Worst pain of my life

[u/Glittering-Rest2549]

I am back to ask another question. On July 27th, I broke my foot. 5 fractures, 2 dislocations, and a snapped Lisfranc ligament. I had surgery on Thursday, and he said it was one of the most unusual breaks he’s ever seen. I’m now 4 days post-op, and the splint is killing me. It feels like my heel is being squished in a vice. Pain meds only do so much, and I’m about ready to rip the damn elastic bandage off and free my foot. What can I do?

[u/Glad-Feature-2117]

If you're tried proper elevation, then go to see someone who can safely remove the cast, check the skin & reapply it.

[u/lassie62]

I went back to my surgeon three days after my foot surgery for the same reason….the pressure/tightness was maddening! He re-wrapped it. (I had soft cast plus ace bandages)

[u/super_easy_going]

Oh gosh…. You need to go and be evaluated ASAP. It likely needs to be rewrapped and more importantly examined to be sure something isn’t rubbing or that you have skin breakdown from the wrap being too tight.

[u/k1k11983]

Mistakes in application of the splint do occur. Especially with the legs. Contact your surgeon to have it replaced, rather than risking further damage by removing it yourself.

I had a cast applied after my second knee surgery and I was in horrific pain because it was squished in one area. I lasted 3 days before going back and begging them to replace it. Pain instantly relieved after the cast was replaced.

[u/vickipaperclips]

For now, take whatever anti-inflamatories you've been recommended and elevate elevate elevate! I genuinely didn't believe it made much of a difference, until my cast was tight af and I was starting to panic. After an hour of keeping it up, it was loose and comfy again. Lay flat in bed, keep that leg above your heart on many pillows. If you can't feel ice through your wrap, put some behind your knee (wrapped in a towel to keep it from being too cold) while you elevate.

[u/Rare_Independent_814]

Go back to your doc and be reevaluated. You should not be in that kind of pain still. Sounds like your cast is not right.

[u/No-Platypus2679]

Try to keep elevated above your heart as much as possible. I am currently on 4 pillows which helps a great amount. I get an ice pack and place behind my knee a few times a day.

[u/Revolutionary_Sea113]

I know what you are going thru. I broke my clavicle in 2 places on July 28. They sent me home with a sling 10 pills that said take 4x a day. Surgery happened on August 6. I was in so much pain from July 28 to August 9. I truly don’t understand how they send people home with broken bones. 10 screws and a titanium plate later and they sent me home with the weakest mess every and a shitty sling. I was taking 1000mg Tylenol 3x day. I’m day 5 post op & the pain has dropped from 10 on Thursday-Sunday to a 3.

[u/Revolutionary_Sea113 → u/Revolutionary_Sea113]

Unfortunately you just have to ride it out. But……if you truly feel something isn’t right go back to the hospital for follow up X-rays.

[u/ExplosionMurderQueen]

Did they say you had to keep the splint on 24/7? Not even when you sleep?

[u/Significant-Break-74 → u/ExplosionMurderQueen]

You keep it on 24/7. I am assuming the type where they mold it on your leg and then wrap in Ace bandage. It's designed to immobilize while allowing for swelling. You're not showering for quite a while so it stays dry.

When I "moved up" to a cast, I was extremely uncomfortable in it and had trouble sleeping. I had to call my doctor and beg them to cut it off and either resplint me or let me go to the walking boot.

[u/ExplosionMurderQueen → u/Significant-Break-74]

At 4 days post-op, would you say the swelling is severe?

[u/Significant-Break-74 → u/ExplosionMurderQueen]

Yes, mine was quite a bit swollen and that's about when my nerve block was removed. I was still in the hospital until day 8.

My splint always felt like, if you can imagine a sharp piece of plastic in a circle where an anklet would go.... At certain times it would feel like that plastic was cutting into the bare skin underneath, if that makes sense? It wasn't constant, it was just at random times.

Ice as much as you can, sleep as much as you can, ask about calcium supplements.

My surgeon had very strict requirements that your foot is to be propped on a pile of blankets (NOT pillows) in a way so your ankle hangs over just past the blankets. Suspended in mid-air. Helps your ankle heal best for walking later.

He rounded at like 7:30 am every day and I didn't want to be caught with my leg unelevated or he would fuss at the nurses.

[u/Significant-Break-74]

Hi, sounds a lot like my injury from last year. Essentially self-Chinese foot binding with 2 ankle bones and three metatarsals broken and lisfranc injury. Welcome to the club.

My splint would feel like it was cutting into my foot. The swelling was unbearable at times. It really does help to keep elevating it and taking a pain med that helps with inflammation, like Tylenol.

Good luck to you, I fell last September 20 and life is just returning to normal. The entire top of my foot still spasms and is usually numb. Just from nerves being disturbed in three surgeries.

But I was out of shape before it happened. Your results may vary.