Wrist fracture
Posted , 100 users are following.
I fell and broke my wrist seven weeks ago. It was a collies fracture but with two breaks. It was put
Into plaster for five weeks. I am now two weeks out of the plaster and I can't believe how horridly
painful it is! I am doing the exercises religiously and am trying not to overuse it. The worst pain
comes from the little finger side and not near the thumb. Where the fractures were is uncomfortable but the other side of my hand is worse. That side was black and blue when the plaster came off and pretty badly swollen. Some, but not all of the swelling has receded.
Anyone else had this experience? Not sure if I should return to the surgeon or, if it's pretty normal,
stop whining!!
7 likes, 302 replies
gardener22 jan00794
Posted
Just wanted to give an update--my wrist was broken a year and a month ago. After 10 months I finally stopped having the pain that started with my first wrist movement each morning. I have been able to hold progressively heavier plates and pots and pans. I can cook, wash and dry dishes. I don't have the strength I had, but I am very functional. I hurt if I press my palm against a door or against something on a table. Putting pills in my left hand and bringing that hand up to my mouth is doable most days, but not always. I still have some trouble digging with a shovel or fork, especially if I am trying to dig up one of the trees that has gotten a root down in my garden or yard. The other day I stressed my wrist pulling in a water hose. Occasionally my wrist still swells and lumps up, then I take Ibuprofen and back off a bit. Sometimes I even pull my brace back out and wear it a couple of nights.
Last summer when I was hurting so much and feeling so helpless, I got very depressed. I was fortunate that my occupational therapist had me fill in a rating scale for depression. As I answered the questions I realized how out of kilter I was. As I got better, hurt less, and was able to do more by myself and with my friends, the depression cleared up. I also talked a lot with my occupational therapist and she assured me that lots of people felt like I did. She said she watched her patients carefully and when the women began coming in with their hair styled better, some make-up, or especially with pants or a skirt that was not elastic pull-up, she knew they were getting better. If I had not improved emotionally during that six weeks she would have made sure to send me back to my primary physician. I am telling you this because you may be having some of the same feelings I was having. If you don't start getting emotionally better after a short while, I'd recommend discussing your feelings with a doctor, a social worker or somebody.
At 68 I am back to enjoying my house, my pets, my yard, my garden, my friends, traveling, working with a friend in her classroom, working at church, and other activites as I choose.
I wish each of you a return to a functional, productive, and enjoyable life.
katejo11 gardener22
Posted
vicky87059 gardener22
Posted
I am 9 weeks post orif for distal radius fracture. I am in depression as I try so so hard with my excercises and this week the physio says there has been NO improvement since I visited her last week. I cry most days and most nights as I have lost my independence and cannot see the wood for the trees. I need to get mobility back. I need to be able to drive again. I need to return to work. But it all looks like because of some silly accident ( I fell down some stairs) that has been taken from me. I have seen my GP and got some sleeping tablets and referral to talking therapies but I know what's wrong with me. I need to think positively. Can anyone please give me some encouragement that it will be ok in the end :-(. Thank you. Ps- ? CRPS has been mentioned but not confirmed.
susan97301 vicky87059
Posted
HI Vicky. I'm sorry you are hurting and discouraged over your accident. Please remember you are VERY EARLY in the healing process. It will take months, not weeks, to heal. When my MD told me that, I felt incensed, but it is true. Sometimes you hit a plateau before making more progress. I had a similar fracture, but did not need surgery. Because you have had surgery, you have additional healing needs that I did not have. My fracture was left wrist so I was able to drive while wearing the splint and cast (I live in US so drive right handed), and I was very grateful for that ability. But there were other losses. The plus for me though things were "taken away", there were gains. I had to ask for help, and that, for an independent person like me was actually a positive in my personal growth. I had to define myself different, not so much by what I could do, but by who I was. Maybe you can find your own positivies. I'll be honest, 4 months after getting out of my cast (5.5 months after the accident), there are still issues. Pain and stiffness come and go. But there is always progress. I will suddenly do something and think, "interesting, I couldn't do that 2 weeks ago." I am forever changed, but I can manage. You will get there, too. I found this info on CRPS that might be of help to ease your worries about the pain. http://rsds.org/telltale-signs-and-symptoms-of-crpsrsd/
I'm saying a prayer for you right now. Hang in there.
wendy26886 vicky87059
Posted
Oh Vicky Please believe me I do understand I have just started to believe this will get better and I am 7 weeks next Tuesday out of plaster for Distal Radius fracture with op. I am having physio every week and I have started swimming and it's a hassle but I really feel its working. I chipped my collar bone but nobody took any notice so when I came out of plaster this has given me stick to but swimming helps. It's still one step forward six back but I feel my fingers unlocking and my wrist not as painful. I have been told it could take up to a year. CRPS was mentioned at first with me and |I worried about that but they have never mentoned it again. We are all different and it takes time much longer than I ever imagined but you will get there just stick with it.
Many good wishes just think of me pounding the pool I don't even like water<>
)
Wendy
vicky87059 wendy26886
Posted
Thank you Wendy. I love water but wouldn't be able at the moment to get in the pool. Can't even manage my bra at the moment and as for bathing. No hope I'd get stuck .., showering is ok but still have to rely on help from my wonderful husband as I feel I may fall. I broke some ribs in my fall as well and a previous broken elbow same arm as a child now won't straighten due to cast, sling, and holding it like a baby when the cast came off.all adding to my problems. It looks like a dummies arm/hand!! I will try to stay positive and hope there is light at the end of the tunnel but it's so hard. So pleased things are working out for you now. Keep up the good work !
gardener22 vicky87059
Posted
Not sure what symptoms of CRPS you are having. After one of my carpal tunnel surgeries I had a pins, needles, and stabbing knife pain that oxycontin did not help. I got back in touch with the doctor and he prescribed another medicine to take instead (could have been a muscle relaxer but I don't remember what it was). My OT also had me soaking my lower arm in alternating cold, hot, cold, hot, then ending with cold water three times a day. I don't remember if I did three minute or five minute soaks in each pan. The combination of the soaks and the new medication did help quite a bit until that awful pain went away after about three weeks.
This forum helped me realize that people have various problems following broken wrists, that wrists are tricky things, and that recovery can be very slow. Having two additional falls and sprains each set back my recovery.
I hope you soon begin to see some progress. Follow up on the talking therapies and even take antidepressants if needed. I have never felt as vulnerable as I did after my wrist injury. Suddenly I felt 20 years older and fearful of what would happen in the future, how long would I be able to live alone, when would I have to go to a nursing home--all kinds of fears.
Reading that one person went swimming is just beyond my imagination--I could hardly get on a sports bra, a tee, and elastic topped britches--I never could have worked my way into a swim suit! Guess I would have to have gone skinny dipping!
Sally4Edgar vicky87059
Posted
I do sympathise Vicky. I felt much the same as you after ORIF for a badly displaced & comminuted distal radius & ulnar styloid fracture. I was able to go back to part-time work after a few days but it was about 4 months before I could think about driving as it was my left wrist and I couldn't change gear without using both hands! I couldn't imagine that my wrist would ever be fully functional again, but nearly a year later and I can do most things. Forward flexion is reduced but the other movements are pretty good now. I do still get a bit of pain in certain positions but the end of my radius wasn't set perfectly and is slightly downward pointing which I think causes the discomfort. I could have an osteotomy and get it re-set but I don't think I can face all the rehab a second time!
I also found there was little improvement at the early stages when the hand physio tried to mobilise my wrist each week, but once the pain eases off a bit and you can start to move your wrist more you'll find that things start to speed up. It is a tough time at the early stages of healing and feels like you're never going to get there, but you will. It's a case of time, patience and gentle exercise.
Good luck - I'm sure in a few weeks you'll be feeling more positive.
cindy92145 vicky87059
Posted
Vicky I feel your pain I fell doing a boot camp class at the gym on Father's Day I was reduced in the hospital then had to have the orif surgery I have been in pain ever since I went to the orth on the and got diagnosed with Crps she gave me a script for gabapentin I started pt this week like you I have no real use of my hand yet I still have inflammation so you should get help asap or it could continue to get worse
vicky87059 Sally4Edgar
Posted
Hello. Just wondered if anyone has had some of the same problems as me. It Doesnt matter how hard I try and believe me I'm doing my best, I cannot really move my wrist 11 weeks post orif! The worst is supinate and pronate action. This is very, very limited and when I can gently turn it, it cracks and clunks and to be honest makes me feel a bit nauseas. My husband is shocked at the noise as he can hear it over the tv when I'm doing the exercises. It feels like my wrist is screwed into that position. Also my thumb does not flex out and my hand won't lay flat. Looks a bit claw like. Fingers are ok and I can make a fist. I'm at my wits end with it all. Still unable to drive, still unable to go to work. Already on gabapentin for back allodynia ( L4-L5 prolapse) so this may be masking the "pain" of CRPS but I do have other symptoms. Still swells - a lot - , different colour from other hand . Shiny and supersentitive around scar. Seeing consultant on Friday and I have a lot of questions. Physio has referred me to someone more senior. Feel like giving up !
Faith2017 jan00794
Posted
tanna65974 jan00794
Posted
Ended up in the hospital with high blood pressure 215/90 because of a too- tight cast.
Hospital took off the vast in order to get you blood pressure down.
I never went back to the doctor and my wrist is healing nicely. I knew that it was healing in place.
I can move all my fingers.
No pain.
The cast was causing the pain.
A friend of mine wore a cast that killed every nerve in her arm.
She now goes to a pain clinic and is very depressed.
EthelLew jan00794
Posted
I feel for you because I fell over my dog and broke my wrist 6 weeks ago. I was 4 weeks in a cast and now two weeks in an air cast and my wrist feels no better! It is a little better in the air cast just because it's removable and you can get it wet and ice it now but as far as pain goes it's terrible. My bone is still sticking out making my hand look crooked. I wonder if my doctor was wrong and I really do need surgery after all? Has anyone else experienced this problem. Is the pain supposed to be this bad after 6 weeks? Thanks EthelLew
EthelLew jan00794
Posted
I had a total of three casts put on my wrist they all got so lose I could pull them off except the last one but the cast caused much pain! My wrist felt better once I got in a laced air cast. The Velcro ones are lousy too flimsy. Just some advise in case any of u need something after a hard cast. Go to eBay or Amazon and get a lace up air cast they are easily adjusted and they stay all day without moving. They don't allow the wrist to move but they do allow your knuckles and fingers to move. I would love to hear from a doctor or someone that can give advise on why my wrist and hand are not aligned right and why the bone is still so swollen and sticking out after 6 weeks immobilized. Thanks EthelLew
Celita EthelLew
Posted
Hi, EthelLew,
I had the same problem . My wrist bones are displaced due the cast became so lose and always swollen. It happend six and half month ago and I have three fingers still stiff. I have comfort when I rest my arm and wrist on a pillow, with inclination. I can sleep and watch tv without pain. I'm going to have surgery in November 3rd. It's in God's hands!
I wish you the best!