To not know where to turn for help with this?

[ihowlforyou]

I fell and fractured my ankle a week ago. I was told it’s a stable fracture to be treated like a sprain. I also really tore up my knee, which has been very slow to heal.

A week on and I’m still incredibly swollen, bruised and my ankle is becoming more and more painful. My knee is still very sore, the actual skin is numb but I have pain at the base and top of my kneecap. It also feels a little unstable and I am getting sharp stabbing pains to one side of my kneecap.

My GP isn’t interested. They say that I have to go to physio if I need, as it’s a muscular injury.

Physio has an eight week minimum wait for a video consultation.

This obviously isn’t an A&e situation (shamefully I did go to A&E for the initial injury because it had a very short wait time, it seemed to be a quiet time of day!), and they wouldn’t take a look at my knee anyway as it’s a “superficial injury”.

Minor injuries is now by appointment only in my area and appointments are gone within a minute of opening.

I’ve tried the pharmacy for the graze that isn’t healing but they just say to dress it and keep it clean and it’ll heal “eventually”.

I feel like I’m being turned away at every turn but I’m in so much pain, I’m left feeling sick by lunchtime because my ankle is that sore, and by the end of the day I can’t stand walking around. I have basic physio exercises from my last sprain years ago but I can’t do them, but I can’t be seen by anyone.

Please don’t suggest a private physio assessment, it’s not within my budget at all. AIBU to just feel despondent and like I can’t get help anywhere?

Surely it's up to A&E to decide if she should be in A&E?

I remember too some of the advice she was given on the other thread - loads of people telling her not to go to A&E after her fall and get on with work!! Going by your words above, you have an issue with her dramatic etc. It's ok to be that way, but I don't think you are a doctor, I don't think you should tell someone who is clearly struggling not to go to hospital. As I said, that's up to the docs at A&E.

Just to reassure you a bit, I had a very bad accident a few years ago and broke my foot, ankle and leg on one side. On the other side, I didn't break anything but had far more pain and very extensive bruising in my ankle and knee. The orthopaedic surgeon told me that sometimes a break is easier and heals quicker with less pain than things like sprains and ligament damage. So it doesn't necessarily mean they've missed anything, it coudl just be that you really hurt yourself. I hope you can rest it a bit more.

@ihowlforyou you need to get a second opinion and be signed off work whilst it heals.

I did something similar a few years ago. Ankle rolled, I tripped over and snapped the ligaments in my left ankle. When I landed (belly down) my right knee took the full impact and I lacerated it all the way across. The initial first aid (at the tourist attraction where it happened) was incredibly poor and my knee was infected within a few days.

I was already on a written warning from work over sickness so I went back immediately despite hardly being able to weight bare on my ankle. When my knee was obviously infected I ignored it. I kept ignoring it until I collapsed at work after a few days of being back. I was rushed to hospital with a severe infection in my lower leg and knee. I spent a week in hospital having intravenous antibiotics and treatment to sort out the infection. Luckily I recovered but it took a good six months before the ligaments in my ankle healed and I was back to normal

Hope you feel better soon

Yes, so as I’ve said a few times - go to GP, get a sick note, get referred to fracture clinic if GP thinks so.

She has already (correctly) been to A&E when she had her A for Accident. And it’s not an Emergency either. I think people have lost sight of what A&E is for. There are walk in clinics which do X-rays in some places, that could be an option.

Finally, she has been to rest and elevate her foot but she can’t do that at work and apparently can’t not work. So despite two threads and lots of sensible and valid advice, she’s not helping her own recovery and I’m not really sure what else she wants. Except sympathy, and along with most others I’ve given her that but am also being pragmatic.

You had dozens of people on your other thread tell you they had a boot for the same injury.
Just go and bloody buy one off Amazon or something. Or your local pharmacy. That way you can still weight bear like doctor said, but you're keeping the ankle immobilised for pain management and optimal healing.
Keep up your wound care for the knee, or book a GP appointment if you're worried.

FWIW the bruising looks accurate for an avulsion fracture.

OP, if you're in this much pain, you need to go back to A&E. Maybe the initial diagnosis was wrong, maybe a stable fracture can become unstable...either way, don't leave it, because untreated injuries can cause blood clots, as well as the actual injury itself getting worse. I don't know if you're awake now, but if you are, take some aspirin. Off to bed with you and A&E first thing tomorrow, 'kay?

I remember your first thread @ihowlforyou .

For other posters, that thread was filled with people telling the op she was a time waster for considering going to a&e in the first place and she got a rough time from her manager. It's all very well telling the op the law, but when you're in pain, possibly some ongoing shock and have a toxic work environment it can be very hard to stand up for yourself.

@ihowlforyou I've had an injury which involved a break of a type they don't treat and told to get on with it. Separately I've also experienced dismissive doctors who made me almost scared to seek help even when logically I know I needed it.

So when I was told I had to get on with it, I did, despite impossible pain and the limitations of that. I regret SO much not going back to a&e or pushing to be seen again. I ended up suffering for over a year.

So I'm going to add my voice to others here and tell you that you need to advocate for yourself. You're entitled to ask for a second opinion- do so.

Cry when you're in front of the doctors/nurses, like me you're probably being as stoic as you can be but doctors take distress more seriously if you actually cry, so don't hold it in.

If you're really too scared to present at a&e again, call 111 and tell them you cannot cope with the pain. Tell them the swelling is still bad and it feels unstable.

Explain how it's impacting you physically and what it is stopping you from doing, and that you can't get seen at minor injuries and your gp cannot help. Ask for help and a second opinion, a reassessment of your injury.

Don't mention your skin until you're in front of a doctor.

I understand your reluctance but it's time to make a fuss - don't be like me and be a martyr because you're afraid of being criticised by the doctors. And one snotty note on your records won't make a difference to future care - doctors rarely read back anyway.

Go to a different hospital. That picture looks pretty bad and you don't need complications.

Can you try another hospital?

Will you please just take some time off work. Tell them that as they’re aware you hurt yourself last week, you were diagnosed with a fracture, thought you could still manage to attend work but now find that the commute is too toiling on your injury and you have to rest it for a week. Not unreasonable. Do the whole POLICE thing at home, let your body rest and I’m sure you’ll be dandy.

OP - this is MN. It’s famous for ‘if you can type you’re not that bad’ sort of advice, but you have received almost unanimous ‘GET TO A&E’ replies…..do you understand how unusual that is? 🙃

You sound really overwhelmed and frustrated with it all - but you really must go back to A&E. Why are you letting a rude fucking man put you off? You could end up with a lifelong disability if you don’t get treat properly…..because a man couldn’t be arsed treating you with common decency? Come on OP!! Take someone with you if you need to, I know it can be hard to speak up, especially when you’re feeling so rotten, but future you needs you to get this sorted. You could even be septic!

Phone in sick tomorrow at least - just for one day prioritise your health. You aren’t being a nuisance - we all pay for the NHS, it isn’t ‘free’ - wanting healthcare & pain relief for a bust ankle really isn’t unreasonable!

OP, kindly, everyone is telling you the same thing.
Go off sick, get a second opinion.
Why does it matter if you seem to be questioning the nurse you saw? You’re allowed to do so.

And btw I have worked within hospital teams for YEARS. Your manager may not like you phoning in sick, but there’s nothing they can do about it. You are getting worked up with the wrong people - posters here are offering you (correct) advice.
Please get this looked at again, it’s not improving, it’s deteriorating, no badges of honour are given for powering through, and it warrants a second opinion.

Do you have a different hospital you can go to?
My GP advised we go to the hospital just over the border, rather than the notoriously bad one on the county which is a similar distance away.

I had the same injury back in 2012. I was given a plaster cast and had to have it recast twice as the swelling went down over time. I also had a walking boot and kept it elevated most of the time. Even so, walking on it left me with permanent swelling in the ligaments of the ankle and a definite weakness in the joint. I wish I’d rested it more!

OP it very much sounds like you need a walking boot at the very least. Don’t take ibuprofen because it’s not recommended for fracture healing. And go back to a&e. I’d want to see those X-rays if I were you.

Well, you know better than anyone else how much pain you are in.

I sprained my ankle badly in November last year and had to call in sick as I literally couldn’t walk, I was in agony. I’m still in pain now which I attribute to walking on it too quickly. I also had a boot which I believe I stopped using too early which I also think is linked to why I’m still in pain now. I also think you need to be off sick, regardless of letting
people down, they’d have to manage if you were dead wouldn’t they! Sometimes you have to put yourself first.

If you don’t want to take time off work go to a different hospital/walk in centre AFTER work.
Also surely the A+E practitioner that you saw isn’t always there. Chances are you will see someone else.

Me too
Go back to A&E

This is the point where I struggle to accept what you are saying. It appears you work for the NHS, a public organisation - from my own experience of working in one it’s nigh on impossible to get someone sacked so the notion of a disciplinary if you take a week off (self-certificated or doctor-supported) is highly unlikely unless you already have a horrendous absence record.

When anyone in my team tells me they are worried about leaving the team in the lurch while they take time off (sickness or leave), I tell them that we can cope and they aren’t that important 😂

Do you never take annual leave?

Anyhow, my post is probably pointless seeing as you are adamant on this, but I wish your recovery well regardless.

OP, you’ve rebuffed every single piece of advice being offered. You seem to want to continue to suffer. Either go back to A&E, see your GP or ring the NHS Helpline. Otherwise, put up with the pain. Carry on insisting that you cannot go sick from work, carry on walking on your injury and carry on making it worse.
Those are your options. Choose one.
(edited for typo)

Maybe that poor nurse you saw had two broken legs under his uniform and was forced to work, he was actually in agony and not working to his full capacity that day? I would give them another chance and go back to get another x ray.

I would not want anyone treating me that was in pain. Is the NHS really advising sick people to come to work or they will be fired?

I don’t think unwell people should be in work, especially if they are dealing with the public. This seems obvious to me but not to you. Do you have a diagnosis yourself?

There is something missing here. What kind of a job have you?

I’ve named changed because the other thread was fucking horrible and I feel like absolute shit. I didn’t want another pile on but some people can’t help themselves

You're killing yourself working for a hospital that doesn't even care about you or your health. I think that's quite sad. Go to a different A&E hospital if you're so afraid to question the hospital you work for and TAKE TIME OFF WORK.

No one said on their death bed "I wished I had worked more".

You've been offered a nurse call, take it.

Phone the fracture clinic.

Clean the knee up properly.

A lot of this is you not wanting to take action.

You sound like you have anxiety around your health and in general. I get feeling like you can’t be off sick, but in the unlikely event you were to face a disciplinary, it would be thrown out straight away. ( I too work in a hospital and we have many members of staff who abuse the sickness policy- nothing happens apart from a meeting. You have a genuine reason for sickness)

If you call occupational health through work you will be able to access physio sooner. They have this service to help reduce workplace sickness. They can also help you to access talking sessions etc… if you are feeling stressed.