A week ago, two weeks into a lovely honeymoon that should have lasted 3.5 weeks, I fell and broke my wrist very badly (displaced distal radius Smith fracture). It was in Japan, they x rayed and assessed me, gave me a temporary splint and was told I had to go home asap for surgery. Sorted insurance stuff and they flew us back mid week, have managed pain with OTC meds plus codeine. A & E Thursday and they got me in for my surgery Saturday as an urgent case. I've had a plate and screws inserted and my fracture realigned with a cast, signed off work for a month.
The nurses were kind, but my pain management for the 36 hours I was in hospital was totally inadequate. They gave one ibuprofen with two paracetamol every 6-8 hrs, I know that's first line pain relief and then low dose oromorph every 4 hrs. I've had oromorph before after knee surgery and it was good, but it wasn't helping this time- not sure if dose too low? It wasn't enough, my pain was still so bad so they reluctantly got me a tramadol to take the edge off. When my nerve block wore off yesterday morning, I was crying in pain and despite asking, my tramadol doses only came 7-8 hrs after the last one (they need 2 nurses to sign for it and it was often hard to find another one to do it), meaning I had severe breakthrough pain that was then very tough to get on top of. My husband was horrified when he came in and saw the state of me. I was discharged yesterday afternoon and thought well at least I can now take my pain meds on a proper schedule.
I suffer from adenomyosis and cripplingly painful periods, and I've had several surgeries so I understand some post-op pain is normal, but this is another level of pain and I can barely get it to a manageable level. I've usually coped overnight with a bedtime opiate plus OTC painkillers, but I've woken in severe pain after 5 hours. I'm taking ibuprofen, paracetamol and tramadol at the intervals indicated, although 4 doses in 24 hours seems to go quickly. Can't use ice as it won't penetrate the thick cast.
My knee ligament repair a few years back was bloody agony but this is another level, maybe due to the broken limb as well. Anyone else who has had surgery on a broken bone, how long until the pain reached manageable levels? I'm just sat quietly sobbing right now while DH sleeps peacefully ( he has been brilliant so I don't begrudge him his sleep). Going slightly mad and still heartbroken that our beautiful honeymoon was cut short by all this pain.