Hello,

I am 6 weeks out from surgery.  I had a partial tear in my rotator cuff and a tear in my labrum - both on my dominant right arm.

I work an art director which is by and large a desk job pushing a mouse, part of my job also includes working in a photography studio.  I also coach little league football. I took a month off work and little league practice.  I am back at both now.  At practice I am not being physical, simply guiding traffic and wearing my sling.  At work I can only hold my right arm on my desk for 10 - 15 minutes at a time before the pain becomes searing - mostly in my shoulder (which I think is labrum) more bone on bone feeling.  Next week I have an appointment with a neurosurgeon because I have stenosis below where I had 3 vertebra fused together in my neck 5 years ago. So - I am 6 weeks out from surgery and still requiring oxycodone.  I take (3) 5mg pills twice a day - that seems to work best for me as opposed to every 4-6 hours.  I also take Tylenol with these.  I am not allowed to take percocets or Ibuprofen because of a stomach issue.

Anyway - is this normal?  6 weeks out and still needing pain medication to function?  Without it, I am pretty much rendered useless at work once the pain kicks in, and I would have to have abandoned the children's football team all together (and I love the kids and they love me). Not knowing exactly what to do I just keep calling every week and asking for a refill and the expense of sounding like a drug-addict.  I figure the doctor will just say "no" when he's ready, but I am a bit concerned too that I would be this sibilated 6 weeks out when basically I have a desk job. I am doing PT 2-3 times a week and I am just now able to lift my arm enough to wash my hair on the right side of my head.