bbgonnabe’s BodyBlog

Well, shortly after my last post, I had to drop the dumbell bench to 30lb dumbells.  As of today, I had to lower it again. 

I did 1×15@30lb(each arm) with just a little discomfort.  On the second set, I had to stop at 10 reps because I was hit with unbearable stabbing pain in the left shoulder.  I resumed with 20lb and made it to 17 reps when it happened again.  I had residual pain for about 10 minutes following.  (The goal was 3×15@30lb(ea arm).)

I am not going to be able to work through the pain and force the bone to dissolve per my orhto’s suggestion.  The intense pain just becomes unbearable and prevents progression.

I had placed a call in to the ortho earlier in the day to have either the second MRI or an office visit in preparation for the second MRI.
I have not received my Zyflamend order but I don’t think it will help.  The problem seems mechanical and not inflammatory in nature.

I need to get my rear in gear and focus on legs and arms as LongnHard suggested (?).  I got tired of doing legs and just went for cardio.  Also, I could be working my back more.

I finally started benching with dumbells about two months ago, working in the 15-20 rep range.  About a month ago I switched to the 12-15 range for 3 sets.  I am stuck at 35lb each arm due to pain in my left shoulder.  For the last three workouts, I have had excruciating pain on the final set to the point that my arm becomes suddenly weak.  The orthopaedic specialist had told me before to work through the pain and that eventually the bone would dissolve (acromon at a/c joint attachment) and I would have no further pain.  He did offer to do a second MRI.  That was in May.  I’m about ready to take him up on the MRI as the pain is worse than before the surgery in November.  I am concerned about the physical consequences and cost of a second surgery and physical therapy.  I can peform daily tasks with almost no pain.  I just have to consider if it’s worth it to be able to bench.  I’m on disability so I don’t have a ton of money to spend yet again.
I am able to do lat pulldowns now and curls without pain.  The labral repair was successful.

On another front, one of my medications had to be increased by 50% in May.  It caused weight gain of around 8lb and caused decreased motivation and lethargy.  After discussing this with the doctor, she reduced it to only a 25% increase.  My motivation is better and I’m no longer battling lethargy.  However, the weight gain remains.  I’m on two medications that can each cause a 15% reduction in metabolic rate.  Therefore, even if I can raise my metabolism by say 15-30% that doesnt’ really put me ahead of the game.

I saw an Integrative Medicine doctor last week (unexpected benefit considering I’m on a Medicare HMO plan).  Among other things, I was looking for supplements or botanicals that could increase metabolism without interfering with my medications or exacerbate my illness.  Integrative medicine doctors will only prescribe alternative or complementary medicine that has been proven safe and effective.  She advised me that the only thing that will boost metabolism is caffeine.  I asked here about the compund EGCG found in green tea but she said that studies about it’s effectiveness for weight loss are inconclusive and it is not worth trying at this point.  I also asked her about something for the shoulder pain.  She suggested an herbal preparation called Zyflamend.  I’ll be trying that soon.

My workout partner has ditched me.  He’s been playing this passive-aggressive thing about returning phone calls and getting together for a bite.  I don’t know what his problem is and he’s avoiding telling me.  I saw him at the gym recently one night but he was playing racquetball so it wasn’t a good time to talk.  I’m pushing through on my own.  However,  if there’s anyone up to having a cripple <grin> for a workout partner at the Chandler or Mesa LA Fitness locations, please let me know!

Some of the pain has returned during certain movements or exercises.  The ortho will be giving me another injection on Tuesday.

On the 15th, I saw the ortho again. To test his theory that the problem is inflammation in the acromio-clavicular joint, he injected the joint with a mixture of cortisone and a steroid. If that didn’t work, he was planning to do another MRI. Well, I’ve had increasing improvement since the injection! Certain movements no longer cause pain and I can do more of the re-hab exercises without pain. If needed I can have another injection in a week or two.

The orthopaedic surgeon said the inflammation of this joint is a common problem with people that lift weights. If left untreated, the body heals itself by dissolving some of the bone that juts out over the shoulder (acromion) thus severing the joint. This stops the pain and is not considered detrimental.

I am relieved that this has nothing to do with the surgery and does not require another MRI. I am encouraged that I will be able to return to bench pressing at some point. My bi’s, tri’s and delts are still quite weak but I should be able to gain strength more quickly now that I know that I will not be doing more damage if I push through the pain.

I’ve changed my perspective on my weight training. I’m going to think in terms of fitness now and not attempt true bodybuilding. With the impact of multiple medications on my metablolism, having much more significant weight (fat) loss just isn’t realistic.

On another note, my workout partner is MIA. We couldn’t do any upper body together and due to a knee injury we had to stop doing legs together. A couple of weeks ago he had some kind of accident and injured his shoulder and took a blow to the head. That’s the last I’ve heard from him (not returning my calls).

Progress has been very slow on rebuilding strength, partly because I am trying to work through pain without doing more damage.  After a setback some weeks ago, I am only at 15lb for 20 reps on the bicep cable curl and 5lb on front delt raises.  I am primariy doing rehab exercises.  Pressing movements hurt my shoulder too much.
The ortho says the pain is due to a problem with the acromio-clavicular joint, not the surgery.  This joint connects the collarbone (clavicle) to the bone that covers the shoulder joint itself (acromion).  This pain is part of the pain that I had prior to the surgery.  I get pain when I do raise my arm straight in front of me or across my chest, turn my car’s steering wheel, reach up to adjust my glasses or hold a phone to my ear. It also hurts when I do front delt raises and bicep curls.
I see the ortho again in two weeks.  He will order another MRI if it hasn’t resolved.  It’s now been four weeks with little change.

I don’t think the surgery was a waste.  I definitely had a SLAP tear per the MRI.  I am concerned about having a second surgery and having my arm atrophy again or even further.

I’ve grown weary of leg work and am just doing cardio for now.

Well, two weeks ago I over did it accidentally and now have a setback. As part of my rehab exercises, I do front delt raises with really low weight for 15-20 reps. I had reached a whopping 3lb so it was time to move up to 4lb. The 4lb-ers were missing at my gym so I went up to 5lb and started at 15 reps. Anyway, that set my shoulder off. I switched to 3lb again. However, my shoulder bothered me into last week and finally I could not do ANY of my rehab exercises (around 8 different ones).

I saw the orthopaedic surgeon today. He told me to start anti-inflammatories and not resume rehab exercises until next week. Fortunately, it’s just an inflammatory issue. Nothing is torn.

He did confirm my worst suspicions though. It’s going to take months to regain strength, particulary in my bicep. He said muscles that are immobilized for just a few days atrophy a great deal. To give you an idea of how much strength I’ve lost, I’m only able to do 7.5 or 10lb (on the Life Fitness cable machine) per arm on straight arm pushdowns, tricep pushdowns and cable curls. That’s after two months of physical therapy.

On another front, I discussed a medication change with one of my specialists. One of the medications for my chronic, disabling condition causes weight gain and slows one’s metabolism by up to 15%. When I was started on it, I gained 40lb in two months. Doc feels it is too risky to make a change right now but will review it in a couple of months. There is only one other medication left that I can try.  It is weight-gain neutral!  Then the only issues will be whether it works and how bad the side effects, if any, are.

I wish my friends and those not yet my friends on bodybuilding.com a blessed and prosperous 2008.

I saw the orthopaedic yesterday. I no longer have to wear the sling. He said I have excellent range of motion and that by now the re-attachment of the labrum to the cup of the shoulder joint has healed. Based on that, he ordered a change in the physical therapy. The PT will now start giving me exercises [elastic bands, 2-5lb dbells] to strengthen the atrophied muscles. [Thank you, God!] He was quick to say "No 60lb dumbells!". He said that he knew I would try to overdo it. I promised that I wouldn’t. I hope I remember the promise when I see that rack of dbells.

The second procedure he did during the surgery is going to take two more weeks or longer to heal. That’s where he shaved bone off the underside of the acromion [bony part of the shoulder that attaches to collar bone and hangs out over the shoulder joint itself]. My PT said it’s similar to a fracture healing. That and some scar tissue from the surgery are giving me the most pain now when move in certain ways or get jostled in some way.
I’m very happy about this milestone but I know there’s a long road ahead to get back to where I was before the surgery. There will be an even longer road to regain what I lost a little over a year ago when this whole thing started. "If you’re going to play then you have to pay."

Speaking of paying, I’m grateful to have insurance even though it isn’t the best. I saw on the computer monitor that my insurance had paid the doc over $7,000 for the surgery and two office visits. The thing that is killing me is that my physical therapy co-pay is $30 per visit. By mid-Jan, I will have had 16 post-op. I already had several pre-op to see if I could avoid surgery and/or strengthen my muscles for the surgery. [Not to mention the co-pays for the surgery itself and the anesthesiologist plus $200 for a special cooling pad device.] I don’t have much in monetary reserves since I was already on long term disability. I can’t afford more injuries like this one. If only I hadn’t participated in that diabetic resistance training study! I normally didn’t lift as heavy as one of the protocols required, especially with only one warm-up set! Since I’m pretty careful on my own, I’m hoping I will be able to train without serious injury. Again, I am grateful to have insurance and fortunate that I was able to save a little for emergenices.

Oh, regarding the comment in my last entry about my workout partner’s pecs having grown, I’m not sure they have but he’s gone up on pressing by 30%. Prior to my surgery he was dbell bench pressing 60lb ea arm. [Mind you, he had only been back in the gym for two months after years off and he’s no spring chicken. ] So here we are now five weeks later and he’s doing 180lb on the Hammer Strength incline. I have to be careful not to be envious and not get frustrated that I’ve lost over a year on upper body plus my pecs were never all that big or strong. Gotta watch the comparisons!

It’s great to be back at the gym even though I can only do legs and cardio.  I’ve lost 6lb which scares me a little.  My arm has atrophied.  I wonder if I’ve lost muscle in my legs even though that’s only been one month.  I’m eating as much if not more so I guess it must be muscle loss.  However, my strength is essentially the same on the leg press.  For cardio, I prefer the elliptical machines but that’s too risky with the current condition of my shoulder.  I opted for the treadmill.  It was also good to be back with my workout partner.  I think his pecs have grown!  Bummer!  LOL.