Broken Wrist.

I remember when they took off the plaster after 3 months, my arm looked like a gorilla as lots of hair had grown. It was revolting!

mcem, how long did it take for your wrist to feel normal again? My cast came off 4 weeks ago now and the swelling is still there on the little finger side even though the break was thumb side. When I mentioned this at my last appointment the Consultants' registrar didnt seem concerned and said 'We don't do anything about that!'. It's still quite painful as well. I have to have a DEXA scan to rule out osteoporosis but I have a feeling this is the reason the cast was so uncomfortable all along.

When I broke my wrist 3 years ago I did find the cast inconvenient but because the wrist was so well supported I had no pain. The worst part was certainly when the cast came off and my arm felt so weak and aching!
It really didn't last long and physio helped.
Gentle flexing, gripping and stretching of the fingers helped wake the muscles up and after a few weeks it was as good as new and I haven't had a twinge since.
Hang on in there - with a bit of luck you'll be back to normal very soon.

Thanks Charleygirl, I do have a sling but when they put the cast on they said not to use it as l would start having neck problems?! I think though you have to do what is best for you and whatever makes you feel more comfortable. Am exercising as much as possible as well.
The website l found is called 'Patient'. Some really interesting comments about pain and swelling which have helped me to realise what l'm experiencing is probably just the normal after effects of a trauma. Some people have been in pain for months, others get over it really quickly. (Hope I'm one of those!) At least l can take the splint off occasionally which is a bonus. No one has mentioned physio yet but l'm back in 2 weeks for another check with the consultant.

Oh dear, glad you've got rid of the cast but this is not what you've been hoping for, hope the pain eases for you. Constant pain is disabling in its own way. Hope you get some relief from it, will you have some physio in due course? I've had a temporary cast on for 10 days for a broken finger joint fortunately it's not painful but everything else aches from moving awkwardly.

tiffaney to attempt to reduce the swelling try to keep that arm elevated. If you do not have a proper sling you could perhaps improvise using a scarf. Make sure if you do make a sling that every hour you take your arm out to fully extend and exercise it.

Well the cast came off last week (actually a week early as I had complained about it being so uncomfortable!). The x-ray showed the break had healed so I was given a lightweight removable splint and have to go back in 2 weeks.To be honest I think the pain is worse now than when I first did it. My arm literally looks like 'a dogs back leg'. The break was on the thumb side but the swelling is now on the little finger side. I have looked on a number of web sites and it seems a lot of people experience this as the ligaments and tendons get damaged. So it's back on the pain killers and ice packs. #willIeverstopmoaning.

I broke my wrist a few years ago, and had to have surgery to set it properly. I had three external fixaters across my wrist and had to have a huge, heavy plaster cast for three weeks. It was horrible as the fixaters were very uncomfortable. I then had the huge plaster and fixaters removed and got a much lighter fibreglass cast in a lovely shade of deep pink! My DGD thought it was very pretty ( she was in her pink phase at the time). In total, I spent seven weeks in plaster! That also meant seven weeks sick leave from work. Do you have to have a hideous cast? Could you not have had the light weight pretty one instead?

Hope you have had a better week tiffany - when do you next have an xray?

tiffany I hope you are getting there now - not long to go.

How awful for you. You have my sympathies. A few years back I broke the ball bone from my right arm. Fortunately they could not cast it, so none of that discomfort.

It does become wearing, always being aware of the pain and inconvenience, especially if you cannot drive. Hang on in there!


I found the physio afterwards was very important in full recovery.

x

Thanks everyone for your comments, painkillers and mind over matter approach then. At least it's not my dominant arm! Now 17 days to go so l'm over half way there.

I felt exactly the same when I dismantled my ankle/leg spectacularly 3 years ago.
It honestly does get better, and I guess it's a bit of lumping it....

? and ((hugs)) x

POOR YOU! I broke my ankle last summer - we don't realise how very disabling it is in a 'knock-on' way when we lose the use of one limb.

I think there is a cumulative sense of bother to the inconvenience and the pain and I can remember being pretty down at the three week stage, but then somehow the body adjusts a little bit more and it does start to feel better.

Sorry you are in so much discomfort. I hope you soon feel you really are turning the corner in your recovery.

xx

I had 3 months of a full right-angled cast on my arm - the worst thing was the pain in the back of my neck from the weight on the sling.

No ideas for improving things - sorry - I think you just have to grin and bear it!

Been there done it and got the T shirt. Are you using that hand? You can apply a rubber glove and eg do dish washing. I do not know if it is your dominant hand- I am fortunate I can use both equally well.

If resting you should elevate that arm in a sling but every hour remove from sling and exercise it by fully stretching the arm several times. I do not know how you can get around feeling panicky about it. You should not have much longer with it in situ.