Humerus broken in two places

[theotherfossilsister]

I'm a complete idiot who fell off the bus. I thinki was jostled slightly and just went straight down, one step. This was Thursday.

Currently casted and really really hurting despite painkillers. Going to speak to shoulder consultant tomorrow about surgery Vs conservative management but they seem keen on surgery. I'm sixteen weeks pregnant though and have so many questions.

I'm also in excruciating pain. DP is great in a crisis and got me to and from a and e and everything but he's dyspraxic so normally I do all practical things and it's maddening I can't. He showered.me last night with bin bags round my cast and it was a real.mess, water everywhere. I'm so grateful for him but also want/need my independence.

Please can you tell me when it got better and how if you did this? Every little move is excruciating.

Justilou1 she needs to keep her muscles working because otherwise when the brace comes off she will have significant muscle wastage. My late dp's arm was like a sparrows leg when his pot came off. A Tens machine works on nerves not muscles by blocking the pain signals. Which end of your humerus have you broken? Is it the shoulder end or the elbow?

Elbow but with another tiny much less significant crack higher up. The elbow is the one where it's not aligned though and is diagnol.

@Nat6999, I understand this, but atm she has two fractures in an area with many, many nerves and where it is likely to also have caused damage to the ligaments. Any extra movement has the potential to impede healing and cause excruciating pain. She should discuss this with her doctor before using one.

theotherfossilsister that is where my late dp's was, diagnol like yours as well. He did his mid march, had the plaster from shoulder to wrist on until the beginning of May & the brace until end of June

Yes, but the bone needs to heal a bit first.

I can testify it's extremely painful you need better pain relief consult GP to say your meds aren't touching the pain. I would hugely recommend the surgery. Post op pain was nothing and I instantly felt better. 8 weeks later my arm is almost back to normal

Thank you all. I'm seeing the consultant again on Wednesday and think I am going to press for surgery. The pain and crunching even in the neoprene sling and moulded brace is really horrible and it doesn't feel like it's healing. If anything it feels worse. I am worried about my baby boy but from my research and reading I feel the risks ate minimal at seventeen weeks. This just isn't sustainable. Had a really short walk with DP yesterday with arm in everything and sling and still hurt like hell.

I'd hate to have a sparrow arm. I love swimming and scared I've lost my fantastic front crawl forever.

@nat6999 I'd love to have this off before June! xx

I fell at work on 1st march. Humorous broken in 4 places in / around ball and socket joint. No slots for surgery for over 10 days so spent the time in hospital as it wasn't stable enough to go home. I was operated on on Thursday - pins and plates. Came home Saturday. Arm not in a cast but in a sling. Pain is just about manageable in the day but the night time is horrendous. Seeing a consultant two weeks post surgery - hope things are better by then. I hate feeling so useless. I can't do anything for myself and I'm normally so active. I have to rely on my family for everything. I hope my body heals quickly.

Oh @PiratePenguin I'm sorry. It's horrible
Yours sounds worse than mine as I only have two breaks. I'm desperate for my independence back too. A friend sent me some one armed cooking videos on.youtube this morning but they look impossible. Sleep when I get it is such a relief.

I'm 3 weeks post # humerus - being treated with a sling. Currently can be pain free when absolutely still and in the right position. Nighttime and mornings probably worse. The absolute worse part is the loss of proper function on my dominant side which means everything takes forever to do (if I can do it at all) and not being able to drive. Surprised how depressed it has made me !

@damekindness I think it's the total lack of independence I miss and my horrible reliance on others for everything. Luckily I live in a walking distance city so don't drive, but last time I went for a two mile walk I vomited with pain and the bone crunching in its neoprene brace thing half way through.

How are you coping for cooking? DP doesn't cook so it's ready meals and takeaways with microwave vegetables. He does work really long hours though and is doing literally everything else. He's also paying for takeaways as he feels he should.

Back to the consultant today and feel like it's not healed at all. Unless it's realigned will press for surgery. I love my baby but I need my arm.

@theotherfossilsister I'm very lucky to have an early retired partner happy to assist with everything. I however intensely dislike being looked after. I tried to put on a vest independently yesterday - it took 20 minutes and the combination of pain and frustration made me cry.

I know I'm time it will heal but I've got little patience and am a bit worried about whether I'll ever go back to full function in that shoulder.

That's great but yeah dressing is so hard. I'm wearing dresses I can put over my head at the minute then but the strap on from below and then just a big jumper over which seems to work although running out of clothes that works for xx

Hi, just an update. They need to do the surgery after all. My anxiety is terrible but it's showing no sign of healing or even going into the right place. Going in next week

@theotherfossilsister Really sorry to hear that - I can relate to the feelings of anxiety. Please do PM me if you'd like?

Thank you @damekindness xx

If you are worried about the anaesthetic you can have a regional block. An injection of local anaesthetic at the top of the arm/side of the neck. This makes your whole arm numb for surgery and you can stay awake and avoid a general anaesthetic. They are done quite a lot for all different reasons. Not all anaesthetists do them so it might be worth a call to the hospital to check there will be some one available on the day if you would like this or to talk about it. As I don't know your case it may not be suitable but worth a discussion. All the best.

Oh I'm so glad you're having surgery. I've had similar issue but didn't have surgery and have struggled with restricted movement and ongoing pain.

@nicandnick I would love that. I really want to avoid general anesthetic. I'm going to press for it and see what they say. I'll also ask obstetrics if they think it's a good idea and can they write a letter recommending it.

You shouldn't need a letter, it's a well recognised technique and if that's what you want it is fine to ask for it, same as it would be for a general. I would phone the secretary for your consultant and say you really want a regional block. Can they make sure there's an anaesthetist on the list who can do one and if they can't who can help you organise that. In most trusts one would be found by swapping lists or helping out for your case if needed. So if you give them a heads up to organise it it will flow smoother on the day! Sickness etc permitting. Fingers crossed.

@NicAndNick great, thank you. I'll go through hell to keep this baby safe so surgery with nerve block seems fine xx

Surgery tomorrow and will fight for nerve block but pretty bad at being assertive without dp to back me up and not sure he'll be allowed in to chat to the anesthetist with me.

FIL has Covid and I've still not felt baby boy move so my anxiety is hell, increased massively by my coping strategies (work and exercise) being taken away.

Anyone know how long recovery is once I have the pins in? Any chance I'll be back at work in the next few weeks?

I had surgery two and a half weeks ago - 10 screws and a plate. I've a 12 cm scar. The pain after the op was horrendous; I could only sleep for 90mins at a time as the pain woke me up.
I think I have turned a corner and the nights are getting better and the pain is under control. I saw my consultant last week and, as far as they can tell, the bones and scar are healing as they should but they won't know the success of the op for a while.
I won't be able to drive for at least 3 months and I'm signed off work (teacher) and will have a phased return once I'm declared fit for work - not expecting that to be anytime soon though. Physio to start soon.
@theotherfossilsister - what job do you do?

@PiratePenguin I'm a librarian. Hoping I can go back in about three weeks and just be on desk duties. Also hoping by then I can walk the two miles there and back with a sling and the arm won't be sore.

The pain was terrible after. They actually gave me morphine despite the pregnancy but baby obviously hated it as I threw it up repeatedly so back to sixty g codeine and 1000mg paracetamol .

Just beginning to feel ok after the anesthetic. Not faint or dizzy around the flat although the bloodthinners have been giving me terrible nosebleeds.

Great anxiety about the baby although he was scanned and seen wriggling Tuesday after the op. Cannot wait to be normal.

Everyone at the hospital was lovely though.

Really glad you've turned a corner painwise.

Going to attempt first shower with dressing cover this morning, propped up by dp.