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Original poster

Advice: teenager just cut off their plaster cast!

36 replies

thunderbee · 02/03/2019 19:06

That's it really. 17 year old with wrist break of both ulna and radius over 4 weeks ago, due back in trauma clinic on Thursday, has just come down stairs having hacked off their plaster cast with school scissors 'because it was annoying me'. Also after an argument so I have shrugged my shoulders outwardly and am not flying into a rage/hysteria. Is there something I should do right now in medical terms or can it wait till Thursday clinic? - as far as I can see (but they are trying to prevent me from looking) it's still a bit swollen and a bit bruised. Nothing like the mess it was when they did it though.

OP posts:
dancingqueen345 · 02/03/2019 19:09

By no means professional advice but my dad sawed my leg cast off a week early when I was younger because I was desperate to participate in the sports day and it's never caused me any lasting issues 🤷🏼‍♀️

Shadow93 · 02/03/2019 19:11

Typically I think bones take between 6 and 8 weeks to heal, they need to be cast during this time to prevent them moving or rebreaking, I'd be taking them back to A&E after some serious telling off

moreismore · 02/03/2019 19:11

Can you contact the clinic to ask their advice?

YeOldeTrout · 02/03/2019 19:12

Last time I broke my arm we started trying to hack it off a few days early. No harm done (but hospital tried to bollock me anyway). Mine was rubbing my wrist bone painfully.

If it were my DD I would ask her to sling it & use it very minimally. Docs only keep casts on for minimal times nowadays (to minimise loss of muscle strength), which kind of means it should stay on for time recommended. Were the bones pinned or was it a straight & clean break?

Cantchooseaname · 02/03/2019 19:12

My husband cut most of his wrist cast off because it was annoying him. It was fine.
Could you persuade him to wear a wrist guard between now and thurs when out and about? Might protect it a bit.whats done is done!!

Epiphany52 · 02/03/2019 19:12

I’m afraid I think you need to go back ASAP. Ds14 broke his arm recently - hairline fracture. He had a cast that was supposedly water resistant (apparently he could swim with it) and it kept breaking in the bit between his thumb and finger - we were told to go back every time it broke as soon as possible.

nocoolnamesleft · 02/03/2019 19:16

Both radius AND ulna? Sounds like a trip to A&E. After all if only one was broken, the intact one could help stabilise the other. With both gone...

Loyaultemelie · 02/03/2019 19:23

As a current cast wearer (albeit full leg for a knee) I have been warned if my cast so much as cracks or moves then go straight up, so probably best to get it seen. I can understand the urge I did threaten mine with an angle grinder the other day

Evidencebased · 02/03/2019 19:27

Just remade my account when I read this.
One of mine did the same.
Regrets it to this day.
Pc we'll never definitely know if the bone would have healed better if he'd done as he was asked- but, and it's a big but, his fracture
was not as serious as your DCs.

Casts can be s pain, and get uncomfortable, sure.

But I agree with no cool name - if it's not completely healed, a fracture of both bones will have no stability.

DS has had pain on strenuous use of arm for years- he'd go back and keep the cast on, given the chance.

Scarydinosaurs · 02/03/2019 19:30

The reason they keep a cast on it is to help the bones set. If the bones don’t set, she will end up with a deformed/unusable hand/arm.

Go to A and E.

JRMisOdious · 02/03/2019 19:31

Would ring 111 for advice. No idea whether it’s harmful or not but if it is, it will need new dressing and he/she may take more notice of a medical professional than she will of you.
I suppose I’d be wondering how I’d explain myself at the clinic on Thursday if I hadn’t done anything about what turned out to be a problem.

Fightthebear · 02/03/2019 19:36

DS1 broke both ulnar & radius and they removed the cast at about 4 and 1/2 weeks, so it might be ok by now.

But I’d go back to A&E because they’d need to X-ray to be sure it was properly healed.

Original poster
thunderbee · 02/03/2019 20:16

Thanks all. No 111 service here, wrong part of the UK, but back to trauma clinic as soon as we can by the sound of it - Monday morning at the earliest as obvs no clinic at the weekend. Teenager rage has abated now the darn thing is off - just had a 'Mum, this doesn't feel great, I think it needs a cast'. Wow, you don't say dear....
Thanks again people.

OP posts:
Scarydinosaurs · 02/03/2019 20:34

I’d be very worried about them sleeping on it. Have you got a split or anything?

Scarydinosaurs · 02/03/2019 20:34

Splint

hugoagogo · 02/03/2019 20:41

I think i would be going down to a&e.

nocoolnamesleft · 02/03/2019 20:43

Leaving it until Monday might increase the odds of actually needing surgery for pins and plates and stuff. I'd be going to A&E today.

SoMuchToBits · 02/03/2019 20:46

I'd go to A & E as there is no clinic over weekend. They can still probably take him to the plaster room, or at least get the arm in a brace/splint to keep it in the right position until he can go to clinic on Monday.

user2085372673 · 02/03/2019 20:52

I did this when I was 32. It was driving me mad so just cut it off. Obviously it’s not ideal but it’s his body. He will have to live with the consequences. Maybe you explain that it might not heal properly etc and give him a choice of next steps.

HollowTalk · 02/03/2019 20:58

I think this is something the 17 year old has to deal with themselves. It's up to them to contact the hospital and explain what they've done and why. If you take them there, let them go in on their own. Seriously, they need to learn a lesson here and you shouldn't go in and explain things for them.

Popskipiekin · 02/03/2019 20:58

If he’s saying that, and if you can bear it, I would be prepping a lot of food, drink and electronic entertainment and heading down to A&E this evening. He shouldn’t sleep on it a week before cast due off. That’s two nights sleep you’re talking about if you can’t go to clinic until Monday... Do it. He’s young and he’ll always regret (and very possibly blame you for not intervening - teens... ) if it doesn’t mend well. Brew and Cake for the long night ahead.

Foodylicious · 02/03/2019 21:03

I know someone who did similar and it never healed properly.
They ended up having a bone graft from their hip and that wasn't 100% successful.

I would go to a&e.

Yes 17yr old will feel embarrassed, but the long term effects could be nightmare

Nacreous · 02/03/2019 21:06

I'd be heading to A and E too I'm afraid. If even a teenager, with their stubbornness, admits it feels bad, I think you'd be risking serious damage not to get it back on... Hopefully will be fine, but not worth taking a risk.

Arewehumanorbones · 02/03/2019 21:10

I knew a student who did this and ended up having to permanently wear a wrist brace as it never healed properly and she had permanent pain and nerve damage.
I would go back to.a&e tonight tbh - especially as both bones are broken. I wouldn't want to risk them.sleeping on it funny and getting nerve damage.

pinkpantsrock · 02/03/2019 21:15

I broke my wrist when I was 10, cast for 6 weeks, by week 3 i could slip the thing on and off and week 4 it was off all the time, wrist is fine.

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