Shattered Distal Radius

Hi,

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Regards,

Alan

Hi,

I had my wrist broken and had a surgery (3 k-wires) i think its exactly like yours I'm still in the cast and i just want to ask sometimes i feel like a thick liquid is coming out my wrist and i feel it going all the way down my hand but i cant make sure is it sweating or blood the cast is covering my elbow i don't know if you faced this or not please help is it possible that blood comes out from where the wires are? Sorry for my bad english.

Oh dear, sound horrible (& scary). Where my wires were didn't bleed, not 'running' blood anyway, just a little dried blood scabs around the wire entry points into my flesh.

I had my initial backslab plaster cast changed for a proper fibreglass one so I got a look at it all after a week or so, there wasn't really any blood on the backslab or bandages when it was cut off, certainly no more than would be expected given that the pins had been shoved into my flesh!

There wasn't really any on the fibre glass one when that was removed either, and on neither occasion was there dried blood on my hand or up my arm.

To be honest, there wasn't even a lot of blood when the pins were eventually removed either, only evidence of it ever having bled at all were the small scabs that had formed round each pin, which came off with the pins so bled a tiny bit then - no more than a couple of little plasters were required.

I think in all likelihood you are feeling a little sweat, and worry is making it worse! Can you discuss your worries with your doctor?

Thank you so much for the quick response. Actually the i visited the doctor after 8 days and he checked the x-rays which were taken right after the surgery and he told me everything is great don't worry about nothing then i told him i'm feeling weird things inside,Then he made fun of me and said come visit me after one month from the surgery date.two days after that i was really worried and i wanted to go and have new x-rays but in the hospital they said the doctor must recommend the x-ray and tell us the code. Anyways couldn't do it and i decided to visit any doctor just to explain what i'm feeling and if there is something wrong he would recommend an x-ray.when i was with the doctor he checked the surgery's x-rays and said everything is great just 6 weeks and you will be free. I told him something wrong he said all this is normal you will feel weird things don't worry the pins will never be moved or something calm down. I went home and tried to be normal and forget about what i feel. After 23 days (yesterday) from the surgery i visited my doctor and i had new X-rays he said everything is perfect another 23 days and we will remove the cast and you will use wrist supporter. While I'm trying to sleep i felt the liquid and i'm really afraid if it blood or something. By the way the doctor told me we didn't open your hand in the surgery we did it by new technology. Of course i didn't understand that cause i didn't see my hand since i woke up from the surgery. Anyways really sorry for this long reply maybe wanted to know how it feels under the cast from someone had same experience. I'm glad that you are fine now and wish the other user a quick recovery. Sorry again for disturbing and for my bad English.

Don't worry, your English is fine!

To be honest, you've reminded me of the few 'moments' I'd had which I'd probably describe as mild panic attacks. At one point I was so disturbed by being 'trapped' in the cast I nearly got some equipment from our garage to have a go at cutting it off!!! Pacing around in the living room like a caged animal, stressing out thinking "oh my God I want this thing on my arm off - NOW.

If you are on any prescription meds (painkillers), I'd stop taking them. I blame mine for my minor psychotic moments.

If these feelings of bleeding happen again, try to focus on your breathing instead. If you are trying to sleep, get up and have a cup of tea or something - lying there worrying will just make it worse..........distraction tactics are a better idea until you settle back down.

Thanks again,

Actually i took pain killers for the first week and half and then stopped but i don't feel the pain in the bones I'm just afraid from what's under this cast and want to get rid off it ASAP unfortunately i have to wait another 23 days. I really cant thank you enough i think i'm just worry about the weird feelings I'm having under this heavy cast

Hi,

Weirdly comforting reading that others are experiencing the same as your self!! After being hit and run by a

Drunk driver I have been left with both radius and ulna intra articular displaced comminuted multiple fractures. Basically both bones broken at the wrist joint and the ends smashed into 5 peices on the radius and 3 of the ulna. 5 weeks down the line and have been on a traumatic journey of 5 manual traction and manipulations of the wrist to manually move the bones back into the best place for healing. Why wasn't I operated on and put through these agonising episodes!!!??? The only answer I have had was to avoid surgery at all cost!? It seems you guys have successfully had similar operations so I'm confused. My go referred me privately and I saw the same consultant that saw me through the nhs. He confirmed at 3 weeks in it was too late to operate. My bones are now healing in what the consultant has confirmed as an acceptable position but that I would have limited mobility particularly with the palm up Palm down scenario. In reply to Armshowel, although I haven't had surgery I regularly get he feeling of hot liquid running down my arm from wrist to elbow when ellavated, I check this with my consultant and he confirmed it was blood inflating damaged muscle tissue and was normal. I also get sharp shooting pains again confirmed as the nerves awakening now I am doing physio on my fingers to stretch the tendons.

I am two weeks away from cast removal and am super nervous of how will feel and completely visualise your 'premature baby' Jeanette. I think I will be exactley the same!

Hope 'amrshowel' reads your reassuring response regarding the 'bleeding' feeling Elaine83673. Though by now I expect his/her cast has been removed, hopefully everything is OK.

Goodness, both bones shattered - bad luck there! I was initially earmarked to have my wrist sliced open and a plate fitted then there is no need for a cast, but the plate remains inside forever and when you fly off on holiday you constantly have to explain why the security scanner is going off as you pass through!

That may not have been an option for you with both bones shattered, though I wonder why (like me) they didn't just skewer it all back together with K-wires (my shattered bits were manipulated back into place without opening up my wrist, under general anaesthetic). You seem to have been forced to experience worse just to avoid time in the operating theatre and a general anaesthetic - but who knows why the medical profession make the choices they make (budget connected maybe).

I've stressed before the importance of doing the exercises you'll be given. There will be a period of time once out of the cast where you think your wrist is never going to twist or bend again but movement WILL come back. Make sure you are bending/flexing your fingers/thumb whilst in the cast as well - assuming they aren't still looking and feeling like a packet of sausages.

I'm not really suggesting this, but I found the fat end of a chopstick great for shoving down the cast for a bit of a gentle scratch - but I measured from the outside how far I could go without being too close to the busted area or my K-wires. Can be very satisfying to give it all a very gentle scratch/rub in there!

Every day living will get it moving when you become less protective of it after the first couple of weeks cast free (when you will be VERY protective of it). Try to use it carefully as much as possible. I guarantee you will reach the one year mark saying "what broken wrist", just like my physio told me I would (though I didn't believe her at the time).

Regards

Jeannette

Thanks for the wishes and for sharing the experience. Im a guy by the way

Actually im still in the cast and that makes it 6 weeks now in the cast and im in a bad condition not physically but mentally i wanna break this cast i have very weird feelings that my bone is moving inside everytime i move my hand like it's not connected to the palm . Altgough i did a lot of x-rays and a 3D x-ray 20 days ago and doctors are telling me everything is good its just a matter of time. I have an appointment tomorrow will do new x-ray and the doctor will decide wether the cast will be removed or still needs time. Also i visited the doctor two weeks ago and i got the cast cut till under the elbow. I wish you all a great life without any injury may this one be the last one.

Hey Armshowel. How did the follow up appointment go? Are you cast free now?