Question
Hi

I am a 31yr old female, diagnosed with Bipolar (meds: AM -150mg Lamotragine, PM - 50mg Dopaqual and 75mg Serdep) 6 months ago.  I also suffer from Siatica (although not severe).

I have been waking up with severe shoulder pain that continues throughout the day, along with this I have pain in both hands that slowly subsides with movement.

Everytime I go to a Dr, I get a cortizone injection into the joint and the diagnosis is frozen shoulder or deep tissue damage.  I don't feel that this is correct as there is no improvement.

Answer
Hello,
Always check the side effects of your medications..although i don't think they would cause shoulder pain they may cause extremity pain. OK the idea that your bipolar meds may be causing other problems may sound bizarre just see what they are.

You should only have 3 to 6 cortisone shots at the most for any specific problem such as you describe with more towards three than six. If you have had  3 or more the injections more than likely will not produce much pain relief. (I HAVE TO GIVE YOU A DISCLAIMER AT THIS POINT ONLY YOUR PERSONAL MEDICAL PHYSICIAN CAN DETERMINE THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF MEDICATION OR AMOUNT OF CORTISONE INJECTIONS TO HELP YOUR MEDICAL ISSUES AND OR SITUATION)

If you have done a course of injections and physio then you should look into Manipulation under anesthesia. Here is a video of a a patient of mine that underwent MUA in Phoenix Arizona

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa4NC5GAS9Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MK0iE2U4zA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn3zGdM7krI