"Shoulder operations and recovery"

I had my first subacromial decompression, acj and manipulation under anaesthetic in 2012 at Crawley Hospital, it all went very smoothly. Followed by physiotherapy and within months I was back to normal. It couldn't have gone better.

I then had the same procedure on my other shoulder almost a year to the day later in July 2013 at East Surrey Hospital.

I have to say all the nursing staff are excellent in both hospitals.

However two years later and after 18 months of physiotherapy, my shoulder is worse than it ever was. It has never been right since the operation. I am in constant pain and discomfort and I am visibly lopsided (and have been since day one after the operation). Not able to lie on it at night and being woken every night by it. The only way I can get any sleep is by having it hanging down the side of the bed.

I have had many consultations with the orthopaedic department, seeing different Dr's each time and none of them can explain why I still have a lot of pain, discomfort and worst of all a drop on my operated shoulder of several inches! The consultant has offered to go in again and have another look, maybe take off some more bone but warns it might make things worse and not better.

I have had x-rays, and mri and a bone scan because cancer was suspected (due to something showing on the mri) but thankfully came back negative.

My last consultation where the offer was made lasted just over 3 minutes! I was given little time to ask questions as the consultant was half way out of the door. I was the last appointment of the day so I presume he was in a hurry to get off home.

Now I have the dilemma of do I trust them to do another operation. Is it worth the risk if it might make it worse or do I try and live with the constant pain and discomfort of it for the rest of my life? Each appointment with the Dr's in the orthopaedic department they say something different.