help from the broken wrist club!

[tollertwins]

Did your cast HURT??

I have very bony wrists, and both wrist bones are feeling chafed like all get out.

Also - my wrist swells if I just do something like go for a walk, and the ring and pinkie keep going 2 sleep.

The cast was put on about a week ago after wearing an ER type splint for 10 days.

The break is just a mild one 2 the distal radius, and an avulsion fracture of the ulnar styloid. I suspect that the soft tissuedamage is worse than the break!

Swelling/numbness was VERY bad after getting the cast on and then going 4 a walk. Dr’s instructions then were 2 just ice/elevate. Now elevating on pillows can cause it 2 go numb, and trying 2 keep it in a sling is just really ticking my elbow off!

I am going back on Monday and dont know if I should try to get another cast put on, or if some of this is just 'cause my wrists are skinny and bony w/ veins and such real close 2 the surface.

Any insights appreciated!

[charismaryllis]

Yes, get a new cast. Mine started to rub after the swelling started to go down, too. And keep your hand elevated. They really mean it. My fingers would swell up if i let my arm hang down (i really hated wearing the sling). I got in the habit of just walking around with my arm held up, like a roman orator. (The congressman down the hall remarked i looked like I was about to say “but i have another point, mr. Speaker–!”) and get a cushion or something to put on your chest at night so the hand is above your heart.

And definitely tell them about the finger numbness. It’s all in how good your cast tech is. The guy who put on my splint was apparently God; when the doc and nurse on the orthopedics service took it off, they raved about what a good splint it was. (I made a point of going back to the ER to tell his supervisor what the doc had said about the splint.) first cast was good, put on by the nurse; second cast was terrible (won’t go back to that tech again); third cast was great (and again, i made a point of telling the head of the ortho service how good that tech was).

So no, don’t just suffer through discomfort–it’s not just you, it may well be the cast.

[tollertwins]

ty! unfortunately it’s the doc who did the cast. if he doesnt have some suggestions tomorrow i might have 2 find another doc…

[charismaryllis]

It’s quite possible enough swelling has gone down that the cast doesn’t fit right anymore. Good luck!

[tollertwins]

Seems like it was just a tad too tight and pushing on something. He split one side w/ a cast saw - much improved now!

[charismaryllis]

excellent!

[pony4me]

Glad yours is getting better. I have a distal radius fracture and will be in a cast for another five weeks or so. I got an adjustable cast that’s more like a brace. www.exosmedical.com. It’s been uncomfortable at times, but at least I can loosen it, readjust it, and then tighten it again, and it can come off for baths or showers. What’s been difficult is learning to do with one hand what I previously did with two.

[charismaryllis]

[QUOTE=pony4me;7100147]
Glad yours is getting better. I have a distal radius fracture and will be in a cast for another five weeks or so. I got an adjustable cast that’s more like a brace. www.exosmedical.com. It’s been uncomfortable at times, but at least I can loosen it, readjust it, and then tighten it again, and it can come off for baths or showers. What’s been difficult is learning to do with one hand what I previously did with two.[/QUOTE]

-green with envy- you lucky thing…i was hoping to get something like that, but they gave me a fiberglas one. (Purple. I went to get my hair cut and the hairdresser said “ravens fan!” Took me a minute to figure out what she was talking about. ). They gave me a nylon thing with laces and metal ribs in it afterwards. ($85 !)

[pony4me]

About that neat cast…I had to sign off that it was a $395 up charge and insurance might not pay for it. Since this is my first broken bone in 50 years of riding, I decided to splurge.

[charismaryllis]

:eek:

[smay]

Last summer when I broke my wrist and had to have surgery for a plate and screws, the cast they put on afterward was so ill fitting ( and I couldn’t feel my arm for 24 hours due to the nerve block) that it wore a deep hole in my forearm. The scar from the surgery has faded completely, but that scar from the bad casting job is STILL THERE and very obvious! Have them redo it.

[tollertwins]

I wanted one of those exos things really bad! You can buy them outright for about $125 - but can’t actually fit one yourself. Then I wanted to try one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Aircast-StabilAir-Wrist-Orthosis-Small/dp/B003Y7VC44/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375403193&sr=8-1&keywords=stabilair+wrist

Doc didn’t go for it. Neighbors kid is in a big city, and even tho they considered plates/screws and didn’t do them, he still has an adjustable cast-thing…

Now the cast is chafing…Having trouble getting it to where it’s not too loose OR too tight. I go back Monday - hopefully I’m not getting a hole in my arm!!!

ps - who are the ravens, anyhow? Dr. asked me the same thing when I asked for purple…

[charismaryllis]

:lol: the baltimore football team. Their colors are purple and black.