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Broken wrist..cast taken off today..eek!!

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kathacin
kathacin

Hi all, so pleased to find a broken wrist support group somewhere (the irony!) I come to you asking for any tips, info & support & have found many of the posts on here really interesting..some have frightend the pants off me aswell I won't lie! rolleyes

My story of woe began 5wks ago..slipped & landed left hand 1st..I dislocated & broke it & had plaster put on under sedation. Couldn't believe it, 1st time in my 46yrs of life I'd ever broken anything & what a job I did! Wrist was put into a bent & twisted position (like a teapot spout!) so has been a both painful & crazy awkward!

Went to trauma clinic today expecting just an xray & was told the plaster was coming off..nearly made a run for it as there was no way I could imagine it being unsupported, it didn't feel any different than week I did it & 1st consultant I'd seen had told me it would be around 8wks!! So this is where I meet you..in a splint..the nurse had to bend the metal as I couldn't bend my wrist straight. My skin is flaking like an old suntan & everythiing's a bit odd, manky & scary! Dr was so concerned about my lack of hand movement he told me to get private physio if I don't hear from theirs in next day or 2! Decided to take splint off earlier, give arm a wash & put on some Bio oil to help flaking..ARGH.. Thought it was going to drop off, all floppy & felt like it was rebroken (apparently this won't happen unless I fall again) but argh!! Horrible time & hard to think about anything else. Trying to move fingers about & make a fist but not really happening yet..anyway hope you're all doing ok but totally understand if you're not & am sending a vertual hug to all x

3 likes, 29 replies

29 Replies

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  • jenny67664
    jenny67664 kathacin

    Posted

    I got a shock, turned up to consultant, told plaster off today before seeing him, as not had a copy of letter I had no idea. This was after 4 weeks, a broken wrist and arm that was pushed back. They put a splint on. This is week 2 with it. Next week physiotherapy at hospital. Oh joy. Was warned arm would look odd. I have flakey skin. Using Dove had cream can't see much change! Told would have physio on hand arm and shoulder. So you are o,.k sort of. Wiggle fingers, just got to make a fist, well it's a start. Clean teeth, hair brushing partly. Lifting a near empty box of cornflakes, lol.  

    I had an odd shape setting too. Thought oh god I have a deformed arm...just a bit but don't look half as bad as I thought. Hope you don't feel so bad now. Virtual hug back

    • kathacin
      kathacin jenny67664

      Posted

      Ha thanks..birds of a feather!! Had a pretty good day today for 1st time in 5wks..splint easier to live with than a cast & bit easier to sleep with too..it's just when it comes off everything goes to pot..physio doesn't appeal as'll have to take on floppiness & general painfulness of whole thing! I'm off to try lifting box of cornflakes now (show off ha!) :p Superdrug do a version of Bio oil, half the price & smells lovely..really good for flakey skin by the way. Good luck with it all anyway..let me know how you go
  • jenny67664
    jenny67664 kathacin

    Posted

    I use a cornflake box,perfect weight when small amount left 😉. Used various creams, may try that, flakiness slowly going. Dreading physio, next week...if she hurts me a and e will have another patient! Can lean teeth, brush hair and eat cereal. Tea a bit too wary of unless held a cup, left hand under to deflect it away...Time will heal. Not deformed like told by second Dr. Just a bit thinner....
  • kathacin
    kathacin

    Posted

    I'm thinking I'll be deformed!!..I tried the cereal box & epic fail so 1 point to you there dammit..can't open hand wide enough yet but will keep trying! Your dread of physio is matched by mine..'no pain no gain' is all well & good until the splint gets taken off & anyone touches it & looking like I'm going to have to pay for the privilage too..£45 for 45mins blah!! Considering just keeping splint on perminantly rather than get bending it out of it's spout shape ha! Crazy times as I said! x
  • jenny67664
    jenny67664 kathacin

    Posted

    The splint left on will make arm deformed and problems with arm and shoulder. I started wiggling the fingers to keep them from stiffening too much. You mutter same words I do. How Come you have to pay?  Guess we both want to look 'normal' and we will. I take splint off for a while just to fresh air in hand! Pity not in physio together, probably talk too much. Plus any pain they would suffer ...two against one. Fingers look o.k not like sausages.😉. They told me time and day, said right handed and that's the one injured please send letter...silly me....
  • katejo11
    katejo11 kathacin

    Posted

    I had no problem getting rid of the flakiness after the plaster removal. i just soaked it in warm soapy water for about 20 mins and I applied a moisturizer. It now looks normal again. I wish you good luck with any physio. It sounds as though you have been less fortunate than I was as my hand didn't suffer any real loss of movement right from the beginning. Perhaps because you had a dislocation as well. Let us know if you have seen any improvement since your first entry here.

     

  • jenny67664
    jenny67664 kathacin

    Posted

    The skin is rough around my nails and dry finger tips. The injury to my arm is affecting movement to lower it to soak them. Bit better movement , prefer to loosen as much as possible before next week. Plate in the left wrist after breaking that, no problem with that one. Typical I am this time. No pain no gain.....
  • kathacin
    kathacin

    Posted

    Hii both..I'm the same with flaking around fingertips & joints..not a good look! Moving fingers ok at the mooment after determined wiggeling but wrist area is scary! Still haven't heard from hospital physio since Trauma clinic appt Monday where Dr said it was vital I had it asap so will have to go private for 1st one I think..will give them call tomorrow & sort I think. I'm supposed to take splint off at times from next week but still no movement & a load of pain if I take splint off let alone try to do anything with it!! Def due to dislocation, have nerve, tendon & possibly muscle damage aswell as healing bone due to it having to be pullled back into place..pain feels like trapped nerve, really sharp if splint's not on (only tried it twice!!).. boo hoo! I'm generally fine though & not grumpy just annoyed it's going to take such a long time & I've got a job that I'm meant to get back to in a week or so feels like a race to fix it! Disturbing to see what it's like with no support..eyes to Heaven! wink x
  • jenny67664
    jenny67664 kathacin

    Posted

    First few times I took sling off very painful to put back on. Can now take off for a fair while. On at night, or out! Ring that dept and fast had to do chasing for the other wrist. To get it used to do anything have you tried relaxing it first. Wouldn't try any you see on net till had an apt. First is to assess treatment. I started by holding a tea spoon. Stroking fingers to relax is good.  Fingers not nice looking with the skin. What I do get is a pinching sensation in the palm of my hand. Do you?

     

  • kathacin
    kathacin

    Posted

    No haven't had that yet but dare say I'll catch up with you soon!.. Main pain at the moment is little finger side & under wrist where bone slipped out..still feels like it's going to again but think the splint's not helping there..was going to take it off for a while tonight but chickened out & not totally sure if I'm doing right for doing wrong (no change there though ha!!) Want hospital physio 1st really as they'd be doing main course of treatment but can't wait for them much longer & must be better to do something than nothing! God it's such a big pain in arse isn't it?! Bored of worrying about it & general discomfort but another day ticked off & closer to being fixed wink
  • jenny67664
    jenny67664 kathacin

    Posted

    I cheated...laid down. Took sling sticker part off but kept splint under. Rested over body. Don't do any exercises yet. After the 6th week able to do more without it. Confidence gone at first. Pain on palm of hand, like it's got a nerve trapped. Base of thumb painfull and bone feels like it's moving on little finger side, weird. Worse in sling with that! Keeping it on at night, not brave enough yet thanks! 6 weeks and two days gone. Glad of this group 👏
  • kathacin
    kathacin

    Posted

    Hi, trapped nerve feeling in palm can't be pleasant, have had that but not there..we've really done a top job of this haven't we?! I took splint off today & rested arm on pillow, put on some oil & gently tried to unbend wrist a little bit,..properly pouting when I couldn't..it's ridgid!! Top of hand's swollen & weirdly index finger tip went wonky with little bone at joint sticking out when I tried..ay!? The splint metal bit was bent for my wrist when they put it on so I straightened it a bit hoping it'll help do same to me maybe! Couldn't get splint back on quick enough or would have had girlie sob..which isn't me! We'll laugh about this one day..honestly :-/ ha I'm going to Banksy's Dismaland tomorrow..my pout will be ideal there!. Hope you have a good Sunday chick..I'm glad I'm on here too, stops me feeling like I'm falling apart alone! wink x
  • jenny67664
    jenny67664 kathacin

    Posted

    Puffy fingers now! Certain movements no problem, til I tried to spread bread and use fork. Very tender round base of thumb. Skin feels stretched.Able to do more, maybe too much. 😪. Hope you had a good day. 
  • kathacin
    kathacin

    Posted

    Hi, how you doing now? I've got private physio appt tomorrow (my 1st!!) Can't believe I'm paying for the privilage of being in additional pain boo!! 1st NHS appt not until next Wed so thought I'd better get ball rolling! Speaking of which.bought a squeezy ball today but spent more time playing with it than using it as bloody hurt under wrist & been stinging today for some reason?! Trying to keep fingers moving but still hand still won't turn or bend..can you turn your hand palm up? Only just realised I can't! :-p Wish me luck & hope you're not so puffy now ha!
  • jenny67664
    jenny67664 kathacin

    Posted

    Not as bad as I thought. Gave myself a bit of pain first..stopped wearing splint in house. When exercises done it does help. One though is painfull so I do five not ten of them, will build up to six.Others I can do ten for. Unless told don't do anything I just wiggled fingers. Pegged out washi g, feel dead proud...twinge scream twinge.😂 Until I find suitable ball using bath sponge with warm water on. Benefit from heat to relax. Heat pad and ice in tea towel helps. Can't work yet damn and blast. Next apt three weeks, unless like consultants today informed two weeks later than given for him. Keep me updated, we can shake hands soon 👏😖
    • kathacin
      kathacin jenny67664

      Posted

      Yay we should def shake hands /high 5 this thing over as soon as I can without squealing like a cat ha!! Next hospital visit tomorrow..next physio Wed..all go!! :p
    • jenny67664
      jenny67664 kathacin

      Posted

      Just one exercise is painfull, others I can cope with. If only I could see a change in it, it wouldn't be so annoying. Not a patient person anyway! Middle finger is still puffy palm side, and can hurt when I mak a fist, have you got anything like this?
    • kathacin
      kathacin jenny67664

      Posted

      Yep! If I try to make a fist the whole top of my hand really hurts & feels tight & looks all puffy..little finger side perminantly hurts! Can't touch little finger with my thumb but can do others (yay me!)..middle finger is attached to everything so not surprising it's the culpit! Went to hosp today & consultant said it's a long job & I'm not where he'd like me (wasn't totally sure what he meant there ha!) but just all about physio now to get movements back. Keep your chin up..we'll get there, just think how bad it was before compared to now! Nerves,tendons & soft tissue are complicated so stay positive but understand if you want to have a little scream too..so frustrating but we can do this!!
    • jenny67664
      jenny67664 kathacin

      Posted

      Can just repeat just do thumb to fingers. Middle finger is weird, half expect it to pop! Worse after fist game. Don't see physio til 16th and consultant the 30th. No instructions about splint...did you get told anything? Can see where  problem is going to be....one exercise won't move it.  But I did see what could have happened, on Internet, woman had bar attached with screw. Had mine not started healing this may have had to have. Been done. Ugh...sooo glad. What exercises have you got? ...
    • kathacin
      kathacin jenny67664

      Posted

      Physio gave me 4 things to do 3 times a day each for about 30secs/8 times..stop if pain goes over "a 4" or miss a sesh if sore (1) put hands together in prayer acion, intertwine fingers & rock slowly to a point you can cope with discomfort but don't push. (2) support bad hand at wrist joint with good hand (thumb in palm, good fingers on top of hand) & rock wrist back & forth (3) fist & slowly straighten fingers flat (4) screw up a towel into a sausage & wring it as though to get water out..(that one kills so dumped it for now ha! NHS physio tomorrow..see what they do. You should maybe get a private physio sesh before middle of Oct..just to reassure you & give you some things that might help. £45 was ok & they said I wouldn't need a course or anything just 1 off to put me in right direction. They know their stuff

      No idea how I ducked surgery either..surprised myself at how much I didn't want it but thay all kept saying " hmm you're borderline..might be needed" but no one actually pushed the point so I just grinned & shut up (rare haha!!)

    • jenny67664
      jenny67664 kathacin

      Posted

      Slightly different to mine. With the bath sponge full of water I squeeze that instead of stress ball. Have enough stress thanks 😂. Put arms in front bend wrist down and up. Lay arms on table turn wrist one way then the other. Lay on back with elbows tucked in perpendicular move wrist up and down. Looked to find what the hell that meant! Saw on another broken wrist site to tuck arm in and wave like the queen. Understand that! Can also go private, have hospital guild plan. They pay half of treatment costs. Used on several faults... oh what fun, 
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