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Life in a cast...How did you cope?

Posted , 5 users are following.

milly28
milly28

Hi there,

I broke my leg falling down the stairs (sober!) about 11 weeks ago. I ended up having to have surgery were a plate and pins was inserted to stabilise my fracture. I was in a cast for 6 weeks and now i am able to weightbare with the aid of a boot.

My life in a cast consisted of seepless nighs due to itchiess! You're told not to put aything down your cast yet all you want to do is rip the cast off an soothe the itcing!  

Now enough about me... I'm doing some research an would be very grateful of your feedback on your experence with 'Life in a cast' whether it is at present or past expeences...

Many thanks

2 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • ian71390
    ian71390 milly28

    Posted

    i'm currently in a below the elbow cast for a fractured 5th metacarpal , it's just been a hassle more than anything , not really itchy , but it does get a bit hot , as it's coming into summer down where I live , I'm sure you'll relate , trying to keep the cast dry when showering is a bother , but a snap lock bag and a rubber band seems to work for me .
    • milly28
      milly28 ian71390

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply ian71390. Are you using anything to help cure the heat sensation you are experiencing? or just coping with it?

      I'd be grateful of anymore feedback on how youre coping

      Thanks

    • ian71390
      ian71390 milly28

      Posted

      I'm just dealing with it , just a bit of an annoyance .
  • katejo11
    katejo11 milly28

    Posted

    Hi Milly

    I had my right wrist in plaster for 6 weeks in the summer. It was bearable but perhaps because I could still get about and go to work after week 1. I wasn't cooped up at home and unable to move. I did get itching but only for short periods. By the end though, the bit round my thumb and fingers stank of sweat and stale food.

    • milly28
      milly28 katejo11

      Posted

      Hi katejo11,

      Thanks for your reply its really helpful.

      smile

  • kaasan12047
    kaasan12047 milly28

    Posted

    I fractured my Right femur when hit by a tree during a Storm while on a camping trip. The surgery involved hollowing out the femur and implanting a hollow rod. The bone then grew back with no break. After the surgery I was put in a cast that was in 2 parts so I could bend my knee. The bottom half went from my toes to just below my knee. The top part from just above my knee to the top. They were joined on each side by plastic, bendable hinges. It was quite heavy, but allowed me to walk, sit, sleep while using crutches. It lasted several months. Unfortunately, the fracture site wasn't healing properly and nearly 9 months later I needed another surgery to graft bone onto the site. That required another round of the horrible cast. I was @ 30 at the time, and as I only needed 1 foot to drive, it didn't slow me down once I got used to it. At times the cast got itchy, but I used a straightened coat hanger to cope. One thing was kinda gross, the condition of the skin on my leg once the cast was off. It was dry and coarse, with lots of little bumps, and of course long matted hair. This took place in 1979 & 1980. Hopefully they have more advanced treatments for broken femurs.
    • katejo11
      katejo11 kaasan12047

      Posted

      My younger brother fractured his femur in 1970 aged 5. He spent nearly 2 months in hospital with his leg in traction
    • milly28
      milly28 kaasan12047

      Posted

      Wow! That's drastic! Makes my broken ankle seem minor smile

      When it comes to the skin care post cast, it's horrible... I'm a nurse myself and I'm researching how the skin is managed throughout the casting period so this has been a great help!

      Many thanks!

    • kaasan12047
      kaasan12047 milly28

      Posted

      Glad I could help. I definitely agree more needs to be done about the skin under the cast.

      Good Luck

    • kaasan12047
      kaasan12047 katejo11

      Posted

      Oh, that must have been awful for him, especially at that age! When I broke a femur in July 1979 I was initially put in traction. Having a steel rod pushed through your leg is horrible for an adult, It must've been worse for a child. I was told I could spend 6 - 8 weeks in traction or have surgery to place a rod down the length of the bone, then go home in a cast with crutches. I chose the surgery. Hopefully, your brother has very little memory of the incident.

  • luke06492
    luke06492 milly28

    Posted

    Hi. I'm in a temprary cast at the moment up to my knee after breaking my ankle. So far I have not expereinced any itching, but I am dreading it when I do. Any tips would be appreciated.

     

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