24 Hours After Shoulder Surgery: Whoever Said This Was a “Minor Procedure” Lied!
😩
So, I’m now 24 hours post-op following my arthroscopic subacromial decompression — which, in plain English, means they shaved bits of my shoulder bone to create more space and stop everything rubbing together.
The surgery itself went well.
The recovery? That’s another story.
I’m taking Co-codamol 30/500, two tablets every six hours, exactly as prescribed. The problem is that it barely takes the edge off the pain. The stabbing breakthrough pains are relentless and sharp enough to bring tears to my eyes.
To add insult to injury, I was told to start gentle exercises 24 hours after surgery, including lifting my arm and holding it for ten seconds. Sounds reasonable, right?
Except I can’t even abduct my arm away from my body without seeing stars. The pain is absolutely excruciating.😣😣😣
It feels like I’m stuck in a vicious circle. I need to do the exercises to regain movement and strength. I need to start ditching the sling so my shoulder doesn’t stiffen up. But I can’t do the exercises because the pain is so severe. And because I can’t exercise, recovery risks becoming even harder. 🥺
The irony is that I hate taking tablets. Anyone who knows me knows I’m not someone who reaches for medication at the slightest discomfort. But right now, for the next few days at least, I genuinely need something stronger.
When I challenged the consultant about the pain relief, I was told that hospital guidelines state Co-codamol is sufficient for this procedure. My response? Pain isn’t a one-size-fits-all experience.
If your pain is 3/10, it doesn’t automatically mean mine is 3/10.
Pain is subjective. One person’s discomfort is another person’s agony. We all have different pain thresholds, different bodies, and different recovery journeys.
The answer? If I need stronger pain relief, I should contact my GP.
Which feels a bit like being told, “Good luck with that.”
So here I am: one shoulder down, one bruised ego, a sling I already dislike, and a packet of painkillers that seem to be fighting a losing battle.
Recovery isn’t a sprint. But right now, it feels like I’ve barely made it to the starting line. 😩
And the frustrating thing is, I don’t have the luxury of a long recovery. Terry has been carrying so much already, and I need to get better so I can help look after Maya again. Right now, that’s my biggest motivation to push through the pain and get this shoulder working properly. 💪
Maya Nash Cancer Journey
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