I have a half cast on my leg help URGENT?!
Question: I broke my foot last week and few days ago had a half cast put onto my leg. It is there to allow for swellign to go down. i had to go back to the hospital 2 days ago to get the cast changed as it was very uncomfortable. The new one was ok to start with but now the pain is so intense i just cant stand it. I am having a full cast put on on monday, but the one i have on right now is so uncomfortable.. i have pain in my foot even when its not moving.
It feels like my foot needs air.. like the cast is too tight.. would it matter if i cut it off myself..
what shoudl i do??
wait it out till monday.. ??
it is really hurting.. I actually feel like crying..
its 10pm at night, so i dont want to bother any hospital people.. and i couldnt get to the hospital anyway as i have no form of transport...
Answers: I broke my foot last week and few days ago had a half cast put onto my leg. It is there to allow for swellign to go down. i had to go back to the hospital 2 days ago to get the cast changed as it was very uncomfortable. The new one was ok to start with but now the pain is so intense i just cant stand it. I am having a full cast put on on monday, but the one i have on right now is so uncomfortable.. i have pain in my foot even when its not moving.
It feels like my foot needs air.. like the cast is too tight.. would it matter if i cut it off myself..
what shoudl i do??
wait it out till monday.. ??
it is really hurting.. I actually feel like crying..
its 10pm at night, so i dont want to bother any hospital people.. and i couldnt get to the hospital anyway as i have no form of transport...
1: what does your foot look like? is it swollen? is it dark looking? reach down and squeeze a toenail (gently, I know it hurts), does the color come back quickly?
2: what does your leg ABOVE the cast look like? same thing... swollen?
and are you taking pain meds on a regular schedule? like, NOT waiting until it gets so bad you cant stand it but every 4 or 6 hours like you're allowed?
I ask because 1) when you skip the pain meds because they turn your stomach or make you see Bees or something, the pain escalates to a point where it can be nearly impossible to relieve with oral medication alone. if it makes you sick to your stomach, take it with bread or crackers or something. if it makes you see bees, then you're likely allergic and need to call the doc to swap you to another med. point is this: You Have A Broken Foot That Was Freshly Messed With And You Need To Be Medicating Appropriatley
Next thing: broken limbs (feet to a lesser extent than legs) are at risk for Compartment Syndrome... this is where you swell up but have no way to swell OUT so you swell IN and impinge on nerves and blood vessels and can do Serious Damage.
#1 symptom for this: INTRACTABLE pain relief.
= we give you enough morphine to kill a horse and it doesnt touch you.
not just Owie kind of pain.
it's also characterized with MARKED swelling and tingly feelings and paleness (because the swelling is impairing blood flow to your parts)
so. if you squeeze your to and the color comes back to it rapidly, then you're OK. this is what we expect to see.
you'll be swollen, of course, but I'm talking about What The Crap Is That swelling that isn't what it used to look like.
elevate your leg on a pillow to get the blood flowing back away from it, that'll ease up on the swelling feeling.
buzz a blowdryer (on low) down the ends of the cast to circulate some air (simulate it, at least)
take your pain meds!
and youll likely be OK until Monday when you can bring up your concerns.
if you start to experience anything I described as abnormal, Get To An Emergency Room. if it is compartment syndrome, you run a Real risk of Really Messing your leg up. easy fix = fasciotomy where we just take a blade and cut the length of your leg to relieve pressure
worst case: the lack of blood flow went on too long and your leg is now unsalvageable and it is coming off. and going into the fridge in Pathology.
and a whole host of Less Than Fun Things in between.
I'm not trying to scare you with that stuff, but... yeah.
Oh and if you try to cut off your own cast, it's gonna hurt like amotherfucker because nothing will support your broken bones.
and you lose points for walking on it, taking away the structural support that has been put there for a reason Does You No Favors
and may actually be why it hurts so much.
anyway, good luck
If it hurts that bad you should go see your doctor or go to the hospital ASAP.
Don't cut the cast yourself!!!
BAD IDEA
DON'T CUT THE CAST OFF YOURSELF. You could move the bones around and cause problems. Call your doctor or call the emergency room and ask them what you should do.