Hi
I'm going to moan about having a broken arm again. I broke it in August. (The humerus) Last x-ray was on the 27th Dec. I was told to keep wearing the brace and will have another x-ray on the 14th February. This is taking FOREVER!
Apparently 'half the bone has healed'. There is, however, still a big spiky bit on the x-ray. I can't see for the life of me where it is going to go. It looks to me like it should have been pinned - but it wasn't.
The arm iis a lot better. Only certain movements hurt now. The main moan is about my hand, which I did not hurt when I fell. The fingers are puffy, sore and I have developed a tremor. It started at the little finger just before Christmas but now it is affecting the middle finger, the ring finger and the little finger. Manipulating things is difficult.
I saw a physiotherapist Last Tuesday and she was concerned about it. She told me to contact a GP as she rteally didn't know whether it was fracture related or not. She said I need to get it reviewed before February if the GP thinks its fracture related. Earliest I could get an appointment is for Tuesday. I pretty well bet that the GP will reckon it's fracture related as the top of that arm still has a flipping brace on it. Whether they can speed up the February appointment or not remains to be seen.
I've lost my job and am going to have to resort to arts and crafts but that is going to be difficult without the controlled use of my right hand. Grrr!
Last moan! My partial knee replacement has started 'clunking'. It doesn't hurt but it doesn't feel right. Cannot use a cane because of broken arm!! sheesh. Not sure that 2013 is going to be a better year than 2012.
There is an upside. It has pushed SjS to the back of my mind somewhat!!
Take care - Scottie
:-\ Sorry things aren't going so well!!! It really sucks, when something that is supposed to be temporary (broken arm) drags on and on...having one chronic disease is bad enough! :P
When I broke my leg several years ago, I didn't know yet I had Lupus and Sjs, but I did know about the Raynaud's and APS - I have had some lingering issues with nerve pain, mobility, stiffness, etc in my foot (well below the break). The "foot guy" said that any autoimmune issues would slow the healing, and then a couple of years later when I was diagnosed my Rheumy said that the leg break would cause more Lupus/Sjs/Raynaud's/APS problems in that limb. Lucky me, that all those things work so well together.... ??? ::)
Things DID heal up eventually, but it took about 3x as long as it should have, and I had weird residual issues for over a year (nothing major, but annoying). The bone itself healed on time, more or less, but I do have a plate and several screws in there.
It could be that things WILL heal up okay for you, it may just take forever (or at least feel that way) and I would not be surprised if you had other side issues - particularly because it's taking so long.
I have read that a bone break causes more inflammation than just about anything else...I wonder if the slooooow healing of your bone keep sending those inflammation signals to your body - and of course the Sjs would cause your body to over-react to them.
I am just theorizing - and I don't know how any of that might help you - but I do know how it feels to just want to know what the heck is going on! :o
One thing my PT said would help with my weird sensations and swellings in the year or two after the break is to elevate the foot, and massage it. Basically, make the nerves work hard and squeeze the fluids around in there so things would normalize.
I'd ask a PT or doc before doing that because it would be in your case the OPPOSITE is true - I dunno, I am not a doc - but that was my experience, for what it's worth.
So sorry this is getting you down.... :-\
Scottie, you have every right to moan! Big hugs to you. I hope that your bone knits back soon, your rehab is easy and complete, and that 2013 will be a good year for you. We'll be your cheering section.
Cheryl
Scottie
Will be keeping muy fingers crossed that your appointment goes well tomorrow.
Hugs
Kathyx
I am so sorry to hear this Scottie. Ask your doctor about Diathermy to help your bones heal. You may also use the tones from my website. I used them to heal my bones that were not supposed to heal.
http://chakraforce.com/LEDlist.html#Fractures
http://chakraforce.com/Tonations.html#208.
Here are the notes from my book.
Bone cut or broken
CAM: Chakra
Treat: sacral 727, solar 787, throat 880, brow 5000, crown 10000
Bone disease and periodontal disease
CAM: CAFL
Treat: 47.5, 1800, 1600, 650, 625, 600, 880, 787, 776, 728
Note: see Osteo freq. Use 728 for 15min. combine with adequate nutrition, especially protein and essential fatty acids, and minerals, especially calcium and magnesium
Bone fractures
CAM: Tones
a. Have fracture set or adjusted.
b. Orange {440} [14] and Lemon {494} [24] as close to the fracture as the cast will permit.
c. Blue {587} [37] also may be tonated if itching develops.
Bone health
CAM: Tea
Treat: black cohosh, Dong Quai, green, horsetail, sarsaparilla
Bone regeneration
CAM: CAFL
Treat: 2720, 10000
Note: combine with adequate nutrition, especially protein, and minerals, especially calcium and magnesium
I am so sorry Scottie to hear about your troubles...that stinks. I hope your doc can help you out. In the meantime I'm thinking about you and saying prayers for you. CK
bless you
I am wondering if this is what is happening with you?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonunion:
Nonunion is permanent failure of healing following a broken bone.
Bone and Spine:
You can post to this site and a doctor will answer your questions. Looks like it has some good information:
http://boneandspine.com/trauma/fracture-dislocations/factors-affecting-fracture-healing/
Hope these links help you out and that you heal soon.
Sorry you are in this situation. I have been in this position for since 2006 and 2010 when I fractured 2 metatarsi and 2 metacarpi respectively. They have never healed, from being a non displaced fracture. I only started to get any healing results after I was approved for a bone growth stimulator. After receiving my last CT scan which was 9 months after the fracture, did I get released from the OS, but they are still considered unhealed fractures and I feel them every day.
My Dr told me that by taking the medications Celebrex, Prednisone and Protonix all of which contribute to the having good bone health and healing of fracture sites. Good luck also to you. I wish you well :)
Scottie, I am so sorry to hear this. I can understand how it makes it so hard to do certain things.
It is not easy waiting on healing to take place, and it always seems like it takes forever.
I said a prayer for your healing.
susanep :)
Vent away dear Scottie, having a broken bone has got to be the worst! I sure don't know how you're dealing with it so well (I would be such a mess! Okay, worse than normal! ;) )!
Hang in there lady, and sure hope that it heals soon!
Patze
Oh, Scottie, You are probably right about the arm needing to be pinned. So often the docs think that this will work and then they can avoid the surgery and chance of infection, yada, yada!! The problem is it doesn't always work. I would bet too that the tremor is from pressure on nerves in your arm from the inadequate healing of the bone.
This year could be a bummer. You may end up with surgery yet and more months wasted. Sometimes it just doesn't pay to get up in the morning. Moan and groan all you want. I can see where Sjogrens is on the back burner. It is always something. Hope this all turns out well for you. Hope you can smile once in a while in spite of it all. Please keep us updated and take care of yourelf. Irish
Just a thought.. have you sought out a second opinion? Maybe another set of eyes would say yes, we need to do this to make this heal? IDK I am going to go get another look at my lungs by another pulmonologist. My new phrase is going to be if you can't or don't want to help me tell me now,because I will move on to the next candidate. Next. haha. Good luck. CK
Hi :)
Thank you for all the replies. I managed to get in to see the consultant again yesterday after hassling my GP. He doesn't know why my hand is shaking. He said it may be to do with inflammation but they are not the usual fingers to be affected by a humeral fracture. He said he had a feeling that a neurologist would headge his bets and not pay a lot of attention until the fracture has healed though. I think he is probably right.
He said he agreed the healing process was being slower than anyone would like including him. However he feels that it is far enough along the road that it will pay to be patient. He will see me again on February 21st. If the x-ray is still not satisfactory then, he will arrange for a scan and take things from there.
I must admit - things have moved on enough that I really don't want the arm re-broken but I do want full use of my right hand!!
Take care - Scottie :)
I'm glad you got an earlier appointment, and that your arm is healing, albeit more slowly than usual. Keep your chin up, and know that we are all keeping our fingers crossed for you.
Hugs
Kathyx
Scottie, you are so helpful here and such an uplifting spirit, I would think no one would mind at all if you need to moan. God Bless and hope things start moving in more positive ways :)
I'm sorry you need to moan, but NOT SORRY that you are moaning dearest Scottie!
Moan away, it helps, certainly, to a point, and is often a stage in 'doing' whatever the next thing is, even if, for me, it may include accepting whatever I'm moaning about.
Sigh.
Keep us posted
Hugs
Elaine