Diet & broken limbs/limited mobility (Terrified of weight gain)

[Borisjohnsonshairbrush]

Hello all,

I'm 3 weeks post bimalleolar Ankle fracture and 2 weeks post surgery to fix the the break and dislocation.

I'm usually very very active (i did this while indoor rock climbing fgs ) I used to be very overweight 16st now 10st and thankfully I've lost my desire for things like white pasta and chips/crisps since the break.

I just cant treat myself at the moment as I feel I don't deserve it. adjusted my diet to low (ish) carb - berries and protein yogurt, fish and salad for lunch and chicken with greens in the evening. snacking on nuts or low sugar protein bar. And of course no alcohol due to meds/thinners

Has anyone else been through similar and found diet played a massive part? did you eat your usual pre-break diet? did you lose or gain?

no no ones said that, it just makes you panic. the fib was a nasty break.

I am finding I am worrying even though I have had an operation and the recovery should be more predictable. It is really hard being on crutches and having to rely so much on other people.

yes! even though i have had an op im the same x

Sorry to hear you are struggling boris but know where you are coming from. When I first did my ankle it All happened so fast. I thought I was going to be in A & E for a couple of hours only to be told I needed to be admitted and have surgery the next day and had no choice! The bedside manner of the Dr was very direct shoving a consent form in my nose telling me all that could go wrong. Like you I worry and cry most days but sounds like you are young and fit with the climbing etc. I worry I made the wrong decision not having surgery and that I’ll end up at square one but at least when it’s healed, your ankle will be stable and strong! I stopped running a couple of years ago so I feel v unfit!

I had a crap night. My daughter is sleeping really bad so when I thought she was asleep at 2 am (only to see her looking out the window at 4 am) I couldn’t sleep till 7 am. It was really hot and stuffy and all this rubbish was going through my head. Embarrassingly I slept till 2 pm.

Everyone ok this evening? I’m having my evening sun - nearly 7 pm and boiling! Is Scots are not used to such hot weather!

How is everyone? Feeling more positive boris?

A little bit better today.

We live in a terrace house with no back yard but I sat out in the front in the sun and got some VIT D.

Can we drink on thinners not drank for 5wks since the break but I fancy a gin.

Oh god, only thing that gets me through the day is a glass of wine! Plasterer said to me now all you need to do is sit around for 6 weeks with a bucket of gin at your side! You can drink moderately with blood thinners.

Are any of you doing any exercises with the cast? I can wiggle my toes and life the leg up but is there anything else we can do to stop the muscle weakness at all? Plasterer said not but I hate the thought of not doing something if I can be??!

I have been doing circling the ankles, moving feet up and down and wriggling toes, but I expect a cast is a lot more limiting.

I have had a rheumatology appointment today which has confirmed that I have fibromyalgia. He was very impressed that I was still so mobile and my muscles were strong, and said the fact I have dogs to exercise was something he recommends to people, plus Tai Chi is recommended.

I am worried that I am going to lose strength now though with being relatively immobile, it’s hard to know what we can do about that. I am hoping perhaps that the extra effort it takes to move will help even is we are moving less.

Yes I can wiggle toes and lift the cast but that seems to be all! They say if you exercise the opposite it helps the injured leg. Husband reckons something to do with brain pathways. I’ve been giving it a go!

Shame re the fibromyalgia- what is it exactly?

It’s chronic pain and fatigue, the pain really only responds to antidepressants or anti-epileptic drugs if at all. I have managed to stop the codeine after my operation, but if I didn’t keep it up at first I was in pain everywhere not just the foot. It is almost like the body overreacts to pain.

I also have gluten sensitivity and quite a few sensory things going on, and he thinks I have probably had it for years, but managed it very well. I haven’t worked since last March due to COVID, I was doing pet therapy in care homes and child care around 3 days a week and that plus losing my yoga class, massages and chiropractic treatments had a very detrimental effect.

The only good thing is that possibly some of the research into long COVID might bring benefits for other chronic fatigue conditions which have not received a lot of funding in the past. Ironically I think I probably had it last March, as I had loads of strange rashes which weren’t recognised as a symptom then and had stroke like symptoms.

Moving the other leg sounds like it would be worth trying at least, and it is doing something.

Oh that doesn’t sound nice! Hope it doesn’t flare up too often for you! My mum has rheumatoid arthritis and has been in constant pain for a while but won’t take anything. Hoping it’s not hereditary! I have ulcerative proctitis which is carried on same gene but think I’d prefer that as it’s mild!

My late MIL had RA, very painful, and she couldn’t take some of the medication due to other health conditions.

Yes it’s nasty! Mums feet are right angles and offered her toes broke and realigned. Needs new knees . Hands are really misshapen.
If she had any op don’t think she’d have strength elsewhere to get moving again and she’s rubbish at taking pain meds.

Well I’m sitting outside for my nightly constitution and vitamin d. A bit breezier so more comfortable!

I had a bimalleolar ankle fracture in July 1996. Was in the lake district on holiday and had to be driven by DH back home to London sitting on the back seat of the car with my leg in a temporary cast, had the surgery at about midnight.

At that time the Olympics had just started so I remember it as the summer where I sat on my arse and watched the Olympics (which I'm not usually terribly interested in) and did jigsaws.

The not showering thing was the hardest part afaiwc! Luckily we had a sofa bed downstairs and our bathroom was downstairs so I managed without having to go upstairs (on bum) too often.

I was 33 at the time, now 58. If you've got any questions about the healing and living with a metal plates and pins - feel free to ask!

I'm bimol @Chicchicchicchiclana

Praying I'm in a boot next Tuesday.

My cast feels revolting In this heat. I WANT IT OFF!!

One week and one day before I go and see if they’ll give me the boot! Thinking it will be too soon?? 5 weeks? What do you think?

Had an Uber late night and early morning. Mostly DH wrapping presents and getting stuff ready for the family party for my dd. So a bit knackered. I can’t really do much to help. Hopefully only for a few hours. Need to do my hair and get a shower.

My ankle feels a bit niggly for want of a better word. The cast feels heavier than it did. I had an itch right in the places you can’t touch! It does become tedious- this cast thing.

Chic - can you remember how long you had your cast on?

I had my cast on for at least 6 weeks, it might have been 8. I had the operation on 22nd July (I only remember because it was my sister's birthday) and I was still in plaster in September.

We hired a wheelchair from the Red Cross for very little money so that DH could wheel me out occasionally.

If that's the case I'll have a nervous breakdown.

I can't do this any more

I think this heat is making it harder, feel quite sick with it and I would so like a cool shower 😢

Just need to hang on in there! More than half way 🙄🙀

I finally got into the back garden! Wasn’t sure how I could do it as there is a lip you have to get over and it goes down about 9 in. But managed to get a chair, put feet and crutches on the ground and got outside! Yay! Distracted today with family over and neighbours. Daughters birthday so glad for the slice of normal life except a very numb behind!

That sounds good @Lushmetender.

Hope everyone is coping with the heat, feeling quite drained when I have to move around on the crutches and slept really badly last night.

Hi been partially working today but was quite upset last night. I’m finding socialising hard when you can’t do anything and having to rely on DH who was getting stressed with it all! It’s hot here but not as hot as other parts of the country. I have a fan and windows wide open. One weeks till next hospital appt!