Broken wrist, how long does the pain last after removal of the cast?

Yep...very complicated bit of kit...the body. As we’re getting technical I can do flexion, extension, radial and ulnar deviation, pronation and supination...pretty much 99% there although not with the same ease and comfort of my good hand. 

I'm lost for words re Ali’s and Elaine’s progress...the infrequency of physio and the almost complete lack of progress in movement. I saw a noticeable difference each week of the above movements...as I suspect you did too. They have to progress but I guess at a much slower rate which will only cause despondency...we're with you folks!🙂

80%. I should do more excersises to get this one sorted. Still gets sore side of the wrist below the thumb, to the side of the scar. I moisturise the scar a few times a day massaging it in. 

Maureen

Thank you for your caring thoughts. Tomorrow it will be a year since my break..

I have done everything that I was told to do, sometimes overdoing it tbh.

However, I am easing back a little on physio as my thumb is way to painful now. I have learned to adapt using my hand as it is. I can hold a hairbrush to do front & side of my hair whilst drying it...my daughter finishes the back lol. I can open most door handles tho some cause discomfort for a little while. I can live with that.

What I find getting worse is my thumb, it is too painful at times to open a simple packet of biscuits or crisps....maybe in my favour tho!!

I have yet to be accessed for further manipulation on my wrist because of the CRPS but I am more than prepared to go ahead. They did my fingers last op & I gained a few cms but cnt make a full fist.

I can live with that also. My aim is to get movement in my wrist of some degree so I'l take what's on offer. As for considering removing a bone below my thumb I'm not too sure yet but I have spoke to ppl who have had a similar procedure & it has helped.

That's a last resort if I am giving the choice. Atm my hand is calm....little pain unless I do physio or overuse it so I count my blessings.

Good luck Ali on your recovery....I sure know what you are going through....Il keep updating my progress for all other sufferers...good luck to you all also..

Apologies for the late update - I was hoping to have something to say! Many thanks for the good wishes. I hope you are all continuing your good recoveries. Elaine, you too!

I am improving, but it is taking a very long time. I still can't make a fist or touch my last two fingers with my thumb. There is precious little sign of my hand being able to move upwards from the wrist. I've now got tubing for cutlery to help me use knives at dinner time. I have gadgets to help open cans and jars. I'm getting a lot of pain in my shoulder and arm. I still don't know if that's the CRPS spread or if I've damaged my shoulder - I asked my doctor twice about this and he didn't answer which was a bit disconcerting. I had a different doctor last week, but he was so unpleasant I lost the will to stay there a second longer - I thought it was personal at the time, but I've since found out it was not!

All of the above sounds quite negative, but, I am improving. It's just millimetre by millimetre. I can open doors with my right hand, and even take my rings off my left hand, showing that strength is returning. My hand gets nearer to making a fist, and with the help of therapeutic putty and the occupational therapist, sometimes it looks like I'm getting quite near - sadly though, never unaided! Some days I can type with my hand quite normally. I've been having occupational therapy and physiotherapy almost daily. And certainly my occupational therapist who I've seen more than anyone over the past 6 weeks is convinced of my improvement. So I remain hopeful that I can kick CRPS into remission and get most of my hand movement back. 

I managed to drive the car once, but wasn't able to use my right hand to get the car into reverse or use the handbrake or switch the key. (Having a right hand drive car at this point would have been so much easier). This would have made driving a little tricky, but not impossible. However, the day after that, I was given new medication (Amitriptyline) against the nerve pain which is designed to help at night. In Germany this means I'm not allowed to drive - in the UK I know there are some people who take nearly 4x more than me who can still drive, but this is the law here. I'm hoping to come off those in the New Year.

So I am actually quite hopeful, but this is definitely a long game. I don't know how long I'm going to be without physio etc over the Christmas period, and I'm going to have to make sure I don't go backwards in that time. But I don't think I will.

Hoping everybody's recoveries are continuing at a normal rate...

Hi Ali, great to hear how you are getting along. I feel when I read your updates I'm reading my own. It is so uncannily similar.

I still cannot make a full fist without using my other hand tbh & at times this hurts at my middle finger joints. As for movement upwards or backwards with my wrist, I still cannot.

My O/T also gave me tubing & a latex type material to be able to grip items such as cutlery & hairbrush. However I dnt use it that often now.

You mention pain in your shoulder & arm, I too had that which turned into FS. Im sure mine was brought on by my physio because he tried turning my arm over & I winced in pain as if something had pulled.

My surgeon said it could be CRPS but Im sure it was FS as I had it 2 yrs ago.

My physio & O/T also saw improvements all being slight, but i took that as a good sign but knew it could be a very long journey....a yr in fact!

The same thing happens to me when I drive...only 6 times in the yr since my break. I can do all ok but need both hands to turn the ignition key. How uncanny we both struggle with that!!

I was told I could have amitriptyline which in theory is a mild antidepressant but used for pain relief. However, I am on 10mg of citalapram...same reason tbh.

I am due to see my surgeon on 19th Dec who will decide when I have my wrist manipulated under local as with my fingers previous. They could not do both because of CRPS so decided to do it separate.

My wrist looks the size of a childs with the muscle loss but I do my exercises with little gain.

My 4th op if it goes ahead will be removal of a bone in my thumb which is excruciatingly painful where I have to now wear a splint to immobilise it.

My thoughts are with you Ali & to all going through this painful journey.

Its a long road ahead still but I have to keep hopeful.....

Hello Ali,

Just a quick update on my slow progress!!

?Little has changed tbh, I saw my surgeon Dec 19th who has informed me that I will have MUA under local to try & move my wrist. As the break was initially so severe they warned me it could still be susceptible to breaking during MUA but will monitor it.

?If its too risky they will perform surgery yet again to release scar tissue etc. I'm praying it will be near to successful to be able to move on at last.

Thumb has been immobilised because of severe pain.....so frustrating!!

?My thoughts are with you as we both go through this unbearable journey, though I sincerely hope you are more recovered since the last discussion.

?I hope you had a great Xmas & more importantly a healthier & painfree NY to come.

?Any successful treatment etc that you have had to aid recovery I would be happy to know about to keep my pecker up.

All the very best to you............

Oh Elaine! It's horrible that everything is taking so long for you. I hope they do manage successful manipulation for you, and it doesn't break...

My progress is still continuing, but very, very slowly. All the doctors I've seen seem convinced that my shoulder pains are from frozen shoulder rather than CRPS. That's obviously better, but the pain is the same kind of electrical-current pain, so I'm not sure. I had another fall on Christmas Day (my cat!) and hurt my left hand, not badly, but it still feels numb and achey a week later. I'm hoping that is just a protest.

I got referred to a Pain Management centre just before Christmas, and I'm hoping that this will prove to be a break through - they decided my case was an emergency and I got seen that afternoon. The doctor gave me pain relief acupuncture (all the doctors in the clinic are qualified in this), and also a cream called 'Ambroxol' which is a local anaesthetic, and seems to be quite a new thing. This has meant that I have come off Amitriptyline which feels good!

I still can't make a fist, and by myself can only touch my middle finger with my thumb, but in OH with the help of flossing, I managed to touch my middle finger this morning. Flossing remains one of the best treatments I've had.

This Friday I am due to have ESWT (Extra Corporeal Shock Wave Therapy) which is yet something else I had never heard of, but seems to help the battle against CRPS. I hope it does. I'm still hoping for a pain-free future!

So I also hope that your MUA does help to restore movement and that you also get a pain free New Year! Fingers crossed!

Let me know how your journey continues.

xx

Maureen 

Maureen

Where are you Regmac.....you sound like you’re in the middle of a jungle with no professional help and just a first aid kit. You have fractured both the radius and ulna and yet you've had no surgery.....why....did you have it manipulated under local anaesthetic....is it in plaster....if it is very deformed, I can only assume you haven’t had it manipulated into it’s correct position. Why have you waited 8 weeks? Have you told the doctors you are not happy with it? I fractured wrist takes 6 months to heal if treated properly, I should know, I have just passed 6 months post fracture and I’m fine. Go back to your doctor and ask questions, if you’re in a country with poor health care, try to get to a big city with a good hospital....if you don’t, I can promise you, you will have problems, for a very long time....just ask Ali or Elaine on this forum....