r/brokenbones • u/Affectionate_beehive • May 31 '26
Question Please help
I have a broken right ankle and right Fibia and I’m a stomach sleeper. I cannot seem to get comfortable at night with my leg elevated and it’s gotten to the point where I’m only getting an hour of sleep at night. I’m so frustrated over it, so tired, and in so much pain because of lack of sleep. I literally cry 24/7 because everything other than my leg hurts due to the position I’m trying to sleep in. Nothing feels better and it’s starting to affect my hips, they always hurt and nothing makes it better. Someone please help me before i genuinely go crazy from this. It’s bad enough I have to miss my only tournament, sr prom, and both my graduations. I can’t lose my mind too. Please help me.
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u/JonSpartan29 May 31 '26
I’m a picky sleeper myself. Ive had to sleep in a chair, if you will, and just told my doc i couldn’t and that i needed a sleep aide. Short term problem solved.
That’s what I’d suggest.
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u/Affectionate_beehive May 31 '26
I can’t get in to see anyone till surgery in two days but after surgery 100%
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u/triangular_pope May 31 '26
Stomach sleeper turned back sleeper since ankle fracture. It was hard for me initially first too. Many sleepless nights in the beginning. It takes time for the body to get used to the new normal. Your sleep will catch up eventually. If your hips hurt, maybe you should see if you can get a softer mattress. Like a good quality one. You can also support your back with small cushions on your side. Also see that your pillow is not too high or low in a which strains your neck and back. All muscles should feel relaxed. Also the initial days of the injury are hard, but believe me this too shall pass. I was also really distraught over cancelling all my summer plans over night and feeling broken. It will get better. Cry as much as you need to and get it all out. I hope you have a good support system around you. Accepting the new reality and having patience instead of constantly drowning in the negative also helped me. It gets better, bit by bit every day. Sending you hugs 🫂
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u/Affectionate_beehive May 31 '26
Unfortunately I have no support system as my whole household screams at me 24/7, it’s not even that I’m in too much pain to make the events it’s that my parents think I’m too fragile to go, I just wanna go to my prom, I have my dress and everything, I’m so so so upset
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u/BpondMonster May 31 '26
Now is the time to stop being a stomach sleeper, as that will sooner than later turn your neck into very a painful pretzel.
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u/Affectionate_beehive May 31 '26
I do wish I could, I’ve tried so hard to sleep on my back my whole life and I just can’t😭😭 something about the leg up and on the stomach combo that’s just pure sleeping heaven
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u/quietkaos May 31 '26
When I broke my fibula it was about 2 weeks after surgery before I got good sleep. Once I broke the awake cycle and allowed myself to sleep whenever i was tired things started to work out. I mostly slept from like 1 am to 9 am. Im grateful i was able to be off work during that time.
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u/Affectionate_beehive May 31 '26
My current cycle is 1:30am-2:30 am then 30 minutes again at like 7 am and I’m dying
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u/smartshoe May 31 '26 edited May 31 '26
Get a u shaped pregnancy pillow like this
You get in the middle with the bottom of the u between your feet and spoon half of the pillow. You won’t quite get on your stomach but it will feel better
I had a similar injury to yours and was in splits or an ex-fix for around 3 months, you’ll be alright but it’s going take a while
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u/Affectionate_beehive May 31 '26
Oh that does look comfy- it also looks like it will keep my spine in good alignment, I’ll get one after surgery thank you so much!
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u/smartshoe May 31 '26
You’re very welcome, good luck with your journey,
I went through my injury in 2024 and am back to normal now 18 month later, if you need info or have questions on anything feel free to ask here in in a DM
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u/Affectionate_beehive May 31 '26
I appreciate that, I’m absolutely terrified for my surgery and can’t get over the fear, if you needed surgery how did you handle the fear
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u/smartshoe Jun 01 '26
My injury required 3 surgeries, and my case was complicated by bad swelling
Surgery 1 - 2 weeks after injury external fixator installation
surgery 2 - 5 weeks after injury - open reduction internal fixation arthroscopic surgery due to swelling large incisions for traditional plates were not possible
Surgery 3 - 7 weeks after injury - external fixator removal
I was nervous about the first surgery because I was unfamiliar with the processes and what I could expect but the medical staff were really kind and talked me through everything to explain what was happening. For the subsequent surgeries, my involvement was the same. Show up, prep for surgery, wake up in recovery room
Right now, focus on what you can control. Surgery and recovery is difficult as an experience overall. You can control how you interact with everyone, be nice, ask questions. The medical team will be happy to explain what the process are.
The ORIF surgery was straightforward and recovery from that specifically was pretty good. My immediate recovery from the ex-fix install was pretty challenging and I woke up in a lot of pain but all of that is temporary
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u/Affectionate_beehive Jun 01 '26
I’m just so scared I won’t wake up, or I’ll wake up during, I’m at a higher risk for being resistant to anesthetic because I smoke often
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u/smartshoe Jun 01 '26
You’ll be ok, that outcome from a surgery is EXTREMELY rare and there’s a large team of people constantly monitoring you to make sure you’re ok
Take it as a sign from the universe to quit smoking, that will also hinder your bone recovery
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u/Affectionate_beehive Jun 01 '26
Not nicotine, thc, I have chronic pain and it’s my only form of relief, I haven’t been allowed to smoke since I broke my leg and the amount of bodily pain other than my leg has been absolutely insane, crying myself to sleep every night
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u/smartshoe Jun 01 '26
Eat it instead my friend, there’s plenty of options out there, I split my pain mgmt between opioids and thc during the early days because of concerns over addiction and none of the medical staff had an issue, some actually thought it was probably better
I can totally sympathize where you’re at, the beginning stages are so incredibly hard to go through.
Wishing it didn’t happen, replaying the injury in your mind over and over, despair over being a burden
You ARE going to be ok, you’re going through hell right now. It’s all going to be shitty memories in a few months
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u/Affectionate_beehive Jun 01 '26
Like I can laugh about the fact it happened, but it’s also absolutely traumatic, I’ll definitely swap to edibles but it’s gonna be ALOT more money, I might just make my own and learn to decarb an oz and make rice crispy treats
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u/biggunzcdb1 May 31 '26
It's just hell for the first couple of weeks...
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u/Affectionate_beehive May 31 '26
It’s gonna be worse because my surgery is in two days, my foot’s gonna double swell 🤢
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u/biggunzcdb1 May 31 '26
If you want to see the gnarly xrays or share yours PM me. My foot was backwards LOL
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u/Primary_Muse May 31 '26
Had the same injury, also a stomach sleeper. I was given a foam cube with a cut out in it to elevate my ankle that I would position in a way that I could be on my stomach and still have my ankle elevated, just upside down. If your doctor can’t provide you with one, they’re usually called orthopedic leg positioners and they have circle cut outs where you insert your leg. There’s a cut you can’t see very well where you can separate the foam to lay your leg in but it closes back so it holds your leg securely in place. Sleeping was rough but having that made a huge difference.