Has anyone here had tendonitis?

[montanafan]

Almost 3 weeks ago my right arm started hurting. I thought I'd just slept on it wrong or something and it would be alright. Then it just got progressively worse. Sore elbow, forearm and bicep. Got really weak and could barely bend it or pick something up vertically. Even hurt when it was just hanging down by my side. Noticed some swelling around the elbow, but couldn't remember hitting it or anything.

Finally went to the doctor and he said tendonitis. I told him I hadn't been doing anything to cause a problem lately, but that years ago I did play tennis every free minute I had for several years and he said it could go back to that. He gave me a cortisone shot in the shoulder and a prescription for 800 mg tablets of ibuprofen to be taken every 8 hours for the inflammation and told me to get a brace. I got a Mueller Aircast for tennis elbow. He said to come back in a week and if it wasn't better he'd give me another shot of cortisone.

I did a little research and read that the cortisone shots can actually weaken the tendons after a while. The research also said that it could be cleared up in about 6 weeks or could be chronic and recurring. The doc didn't say anything about long term or short term.

Just wondering if anyone else has had to deal with this and what kind of treatment has worked to prevent it from becoming a chronic problem.

 

[TallBill]

it sucks.. i have tendonitis/arthritis in my ankles and lower fibula on both legs. I used to wrap them up when I played volleyball, and I used to take lots of pain killers. now i just deal with it.

 

[montanafan]

Originally posted by: TallBill
it sucks.. i have tendonitis/arthritis in my ankles and lower fibula on both legs. I used to wrap them up when I played volleyball, and I used to take lots of pain killers. now i just deal with it.

I haven't taken any pain killers yet, just the ibuprofen for the inflammation. It seems to help a little, but if I forget and try to use the arm to lift something <ouch>. Sounds like yours is long term, does it come and go or is it pretty constant? Anything you can do to prevent it from flaring up?

 

[TheGizmo]

i have the same thing going on with my hip to knee tendon i believe.. hurts when i move it pretty much always, hurts a lot when i hit the bad spot.. started about 1.5 yrs ago, i first tried ibuprufen (this is your best bet to reduce the inflamation).. turns out i am allergic to ibuprufen... next option pain killers.. they took the pain away.. but it didn't fix anything.. then i tried physical therapy.. and that would help for a little while.. and finally i got this thing called a vew-do balance board and i play with it all the time, has at least helped the pain a bit. i just sorta deal with it now. i might get a cortizone shot.. but the pain killers got old, and addictive.. mainly addictive.

edit: oh yea and it kept getting worse until i went to physical therapy.

 

[montanafan]

Originally posted by: TheGizmo
i have the same thing going on with my hip to knee tendon i believe.. hurts when i move it pretty much always, hurts a lot when i hit the bad spot.. started about 1.5 yrs ago, i first tried ibuprufen (this is your best bet to reduce the inflamation).. turns out i am allergic to ibuprufen... next option pain killers.. they took the pain away.. but it didn't fix anything.. then i tried physical therapy.. and that would help for a little while.. and finally i got this thing called a vew-do balance board and i play with it all the time, has at least helped the pain a bit. i just sorta deal with it now. i might get a cortizone shot.. but the pain killers got old, and addictive.. mainly addictive.

edit: oh yea and it kept getting worse until i went to physical therapy.

Yeah, I'd like to avoid the painkiller route and when I go back to the doc, if he wants to give me another cortisone shot I think I'll pass unless it gets much worse. If it doesn't clear up in a few weeks I'll ask him about physical therapy. Maybe I can find an exercise that will help some like you have. Thanks.

 

[Brutuskend]

Yup, had it in my shoulder for years...

 

[montanafan]

Originally posted by: Brutuskend
Yup, had it in my shoulder for years...

I feel your pain...well kind of, just a little lower. Anything help?

From these posts it sounds like I may be in pain for a long time to come and will just have to learn to live with it.

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: montanafan

Originally posted by: Brutuskend
Yup, had it in my shoulder for years...

I feel your pain...well kind of, just a little lower. Anything help?

From these posts it sounds like I may be in pain for a long time to come and will just have to learn to live with it.

yeah, i really just gave up trying to "fix" it.. when i play sports my lower legs will just "throb/burn/hurt" later on..

 

[montanafan]

Originally posted by: TallBill

Originally posted by: montanafan

Originally posted by: Brutuskend
Yup, had it in my shoulder for years...

I feel your pain...well kind of, just a little lower. Anything help?

From these posts it sounds like I may be in pain for a long time to come and will just have to learn to live with it.

yeah, i really just gave up trying to "fix" it.. when i play sports my lower legs will just "throb/burn/hurt" later on..

Oh well, I guess I'll just try some of the things the doc suggests and hope it clears up. But if it doesn't, I'm not really a wuss when it comes to pain, it just sucks to think that all these years of a relatively pain free active lifestyle may be changing. Thanks for the info.

 

[GasX]

I have had tendonitis in the foot from playing rugby, but a few days of Naprosyn and some rest dealt with it for the most part.

 

[montanafan]

Originally posted by: Mwilding
I have had tendonitis in the foot from playing rugby, but a few days of Naprosyn and some rest dealt with it for the most part.

Just checked out Naprosyn and it sounds a lot like the ibuprofen, except for the drowsiness part. I'll ask the doc about it. Thanks.