fractured wrist : 13 weeks on now since broke my... - PMRGCAuk

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fractured wrist

SjDexDolly profile image
28 Replies

13 weeks on now since broke my wrist was in plaster 6 weeks , cast removed and went to physio for 3 weeks ,didn’t get on well could hardly move it and complained of more pain than original injury . Physio advised me to get X-ray , I did and they told me it was broken and referred me back to hospital , one week later I saw who I thought was the specialist , he came out told me yes it’s broken I can put you in cast for 6 weeks , I was confused and explained I had already been in cast , he then said oh you have history , told me not to move it and wait 2 more weeks to see the achually specialist.

I go see specialist hoping that I would get help , reading from the X-ray taken from 3 weeks ago he tells me that my fracture has healed , I’m now really confused , wrist really painful . He then tells me I’ve crps , google it he says you need strong nerve blocking drugs and move it I will refer you to physio come and see me again in 4 weeks .

Can anyone help give advice I’m trying to push past the pain and trying to get movement

Thanks xx

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SjDexDolly profile image
SjDexDolly
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28 Replies
piglette profile image
piglette

It normally takes six to eight weeks for your wrist to repair. It is important to restrict the movement of a broken bone in your wrist as it is critical to proper healing.

SjDexDolly profile image
SjDexDolly in reply to piglette

I probably did move it about too much it it’s cast but only has much as cast allowed

piglette profile image
piglette in reply to SjDexDolly

I hope you did not damage your wrist too much. Hopefully it will now improve, if it doesn’t don’t let them fob you off and push them to do something.

SjDexDolly profile image
SjDexDolly in reply to piglette

They diagnosed me with crps said get nerve treatment from doctor and urgent referral to physio, but I hurt so bad much worse that original injury , I honestly feel it’s better amputated right now , and I know that sounds really stupid x

piglette profile image
piglette in reply to SjDexDolly

You poor thing. It may have set itself badly. When are you seeing the consultant again?

SjDexDolly profile image
SjDexDolly in reply to piglette

A month although not seeing physio till next week , I don’t feel looked after by anyone so I’m going to try push through the pain and get it moving xx

piglette profile image
piglette in reply to SjDexDolly

Is the physio helpful?

SjDexDolly profile image
SjDexDolly in reply to piglette

I’m doing my own just hope it’s enough . I’m see physio next Tuesday

piglette profile image
piglette in reply to SjDexDolly

Good luck

SjDexDolly profile image
SjDexDolly in reply to piglette

Thank you

HeronNS profile image
HeronNS in reply to SjDexDolly

I have been doing exercises from our l ocal Health authority. It is very important not to push past the pain but only to the point of pain. I find I really need to do them as prescribed every day or I backslide, So far have only done the first few, just starting to work on the second set, and leaving the strengthening ones until I finally see my physiotherapist. She gave me advice about doing the exercises via a virtual appointment, starting with the range of motion set, 10 repetitions 3 times a day. I found the 10 really hard at first but it did get better quite quickly. My fracture was May 2nd, cast removed June 18th.

I'll post the link once I can get it to work, seems to be unavailable at this minute.

SjDexDolly profile image
SjDexDolly in reply to HeronNS

Thank you , I was seeing a physio before after my cast was removed , so I am trying to do those for now , I had a little more movement today , hurts so much when do them but eases off once I stop

Xx

HeronNS profile image
HeronNS in reply to SjDexDolly

Have you tried icing after you've done the exercises? I think what's happening, at least to me, is the exercises cause a bit of inflammation and swelling and an ice pack seems to help. I always apply one for a few minutes when I go to bed, and still lying (well, sitting actually, but with my feet up) with the afflicted arm well raised on a couple of pillows. Incidentally these pillows are also providing a perfect support for my bedtime reading and now I can fall asleep in comfort.... I may continue to sleep in this extraordinarily comfortable little nest of pillows for quite a while!

Should mention that thundery weather brought on a migraine a couple of days ago and because I have a lot of Tylenol3 left over from my GP's rather too generous prescription I took half of one of those (half has 15 mg codeine) and a couple of aspirins, and must say the exercises were much easier to do for the day. Not taking painkillers specifically for the wrist because I'm not suffering like you are, but maybe you could get something like that to use for a few days to get you through this bad patch?

SjDexDolly profile image
SjDexDolly in reply to HeronNS

Thankyou I will try the ice see if that helps it great advice thank you xx

HeronNS profile image
HeronNS in reply to SjDexDolly

Here, at last, is the pdf. Their website was okay a couple of days later but I was tardy getting back to you. I'm finding my hand is so stiff, that's now almost worse than the wrist. :( Glad I've a physio appointment tomorrow.

nshealth.ca/sites/default/f...

SjDexDolly profile image
SjDexDolly in reply to HeronNS

I’ve made massive improvement to my wrist I’ve managed to get a lot more range of movement in a week but it’s been a horrendous journey . The pain much worse than original break and every morning it seems to re track back , but making progress good luck with yours xx

HeronNS profile image
HeronNS in reply to SjDexDolly

Glad things are improving. I guess when they say it can take up to a year to get back to normal they're right.

SjDexDolly profile image
SjDexDolly in reply to HeronNS

Yes definitely looking where I’m going and watching the dogs around me more x

HeronNS profile image
HeronNS in reply to SjDexDolly

Had a great physio appointment today! My physiotherapist's mother has had broken wrists (yes, plural, although I don't know if they were at the same time) and when I was whining a bit about how the exercises hurt she laughed and said I sounded just like her mother! Anyway we talked about starting the strengthening exercises and then she gave my wrist and hand a really deep, intense massage, finishing up by saying that I wouldn't need to do any more exercises today (this was about 10 am). Going to do it all again in a couple of weeks. Perhaps I'll be able to drive by then. Today I decided to walk there and back, which added up to over 11,000 steps, plus there's a ferry ride. Extremely hot day, but I was dressed right for the weather and drank water on the way home. Exhausting, but I must say the convalescing limb feels a lot better.

SjDexDolly profile image
SjDexDolly in reply to HeronNS

That’s fantastic news keep on going forward with that .

Poor woman both wrists how awful it’s bad enough with one

I too got on well today been given more exercises to do xx

SnazzyD profile image
SnazzyD

How did it get broken? Was it a simple fracture or a more complex break?

SjDexDolly profile image
SjDexDolly in reply to SnazzyD

Dogs knocked flying they say fractured 3 places but simple tho x

Sophiestree profile image
Sophiestree

I'm confused. One said it was still fractured and the other said it wasnt?

I broke my wrist 10 years ago (I do have poor bones btw) and from the beginning to the end I was in pain. I had surgery to get it pinned and after that was worse, everyone told me it shouldn't hurt like that but it bloomin well did...

I found physio hard too and if I'm honest, didn't do it as much as I should have. But it seems fine now and no different to the other.

I do still do exercises on my wrists though as due to my bone health that is an area that needs strengthening.

Really feel for you. I remember all of it very clearly.

Dydee profile image
Dydee

I fell and fractured my wrist (thankfully my left) a year ago last February. The first specialist said he would just cast it and let it heal even though my hand was then lower than my wrist by a quarter of an inch. Said at my age the outcome would be the same, surgery or not. I went to a different specialist for a second opinion and was told if I just let it heal I would always have trouble with it so I opted for the surgery. They reset it and put a plate on the inside of my wrist. It took very close to a year before I could say the pain was gone. Well over 6 months before my hand was somewhat usable again with discomfort. Unfortunately, my thumb took a beating too and is set different now so functions at about 50%.

SjDexDolly profile image
SjDexDolly in reply to Dydee

I wasn’t given to option to get it reset but I’m sure that is the problem it’s wonky now

Sillydogsmum profile image
Sillydogsmum

Do you mean CRPS, chronic regional pain syndrome ( a tad early to be diagnosing this??), or secondary CTS ie carpal tunnel syndrome? Is your wrist reasonably straight or is it still very deformed?

SjDexDolly profile image
SjDexDolly in reply to Sillydogsmum

Yes never had carpal tunnel wrist is wonky looks deformed although today I’ve moved it abit

SjDexDolly profile image
SjDexDolly

I don’t have any movement it’s deformed although I have got it moving a tiny bit

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