Surgery #12 update (6 months post shoulder replacement)

[jeff7b9]

So I think I had posted last summer about my 11th and 12 shoulder surgeries, which happened in August 2023 and Jan 02, 2024. When they removed my prior metal implant, my humerus snapped in half and a big chunk of the humerus bone came out still attached to the old metal implant. Since the shoulder was infected, they couldn't put any screws or plates, so I just got to walk around with a broken arm from August until some time in late winter/early spring.

Since then I got cleared to begin resistance training in April and I have been working my motherfucking ass off in pt and lifting at home, lifting pretty much every day.

I am now 6 months post surgery and 3 months with full clearance to lift weights, starting with little baby weights and resistance bands and working up slowly with pretty extreme caution to make sure I do not re injure my train wreck of a shoulder.

My goals all along were the following:

By this summer I wanted to be able to return to being a music teacher [x]
including being able to do drum instruction again [x].
Be able to run. [__] (my shoulder is there but my lower back is not uo to it due to scoliosis and a ruptured disc. I am replacing this with rucking and walking)
Be able to lift weights [x]
and train to get back to the shape I was in before the surgery by the end of this summer. [__]


Here is my current photo




Below is before the last shoulder injury:




I am not quite there yet, but it feels like I am on pace to be able to get there by some time in August.
I need to get a little bit leaner and fill out a bit more muscle.
I was 212lbs in bottom pic and current 221.5

As I am just now getting to the point where I can lift fairly heavy I think that I am finally able to lift with the appropriate amount of intensity to get the gains and size back. All in all I feel like it is not bad for 3 months of being cleared to lift at age 45 after 4 years of not being able to lift due to injuries.

__________________________________________



I'm still doing the ketamine infusion treatments, which are helping with the pain, albeit the improvement is happening Very gradually.
They are also helping with weight loss as they crush my appetite and I usually wind up being able to reduce calories to about 600/day on the back to back treatment days, while still hitting the gym (not quite as intense as normal days)

The strengthening from weight lifting does have a major impact though. I'm icing my shoulder as I write this, but overall my shoulder pain level is definitely improving steadily and the more muscle I can pack on to support the damaged wing, the better off I will be and the better my chances will be to avoid future injuries.

So that is where I am at, and that is the attitude I am taking to this thing.

I ... HAVE TO stay in the gym.
My pain level and quality of life depend on it.

I HAVE TO stay as muscular as possible for the rest of my life.
If I don't I get hurt and my quality of life goes to shit, I lose the ability to play and teach music and my mental health and income suffer and that just flat out can't happen. I won't let it.
_________

If anyone is curious, yes I am on gear. Very very low doses, but yes..

Throughout the injury and surgeries I did regular TRT.

About 1 CC of test enanthate every 7-10 days.

Currently I have added the following:

Cardarine 10mg/day
Winstrol 12mg/day
NPP 25mg every 3 days (first 2 weeks I did every 4 days)

I have also raised my test dose from 200mg every 7-10 days
To 300mg every 6 days.

 

[misterfurious]

Your willpower is impressive; a lot of people would wilt from these adverse circumstances. Looking good, keep it up! Have you tried GH? Back in my gear slinging days I moved a lot of it; always intended to keep some for myself, but inevitably someone would offer me way too much $ for it and I’d sell it…point being that everyone I every sold it to swore it was the fountain of youth.

 

[Grassshoppa]

What happened to your shoulder?

 

[SSgt Dickweed]

TS looks like someone.

 

[jeff7b9]

Your willpower is impressive; a lot of people would wilt from these adverse circumstances.

Thanks. I had my moments.

But remembering that is useful fuel if I ever get ideas about being lazy.

Looking good, keep it up! Have you tried GH?

I have not. Honestly a bit scared of it and it is probably out of my budget. Prior to 3 weeks ago all I had ever done was test and pretty low doses of anavar.

Back in my gear slinging days I moved a lot of it; always intended to keep some for myself, but inevitably someone would offer me way too much $ for it and I’d sell it…point being that everyone I every sold it to swore it was the fountain of youth.

I'm good with being a crotchety old man.

It suits me.

I look forward to telling kids to stay off my lawn and things as such.

What happened to your shoulder?

All goes back to a real bad rugby injury around 1999. There's more to it than that (infected 3x and some failed surgeries) but yeah, my shoulder is a trainwreck.

 

[Thepaintbucket]

OP is a wizard. Was about to ask about his stack lol.

Damn dude.. when I was in my teens I tore (partial tears)both my shoulders doing stupid shit while bench pressing. I haven't been able to do flat bench press for over 20 years without pain. It's an overrated exercise in my opinion anyway. I'd rather do incline barbell, dumbbell pressess or dips .

Ever since I injured my shoulders to this day I'm still paranoid. No more 1 rep maxes. No deadlifts, good morning, nothing that might send me over to snap city.

 

[jeff7b9]

OP is a wizard. Was about to ask about his stack lol.

Yeah. I felt like it was only fair to be honest here.

I doubt I would be even close to where I am without at least TRT.

It is what it is. I'd rather be honest and not give other people unrealistic expectations or take credit I don't deserve. The gear helps. I'm not competing in anything.

Damn dude.. when I was in my teens I tore (partial tears)both my shoulders doing stupid shit while bench pressing. I haven't been able to do flat bench press for over 20 years without pain. It's an overrated exercise in my opinion anyway. I'd rather do incline barbell, dumbbell pressess or dips .

Ever since I injured my shoulders to this day I'm still paranoid. No more 1 rep maxes. No deadlifts, good morning, nothing that might send me over to snap city.

Did my last barbell press in 2000.

Chest exercises are exceedingly tricky with major shoulder injuries.

My entire pec routine currently is SLOW and fairly light resistance band cable crossovers and staircase/coutertop push-ups.

I do like literally 5 pound dumbell floor press at physical therapy.

I have gotten very good at mind/nuscle connection and figuring out how to get a solid pump out of VERY light motions in certain safe movement ranges. Nothing above the head ever, elbows pretty much never further back than my shoulder blades, those ranges of motion are off limits for me.

 

[Thepaintbucket]

Yeah. I felt like it was only fair to be honest here.

I doubt I would be even close to where I am without at least TRT.

It is what it is. I'd rather be honest and not give other people unrealistic expectations or take credit I don't deserve. The gear helps. I'm not competing in anything.

The last time I went to do blood work my test was around 300 ng/dl. If I didn't have hair and the fear of losing it, I'd probably be blasting a couple of cycles.

Did my last barbell press in 2000.

Chest exercises are exceedingly tricky with major shoulder injuries.

My entire pec routine currently is SLOW and fairly light resistance band cable crossovers and staircase/coutertop push-ups.

I do like literally 5 pound dumbell floor press at physical therapy.

I have gotten very good at mind/nuscle connection and figuring out how to get a solid pump out of VERY light motions in certain safe movement ranges. Nothing above the head ever, elbows pretty much never further back than my shoulder blades, those ranges of motion are off limits for me.

If you don't mind me asking, what's your rep range routine like? I imagine you are squeezing your muscles for that connection. Doing slow concentric/eccentric reps and high reps. What do you feel like is the most effective low weight chest exercise. Cable flies?

My principal chest exercises are dips, inclines and flies once in a blue moon

 

[jeff7b9]

The last time I went to do blood work my test was around 300 ng/dl. If I didn't have hair and the fear of losing it, I'd probably be blasting a couple of cycles.

Yeah, men in my family go bald young so that wasn't a major concern for me. There would be stuff you would definitely want to avoid and other stuff that is safer for hair, and loads of videos on channels like "More Plates More Dates" about what to avoid.

300 isn't terrible.

If you don't mind me asking, what's your rep range routine like? I imagine you are squeezing your muscles for that connection. Doing slow concentric/eccentric reps and high reps. What do you feel like is the most effective low weight chest exercise. Cable flies?

My principal chest exercises are dips, inclines and flies once in a blue moon

Cable flies have been the ONLY exercise I have consistently done thru all shoulder injuries.

Reps are tricky and vary. If I have pain I have to lower weight, if I am feeling good I adjust up.

Probably most common reps is around 20 then burnout with either drop sets or slow negatives until failure or close to it. I can't push as hard as other exercises, which I pretty much exclusively go to failure (or "past" failure with lowered weights)

I'm always fine tuning reps to walk the fine line between getting a good workout and not hurting myself. If it hurts I stop, even if it is short of the target #



Something I have been doing a LOT lately and getting good results is

Do a set until the final reps are a struggle but not quite failure... rest 5-10 seconds, squeeze out another 5-10 at the same weight. (And maybe drop for a few more on the last set or 2)

 

[Thepaintbucket]

Yeah, men in my family go bald young so that wasn't a major concern for me. There would be stuff you would definitely want to avoid and other stuff that is safer for hair, and loads of videos on channels like "More Plates More Dates" about what to avoid.

300 isn't terrible.




Cable flies have been the ONLY exercise I have consistently done thru all shoulder injuries.

Reps are tricky and vary. If I have pain I have to lower weight, if I am feeling good I adjust up.

Probably most common reps is around 20 then burnout with either drop sets or slow negatives until failure or close to it. I can't push as hard as other exercises, which I pretty much exclusively go to failure (or "past" failure with lowered weights)

I'm always fine tuning reps to walk the fine line between getting a good workout and not hurting myself. If it hurts I stop, even if it is short of the target #



Something I have been doing a LOT lately and getting good results is

Do a set until the final reps are a struggle but not quite failure... rest 5-10 seconds, squeeze out another 5-10 at the same weight. (And maybe drop for a few more on the last set or 2)

I don't know if you ever done this or not but if you put your hands together like you're about to do a DBZ kamehameha, you'll really feel that s*** in your inner chest. Close grip cable press

 

[William Huggins]

Looking good....... No homo...... Well maybe a little......

 

[-Magua-]

Keep up the good work holmes.
On your way to a solid recovery it seems.
Have you tried BPC 157?

It's relatively inexpensive and would work well in conjunction with the Test & NPP enhanced recovery for the bone & tendon. Test & (NPP is a good choice imo for your situation) + BPC peptide & increased angiogenesis may help more.
Pinning is more effective than oral it seems.
https://examine.com/supplements/bpc-157/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29998800/

 

[jeff7b9]

Keep up the good work holmes.
On your way to a solid recovery it seems.
Have you tried BPC 157?

It's relatively inexpensive and would work well in conjunction with the Test & NPP enhanced recovery for the bone & tendon. Current Anabolics + increased angiogenesis.
Pinning is more effective than oral it seems.
https://examine.com/supplements/bpc-157/

I did try it out about 5 years ago at the recommendation of another fellow sherbro with whom I have been exchanging ideas and info regarding gear and training for a long time.

It didn't have a notable effect for me, but I think it is great if it helps other people.

As far as my experience, I put it in the category of things that are probably great and effective for many people with, let's say less severe injuries, but with the amount of damage, scar tissue, and heavy meds I am on, it didn't seem to do much.

And as I recall you need to pin it extremely frequently which I wasn't a huge fan of.
(Though the little 30 Guage diabetes needles don't really hurt, so that's good.) And at least what I got, I had to mix it with some weird biostatic water stuff that was kind of a pain in the ass.

Juice wasn't worth the squeeze for me.

But I appreciate the idea and the helpful intention sir.

 

[AFanNotAFighter]

Looking good, man. First person I thought of when I saw your photo was Mark Messier.
In retrospect, I wish I had never done bench pressing. It eventually murders the shoulders.

 

[jeff7b9]

Looking good, man. First person I thought of when I saw your photo was Mark Messier.
In retrospect, I wish I had never done bench pressing. It eventually murders the shoulders.

Interesting you say that.

I have been watching a lot of videos from Dr Mike Israetel, and I think a recent video I saw discussed how basically the old school way I was taught in HS football, of HEAVY HEAVY HEAVY bench press, (& squats and deadlifts) going near full exertion the whole time with 8 rep 6, 4 type of sets all near failure is basically a road map to shoulder problems.

I think my shoulders were just genetically fucked.
I started having frequent subluxations (both shoulders) from age 14 or so in football, had a dislocated left shoulder sophomore year, and then demolished the right shoulder playing rugby sophomore year of college... long story short, I think my shoulders would have gone to shit (from contact sport) regardless of my heavy bench pressing (and military presses, behind the head overhead barbell press, etc) ... but it probably didn't help.

I had a REALLY BAD really painful injury from upright rows at an early age too.

It is cool how much that they have learned since I started lifting in the 90s basically following Arnold Schwarzenegger's body building encyclopedia from the 70s. There was SO MUCH great information in that book that has stood the test of time, and a few things that have not.

 

[AFanNotAFighter]

Interesting you say that.

I have been watching a lot of videos from Dr Mike Israetel, and I think a recent video I saw discussed how basically the old school way I was taught in HS football, of HEAVY HEAVY HEAVY bench press, (& squats and deadlifts) going near full exertion the whole time with 8 rep 6, 4 type of sets all near failure is basically a road map to shoulder problems.

I think my shoulders were just genetically fucked.
I started having frequent subluxations (both shoulders) from age 14 or so in football, had a dislocated left shoulder sophomore year, and then demolished the right shoulder playing rugby sophomore year of college... long story short, I think my shoulders would have gone to shit (from contact sport) regardless of my heavy bench pressing (and military presses, behind the head overhead barbell press, etc) ... but it probably didn't help.

I had a REALLY BAD really painful injury from upright rows at an early age too.

It is cool how much that they have learned since I started lifting in the 90s basically following Arnold Schwarzenegger's body building encyclopedia from the 70s. There was SO MUCH great information in that book that has stood the test of time, and a few things that have not.

I had that Arnold book. It was good. Don't know what happened to it.

One of the things about bench press that bothers me is that it really isn't a natural movement. I mean how many times during the course of your daily life do you find yourself flat on your back with your feet/calves lower than your torso and having to press weight upwards over your chest?

The function of the pectorals is to bring the arms across the front of your body and to provide secondary assistance to pressing a weight over head while standing.

Some of those exercises people did in yesteryear have been shown to be counterproductive. Pulldowns/chins behind the neck for one. Bent over good mornings is another. A lot of people don't know this but those bent over good mornings was how Bruce Lee seriously injured his lower back and never quite healed up from.

I stopped doing bent over barbell rows because I kept hurting my lower back.

 

[Neck&Neck]

Way to go Champ
Keep pushing

 

[jeff7b9]

Way to go Champ
Keep pushing

Just trying to live up to my responsibilities as a sherdogger sir.

 

[StonedLemur]

Looking good sir.
Glad it's starting to feel better.

 

[TheTickG]

So I think I had posted last summer about my 11th and 12 shoulder surgeries, which happened in August 2023 and Jan 02, 2024. When they removed my prior metal implant, my humerus snapped in half and a big chunk of the humerus bone came out still attached to the old metal implant. Since the shoulder was infected, they couldn't put any screws or plates, so I just got to walk around with a broken arm from August until some time in late winter/early spring.

Since then I got cleared to begin resistance training in April and I have been working my motherfucking ass off in pt and lifting at home, lifting pretty much every day.

I am now 6 months post surgery and 3 months with full clearance to lift weights, starting with little baby weights and resistance bands and working up slowly with pretty extreme caution to make sure I do not re injure my train wreck of a shoulder.

My goals all along were the following:

By this summer I wanted to be able to return to being a music teacher [x]
including being able to do drum instruction again [x].
Be able to run. [__] (my shoulder is there but my lower back is not uo to it due to scoliosis and a ruptured disc. I am replacing this with rucking and walking)
Be able to lift weights [x]
and train to get back to the shape I was in before the surgery by the end of this summer. [__]


Here is my current photo

View attachment 1052552


Below is before the last shoulder injury:


View attachment 1052557

I am not quite there yet, but it feels like I am on pace to be able to get there by some time in August.
I need to get a little bit leaner and fill out a bit more muscle.
I was 212lbs in bottom pic and current 221.5

As I am just now getting to the point where I can lift fairly heavy I think that I am finally able to lift with the appropriate amount of intensity to get the gains and size back. All in all I feel like it is not bad for 3 months of being cleared to lift at age 45 after 4 years of not being able to lift due to injuries.

__________________________________________



I'm still doing the ketamine infusion treatments, which are helping with the pain, albeit the improvement is happening Very gradually.
They are also helping with weight loss as they crush my appetite and I usually wind up being able to reduce calories to about 600/day on the back to back treatment days, while still hitting the gym (not quite as intense as normal days)

The strengthening from weight lifting does have a major impact though. I'm icing my shoulder as I write this, but overall my shoulder pain level is definitely improving steadily and the more muscle I can pack on to support the damaged wing, the better off I will be and the better my chances will be to avoid future injuries.

So that is where I am at, and that is the attitude I am taking to this thing.

I ... HAVE TO stay in the gym.
My pain level and quality of life depend on it.

I HAVE TO stay as muscular as possible for the rest of my life.
If I don't I get hurt and my quality of life goes to shit, I lose the ability to play and teach music and my mental health and income suffer and that just flat out can't happen. I won't let it.
_________

If anyone is curious, yes I am on gear. Very very low doses, but yes..

Throughout the injury and surgeries I did regular TRT.

About 1 CC of test enanthate every 7-10 days.

Currently I have added the following:

Cardarine 10mg/day
Winstrol 12mg/day
NPP 25mg every 3 days (first 2 weeks I did every 4 days)

I have also raised my test dose from 200mg every 7-10 days
To 300mg every 6 days.

Good job Jeff.