Fractured T9 info please

[Haz58]

Further to my other post. Those who have had broken vertebrae were you given a back brace and how long were you in pain for please. Did you use a wedge pillow or anything ( I find I can't lie flat in bed with just my pillows and pillows under my kneeds.I feel like I've just been left with no advice at all except 'be very careful' and 'take these painkillers on top of all the others'. I'm really depressed and scared to do much at all and just need some info I think. Sorry. X

[Stayloose]

I am really sorry to hear of your pain and frustration. I just wonder whether you had a spontaneous fracture or a traumatic fall. I fell 8 foot and fractured L1. I spent days in hospital while they decided whether it was stable or not. I was discharged with a brace and told to wear it for comfort until follow up clinic in 2 weeks. This appt didn't happen. I read up about bracing for vertebral fracture. Research doesn't swing for or against. I popped it in the bin as it made the pain a lot worse. I found sleep difficult and had an assortment of pillows and cushions to try different positions at night. Make sure you take pain killers at bedtime. I plugged myself into music overnight and accepted sleep would be intermittent. I presume you have been referred for a DEXA scan. The osteoporosis society is helpful if you have had a spontaneous fracture but won't advise if it was a traumatic fracture. I found pain reduced gradually. I hope you can get support/ advice.

[Haz58 in reply to Stayloose]

Thank you stayloose. I don't know how I did it. I had fairly bad upper back pain for week on holiday abroad and then after 2 days home it got so bad I was screaming in pain at the slightest movement. I'm booked now for a DEXA scan 23rd december but trying to get one privately just to hurry things on a bit. I'll look at the osteoporosis site, I never thought to Google that. I'm taking my Painkillers as I should with the morphine just through the night not in the day.

[Stayloose in reply to Haz58]

How wretched for things to go pear shaped on holiday! Pain is always worse at night in the dark and quietness isn't it? I hope it gradually eases and you soon feel better in yourself.

[Haz58 in reply to Stayloose]

Thanks Stayloose. Yes the nights are not nice. I'm sort of getting used to the waking and having a Horlicks at 2 -3am with another dose of morphine 🙄

[Fruitandnutcase]

I really feel for you - you must feel as if you have been abandoned. It might be worth looking at the Bone Health site on Healthunlocked - that’s the site for osteoporosis - it’s run by the Royal Osteoporosis Society - you can also call their helpline to speak to their nurses and there is a lot of information on the ROS website.

I’m sure you will get very good advice on there from people who have been in a similar situation.

[Haz58 in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Hi Fruit. Thank you so much. I'll search that now. What a horrid few months. Gastritis for 5-6 weeks from probably the MTX injections (Rheumy suspects that anyway) then this. I feel I've been poorly for so long with one thing and another.

[AgedCrone]

As you didn’t have a fall it sounds like you might have had a spontaneous compression fracture…& although mine was from a fall I got the impressionthat physio is the preferred way to go to these days …..to get the muscles todo their job….but only from somebody qualified to advise you having seen your X-rays.I found painkillers didn’t really help much……but taking a gentle walk ensuring my posture was comfortable seemed to ease things….but don’t just sit or lie around….keep moving gently. I was told not to do any lifting, & I did find driving painful at first….but as you have now seen your doctor & have an appointment for a scan…let’s hope you are well on the way to getting some relief.Have you called the hospital where you have the scan appointment asking if you can be put on an emergency waiting list in case they have a cancellation…..that could get you an appointment at very short notice.Hope you get some relief very soon…..but do try to relax…tension is the enemy of back pain.

[Haz58 in reply to AgedCrone]

Thank you AgedCrone. You give such good advice on here. 😊 I will ring the hospital on Monday to try that. Like you pain killers don't help a lot during the day but co-drydamol before bed, together with a little morphine does get me to sleep for 3-4 hours. I then take some morphine again (after 4hours) then drop off again for a little while. I don't take morphine in the day anymore as it makes me too drowsy. I am trying to keep moving by wandering in the garden every hour. I've not dared to venture further as yet. I'm doing some relaxing meditation every day too. It does help. I dread going to bed whereas I used to love getting in and snuggling down. And getting up in the morning, the past couple of days I've just thought what's the point but I do get up of course. Hense me thinking I'm a bit depressed. It's just been one thing after another. Still coming to terms with RA diagnosis, MTX problems, gastritis and now this. I'll ring hospital Monday. Fingers crossed. X

[AgedCrone in reply to Haz58]

If you think you are depressed….you probably aren’t….you are just facing facts & dealing with it….which is the way to go.You sound as if you are doing all the right things..try not to stay on the morphine too long…..opioid withdrawal …even after a short time is often worse that what it treats.So grin & bear it for a bit longer…it really will ease if you don’t overdo things.

[Haz58 in reply to AgedCrone]

Thank you Aged. As soon as I can I'll lower the morphine dose. I've read about that. Really appreciate your help. Just being told I'm doing the right things helps a lot. Xx

[cyberbarn in reply to Haz58]

Don't forget that inflammation can affect the brain and make us feel like we are depressed. You are not depressed, you are reacting to the increased inflammation!

[Haz58 in reply to cyberbarn]

Ok I didn't realise that. Thank you cyberbarn. Much appreciated 😌

[Uglow]

I get you Iv 4 fragility fractures it’s been soooo hard. No brace. Iv cried so much with the awful pain! The best I can do is get into a sitting position in bed with hot water bottle on my back I couldn’t lay at all. Pain killers don’t really work for me just take edge off sometimes. Iv got a great physio AT LAST tbh if i can move it easier for a few mins. My body says don’t move but my physio said we are designed to move not sit. If your fracture is new please follow your dos advice. It does get easier eventually but not a quick job. X

[Haz58 in reply to Uglow]

Bless you. 😔 It's was pain like I'd never felt before except during childbirth! But with that at least you had a couple of minutes between contractions! I wondered about heat on it as I have a heat pad. Bern to scared to try it though In case it made it worse. I did use ice at the start. I get the moving bit too. I hope we heal very soon! Xx

[Uglow in reply to Haz58]

I take cbd oil and bears they are expensive no point in getting weak one! I sleep approx 9-11 hours. It takes a week or so to get in your system I take about 2 hours before bed and for me 💯 works. They do not make you high! Again seek professional advice.

[Haz58 in reply to Uglow]

I have tried CBD drops before but they seemed to make my gastric reflux worse. In fact I've read that omeprazole that I have been on for years can cause bone density loss. As I've had gastritis too I'm on 2x 20mg a day. I need to try and get it down to just 10mg a day again.

[Uglow in reply to Haz58]

I stopped omeprozol altogether too many side effects. If your eat a pot of yogurt before drugs and cbd no side effects. Well not for me.

[Haz58 in reply to Uglow]

Ooh I'll try to wean off then and try that! Thank you. 😊

[Runrig01]

sounds like your doing the right things. I think i mentioned before that I had a thoracic fracture following a physio manipulating my spine. I knew something was wrong but my rheumatologist was dismissive at the time. It was only later an mri highlighted it.

I worked as an orthopaedic nurse, and much as I can’t give advice as I haven’t seen your X-rays or know your history, hopefully I can reassure you. Braces are seldom used these days unless the fracture is unstable. The reason being that the muscles surrounding the fracture actually weaken, as they’re not having to work at maintaining posture. That results in increased levels of pain and reduced mobility when you try and manage without the brace.

As others have said try to get up and mobilise little and often. Have you had a fracture clinic appointment or do you have one planned. If so take the opportunity to discuss concerns then. If you don’t then send an email of questions to your GP that you feel need answered. If your struggling at home, the GP can arrange an Occupational therapist to visit and do an assessment, to see if any aids will make things easier for you. I couldn’t lie on my back when I fractured it, but I also have ankylosing spondylitis which has fused my ribs. So lying flat makes me feel like I’m suffocating. I had an OT assessment after I had my stroke at 52, which was useful. They provided me with a pillow lifter, which is an electric device to raise you up, like an electric bed does. It was very useful till I upgraded my bed to an electric one.

Definitely do as Agedcrone suggests and put your name on the cancellation list for your dexa scan. I used to have one done privately, as my initial rheumatologist didn’t feel it necessary despite being being menopausal and on steroids. I did a baseline one on starting steroids, then yearly to monitor it as I had osteopenia, approaching osteoporosis with a T score of -2.1. Unfortunately I think most of these private companies closed as a result of covid, so now I have 2-3yrly on the nhs.

[Haz58 in reply to Runrig01]

Hi Maureen. Thank you for more advice. No fracture clinic appointment nor a planned one at the mo. My Rheumy has written to my gp and just advised an analgesic to help me sleep better at night. And it says follow up in 3 months. I do have an appointment with her though for RA next week so a have a chance to ask her questions. Yes I'll ring to ask for a cancellation for the Dexa scan tomorrow. Xx

[Recorder500L]

As I mentioned before I did my compressed of the L1 and T9 vertebrae on the 31st March this year by reaching up to get a couple of mugs from the top shelf of the kitchen unit. It was a fortnight before I did anything about it, pain really awful as you say. Was sent for xrays which confirmed the two vertebrae fractures. Result of Dexa Scan was normal but had to wait months for the result. Gp said I had Osteoporosis, which I didn't. I also lost 3 inches in height. No follow up at all., no fracture clinic appointment either. Slept on my back propped up by pillows, a wedge one would have been ideal, I did purchase one for my lounge chair which is brilliant, still using it and think it will be permanent now.

Now it is November I am just beginning to be able to stand more straight. I always make sure that I am sitting and walking as straight as I can. Mine has eased and hope yours will also, it does take time. As AgedCrone advised move around as much and often as you can, not easy though. Take Care.

[Haz58 in reply to Recorder500L]

Thanks Recorder. I'm feeling more positive now. It certainly helps hearing from others who have/are going through the same. I guess patience is a virtue. Take care. Xx

[Bizzie]

I had severe back pain at the end of 2017. Following a x-ray I was told I had a lower lung infection. At my appointment with my rheumatologist 4 weeks later I was still in a lot of pain so he arranged another x-ray. I flew to the US for Christmas, still in great pain returned home to a letter saying I had a fractured vertebrae that was evident on the original x-ray! By that time I’d had it about 6 weeks and I just continued to manage with painkillers.

It took a long time, around 3-4 months to heal and I had to buy a frame for the bed and sleep sitting up as I couldn’t lie down flat even on my side. There are some gentle exercises you can do and it’s important to keep mobile but I’d ask your GP for a physio referral recommend to ensure you don’t do too much.

I hope you get some relief soon. x

[Haz58 in reply to Bizzie]

I wonder if when the gp writes the referral if they put specifics as to what they are looking for, like lung problems, etc., that is what is looked for... I'll contact gp to get new physio sorted they have a physio on site. A month ago she gave me excersices which I tried but was in agony..they were for muscular problems not a fractured spine.

We cancelled our holiday to Tenerife for 13th December as I cannot stand the thought of flying with it. You must have been in agony!

[Bizzie in reply to Haz58]

yes you’re right. They weren’t looking for a fracture so didn’t see it. But still….. yes I was in agony the whole time and if I’d known it was a fracture I probably wouldn’t have gone but as I thought it was an infection I assumed it would get better. It didn’t obviously.

I’m sure your physio will give you different exercises now you know what you’re dealing with. Good luck x

[Angels54]

Hi - I have never been offered a back brace , I wedged a pillow under my back when went to bed , I know what you mean , I think I will have to get scooter as I can’t really get far because of pain , 3 years on know support what so ever , yes I get down days as I cycled a lot , been a nurse myself for 15 yrs , can’t even get a call , keep going 👍