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Wrist injury, think it may be a scaphoid fracture? help please?

Posted , 2 users are following.

rubberduck2014
rubberduck2014

Hello everyone, thanks for letting me join this forum. I was in an accident where I was driving an off road buggy which rolled over. As it rolled, my left wrist was squished between the floor and roll cage. This picture was taken about 10 minutes after it happened:

http://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t1.0-9/10509559_10152546028119264_699496699267662225_n.jpg

I have never felt pain like it, I was close to fainting and the pain was immense. This happened while I was abroad so I was taken to hosptial where they x rayed my wrist and everything came back clear so it was bandaged up. After 3 days I came home and went to hospital here, in the UK, where they x-rayed again and it was clear. They put a cast on and I was at the fracture clinic the next day where they x-rayed again and said it is a bad sprain. This is what it looked like when the cast was taken off: 

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/t1.0-9/10383972_10152554359154264_7387715611016210715_n.jpg

Sorry for the crap photo. The medical person I seen gave me a splint to use. In the meantime the pain was still bad and I went back a few days later (a week in total) where another x ray was taken which was clear. 

Cutting a long story short.. my arm is currently in a cast (I have an appointment on Tuesday). My arm has been in and out of casts but I am concerned the scaphoid is broken and it hasn't been picked up. At the moment I am in pain, it is like a dull ache and it also feels as if someone is constantly poking me with a blunt object in the snuff box area. My range of movement (this is from 10 days ago, before another cast was put on after about a week of using a splint) is not good. I can barely move my wrist back and when i let it "flop" it more or less stays in a straight line. 

My gripping is ok. and had improved a lot since the accident but It concerns me that I am still in a lot of pain and my ROM will nothave improved.

Can anyone give me advice please? is this a scaphoid break or is the doctor right, with the diagnosis of a sprain? 

Thanks 

 

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • eileen64__UK
    eileen64__UK rubberduck2014

    Posted

    Hi rubberduck

    Well all i can say is if you have been to the hospital and had a few X Rays and they say it is...not sure....are they saying there is nothing {Clear} or are they saying its a fracture?

    I've had 2 fractured scaphoid bones....{spelling?} at different times.

    Both times I fell and put my hands out to save myself.

    Years later it was discovered that I have osteoporosis and thats why they fractured so easily.

    They were put in plaster both times. I didnt have pain but thats because they were plastered and when it was taken off it was healed.

    Just my story......probably not a lot of help to you.

    What about a 2nd opinion or have you seen different docs in the UK?

    Love

    Eileen

  • rubberduck2014
    rubberduck2014

    Posted

    Hello Eileen, thanks for your reply. 

    I get the impression they don't think it is broke but after doing some research the scaphoid fracture can sometimes go undetected on x ray for upto 2 weeks which is what is worrying. the latest x-ray i had was only a week afterwards. 

    Sounds like both the fractures you suffered from have healed fully smile 

    Not sure about a second opinion because at the fracture clinic you tend to be assigned to a doctor anf the last time i got an earlier appointment all they done was put it in a cast. Which was frustrating because i was wanting it x-rayed. its as if they don't want to tread on anyones toes!

    xx

    • eileen64__UK
      eileen64__UK rubberduck2014

      Posted

      Hi

      I'm sorry you are in such a dilemma.......if you know what is wrong ...even if it is something chronic you can cope better that this "not knowing"

      My fractures healed well......in fact one of them....The GP sent me straight to the hospital {I was driving} and didnt think anything about it....the next thing i know I'm in plaster  LOL He said I hope you have someone to take you home? I said my car is outside!!! What!!!!!

      Then before the plaster set he put his thumb in the palm of my hand and made a "dunk" in the plaster. He then said...OK put that part of your hand on the gears when you are changing gear  LOL. Then when you get home {about 13 mniles} dont drive until its healed. Needless to say I did drive...not far just short drives.....and years later I find myself putting the flat of my hand on the gear lever to change as  if i still had plaster onbiggrin

      I'm sorry I dont know what more to suggest....keep in touch and let us know what happens

      Love

      Eileen

    • rubberduck2014
      rubberduck2014 eileen64__UK

      Posted

      Haha :D that sounds awesome that you doctor did that for you smile i wish i had my freedom but I have a motorbike and my left hand is used to operate the clutch so it's something that needs to heal before i can operate it properly. Although if i didn't have a cast i could probably manage!

      I had my appointment yesterday and it went "well" i had it x-rayed to which everything seemed ok so I am not going for an mri scan to see what is going on. When i got my old cast taken off i felt so ill! thought i was going to faint! got another one now. I am presuming having a cast is okay for the mri scan? 

      xx

    • eileen64__UK
      eileen64__UK rubberduck2014

      Posted

      Hi

      The "paster man" that put the plaster on was good wasnt he?  LOL It was my left hand so it was my gear lever hand...I couldnt have got home without him doing thatbiggrin

      I dont know about MRI scan and a plaster I suppose it must be OK

      I thought you wern't going to have an MRI?

      I'm glad the X Ray went well

      Love

      Eileen

    • rubberduck2014
      rubberduck2014 eileen64__UK

      Posted

      Neither did i (about the mri) but it seems my doctor has realised it is more than a sprain?!

      I will hear within the next week or 2 about the mri smile so hopefully it will be soon! 

      xx

    • eileen64__UK
      eileen64__UK rubberduck2014

      Posted

      Hi

      Hopefully it will be soon.  Good luck with it....let us know whats happening

      Love

      Eileen

  • rubberduck2014
    rubberduck2014

    Posted

    Hello, just an update! I had an MRI on Friday (29th Aug) and I asked the 2 women that were there and they wouldn't tell me anything a part from I will hear from my doctor. Was hoping it will be sooner. I have an appointment on Tuesday which was arranged before the scan. It's a week away and it feels like months! sad 

    It will be 8 weeks this Thursday and the pain is still there. To be honest it us been quite bad today! 

    Xx

    • eileen64__UK
      eileen64__UK rubberduck2014

      Posted

      Morning

      Isnt it annoying ???? I've had various scans MRI, DEXA etc some of them give you a rough idea but the majority of them just say you'll hear from your GP

      Hope Tuesday brings somne good news

      Love

      Eileen

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