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Fiberglass cast claustrophobia!!! Distal radius fracture.

Posted , 9 users are following.

lisa03115
lisa03115

Hi Everyone,

I fell down a flight of stairs at my friends house and broke my wrist just under 2 weeks ago. I went to A&E and had my wrist manipulated into place under sedation and a fiberglass cast applied. The next day I had surgery and 2 k-wires inserted and had a plaster cast.

The first night in hospital, I woke up around 3am feeling really stuffy in the room, I then proceeded to have some shortness of breath and the shakes. I noticed my cast felt very snug on my arm but thought maybe the shock of the break was only just hitting me. I'd been at a friends house so I was in a hospital 2 hours away from home. I ended up sitting awake for a few hours trying to deep breath and calm myself before calling my mum at 5am and getting another hours sleep.

Once I had surgery and the plaster cast fitted, even though it was the size of a baby elephants leg, I never had any problems. The plaster was only half way round my arm so I could feel the underneath of my forearm through the padding.

Cut to now and I had my cast changed yesterday as the plaster one was loose. I've been fitted with another fiberglass one and while it was initially a welcome change because of the lightness, last night I experienced the exact same feelings as my first night in hospital which I now realise is panic attacks from some sort of cast claustrophobia. In the night the cast becomes ever so slightly tighter which must trigger it off.

Has anyone else experienced this? I know the techniques for calming the attacks which allow for broken sleep but Is it possible that I could get my cast chaged back to the plaster? Can a small window be cut in the fiberglass (by the hospital) to allow skin contact?

Honestly, how this cast is making me feel is worse than the actual injury! I dont think I can bear it for 4 weeks, especially as I know the plaster cast totally illiminated this feeling :-(

Any advice would be appreciated, or if you'd just like to moan/vent along with me, come join the party!

1 like, 20 replies

20 Replies

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  • lisa03115
    lisa03115

    Posted

    Oh dear, the releif was somewhat short lived... I knocked my cast yesterday (only lightly so no effect to the actal bone) but it just made the cast push on the k-wire on the top of my wrist and subsequently trigger another panic attack that lasted just over an hour, then proceeded to turn into insomnia and a general feeling of unease.

    Managed to have a couple of hours sleep this afternoon but the temptation to peel apart this cast and try and move my hand is using all my strength.

    I absolutely was not prepared for this and feel really stupid and ashamed that its happening and I cant seeem to control it.

    Next appointment is in 5 days where they are checking to make sure my wrist position is ok from where the cast has been split. Sorry for the reintroduction of negativity, was feeling on top of the world for just under 24 hours at least :-(

    • vicky87059
      vicky87059 lisa03115

      Posted

      Hang in there Lisa. This fracture wrist milarky is so not what any of us expected. I can honestly say I haven't ever experienced such feelings of depression, insomnia , utterly tearful days when I cannot see the future of ever being able to move this arm again. We are all different in our healing process. I haven't ever felt the claustrophobia feelings you have had but I do feel the despair. You are not being stupid it's just something that's unique to you in your healing. Have you tried music or something to take your mind of it? Just think though you do get through it in the end. Not nice I know but you do come out the other side. Hope you feel better soon. X

    • richard_54977
      richard_54977 lisa03115

      Posted

      Hi Lisa,

      Remember you can get medication like I suggested. If you don't want to do that, pop headphones in (kind of worked for me, certainly took the edge off it). You sound as clumsy as me! There is an app that you can download to relax, I never actually tried this, but I was looking until it as the was a possibility of a second cast... Thankfully not. It's a hypnosis one, but it does get good reviews. Worth a go maybe? Looks like there are lots of caring people on here who will help you through this. Wishing you all the best, Rich x

    • oscar80077
      oscar80077 lisa03115

      Posted

      are you sure it's panic?

      i recently fractured my ankle, it was very unstable so i couldn't remove the shoe and the swelling was huge.

      the emergency splint was very tight, then they cut off shoe and put plaster splint. it was terrible! tight on the swelling and loose on the foot. i had to remove it because it caused problems with circulation and the toes were numb.

      at the cast application i was explained that i needed plaster because the fiberglass can't be molded precisely.

      i was a bit scared because the plastering was painful even with painkillers, and i had the "surprise" of a full leg cast.

      but after some hours pain subsided and my ankle started to feel better and better. now my leg feels perfecty ok.

      probably with wires you didn't move the bones, try to ask for a plaster.

  • ber80834
    ber80834 lisa03115

    Posted

    Hi Lisa. My English is not so good but I will try to explain myself. I got a fractura in my leg. The cast was fiberglass. Next day I feel dizzy and with pain in my throat. One week I suffer all this. After that I start reading side effects of fiberglass cast... Is synthetic materials... In other words can cause cancer. I've replace that cast.. with the old fashioned... Cotton and the material for the builders... Stucco.. after that I feel better. It's heavier than the fiberglass... But I don't have dizziness and pain in my throat.... I have to stay with the cast 2 months more. Cheers and I hope everything is well with you. Chau

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