Bust ribs and trying to sleep

stubs

Bust my ribs yesterday my bike got to the bottom of a steep roll off before me and I landed on the bike ribs first. Couldnt sleep a wink last night just couldnt find a position to get comfy in. Any suggestions for helping me sleep gratefully recieved, trying to snooze in my armchair but not getting very far at the moment.

Also painkillers, I am on solpadeine and paracetamol at the moment I cant take aspirin and ibuprofen wrecks my stomach is there anything herbal I could try.

Mojo_666

Ibuprofen was the only thing that helped me sleep.....and beer of course, just thank your lucky stars you don't have a cold, sneezing and bust ribs is not a good combo.

supersonic

Codeine helped me.

But be careful mixing lots of painkillers.

stubs

I ended up buying some Ibuprofen and it was bliss I could breathe without wincing and managed to have a snooze. Its bad for my stomach but I reckon the upset tum is worth it for the relief.

sloppycowpat

if they still hurt go to boots and ask for the codine and paracetamol mixes they worked for me or go see your quack for real codine

pacing a thin pillow under your back at the base of your spine can help if you have a firm mattress

stubs

I am on the codeine now alternating them with ibuprofen. Borrowed a thick fleecy blanket off my mum going to fold it treble and put it underneath me tonight in the hope it will let me sleep before my eyeballs fall out and I fall asleep at work.

scottjessuk

I feel your pain mate, had an off on Monday and fractured my collar bone and bashed my ribs a bit, sore to do anything right now. It's just paracetamol for me but if you have food with plenty calcium it's great for bone repair apparently. So Spinach, broccoli, Almonds, Raisins, Fish, Milk or you could take supplements instead.

Hope this helps

Scott

miss notax

Ouch :? You have my sympathy, i've done this a couple of times and it bloody well hurts. Sleeping, sneezing, breathing, laughing, coughing are all a minefield....

I relied on good old ibruprofen and wine (not together ) to see me through. One thing I would add though is that it really does take about 6 weeks for them to heal properly, and don't be tempted to try and rush the process. I got back on the bike pretty quickly, but trying to do sit up's at the gym before they had healed was NASTY :shock: :shock:

Hope you get some sleep

El Zomba

Rib / Chest injuries are horrible. Did mine last October on a visit to Surrey Hills (2 Cracked ribs and a lot of bruising), so you have my sympathy.

For sleeping, I took to hugging a pillow and using it as a support. Works wonders.

As far as painkillers go, I used Ibuprofen and some leftover Diclofenac I had from a previous injury. Unfortunately, they're both from the same family, so if Ibuprofen irritates your stomach, you won't have much luck with Dicolofenac. I get similar irritations, although to a lesser degree, so I alternated doses with cocodamol to keep discomfort down (making sure not to take too many, naturally).

Have you been to the GP and asked about anti-inflamatories other than ibuprofen and Diclofenac? They'll help recovery more than regular painkillers as they'll help reduce the contusions in your chest, rather than offer simple pain relief, but you know this already. Can't make it any worse to ask.

The only other thing to do, as Miss Notax said, is to take it easy, which personally was a real pisser; all I wanted to do when I had my off was get back on the bike and get my confidence back, rather than sitting and brooding on it. Still, look on the bright side; by the time you're recovered and fit to go, we'll be in the middle of spring and you'll have great riding conditions to look forward to!

stubs

I have ended up taking alternate doses of Cocodamol and ibuprofen just have to be very careful with my tum and swig Gaviscon to stop Ibuprofen irritating it, so far so good. Also sleeping tablets to help me sleep for first week though managed to give them up now just cocodamol before bed. Pillow is a good one I have used that for last few nights helped to stop me rolling onto the bad side.

Getting better now I can breathe without wincing and can even walk to work without feeling like I am going to pass out or puke.

Might try a gentle road ride on sunday but not too far from home just in case I start to struggle.

I think I might be getting a bit old for broken ribs