Anyone ever broken an ankle?

[robinh]

I have an oblique fracture of the distal portion of the fibula. Had a bad reaction to new high blood pressure medication - passed out, smacked my head on floor and broke my ankle.

Just wondering how long before it starts to feeling better? Did this last Saturday morning. Went to urgent care doctor, regular doctor and orthopedic surgeon and I'm in a large boot. Still hurts like mad. Can't be up for anytime at all before the swelling takes over and becomes very painful. See orthopedic doctor again on Tuesday for another x-ray and advice.

[Grace]

Back in 1995, I fell on my way into work. Had a trimalleolar fracture of my right ankle - that's both bones broken and displaced. Had surgery with insertion of nail and plate with about 5 screws. Casted for 2 months. I was a nurse back then, so didn't get back to work for 4-5 months. One year later I had the plate and screws removed. Big nail is still there.

Advice - keep it elevated as much as you possibly can - with an ice bag. Sit on the couch with a good book. It is really important to stay off that leg as much as possible right now. Take tylenol or motrin or pain meds if they gave you a different kind. It's going to take awhile before he pain level goes down. Bone pain is not nice.

Bones heal in 6-8 weeks.

[lizbud]

Ouch, I passed out once under the same circumstances, but didn't hurt myself. Are you limited by HBP from taking
any certain kind of pain relievers? Sounds like a double whammy for you. I hope you have a little help around the house so you
can get all the rest you need while you heal.

[Queen of Poop]

Broke my ankle a very long time ago, I was 12. It took me 2 days to convince my parents it was broken and I needed to see a doctor. Then, after 8 weeks the cast came off, too early, still broken but my dad said we were done waiting for the doctor. Now, all these years later it bothers me when the weather is damp or a change is coming.

Keep your foot elevated as much as you can. That will help. Do as the doctors advise so you heal properly so you don't have future issues with it.

Sending you a really big hug.

[kaycountrygal]

No, Thankfully I've never broken an ankle. I'm sorry for your distress and discomfort. Hang in there and do not overdo.

[robinh]

Thanks for the good thoughts. Hoping but fearing they will put a hard cast on it this week. At least with the boot, I can take it off to bathe.

I'm going crazy sitting. Spent the last three days sitting in a chair or in bed. My hips hurt from laying on them. I can take tylenol or pain meds but really hate to rely on them.

Trying to figure out how I'm going to work when it begins to hurts so bad after I sit up for 20-30 minutes. Dr wanted me off at least last week and said I can go back on Monday.

[Karen]

I never have, but LAdy's Human did - but didn't even realize it until many years later, long after it has healed. He remembered banging his ankle on a conveyor belt, knew it HURT but ignored it ... so he wouldn't be one to ask for advice! Thankfully I have never broken a bone, and the only bone that a surgeon ever cut into was my skull, so that doesn't bear weight or ever need to be flexible, and I was too busy relearning things like how to sit up and walk to pay attention to whether it hurt and for how long!

[cassiesmom]

Oh, boy. I've had a bimalleolar fracture of my right ankle. That was back in fall 2008 when I slipped on a wet wooden step and landed on my backside. It hurt even after it was casted. Couple of thoughts -- apply ice to it (20 minutes on, 20 minutes off) when you remove the boot. You might have to take the analgesics fairly regularly so the pain doesn't get out of control. Please do keep it elevated so it won't swell as much. At the time I had a mostly sedentary job and was out of work for 12 days. By the third week I was more coordinated with the cast and crutches. It was my right ankle, so I couldn't drive, but I got rides to and from work or took the bus.

I too have a fracture that "warns" me of changes in the weather. I broke my right big toe in college. First night in a new dorm room with the bed against the wall, I rolled over to the left and smacked my foot into the wall. That was in 1985. The '08 x-rays showed that it had been broken all those years ago and healed. But darn if it doesn't hurt every single time the weather changes.

[sasvermont]

I fell while walking in a field. I think I stepped in a hole that was covered by tall grass. Anyway, I broke all three major bones in my ankle. The foot was flopping around. I didn't feel any pain - I guess I was in shock. The ankle is comprised of three bones: the two leg bones--the tibia (shin bone) and fibula--(which most people inaccurately call the ankle bones) and the true ankle bone called the talus, which is the bone that lies between the tibia and fibula. In order to repair the ankle, I went into surgery and they installed a plate on one side and screws of the other. I still have them in my ankle as they are not bothering me. I didn't have any pain until after the surgery. I was on pain pills for a week. Then Tylenol.

I was back at work within a week, but I had a desk job, kept my foot elevated and iced and had help getting to and from work (walker bound). I was in a boot for weeks and could not drive for 2 months. After I got the boot off, for good, I was fine and able to walk around normally.

Hope this helps.

Get well soon.

[pomtzu]

I've never broken an ankle (just a lot of other things), but I did break a bone in my foot and had to wear a boot for a while. It was a pain, but a lot less of a pain than a cast, so hopefully you won't have to go that route. Like others have said - stay off of it and keep it elevated as much as you can to keep the swelling down.

Take care, and I hope it's feeling better fast!

[caseysmom]

Not my ankle but I broke my foot very badly 4 years ago, if you do have to not put weight on it the knee walker is great I used that for 2 months. I still have lots of problems my doctor wants to fuse the foot together but I refused. Hope you have a quick recovery.

[Cataholic]

I'm going crazy sitting. Spent the last three days sitting in a chair or in bed. My hips hurt from laying on them. I can take tylenol or pain meds but really hate to rely on them.

This is such a head scratcher for me. NSAIDS serve a purpose. They keep the swelling at bay, and it is usually the swelling that causes more pain. Why anyone would elect to not 'rely on them' is beyond my simple mind. Keep ON the meds, every 4-6 hours, as suggested, keep your foot up and iced, and things go better all around.

[sasvermont]

I know I cannot take the traditional Aleve etc. as I am on blood thinners. So I am out of luck when it comes to swelling....ice is my buddy.

[robinh]

I'm going back to the doctor tomorrow and going to try to go back to work. Wish I could take NSAIDs but I have stomach issues and I can't take them, so it's tylenol for pain. Wonder if the bone has slipped since it still hurts quite a bit, but they are doing an x-ray tomorrow and I'll find out.

Thanks everyone for all the information.

[robinh]

Been back to the doctor, no work for another week to two weeks. Bone is healing - slowly. Guess that might have something to do with my age . The swelling is fierce if I'm up out of bed for more than 3-4 hours. I'm really tired of laying around - however, the dogs are LOVING it.