Any one broke a bone and healed well?

[Rarah]

Hey all. Just a general question and I know time is the only way I will truly know the answer ... Saturday I fractured my fifth metatarsal (foot) the ortho pod said it's a nasty fracture. There is a great risk it won't heal. This coupled with the fact I have oesteopenia. Low calcium and very vitamin d, RA. And have taken and continue to take steroids daily for over 6 months. So my question is did anyone else manage to heal a break when the odds seem to be set against you?

[allanah]

I haven't Rah but that sounds a Awful for you . I do hope it does heal quickly though and you defy medical knowledge xx rest up and take care xxxx

[Rarah]

Hi Allanah. Thanks. It's pretty grim at the moment in all honesty. I'll get there I hope. X

[Hidden]

I have RA and inject 17.5 once a week. Last June I broke the top of my femur which now has 2pins in it. I am struggling to try and walk with on stick. I don't think I will ever walk properly again. I think the problem is with both RA and broken femur. It's very difficult to get around.

[Crazyjo]

I broke my ankle and need surgery to plate and pin it, this was before I was diagnosed but already had RA issues, healed ok but had to have plate and pins removed as was stopping and free movement. I do find days when my RA is bad that my ankle is more painful then most of my other joints. Hope yours is all ok x

[nomoreheels]

Hiya Rarah. Fortunately I haven't had a fracture but I did rupture my achilles tendon. The decision was made to try & avoid surgery if at all possible & see if it would heal by itself with the aid of a plaster cast for 7 weeks. Fortunately it repaired well & no surgery was required. I am osteopenic borderline osteoporotic. Has alendronic acid & a calcium/VitD supplement been offered to you? It works by preventing the loss of bone and helping to rebuild lost bone. My Rheumy recently started me on both as I've been on long term steroid tablets. Sounds to me as though this would be necessary for you too to help to avoid further possible further fractures.

I do hope you have as positive an outcome as I did & you do heal well.

[Rarah]

Hi everyone.

Thanks for ur replys

I am already taking alendronic acid and vit d and calcium.

I'm hoping this is simply an accident and not an indicator that my bones are duff.

[oldtimer]

I hope you do well but it is very variable. When I broke my leg and ankle I healed up well and there is no trace in the the X-rays where it was. But I do LOTS of exercise and have managed to keep my bone strength up. It's something to do with the muscles pulling on the bones in all directions that makes them stronger apparently. Obviously you can't do that until it has healed! And the orthopods go on and on about smoking being such a risk to non-union of fractures.

[abednegomonkey]

I broke both my elbows... two radial fractures and a coronoid fracture (at the same time on a beach in Cornwall). Two out of the three breaks have just about healed after 18 months - although the joint is very misaligned. One will never heal as the gap between the bones is now full of tissue. From what I understand from my Rheumatologist and orthopaedic chaps is that most people with RA do find their bones heal - and mine were very unusual not healing for so long. I do take steroids every day and the orthopaedic consultant was blaming that; but the rheumatologist said most people with RA are on steroids and their bones do heal.... it did cause a lot of debate!!!

I am on Vit D supplements and take humira as well.

Interestingly my daughter with RA also broke her toe and that still hasn't healed and that's one year on. So it may be more about our genetics than the RA and steroids.

So I guess it is likely to be a very slow process but don't give up ......

[Shell1967]

Hello I broke my 3 rd metatarsal 5 years ago and it healed properly.i hope yours will too. I had severe pain for a few weeks but after it healed when my RA plays up I generally have an ache around the fracture but nothing more take care Michelle x