Broken collar bone.
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Was back at the hospital today, they've finally realised it needs operating on. Just got to wait now.0
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DanDax1990 wrote:Was back at the hospital today, they've finally realised it needs operating on. Just got to wait now.
Bit more info please Dan.
So you went back for what, more X-rays?
You've been diagnosed with a non union? Painful mal union? Shortened collar bone?
Any pain still? What % mobility would you say have?0 -
Yeah was back for my monthly check-up/more X-Rays.
Non-union and I'd say I have 80% of my movement back and no pain.0 -
Have you had it done yet dan?
I'm now going to have the surgery. In the Next couple of weeks most likely.0 -
An early Xmas present.
Operation Xmas eve. Home later that same day.
3 days after collar bone surgery ORIF.
Still early days but so far so good.
No longer am I waking up each morning and looking in the mirror at a shoulder that's in the wrong position and a bone sticking up through my chest. The relief of a having a body that is fixed is immeasurable. 4 and a half months of hell are behind me now.0 -
Ouch ! I had a shoulder Arthroscopy for a roatator cuff injury and that bloody hurt so I can imagine this will. Good luck with the recovery. Had a knee Arthroscopy on the 21st of December so also recovering.0
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Still not had the op done and heard nothing from the hospital, just a long waiting game I guess.0
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that cut looks a lot better than mine. Youll be healed up in no time
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Off in for the op tomorrow morning guys, progress at last!
I'll keep you all updated and hopefully have you a nice new picture ha.0 -
I broke mine last Monday going over on my commuter on black ice literally round the corner from my home. Fracture clinic on Thursday said it needed a plate and I was in on Saturday for the op. They reckon it needs to come out after 3 months which is a bit of a bitch. Hurts a bit now but I've got plenty of paracetamol and codeine which seems to keep the pain manageable and I've figured out the optimal arrangement of pillows in bed to support it when I sleep. I'm signed off for 6 weeks (also how long they say it will be until I can ride again) but there's no way I'm staying off work that long as most of my job is at a desk in front of a computer.0
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I've done a ton of research on this and no where have I heard that plates "need" to come out and certainly not after such a short period of time.0
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Lucky you tigger, told I'll have my sling on for 6 weeks. Be a fair while until I'm back at work.
No such thing as light duties at my work.
Can't see you being back on the bike after 6 weeks also.
My op went well, I think. Was at the hospital for 8am, Was meant to be operating around 1pm but they put me to the front of the list so I went down for the op an hour after I got go the hospital. Back home enjoying a curry by 6 o'clock, jobs a good 'en.
Pain wise the first 3 days were fine, since then as soon as I get myself laid in bed and there's pressure on my back pushing up into my collarbone, the nerves just under the cut start going mental. Feels like someone's sawing across the length of my cut. It still feels quite numb around the cut and on the tip of my shoulder.
Going for my staples out on Wednesday, Was supposed to be last Friday but they apparently lost my notes so got to wait longer? Tools.
Never had staples and according to my Mum, it just feels like someone is "tugging on you". I kindly reminded her I'm having staples removed, not going to get tossed off.
The surgeon didn't think it appropriate to shave my chest where the dressing is, just where they've cut me so I had to do it myself seems as the dressing was only held on by about an inch in the let corner after 2 days and I was worried about infection.
Also, it's not easy to shave yourself where it's sticky from the dressing. In fact, it bloody hurts.0 -
I've found the pain increases when I lie down as well no matter how I arrange pillows under my shoulder so I figure that's the pressure thing you mention, Dan. A couple of paracetamol before bed damp it down enough to get some sleep for a couple of hours. I've not had any other problems so far but the op was only four days ago. One thing I think is odd is that I'm supposed to keep the same dressing on until my next appointment two weeks away
I think you're right, I can't see me MTBing after 6 weeks, sure, but I may be able to ride to work (not that I'll be holding my breath). I need to look at alternatives. Spin classes at the gym might be good0 -
It's usual for the initial dressing to be changed a few days after. I'd ring your GP and question that. Were you stitched up after? Some are left open. Can't believe they only have you paracetamol and codeine. I came away with lots of Tramadol which I'm still taking now. I would forget getting back on a bike or going to the gym anytime soon. Tempting as it may be its important to rest and allow the bone to heal because the last thing you want is a hardware failure due to excessive movement.0
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Yeah don't tell yourself a certain time until you're back on the bike, Make sure you're ready.
I went to see my GP the Monday after my op to get a sick note and mentioned the dressing and showed him it coming off. His reply was to go to the pharmacy and get a new dressing and to change it when I get home. Bit of a p*ss take. Imagine if I was a numptey and didn't sterilize my hands and caught an infection due to my GP bot being arsed to do his job.
Changed the dressing a couple of times since due to working it's way loose again.0 -
Just had a go at changing my dressing as part of it was loose. As it turned out, the bit that was loose was the large bulky bit of wadding that they had stuck over the main dressing itself but I decided it might be good to change the lot anyway. Seeing qooqiiu's pic above, I was quite surprised to see my incision went across the length of my shoulder (I took a pic, but not sure whether to post it). It must be a good 6in across. Going to have a cracking battle scar 8)0
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Yeah post it up. There are so few sites online that really discuss this with pics. I'm going to post pics at 1 month 3 months 6 months and then a year as some guide as to how they might look. Anything that helps people who have got to go through this ordeal is welcomed.
Dan- did they bone graph you? I'm guessing not as you haven't mentioned it??? They used artificial bone graph on me. It's rare for the nHS to use real bone graph or donor bone nowadays I hear.0 -
OK, here it is. It's not that gruesome to be honest, but it's a long cut, almost the entire length of my clavicle.
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Tigger- from what I see the incision going right the way up the shoulder is more common that my cut. Obviously depends on where the break is and what size plate was used. Mine was bang in the middle of the clavicle and I've got an anterior mounted 4.5" plate with 6 screws. The plate is made by synthes and is SS not titanium.0
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qooqiiu wrote:Dan- did they bone graph you? I'm guessing not as you haven't mentioned it??? They used artificial bone graph on me. It's rare for the nHS to use real bone graph or donor bone nowadays I hear.
No pal but they did say that's the next step if it doesn't heal properly now.
Didn't mention if it'd be artificial or not.0 -
Damn I forgot to ask about my plate lol I know I have 8 screws though, I beat you there qooqiiu
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That is absolute madness not using any graph after so long apart. Perhaps they managed to scrape enough bone to make it bleed again not to warrant it. I dunno. I'm just guessing.
I am very happy to concede defeat on the screw count. Less is defiantly better.
1 month pic tomorrow.0 -
1 month after collar bone surgery. ORIF
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That looks like it's healed nicely.0
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Dan and tigger - how are you both doing?0
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Ouch, did mine when i was 15 riding cyclo cross, 40 odd years later i can still remember the fall,
takes about 6-8 weeks to heal, and ate nothing but chicken soup and chicken dinners, no cakes or biscuits.
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I had some problems with my wound in that it may have got infected earlier on. I had a couple of courses of different antibiotics, though a swab from the wound came back negative for bugs. Seems to be much better now though is still a bit red. I've started physiotherapy to start and get the full range of movement back. I'm now fully back at work, driving and generally pottering about though I've not started back on my bike yet. I think I might get a short run out on some local cycle paths next weekend and start commuting again the following week before thinking when next to go back off-road proper.0
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Hi guys, bit of an update. Was at the hospital on Wednesday to have an X-Ray and see how it's healing up.
Can still visibly see the break but there is a lot more bone forming underneath the break (the bone is slightly curving and the break is in the middle of said curve) The consultant was happy enough with how it's healing so I don't need to go back to the hospital. Been to physio 4 times since the operation, today they've started giving me exercises to do to start strengthening my shoulder again. I'm back at work on Monday, light duties.
Consultant said to give it another month before I start riding again but today the physio said I should be fine with road riding so we'll see what happens.
I'll put a pic up tomorrow of my scar. Healing up nicely.0
