Please Help

#1

Hello to everyone on the boards. Its been awhile since I’ve posted on here. Anywho, ever since the beginning of last summer (June 07), I have been complaining of a shoulder problem. I went to 2 doctors. One said I had rotator cuff tendinitis. The other doctor had me get an MRI, but then he wanted another one because he couldent read the picture that well. The problem with that was that I could not get another 1 because my mom’s medical insurance ran out because she switched jobs.

So I was stuck for 90 days trying to rehab it. In the end, nothing really worked and I am still suffering from some kind of injury. My mom’s insurance was going to kick in at around the end of this month, but once again, she switched jobs, leaving me stuck for another 90 days until I can see a doctor. But in 90 days, I am going to be in-season for high school, so I dont really have 90 days.

Here are my symptoms: Weakness, Pain when I move my shoulder in certain ways, Clicking noises when I move my shoulder in certain ways, and discomfort. Also, when I move my neck in certain ways, I can feel a bit of pain in my scapula.

Please, I really need your guy’s help so I can get better by the start of tryouts. If anyone can help me, I will truly be thankful and try and return the favor. Thank you.

#2

What about going to a walk in clinic?

I understand the situation that you’re in, but you really need advice from a doctor, not a message board.

#3

Redsox, I’m so sorry to hear all this. Life has jumped up and took a bite in the seat of your drawers. You most absolutely cannot pitch until you can get looked at, all those symptoms are just too not good. It sounds like everything is behind the shoulder…(Labrium area), you can’t mess around. I know it is the very last thing you want to hear but you have to get right. You cannot afford to make it worse. It is an area that just won’t necessarily heal if left alone.
I don’t know if it’ll mean anything to you but you will be in my prayers tonight and please take heed to my admonishment. One thing you may consider, call the last doctor and speak to him directly, tell him what you’ve told us about time frame and your mom’s insurance, maybe he’ll be a sport and give it another look. Can’t make things worse and it is certainly worth a shot.
It is small comfort, but these kind of trails are what define us in life, be strong, face it and make sure that you take care of yourself young man.
You can make it fella…I assure you we are ALL pulling for you.
jd

#4

Wales, thats what I first thought of, but they go through patients insurance, which we dont have of course lol.

JD, my dad has actually tried doing exactly what you said. But we could never get through to him because the receptionists always said he was either “busy” or “out for lunch”. We even asked if he could call back, but they said he is too booked up to make any calls.

#5

That’s a tough situation, what about going through your High School somehow?

#6

my high school does actually have a trainer that could easily get me healthy again, but she cannot see me until January 14th because that is when Baseball season officially starts, and it is against the state rules to treat athletes that are out of season. I would happily wait until then, but tryouts are a week before that, and I gotta be ready for tryouts.

I was hoping that someone here might be able to give me a diagnosis, or someone that has actually had my same symptoms could tell me what they did to get better.

#7

Well then, what about talking to the Baseball Coach now about the situation that you are in?

#8

Red Sox, the problem is that no one can really say what is wrong. It could prove terribly unproductive to even consider doing something based on speculation. Really when you look at it, there are 3 things that are done to remediate such an issue, rest, physical therapy and surgery, to do PT without knowing what the problem is can permanently injure you. I suggest you do what you can to rest and relieve any inflammation you can…and unfortunately you’ll just have to wait. Now that doesn’t mean you cannot condition the rest of your body and by no means does it mean you can’t communicate with your coach. Let him know exactly what the situation is, your current plans and see if there is anything to be done…(Who knows he may have some valid advice…he will respect your honesty and desire).
Learn all you can about arm and shoulder health so that when you do get right you’ll minimize the chances of deveolping a similar situation.
Life isn’t over, you are faced with a difficult challenge, it will mean much to your future if you deal with it and grow, stay away from self-pity and blame (As you obviously have…but it’s tough times and those are easy weaknesses to fall into). I assure you that everyone who participates on this site is behind you and glad to help anyway we can.

#9

thank you JD, that was nice to read. You and Wales are right, I will talk to my coach, tell him whats goin on, and who knows, maybe he could actually help me out. I have presented him with a note from the last doctor I went to, and it said I cannot do any overhead lifts/presses. But I dont think he fully knows what EXACTLY is wrong with my shoulder. So Monday, before baseball conditioning, im gonna get 5 minutes alone with him, and tell him the whole story.

#10

Give yourself more then 5 minutes alone with him, take as much time as you need to explain to him the situation.

#11

well i talked to my coach today, and asked him how i could possibly fit the physical therapy into the condiitioning program. he said that i should do it on the days when we swim, which are days when we dont lift weights. heres what my schedule is looking like now:

[b]monday- full body lifting, running

tuesday- physical therpy, swimming

wednesday- full body lifting, running

thursday- physical therapy, swimming

friday- full body lifting, running[/b]
will this system work?

#12

i’d go back and make the mri people do another set of pictures for no charge. they’re the one’s that screwed up if the doc can’t see.

#13

Good idea Dusty.

Real happy you spoke to your coach and it looks like hes on board.
Keep up the great attitude and work hard…everything will pay off.

#14

Have you gone back to the doctor who ordered the MRI to find out why he could not read it. It could be the MRI Center did not get the right view.
In which case all of this is not your fault. I’d complain like hell. In fact
your may get the doctor to call the MRI center on your behalf. The medical community is not perfect. Good luck!!!

#15

well that doctor told me that he wanted another MRI with a “dye injection” so he could see the problem better.

#16

well i spoke to the doctor, and he told me that im gonna have to pay more if i have no insurance, and nothing can be done.

my parents are starting to get agitated by me complaining about my shoulder problem, and it seems like they dont want to try anything. they are short on money and they keep telling me that there is nothing they can do. Idk what to do, and right now I am just leaning towards quitting baseball all together because of this shoulder problem. My spirit to get better has just diminished, and it seems like no one close to me is supporting me, including my parents.

#17

Well man, if your folks are short on money, that will make things difficult for you trying to get any treatment.

It looks as though there’s not too much you can do.

But don’t give up. At the very least there COULD be something wrong in there that COULD effect you in your life outside of Baseball, and that right there is the more important thing, you have to make sure that you are healthy PERIOD regardless if you play Baseball or not.

All that being said, I know it will be difficult given your families situation.

The only other though I have and this is a long shot is maybe see what it takes to get treatment in Canada… I remember when Americans where coming up here to get the Flu shot rather then get it down in the States, there might be a fee but I would assume (and I could be totally wrong on this) it would be a lesser fee then what you would pay when you go to your current doctor.

#18

sorry man, cant go to canada. what i have noticed is that th conditioning program isnt really helping my recovery. It does not hurt at all when I lift, but it hurts AFTER. After the weights, its gets stiff and sore, and then it seems like I’m back to square one. When I didn’t lift for one weekend, I only did used my bands, iced, and heated. I started to notice that it was getting a bit better, but then after lifting weights yesterday, it just got worse again. I think I gotta stay away from the weights on my arms and just stick to the physio for the upperbody. I could still lift with my legs, but I just don’t know if my coach will accept that or not.

#19

Have you talked to your Coach yet about the situation that you’re in? You never mentioned if you did or not and how that went.

#20

yeah i mentioned earlier in the thread that i talked to him about how i could fit the physical therpy program, and he said that I should do it on the days we go swimming. Heres how me and the coach envisioned it.

monday- full body weight lifting and cardio

tuesday- physical therapy and swimming

wednesday- full body weight lifting and cardio

thursday- physical therapy and swimming

friday- same as monday and wednesday, but i dont go this day because I have to work on this day.