Wrist fracture

I am 68.  Nine months ago I broke scaphoide and radius.  Radius healed with excessive tilt, but not bad enough for more surgery to be recommended. ( I feel sure that I shifted the bone in my cast when I thoughtlessly picked up and quickly dropped a gallon of milk, but didn't have enough sense to go back to the doctor at that point.)  I finally am having some mornings when my painful wrist is not my first thought when I awake.  There are some positions that are still painful, but most days I can pick up and carry two plates.  That position is generally the most difficult.  I am pulling weeds and gardening, but not with the strength I had previously.  I don't know that I will ever be able to pull up trees from the garden like I used to do.  I ask for help with more tasks that I did in the past.  I am much improved from the depression I felt last summer, but the injury has taken a toll. 

I learned with a sprain in October, that if things get too painful, I need to ease off, wear the brace again, and give things time to rest. More pain is not more gain, instead injuries can be worsened or prolonged.

​A lot of pain on the little finger side during healing has been mentioned several times on this site and I certainly felt it for a while.  That part has improved.  Now my major complaints are in the wrist and running up my arm.

​When I am having problems, I go back to the brace at night and more ibuprofen. I appreciate that my doctor said from the beginning that my wrist would never be the same.  I would always have some stiffness and some twinges.  While I am still having more than twinges, at least I was given some realistic expectations. 

​Do not hesitate to go back to your doctor if you have questions about what is happening and how you feel--especially if you feel you have possibly done something else to damage things or hurt things.  Your doctor may need to x-ray your wrist again and make corrections in your cast, your exercise program, or your medication.   

Nancy, Thanks for the encouragement.  I am very glad to be able to crawl around in my garden which puts me at the right level to really enjoy the fragrance of the peonies. THis year I am able to pull weeds with both hands, carry and spread mulch, and do some digging and planting.  These things give me joy.

So glad I have found this thread, I fractured both my distal radius and ulner styloid with displacement, this occurred almost 4 week's ago when I slipped on a wet floor and I am now looking at surgery next week as the fractures keep moving.

I'm now in full cast, set at a funny angle and had to undergo two lots of manipulation (worst pain ever)

I have been increasingly anxious about regaining full manoeuvrability as I need my hands for my job and free time activities.

I'm only 41, fit and healthy besides a bit broken hehe, reading the thread gives me hope on returning back to normal in the long run....discomfort and pain I can deal with as long as I can continue my work and high level of activity.

Concerned about having the surgery so far into the injury, saying that it's not really healing.

Has anyone else had to undergo surgery after such a long time after initial injury?

i broke my radius 2 years ago.and due to cast becoming loose,which the hospital did not notice,even though i was visiting every week,the bone slipped,and 3 weeks into the break, it was manipulated back into place. bloody painful it was having that done! however due to my age,the bone has shortened.and movement is restricted,despite 6 weeks of physio.

Now i have grip strength but i cannot lift heavy objects,and when i overdue things, for instance in my garden, digging ETC, the wrist is swelling. feel so frustrated,that i am unable to do the simplest of things.

I FEEL YOUR FRUSTRATION.   IT'S BEEN 2 MONTHS SINCE BREAKING MY ARM/WRIST AND I CAN PICK THINGS UP BUT CANNOT OPEN JARS ETC.  3 TIMES I HAVE HAD A DAY WHERE I HAD LITTLE PAIN  BUT THE NEXT DAY IT WAS BACK TO DISCOMFORT AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE BASE OF THE THUMB WHICH WHEN I MOVE IT A CERTAIN WAY IS REALLY PAINFUL.   ANY ADVICE OUT THERE?

I came across this article and was wondering if anyone would be able to help me or suffered similar symptoms.

I recently broke my wrist playing football and it is currenltly in a cast and has been for two weeks. over the last day or so i can feel a large amount of swelling in the wrist area and this only reduces or drains when i hold my arm very high in an uncomfatable postion. I didn't experience this swelling in the first week of the cast and i just wanted to see if this was normal or if other people experienced this when they broke their wrists?

I WAS IN A CAST FOR 3 WEEKS AND IT WAS SO PAINFUL THE  DOCTOR TOOK IT OFF AND ADMITTED HE DIDN'T DO THE BEST JOB. I USED A SPLINT FOR 3 WEEKS  AND THAT WAS 3 WEEKS AGO.  THE VERY PAINFUL THUMB IS SLOWLY GETTING LESS PAINFUL.  I CAN USE MY INJURED ARM ALOT MORE BUT IF I CUT THE GRASS USING ONE ARM THE BAD ARM REALLY ACHES AT THE END OF DAY AND I HAVE PAIN AND PINS AND NEEDLES.  THE MORNING AND DAYTIME IS QUITE GOOD SO PROGRESS IS BEING MADE FOR WHICH I AM SO GRATEFUL.

I broke my right wrist (distal radius straight across and tip of ulna) May 26th. I was quite lucky as the bone wasn't displaced and didn't need to be set and I had minimal swelling and pain. I was put in a temp cast then one week later got a fiberglass lighter cast and told the next xrays would be June 30th. The next day I went back for a quick cast check. No xrays or doctors just a quick check by a nurse to make sure the cast wasn't too tight... or loose. This is where my questions start and wonder if anyone can help?

The nurse wondered if the cast was too loose and asked me for my opinion... I had no idea. what is a cast supposed to feel like? What should I be able to do or not do? It's now been a week since then and I'm worried about the bones moving and not healing. I am able to flex my wrist in the cast. the bit between my fingers and thumb, and the bit across the palm of my hand does seem to ride up and I feel compelled to tug/pull my cast down (which I worry is something I should not do loose cast or not) I'm not sure if I'm actually moving the cast or the sleeve inside? I have no swelling and minimal discomfort. I only really feel pain when I'm sleeping and my arm is laying flat and i feel my arm pulling down sort of against the weight of the cast.

I just want to get a really got shot at healing this arm as my bone density at 31 isn't great - family genes

 

I broke my wrist and my hand in March 31,2016. I went in a clinic that showed the broken bones and the doctor just put a cast. Four weeks later anoter cast. Three wekks later a splint. Pain for 75 days. Bones displeeced. We changed the clinic and waiting June 21 what the doctor is going to decide. I can't take anymore! I imagine how much you are suffering. I know how much will be my pain because they have to break again in order to fix. Praying for you!

I broke my wrist April 13 of this year..when I went to the ER they said that it was broken but I wouldn't need surgery and that I can go back to work the next day...put me in a splint..and gave me tramadol for the pain..which did absolutely nothing to help..almost three weeks later I go to the Ortho and he tells me that it's a bad break and that I need surgery.. finally got hydrocodone for the pain and I was finally able to semi sleep through the night..had my surgery and they put metal deal in that kinda looks like a comb..

I stopped taking the pain pills since it's not as awful as it was.. I go to physical therapy three times a week..I've definitely come a long way..but I just went back to work on June 20th and the pain when I move my thumb is horrendous..it makes me feel nauseous and my head feels weird and I've noticed that through out the day the scar gets redder and redder..my job is pretty much h typing all day but right now I am keeping it at a minimum..ivr been putting my brace on and off but it doesn't grow whole lot..

has anyone else had this issue? he also said that I have ostopetina from not moving my fingers but Ivr been using them for just about everything 😢

I'm just tired of being in pain..it's been almost three months and once one thing feels better another part starts to hurt..I'm just over it..

I broke my wrist too, 6 weeks ago.  I had to have the bones manipulated into place, was in plaster for 4 weeks.  I started with the pain you describe, and believe it is probably caused by muscles and ligaments being stretched.  I did the exercises the hospital gave me, and started driving again only a few days after getting the plaster off.

 I think I probably overdid things, and for the last 10 days I've had pain where the fracture was.  I rang the hospital's fracture clinic and was told I can expect pain for up to 18 months!  I've been wearing a splint (I had one from when I once had Carpal Tunnel problems.  It has helped, but the pain is still there.  I've tried Co-Codamol and even Dihydrocodeine (from a friend) which do nothing for the pain but at least help me to sleep