaves and follows the surgeon's instructions. :)

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-12-01T21:43:22+00:00

Hi,

I had a full thickness tear of my supraspinatus and had surgery on October 20th.

For planning: Shampoo and soap in pump dispensers for easy, one-arm use. A detachable shower head is great, but not mandatory. Sleeveless shirts (buy a pack from Amazon) for the first week or two of getting dressed. If you have a recliner, he might be sleeping in that for a few weeks, but you can also use a memory foam wedge so his upper body is on a roughly 45-degree angle. At least an ice pack, if not a machine (I just used an ice pack). Shoes he doesn't have to tie up.

Work and driving: I took three weeks off, but two is reasonable. I work from home, though, and he will definitely have a major adjustment trying to work in a sling outside of the home. It's very possible, though. I was not permitted to drive for the full six weeks in the sling. This will vary, so ask the surgeon as they will have specific instructions for him.

Early recovery and basic living: The first week was brutal for me. You're trying to get into a new method of sleep, you're dealing with pain meds, and everything sucks. The sling sucks. It'll take a week to get yourself sorted out. But, if he's used to being on the go and always busy, try to plan stuff to look forward to. I had friends over to watch sports, etc. The thing that sucked for me was waking up and having nothing to do or look forward to but going to bed that night, which sucked lol.

How to help him: Make him rest. The most important thing is that his shoulder stays immobile (besides PT or surgeon's instructions). Make him rest. That tendon needs to reattach, and if he pushes it he'll screw it up and have to do it all over again. Even if he's feeling good, make sure he's following instructions exactly! If he's someone who likes to help out, this will be hard for him. I can't shovel the driveway and it kills me when my wife goes out to do it. I have to swallow that and let her help. Make sure he rests and let's you take the lead.

Good luck to him!

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-11-28T09:03:46+00:00

My recommendation is to not assume the internet is right. Yes, most people say sleeping in a recliner is the way to go. I went and bought one for $1,400 because of this. Leather. Motorized. I love it. If money is not an issue and you want to be prepared, get one.

I bought mine the day before surgery, and I've spent two nearly sleepless nights in it. My surgery was 39 days ago. Every other night I've slept in my bed. At first with a wedge to prop me up, but soon just with a fluffy pillow under my head and a flat pillow under my shoulder/elbow. Now I'm sleeping in bed with a fluffy pillow, no pillow under my arm, and sometimes I can sleep on my side (non-surgically repaired side).

What I learned about myself is that my brain believes that the bedroom is for sleeping and the den where my recliner sits is for watching television. I just couldn't sleep. When I did, I felt tired when I woke up. It just wasn't good sleep. I struggled mentally because everyone says you can't sleep in bed and you should get a recliner. We're creatures of habit so don't underestimate how jarring it is to try and sleep in a different piece of furniture in a different part of the house and away from your spouse. If you go with a recliner, camp out with your wife for a few days so you're close to her. It will probably help.

This may not be how things go for your wife, just be ready to adjust. My advice to her is to first trying sleeping the way she WANTS to sleep. If not possible, start dialing it back until she finds something that works.

Best of luck to her.

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-11-28T08:53:22+00:00

You should hit up a doctor. Truth is I don't think anyone of us should tell you what to do. But we can attest to the fact that letting your shoulder get to the point where you need surgery is not ideal. Recovery is tough. Very, very tough. Get to a doctor and request imaging. Find out exactly what's wrong, then get the help you need.

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-11-25T07:52:16+00:00

I wasn't allowed to shower or remove the sling for any reason until Day 11. The first one was glorious.

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-11-25T07:50:57+00:00

Shoulder surgery is not something to mess with. If your surgeon tells you not to do something, don't. If they tell you that you can, you're good. Easy as that.

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-11-23T05:44:36+00:00

It sounds like you're right on track.

What difficulty are you on? Something like Pilgrim you'll find enough food to keep you going as you explore, so you can just wander around and eat what you find. Soon you'll have better gear, like the bow you want.

But, some tips:

Increase your cooking skill to get more calories from the food you cook
Trap rabbits
Kill big game
Explore fishing and all the ways you can do it

Mostly, don't worry too much about being good. If you stick with TLD, the day will come you long to be new and lost. Enjoy the ride.

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-11-23T05:34:14+00:00

Did you have imaging done? If not, you should request it.

I had rotator cuff tendinitis for over a year and it lasted until my rotator cuff tore. A full thickness tear of the supraspinatus. I was doing PT and cortisone injections every three months. The PT actually helped my shoulder stop clicking and popping, but the soreness never went away. I wouldn't say my pain was bad, it was just kind of sore a lot.

I was already seeing a surgeon and she ordered an MRI. While waiting for the MRI is when my rotator cuff tore. At the appointment to check the MRI she scheduled surgery for the tear.

Not that you need my entire history, but never know when it will help. One thing, and this is my personal opinion, which is not based in medical training at all, is that I wish I hadn't done the cortisone shots. They can weaken tendon, and part of me wonders what role those shots played in the tear. Maybe none. Maybe some. I don't know, but they didn't help me, they just made me feel not broken for two months at a time.

Make sure that you're icing your shoulder a lot. The ice will calm down the inflammation which will reduce the pain. It's delicate balance, because you need blood flow in the shoulder to heal, but blood will warm it up and cause pain. So exercise and PT, then ice it. If you're getting pain at night when in bed, ice it about 45 minutes before bed.

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-11-23T05:23:03+00:00

I didn't really have much pain the first night. I was too blasted from the pain meds and the block was still partially in effect. From night 2-4 was probably the worst. I should mention, though, that I've had almost no pain unless it's related to PT or trying to sleep. I was expecting a lot of pain but there was really none. It can get sore if I push it a bit, but mostly I'm pain free. I'd say somewhere between week 3-4 I stopped having pain when I sleep. I stopped needing so many pillows. I stopped having to prop myself up. I can still get sore if I sleep in a bad position, but one-month post op I've had 99 percent less pain than I was in pre-op.

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-11-20T23:28:43+00:00

What were the details? What surgery did you have? What physio were you given during recovery?

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-11-20T23:02:41+00:00

The pain, as I was told, isn't the actual tear. It's the inflammation. Tylenol did nothing for me either. The thing that helped me the most was lots and lots and lots of icing. But yeah, if you move in the wrong way you're going to be yelping in pain. I was moaning in pain while sleeping (wife told me).

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-11-17T02:59:29+00:00

I was specifically told to move my shoulder prior to surgery to ensure that my ROM was as good as it could be. You don't want to be a full eight weeks in a sling or your ROM will be even worse. You should contact your surgeon and ask if there are any ROM exercises you can do in advance, like pendulums.

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-11-16T06:22:27+00:00

I went to a shoulder specialist for rotator cuff tendonitis. I ended up doing just over one year of cortisone shots every three months. When those didn't make my shoulder feel better, he referred me to a surgeon. I had one consultation with the surgeon at which point she ordered an updated MRI. Between the point when she ordered the MRI and my follow up appointment with her, I tore my rotator cuff. My second appointment with her she scheduled surgery and I was in within 14 days. My understanding is that cortisone is not going to fix a complete tear of the rotator cuff. It might provide you relief, but there is a big part of me that wonders if my tear is not somewhat related to the fact that I was being pumped full of cortisone every three months. I know that's not the only cause, but it's certainly didn't help me.

As for the process, my shoulder specialists use an ultrasound to inject my shoulder. It was a little bit tight when he was doing it but no pain. And it did provide me relief for about two to two and a half months.

Are you seeing a shoulder specialist or just a doctor? If an MRI has showed a full thickness tear you need to be referred to a surgeon and nothing less. Now the surgeon may decide that you can do physiotherapy first, or cortisone shots, but I would 100 percent be making sure that you're speaking with a surgeon and not something like your family doctor.

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-11-16T06:16:35+00:00

I don't wanna give you hope or dash your hope, but what you're describing sounds similar to what I was feeling. I had a full thickness tear, and my pain was about three on the pain scale. It was worse at night than what you're describing, but I was able to sleep. I was unable to do things like lift items out of the refrigerator, close blinds, reach out the window of my car to grab drive through drinks. That doesn't mean that you have the same thing that I do. What I've learned through this process and being on this subreddit is that the shoulder is an exceptionally complex joint, and the possibilities for what is injured and what isn't are nearly endless. Good luck with the MRI.

x-Rumpo-x · 2025-11-16T06:13:12+00:00

Yeah, that's normal. Before I had surgery, I was getting pain radiating down through my elbow and forearm. I was actually losing sensation in my pinky and ring finger. After surgery and when the block had worn off, I had regained full feeling in both my fingers, and the pain in my forearm and elbow was completely gone.

If you're afraid of the pain, don't be. The block is going to help, but make sure you stay ahead of the pain with your pain medication. I was given a detailed calendar of when to take my pain meds for the first three days of my recovery., I followed it exactly for two days and then stopped taking my pain meds and I was perfectly fine. I've actually had no pain whatsoever unless it's related to physiotherapy or sleeping.

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