Hi to all, this is the first time i post, but i've been reading this forum for more than a year now. I'm a 25yo male from Spain -turning 26 next week- (this forum has been a reference since there aren't any similar spanish forums). So hi to all from across the puddle . I'd first like to say that this forum has served of great support and encouragment to me for a long time. I'd also like to give my full support to riderk. I've followd ur sufferment for a long time.
In my case, i first got injured in Oct. 2010 (i've been into bodybuilding since i was 18). I've gone through 5 ot 6 different doctors. From ortho's to sports meds and surgeons; xrays, mri's and arthrograms. Nothing conclusive has been found on any of my tests, but still, my current dr wants to have another arthogram cause he still thinks that all my symptoms point to slap. afetr 1.5years, my shoulder feels worse than ever, the left side of my body is totally atrophiated. I have pain radiating down my arm and up my trapezium and neck, also down my scapula. I've unsuccsefully tried to go back to training twice, due to dr's that told me i could, since there was no proof of anything wrong WTF!! I was also recommended by another ortho to abandon my passion and just cope with a passive sedentary life. I'm convinced ill never be able to compete again, neither will i possibly be able to keep practicing the sport i so much love and enjoy. But dont i at least have the right to a damn diagnosis? I mean, this is completely destroying me, living through this for more than a year, acupuncture, PT, cortisone steroids, nsaids, iontophoresis, etc etc more than 5000€ spent on doctors and not even a proof of empirical evidence of what i've got!!! im so pissed...

Thanks to all of you for posting all of your stories. They serve as great support and makes oneself feel empathy and empathysed with.
KRaM from across the puddle.

Thanks for the support! In a week I will know where I stand, I hope. There are 3 shoulder surgeons who are the best in the US - one is local, but since his merry band of colleagues are the ones who messed me up, I cannot go there, so traveling out of state to see another.

Have any of these doc's suggested doing a diagnostic arthoscopy? I have no idea of your medical/insurance system in Spain, but it seems to me that you have suffered way too long. And to suggest that someone in their mid-20's need to suck it up and accept this is ridiculous. They tried to send me down that road of useless treatments, but I finally wised up and went to a chiropractor who confirmed the diagnosis suggested by the physical therapist. And where were the orthopods? Counting their income for treatments they knew wouldn't work, and classifying me as not worthy of intervention based on my female sex and age. Heck, they were recommending PT and shots without ONE test because they concluded it was degenerative. Well, I'll say it is really degenerated now into a complete mess.

I hope you have access to a good shoulder specialist and can insist on a diagnostic scope based on your history and present status. Let us know how things continue for you.

Thanks riderk for your early reply. Here in Spain we have free and universal healthcare for everybody (social security), but the only issue about this is that it serves great if what ur dealing with is a broken leg, or a flue or some common, straight forward pathology which can be easily identified and treated: because the recent budget and resources cuts on public health have caused that one is just sent to a general OS (obiously not of your choice), which are overcollapsed and that can for the most offer you 10min visits. Obviously when they see the complexity of your case, they just try to politely turn you off somewhere else and pass the problem on to some other department and dr. Just by saying that 2 of the OS's i've been to concluded 1st: i should just quit my weightlifting career and forget about this sport 2nd dr lierally: "you should just keep on training with your good arm for the time your injury cures" LMAO!!!! It seriously makes you doubt about the integrity of these "professionals", but on the other hand i can also understand that an overcollapsed and underfunded healthcare system that obliges dr's to treat 50+ different cases per day (leaving them with a 10min visit per person) cannot offer much more than that. I have for the last 8 months been attending 2 different private OS's. 1 of which has recomended a diagnostic arthroscopy, and the other has tried to talk me out of it stating the uncertain outcome that a diagnostic arthroscopy, and the repairs that might be needed once he's in there, could imply. At this point, money is not an issue any more (i mean, it is, but what price does your health and wellbeing have?). I'm trying to book an apointment this month at one of the few specialized shoulder units here in spain (in Madrid), and see what options i'm presented with there.
I would also like asking if there has been the case where somebody was tested negative for SLAP in an arthrogram despite suffering it??? Can this happen?? If not, im going to start thinking that my problem could be arthritic or autoinmune of some type.... I'm going to be having blood work soon to rule this possibility out.
Cheers and "salud" to everyone from across the puddle, Kram.

P.S: Looking forward to the outcome of your outstate visit riderk (was it to Dr. Warner in boston MS? i've read near to miracles performed by this guy...)