To ask about broken bone experiences?

[youngerself]

I am hoping to find some reassurance that these take time
I was hit by a car and have several pelvic fractures. I'm partial weight bearing now - 8 weeks post accident.
I did a lot for me yesterday and sharp pains in groin (short lived and none today)
It all just feels so slow and such a hard balance between trying to be active and not doing too much
I don't think I can go to my follow up appointment as DD tested positive for covid last week so god knows when I'll see a specialist and I'm not going to be able to ask a GP as I had to cry on the phone to the receptionist to speak to one about painkillers last time. And I can't see anything helpful on google.
Please - is intermittent pain and it being slow normal for fracture recovery?

Of you ring the number on your appointment letter they might change your follow up to a telephone consult. At least you will be able to speak to someone.

Yes I'm doing that tomorrow and hopefully get a call instead but not definite

Pelvic fractures are slow yes. It took my friend a good 6 months to get properly back on her feet and a further 6 months of building her strength back up. Don’t rush yourself.

I would actually ring the switch board of the hospital you are going to attend and ask them for an email address for this section and email them today. Make sure that you put your appointment time/consultant name etc in title bar. Also ask for an email for central appointments. Gives them as much time as possible to arrange for your appointment to be a phone consult.

I broke my left hip in a car accident along with multiple other bones. I had to use a wheel chair then up grade to a Walker the pain was awful. Don't rush your healing it will take months to get back to normal. Do the physio but take it easy

I've had 2 serious accidents in my life - one a car crash and the other a cycling accident and on both occasions it took me a lot longer than I expected to recover - though I was a bit more realistic second time!
Everyone tells you tgat it takes about 6 weeks for bones to heal, but what they dont say is that it often takes a lot longer for pain to subside and function to return, especially if you've had multiple injuries.
I couldn't believe how quickly I lost muscle bulk and how long it took to build it up again.
Pacing is key, though I am very bad at it! The risk is that you start to feel better, overdo things and then have a setback so your overall progress is slowed. It's better to take things more slowly but maintain progress rather than yo-yo though it takes practice to find the right level and to resist the temptation to push yourself a bit too far.
I do empathise. I found after care was very poor and Covid makes things even worse. Once you are out of hospital you are basically on your own in my experience unfortunately and it can be tough. One piece of advice I was given which helped was don't gauge your progress on a daily or even weekly basis, but look back at least 2 or 3 weeks and you will see that you are getting better, even if not as quickly as you'd like.
Take it steady, set small, realistic goals and be kind to yourself.

I have emailed but I'm really uncertain if I can go as rules for self isolation change tomorrow so if I was working, I could go to work. I'll call them tomorrow anyway to discuss
Thank you for the replies. It is v reassuring that it takes a long time - I honestly thought that I'd be expected to be back on my feet properly after 12 weeks and at 8 weeks where I am now that sounds impossible and I was totally unrealistic.
I will pace myself. And yes I have gone backwards as after the pain, I'm back on a big frame today instead of the smaller one but I'll change back tomorrow.
MrsAvocet that's it! I feel left to my own devices completely. I've had no contact from NHS physio other than a form filled in a week after my return home. I have paid for a home visit from a local clinic.

Im so please that I posted - it's very demoralising as I didn't know what to expect at all and worried that I was in some way being feeble or not trying hard enough. These words have been very reassuring