Type 1 and Frozen Shoulders

Carpal tunnel operated on 20 years ago - both hands.
Frozen shoulder off n on for 6 years.. Consultant I work for offered steroid injections but said he didn't recommend as they are hell for blood levels.

Perseverance with physio, gardeing and gym has freed my left arm totally but right arm is still only about 80%. Nice tho to be anle to put left arm under head at night. Persistence with mobilising them was the only thing that has given relief.

Hi everyone,

I promised to give you an update on my Hydrodilatation procedure.

I had a follow up consultation with the orthopaedic surgeon yesterday, one month after the procedure and it was good news, as I expected.

Upwards movement of my right arm is now 135 degrees, not quite straight up (was 40 degrees) and sideways is now 35 degrees (was 20).

I.e. I couldn't hold my arm pointing forwards (90 degrees); now I can reach up to items on the top shelves of kitchen cupboards, I can dress myself, and I can close the boot of my hatchback car. In addition I have very little pain (usually only after a Physio session or if I overdo things, but that's natural).

I can't yet use my right arm to reach behind to get the car seat belt and (if I were a woman or a lumberjack*) up my back high enough to fasten a bra. I can reach into my back pocket and perhaps about a 1/3rd up, which is a substantial improvement.

OK, confession time: the orthopaedic surgeon advised me to begin Physio sessions within 3 days of the procedure. Fine and dandy, but in practice, my actual appointment was given 6 weeks away, so I plumped for private treatment in the meantime, which I appreciate isn't an option for most.

In addition, I've been regimental about doing my stretching exercises twice a day.

The surgeon advised that if the procedure worked (70% success rate), then I could expect it to improve for 3 weeks. With the help of weekly Physio sessions (and exercise) it's improved measurably for four weeks in a row so far.

The orthopaedic surgeon thinks it will still take up to 18 months to 2 years to fully recover, but the procedure has given this a "turbo boost" in his words.

I'm delighted with the results and can live with the current mobility, even if there's no further improvement, although I do hope there will be more.

I did ask about recurrence and he warned the only thing I could do was to maintain good control of my BG levels; exercise , diet and supplements will not help diabetics as preventative measures.

I would definitely recommend Hydrodilatation to you if it's available in your area: it's quick, relatively painless and if successful, gives fast results.

Good health and keep rocking,
Tony
LedZepTT

*Wasted on anyone too young to remember Monty Python

I've had my frozen shoulders for 3 years now I've had key hole surgery on one and that sorted it right out back to normal again now just waiting on my date for my other shoulder to be done which should be in the next couple of months finally after years of being on morphine, tramadol, and paracetamol I can think about getting off all this medicine once I've received the final surgery,i don't envy anyone who has frozen shoulders as it is just so painful all the time but my recommendation is get the operation done good luck

My frozen shoulder was manipulated under anaesthetic several years ago while I was under for unrelated surgery. I had physiotherapy afterwards and it has been fine ever since. If I was you I'd ask about MUA.

Yes I had the manipulation as well but it did not work at all just gave me a bit more movement so had 2 general anaesthetics in under 3 months not good as they totally mess your diabetes up

I have frozen shoulders too and was given a gel to rub on them by the Dr. Yes it is painful if you over use your shoulder or try to reach for something up high. I too have had steroid injections into my shoulders, have had physio, Been on steroid tablets the lot and just have to put up with it and hate it when I have to groom my poodles. I have struggled so much that now I have a groomer who will bath and clip them. I still prefer to do the toy poodle faces and feet because I am fussy and like them to be clean and the groomer does not like to do toy poodle faces or feet. Housework is the painful bit, but doing it bit by bit and not worrying about it too much has helped me cope with the condition.

Ladybirdy75 said:

I'm wondering, all you lovely people who have commented, if any of you have heart problems?? I had a heart attack on 19th March and consequently been diagnosed with further coronary heart disease. It is a factor and increases risk for frozen shoulders.

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Frozen shoulders, trigger thumb and heart disease. 20 months ago I had a triple heart bypass but now I feel great!

Hi all. I have frozenshoulder in both shoulders and have had sugery once on right and twice on left as it failed first time! I thought my consultant was just using my diabetes as an excuse when he said it was prevalent in diabetics that was until reading the forum today i hadnt met anyone else!!! Now i think my right shoulder is starting again boohoo was first operated on 8yrs ago now. Ive also startec witb duptytrens but no surgery required ye as fingers still straight! So nice to know im not alone cos you do feel isolated sometimes.

T1 for 20 odd years - I think I've got frozen shoulder too, right shoulder is painful during certain movements which restricts how far I can move it, also a dull pain in bicep area - been like this for months. Was on holiday last week and I can't now skim stones, first attempt I was in agony, left my daughter to try skimming stones to it - didn't want to be shown up by an 8yr old! funnily made an appointment to see my GP yesterday and then found this thread.

I first developed frozen shoulder in my left shoulder in Nov 2010 - the first few months were not too bad, intermittent pain and I didn't think too much of it. By April 2011 I was in agony, the slightest bump set it off. I was barely sleeping, waking up screaming (the neighbours must have thought I was either being killed or having amazing sex all night!). My GP gave me a few injections which barely helped and I had some physio which also didn't help much.

Towards the end of 2011 the right started to freeze - I didn't get the same excruciating pain as I did with the left but the end result was the same in terms of restricted movement. I recently had some more physic on the right and strangely enough this coincided with onset of lower back pain (not sure if it was as result of the physio, but very coincidental).

Anyway, I'm now left with both shoulders frozen - the right is the worst (still can't sleep on that side) as I can only raise to about 100°. The left has thawed a little - can get this to about 120°. It doesn't affect my sleep in the way it did at its worst, but I still wake up when I roll onto my right side. Putting on shirts/jackets is tricky but has improved massively. I'm seeing a specialist in September who is going to go thru the surgery options with me (mainly for the right side which is showing little sign of thawing at all).

I have dupuytrens in my right hand (little finger) - which seems to be accelerating. I'm also hypothyroid. Is there an auto immune connection here with frozen shoulders and connective tissue issues?

To date frozen shoulder has been possibly the most debilitating aspect of anything diabetes "related" I've experienced. The months without decent sleep were an absolute nightmare.

Hi Kev68

Sorry you're suffering, but good that you're seeing a specialist next month.

Regarding an auto immune connection, my Physio told me she'd been to a workshop where they thought we were prone to frozen shoulders due to poor (blood) circulation in our joints.

I don't know if this is true; http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Frozen-shoulder/Pages/Causes.aspx states the precise cause is unknown.

Oh my goodness!! I have had type 1 diabetes for nearly 30 years and 18 months ago, began suffering with a frozen shoulder. I was told that it was due to stress and tension. I still can't lift it up 100%.
For the last month, my right shoulder started to feel as though it was going the same way, but I kept telling myself that I must have hurt it in the gym.....
I'm now starting to think that it's diabetes related!!!!!!!! How on earth are the 2 conditions even related??

Ledzeptt said:

Hi Kev68

Sorry you're suffering, but good that you're seeing a specialist next month.

Regarding an auto immune connection, my Physio told me she'd been to a workshop where they thought we were prone to frozen shoulders due to poor (blood) circulation in our joints.

I don't know if this is true; http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Frozen-shoulder/Pages/Causes.aspx states the precise cause is unknown.

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Thanks Led

Your physio's suggestion does make sense. According to that nhs link people with diabetes, tick, dupuytrens, tick, hypothyroidism, tick are more susceptible - oh well, gotta play the hand you're dealt!

Kev68 said:

I have dupuytrens in my right hand (little finger) - which seems to be accelerating. I'm also hypothyroid. Is there an auto immune connection here with frozen shoulders and connective tissue issues?
.

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I am absolutely sure it is an autoimmune attack on your joints. I am equally sure it has nothing to do with high blood sugars or physical damage. It gets confused with rotator cuff injury but it ain't the same.

I am sure because I have had all the same elements of autoimmune disorders as you - exactly the same history. But I have three sisters, only one of whom has type 1, one has hypothyroidism, and one has nowt at all (lucky girl). ALL FOUR OF US have had frozen shoulder, with onset in our forties, no previous injury.

The good news is, mine is better with only very slight loss of range of motion in my left shoulder. For me the onset was in 2007, and it was painful for a couple of years, range of motion back by 2013 or so. Still improving on left because I do weights and dynamic stretching.

I completely AVOIDED all physiotherapy because I read at the time that some physios actually treat for encapsulated shoulder, which makes it worse. And that it is better NOT to treat a true frozen shoulder.

That worked for me.

I have had dupuytren's for years, in my hands AND my feet. My hands are still completely flexible, as are my feet (though 'walking on marbles' bugs me sometimes), again -stretch exercises.

Hi Ruth

RuthW said:

I am absolutely sure it is an autoimmune attack on your joints. I am equally sure it has nothing to do with high blood sugars or physical damage. It gets confused with rotator cuff injury but it ain't the same...

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It may be related to an autoimmune attack, but it wasn't in my case because I'm not really T1. I'm T3c being treated as a T1 (my pancreas was (probably) destroyed by a gallstone.) At the time my shoulder froze, my BG wasn't under good control and it was only three months after being immobilised in intensive care.

It's definitely more common with diabetes, although not certain. My orthopaedic surgeon said 80% of his frozen shoulder patients were diabetic (didn't state type). It doesn't imply 80% of diabetics will get shoulder/joint problems, but we must have a higher than normal risk. I asked him what I could do to avoid recurrence; answer was nothing other that maintain good BG control.

I agree with you that you mustn't get physiotherapy before given a diagnosis (for frozen shoulder). The surgeon checked me for all sorts of conditions other than frozen shoulder e.g. Arthritis.

I'm pleased you're better/improving in your own way as it's important that we each maintain control over our health.

***

For everyone currently suffering, I personally recommend you seek treatment (including physio) as it is possible to get pain relief and mobility rapidly (see my previous post).

I had 2 lots of manipulation under anaesthetic on my right shoulder about 18 years ago and MUA on my other shoulder about 17 years ago. Right shoulder is fine. Left shoulder still has very restricted movement but fortunately no pain.

@Ledzeptt. Interestingly, my diabetes came on, when I was five, just after I had had a major operation complete with general anesthetic ( had my adenoids removed). My frozen shoulders came on within two months of having another major operation (hysterectomy) in my forties. I wondered if the operations kicked off my immune system. (But my sisters had no such precursor, as far as I know.) My endo noted it though, when I suggested it might have been a cause.

But I am not saying that *all* diabetes or *all* frozen shoulder is autoimmune, but a hell of a lot of it must be because of the association with hypothyroidism *without* diabetes.