To be irritated by all the "medical staff" in my office.

[Charlie97]

Leaving work Monday, I had an unfortunate trip, when it happened, I felt extreme (and I mean extreme, difficult to breath!) pain, also felt a "elastic band type snap"

Called OH, straight to A&E, the nurse did a "Simmonds test" and said "you've snapped your Achilles Tendon", her words not mine. She called orthopaedic surgeon, he advised that as I was very swollen, she put me in half leg cast and arrange for scan and further examination in six days time. She further explained that the options then would be

a. surgery to rejoin
b. a "boot" cast and let it heal

Well, I have gone back to work (I accept I am short tempered due to pain and medication and extreme frustration at not being to move and being so reliant on others), sedentary job and colleague picked me up and will take me home. My colleagues are all suddenly medical experts, comments such as

1. If you had snapped it, they would immediately operate, you can't have snapped it.

1. You are not in enough pain, it can't be snapped

1. You would not have half leg cast but full leg cast if it had been snapped

Now, I know little about the injury, only what I have googled and been told by the nurse, but they are really getting on my nerves with their "medical knowledge".

My answer to them all was.....well I am in a half let cast, I am in pain and only going by what the nurse advised. Those are the facts and let's see what is said on Monday.

It's like I am trying to pull a fast one, please note this is the first time since joining this company (four years ago) I have EVER taken time off sick, so I'm not renowned for my want to exaggerate ailments.

Reading this back, I sound like a spoilt child, but it is exhausting and a horrible thought that this could go on six weeks plus and they are being extremely unhelpful with their derogatory comments!

someWHERE not one!!

ah Charlie - a final one, you were leaving work you say.... what made you trip? was it anything to do with work? someone left something in the way?

If it was work's fault you could also claim on their insurance... make noises about a compensation claim..... just to get the clappers up them of course...

poor thing, they sound really awful. Nothing worse than 'know it alls' when your feeling under the weather and in pain.
get well soon and try to ignore the comments (hard I know)

I can vouch for the fact that it is extrememely painful & they are talking absolute shite though unfortunately as a long term sufferer of an invisible pain condition, this is a bit "welcome to my world" & I really feel for you & I would really want to smack them with your crutches fir you & blame it on the pain meds

As others have said, just tell it like it is & ask when they qualified as a doctor & get nasty & tell them to f*off if needed, you can blame it on the pain later.

Sadly not everyone is as tough as you probably are being & they couldn't cope, so presume you must be lying as you are coping well, I get it all the time & have learnt to keep my situation quiet. Not something you can do with crutches, so I feel for you

Hope it heals quickly for you

I broke my wrist a few years ago and was told repeatedly that I did not need to go to the hospital as it " wasn't broken as I could move it" Despite being in considerable pain I carried on as best I could. Their shocked faces the next day when I appeared in a cast having broken two bones.
I feel your pain.

I just say to colleagues "MODERN day advice is that...... XYZ applies NOWADAYS" - just to let them know their thinking is behind the times....

Oh they are now all very quiet! Apparently they didn't say the things I heard.....amazing! I've made them look very stupid now.

It does hurt, I can't wait for surgery to be done and then recovery.

Thank you all

X

Well that was 10000 times easier than I thought! When I went to theatre they offered me a spinal block or general! I opted for spinal and they put radio on and I read my kindle whilst they did their thing. I might even be able to go home this evening!!! ??????

Brilliant!

That's brilliant. What's the plan from now on?
I get my boot off tomorrow- tendon has healed on its own- muscle is very weak. I think the hard work starts now for me.

Two weeks in the toes pointy down cast, six weeks in reducing heel boot cast! The physio etc.

I am home now, but a fair amount of pain. But that'll hopefully wear off over the next few days.

Charlie, don't try to be brave with the pain, keep it to a manageable level.

I tried to cut down on the painkillers far too early after my hip replacement and it took a good 24hrs to get it back under control

for a trouble free recovery

Thanks sisted, I won't! I'm in bed now, absolutely shattered, just taken another couple of pain killers so hopefully sleep will come soon.

Hope you're ok today and taking it easy and it's not too painful.
Take care.

Just want to say thanks to the OP for your original post. I had a similar thing happen to me but had hobbled into the office for nearly a week thinking I'd just torn my calf muscle.

I read this thread last Monday - 23rd which prompted me to go to A&E. Turns out I too have snapped my right achilles tendon. Was put in a back slab cast, clinic appointment on Tuesday, ultrasound Wednesday, surgery Thursday and a two night stay in hospital dosed up on co-codamol, morphine and tramadol (never having that again). I'm now laid with my leg in the air for two weeks before the air cast boot and signed off work for at least 3 weeks.

I might still be hobbling about if I'd listened to people telling me I can't have snapped it and not read this.

Cheers