Fed up and now afraid to go out alone - Fibromyalgia Acti...

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Fed up and now afraid to go out alone

jackie4ball profile image
31 Replies

I think I told everyone I went over on my ankle on the doorstep of the bungalow I am in waiting for a slope to be put in but that's another story. I think I also said I fell in my bathroom and have had my arm in plaster for 3 weeks now. Well went for MRI last Thursday at Poole general then had to go book an appointment to go back this week hopefully to have cast off. I booked the appointment my boyfriend had driven me but we had to walk to the car so crossed at traffic lights outside the hospital and was just walking along with one crutch in the unplastered hand when all of a sudden my right ankle just went right over again sending me sprawling across the pavement landing on my left hip elbow and hand as well as the agony in the foot that had let me down I just lay there unable to jump up like I used to do I was surrounded by 6 people coming to my aid trying to get me up but I just wanted a few minutes to lie there because I didn't know if my ankle was going to hold me. Eventually I was held up and we went on to the car where I just wanted to die of embarrassment. I was in bed for two days and have been awake all night tonight or last night as its5.48 am now with my ankle and knee. I have laughed about it now but had visions of having to call an ambulance from across the road to take me back in. It has now left me feeling very unsteady the fact my ankle has started just giving way at any time I was wearing flat shoes as I never wear heals the pavement was even so no holes. I have a Drs appointment on Wednesday and will be mentioning it to her as well as the hospital when I go Wednesday morning. Fingers crossed I haven't damage the hand more as it did swell up again around my fingers. Just a silly woman. I need this cast off as I need to be able to stitch to get my mental state back on track . ,my pain levels are currently off the chart which is impacting on everything.

Wishing everyone a relatively pain free day

Hugs to all

Jackie

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jackie4ball profile image
jackie4ball
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31 Replies
Maureen1one profile image
Maureen1one

Poor you try an think of three positives a day just anything that makes you smile xx I no it's difficult but I do no what you're going through an yes I will have a pain free day xx

Sweetdreams profile image
Sweetdreams

Hi Jackie

I'm sorry to hear of your suffering .Seems like your having a hard time with your ankle .

It's all bad enough but a cast as well .I often believe that we are made of steel to go through all that we do and still come out on top.

I've had a rough few months too with 5surgeries due to a colonoscopy the surgeon perforated my bowel ...not fun so I know how you are feeling with pain and discomfort.

I sincerely hope you find relief once the cast is removed and you can get back to your stitching and have some peace of mind.

Best wishes and gentle hugs.

Barb Sweetdreams😄.

smurf45 profile image
smurf45

Good Morning,

I am so sorry to hear that your having such a bad time with everything that is happening and i really do hope you make a fast recovery and all good for you, can i ask if you don't mind have you had problems with your ankle before or is it something new just giving away under you as the reason i am asking is that my knee has just being very weak and keeps going i have fallen down my stairs on several times because my knee has just gone gone from under me now i am scared to go up stairs and walk alone. Is this something Fibro can cause with it affecting your nerves and muscles.

We are trying to get a bungalow even my Dr is recommending it as well

Good luck & good Health

Speedy recovery xx

jackie4ball profile image
jackie4ball in reply to smurf45

Hi Smurf45

When I was a teenager my ankles did this all the time I would be sent from the school to A&E Regularly or would just go over whilst out shopping I also had knee problems then which have continued but the ankles hadn't done it for a long time. My knees are a different matter they give way all the time even the replacement I had 10 years ago (which I could only get done privately due to my age) still gave way afterwards.

I had thought with having a crutch with me it would save me from falling but it has proved wrong I think even if I have two crutches and the ankle goes I won't be able to stop myself because it literally goes completely over the crutches help with the knees though which is the reason I always use them. I have been having bad pain in my feet near the Achilles tendon do when I get up in the mornings so have been some very gentle stretching exercise to strengthen them so not sure if there is a link there or if the osteoarthritis is now in my ankles as well as hips, hands, and knees. But I am now scared to go out alone unless I just drive a short distance and not walk far just park up and sit in the car. The ankle has kept me up all night as the pain is going up my leg into my knee. Have hospital at 9.10 tomorrow for my hand and results of MRI if they have them. Also have appointment with GP tomorrow afternoon was supposed to have had an appointment with rheumatologist at the beginning of May but because I fell and hurt my arm I had to change the appointment which I had been waiting for since October as I had been overlooked now have to wait until August.

Non of it is helping my mental health though as I said I need my cross stitch as even though my hands hurt they hurt whether I do it or not they are very bad when I wake in the mornings currently so I think the stitching might help them a bit. It's one thing I just won't give up.

Take care and have a good day, I would advise you get your knees checked as it could be something and they may be able to help I have had about 16 operations on my knees over the last 33 years and I will be 54 this week going on 94 my parents have to come and see me they are fitter than me and walk everywhere and both in there mid 70's.

Unfortunately 3 out of 4 of my children have inherited joint problems and fibro.

Jackie

Rienij70 profile image
Rienij70

Poor you, wishing you well.

With love Rienij

ally26 profile image
ally26

Hiya I have done the same thing but my walking with a stick now but my wrist has been in to lots of plaster now as still is hope it comes off 1st of June and I fell 15th of March I am not happy xx

jackie4ball profile image
jackie4ball in reply to ally26

Oh no I can't believe you have been in plaster that long I am hoping it comes off tomorrow but I am worried that the way I fell has done something to the hand as there's pain in a different part. I can imagine you not being happy I won't be either if this doesn't come off. I hope you get yours removed on the 1st June. Good luck xxx

Hi Jackie, so sorry you are having a hard time at the moment, I hope things get better for you soon, and you are able to control your pain. Take care.xx

TerryT1 profile image
TerryT1

I hope you are better soon.

I cringed when I read this as I get soooo embarrassed when I fall. A couple of years ago I was coming out of the doctors and I fell over a tree root. My knee had gone and I couldn't get up. A taxi driver and two large men tried to lift me and failed. Then a visiting nurse joined them and made it looks easy. She really showed them how to do it, much to my deep embarrassment.

jackie4ball profile image
jackie4ball in reply to TerryT1

I know what you mean Terry T I used to be able to bounce back up and walk round the corner and check out my wounds but I couldn't do that because I just couldn't manage to get up struggled to sit up let alone stand. I hobbled to the car then looked at all the grazes on my knees elbow and hands. The only good thing is I didn't hit my face as I went down so was very lucky there. So one thing to be thankful for.

TerryT1 profile image
TerryT1 in reply to jackie4ball

I seem to be world-class at making myself look foolish. I got new glasses from the opticians a few years ago and came straight out of the shop, missed the step and fell. The receptionist came out and made sure I was alright, then asked me I'd like to go back and have my eyes tested again?

Then there was when I was on holiday with my wife. I stepped backwards to get a good shot on the camera of some beautiful countryside, and fell down a cattle grid.

Then there was the time I was visiting my wife in hospital. I was so worried about her, I hadn't been eating and had become so weak, that I collapsed when I stepped backwards. I fell heavily and because it was a hospital, everything had to be photographed, reported and me checked out before moving me. Which left me sat on the floor, with everyone looking at me helpless. I was in a lot of pain, but no one dared help me up. Meanwhile my wife was in her bed, in the corridor, coming round from the anesthetic and having to wait, because I'd fell right in the middle of where her bed had to go.

There has been so many others. I really do seem to have a knack for it.

Best wishes,

Terry

Sorebones profile image
Sorebones

Oh hunny, you were having an awful day. I had a giggle at the thought of the ambulance being called so at least you haven't lost your sense of humour! I think if we can keep that then we will manage somehow.

The last time I fell flat on my face was because I didn't notice a metal bar at ankle height, but like you I wasn't bothered about the damage I'd done until my dignity had returned a bit lol. The daft thing is that it's only those of us nose down on the ground who don't see it as a worrying incident.

I hope you didn't do too much damage to yourself. Our bodies do that well enough without our help lol. My fingers are crossed that the news is good 🐸

jackie4ball profile image
jackie4ball in reply to Sorebones

I think you have to try and make some humor of it as you say it was the fact I had been at the A&E desk minutes before making my clinic appointment for tomorrow then cross the road and land on the floor and the first thing I thought was I am not going back in to A&E obviously unless I couldn't get up then they would have had to send an ambulance across the road or a trolley not sure which would have been more embarrassing lol.

Sorebones profile image
Sorebones in reply to jackie4ball

It would have to be the ambulance option in an episode of Casualty lol. I couldn't agree more about the humour. If we let all these things stack up and didn't laugh about it then we would be in a very dark place indeed. Not worth thinking about 😀🐸

jackie4ball profile image
jackie4ball in reply to Sorebones

So true obviously I didn't find it funny at that moment but have done since even with the pain.

Peggy76 profile image
Peggy76

Hi . So sorry for your predicament & hope all goes well for you with Docs. & hospital

Hugs Peggy 😘

Would u consider goin A. & e to be checked over. Go by ambulance tell them u have hsd a bad fall. To dis charge u they need to know your home is safe..its obviously. Not and the staff will force. The isdue for u..good luck

jackie4ball profile image
jackie4ball in reply to

Thanks can I am due at hospital tomorrow also have an appointment with my GP tomorrow and have chased up the occupational therapist team to assess my home I have only recently moved into it it's a bungalow but there are several things that need to be put in place for me and I was told they would do it but filled the forms in almost a month ago and had heard nothing from them so emailed and told them yesterday what's happened and they are coming to assess on Thursday.

ailsamary profile image
ailsamary

Its my knee that gives away and I am paranoid about falling. I do now use a wheelchair as my back won't let me move far but it took me a long time to get too there. I felt a fraud and that people would judge me, but it was the only way I could walk more than a few feet.

I do have a gutter frame as I cannot use my hands as I would like and this gives more support if my knee gives.

Aren't we our own worst enemies at times

jackie4ball profile image
jackie4ball in reply to ailsamary

I don't want to go In a wheelchair yet I have been told that is the prognosis but whilst I am still able I want to walk even if it is with crutches. My son has a wheelchair at his and he has used it when he is bad he has a really fancy knee brace that he was given he has actually had more help etc up in Leicester than I have been able to get down here. As they have a proper pain clinic but ours in now just talking to either an OT or a mental health nurse there are no Drs to look at medication or any treatments that might help. Which is why I am hoping I will get more joy with the rheumatologist in August.

I guess it's pride that doesn't want us to go into wheelchairs I'm the same with glasses as I should wear some all the time but to me when I look in the distance everything looks clear enough I have to wear them when I read or I can't see any words. But I did try my others on and couldn't believe I actually said it was like looking at the world in HD lol and yet I thought everything looks fine. I will wear them soon all the time I guess it comes with age.

You take care and do what's best for you we have to forget what others think.

Jackie

ailsamary profile image
ailsamary in reply to jackie4ball

Yes I put off doing it for so long despite being in serious pain. I would manage into one shop and that would me exhaustedi have said before that I think there are many more forms of fibro as we are all so very different.

And we should all accept these differences. We are all individuals with our own reactions to these differences. Not sure if I am making sense

jackie4ball profile image
jackie4ball in reply to ailsamary

You are making perfect sense xxx

ailsamary profile image
ailsamary in reply to jackie4ball

Oh I forgot to say, like yourself I am also a cross stitcher. Its the reason I haven't had hand and shoulder ops as its the only thing I can do

Hi

I'm so very sorry to hear that. The problem is that once you've twisted or hurt an ankle it is weak for a long time. This is true for healthy people as well. My daughter twisted hers and for about a year it would give way. Don't be down on yourself, you were hurting already and we lack good balance anyway with fibro.

I get someone to drop me off right at the door of Drs or hospital. At my local hospital you can get a wheel chair from the entrance, maybe next time wait in the car and see if whoever is taking you can get one for you? If you can't be ill and use one at a hospital, where can you?

Try not to think about it and rest and let your body they to heal itself.

Take good care of yourself and good luck.

Best wishes.

Kitten-kat23 profile image
Kitten-kat23

I know that feeling. Sorry I haven't any answers, but like you I use crutches and walking aids. I truly hope your soreness subsides. Sending soft gentle Hugs.

achydunlin profile image
achydunlin

Poor you! How awful. I hope you get better soon and are able to get your confidence back - I can imagine how it's been shattered after this xx

anncooper profile image
anncooper

Know how you feel i put it down to my age ive had different things wrong with me so it doesnt do anything for your confidence. Certian people in my family throw the word hypercondriac which hurts my feelings. Have just been on Prednisalone which have helped but have put on weight hope you better soon.ime sure you will.

jackie4ball profile image
jackie4ball in reply to anncooper

Don't listen to anyone who calls you a hypochondriac those people have no idea what we have to deal with 24/7 it's never ending especially when you have a flare up which mine seems to have been for quite a while now. Tell them to walk in your shoes for a few days they will soon change there minds. Prednisolone does have a tendency to make you put weight on unfortunately but if you need to take it for a while then there is nothing you can do about it.

Hope you feel better or should I say comfortable soon and the weight comes back off. That's the bit I hate most of the medications say may cause weight gain why can't they do one that helps you to lose it as well as treat the illness.

Take care

Jackiexx

rosewine profile image
rosewine

I think we all need to be wearing rubber suits so we bounce likeballswhen we fall. I had only a 10 minute walk back and forth last night to a meeting and my foot and ankle twice shor with pain and I nearly went. I would say with all the knocks from the falls you have had lately your poor body is just not functioning as it should. I do think if we have a bad fall we start to lose our confidence. Good luck at the docs and l sincerely hope you haven't done any further damage.x

TheAuthor profile image
TheAuthor

Hi jackie4ball

I am so genuinely sorry to read this, and I sincerely hope that you have not hurt yourself too much my friend. I want to gneuinely wish you all the best of luck with your hospital and doctors appointment.

All my hopes and dreams for you

Ken

jackie4ball profile image
jackie4ball

Been back to Hospital this morning and was hoping to have the cast taken off but have a new one on in a pretty pink at least this one is lighter in weight have to wait for appointment with consultant now. ;(. Thank you everyone for your good wishes.

Jackie

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