Cracked Rib

[Mr Vlad]

On Friday morning at a service station on the way to Edinburgh I unfortunately slipped on ice and landed with a loud thud on my back. Oh how it winded me and made me wince. Few minutes later I got up and just about got back in my truck. Drove to Edinburgh where i swapped driving with my 2nd mate. But by crickey it took me over 5 minutes to get out of the cab. Walking was difficult and breathing was as was talking. What The Duck I thought. Well trying to make deliveries was a nightmare. Basically I was useless. My 2nd mate was a diamond. 

On the way back we stopped at that same service station to see the manager to report my slipping on ice. He seemed a decent guy and a number of forms got filled in. The area where I slipped should have been gritted. A lay by where one took up with water and blows tyres up. I intend to claim against them for liss of earnings etc.

Went to hospital this morning and 4 hours later after a X-ray I'm diagnosed with a cracked rib. No wonder I was useless yesterday and couldn't sleep when I went to bed. So I've got me a box of Naproxen tablets and a box of Omeprazole and I'm to take paracetamol too.

So for anyone who's not had a cracked rib I'll tell you how it affects me. I can't bend down without wincing. Can't sit down or get up from a seat without wincing. Putting socks on and pants on and jeans on is ruddy painful. Walking is affected because of the shock of footsteps running up ones body. Talking is affected because breathing is affected. Since I landed on my left side when in a vehicle going round a righthand bend or turn it hurts. Getting in and out of my car hurts unless I tence up and the pain is reduced. I tence up basically every time I move so the pain is reduced. 

It's not nice having a cracked rib. I was in less pain decades ago when when I got knocked off a motorbike and smashed the cartilage between my leg and hip and cracked like an egg my hip.

Take care out there when it's ice and snow. 

[PRT68]

Every sympathy, I know how it feels. 

I had a low speed crash on my bicycle last year. Went down with a thud on my left side. My chest landed on my folded elbow, with the pointy inside of the elbow digging into my ribs. 

Quite badly winded,and then had to ride 10 miles home in agony. 

As you say breathing is difficult especially in bed. Seems like you keep taking shallow breaths, and then you have to brace yourself for the inevitable big breath that really, really hurts!!

Don't laugh, cough or sneeze. 

Good luck.

[NemesisUK]

I can sympathise. I slipped and fell forward onto a metal pole, ouch! Didn't think too much of it until trying to get out of my car a couple of hours later. My word did that hurt!! 😆

You're so correct in how such a thing affects so much of what one does otherwise so unthinkingly. Answering the call of nature was almost comical if it hadn't been so painful, basically I had to 'roll off' the toilet 

I had to sleep almost sitting up as I just couldn't lay flat...

Took an age to repair itself to

[hockeyedwards]

Sorry to hear about your troubles, especially at a time of year where we are meant to be in a seasonal frenzy! A cracked rib is awful, literally just have to suck up the pain until it heals. No laughing, crying, deep breathes, coughs, standing, sitting, lying, walking too fast, jumping, jogging - yano, all the fun stuff!

Few pieces of medical advice to maybe save you some additional anguish, ditch the Naproxen, as an anti-inflammatory it will do you no good and is notorious for being harsh on your stomach and making you feel a bit iffy. If set on an anti-inflammatory, Ibuprofen will be more than enough with less of the nasty side effects. Paracetamol may not be strong enough as pain relief, so possibly consult your GP for some additional pain relief or over the counter something a bit stronger from local pharmacy to mix in on your more active/ painful days.

Might sound a little stupid, but make sure you stay warm, even if it is a little into the breaking a sweat zone, being cold and breathing with a broken rib do not mix well!

P.S. I realise accepting internet advice has never been received well, but, my previous career was a consultant physiotherapist, with prescribing ability 🙂 
 

[Illogan]

Ooh - Sympathies, Vlad.

.

And - I realise I'm in danger of possibly upsetting a few folks (but not deliberately of course)

.

Now we know how difficult it must have been for Adam, (He was forced to donate a rib!)

[Illogan]

1 minute ago, hockeyedwards said:

Sorry to hear about your troubles, especially at a time of year where we are meant to be in a seasonal frenzy! A cracked rib is awful, literally just have to suck up the pain until it heals. No laughing, crying, deep breathes, coughs, standing, sitting, lying, walking too fast, jumping, jogging - yano, all the fun stuff!

Few pieces of medical advice to maybe save you some additional anguish, ditch the Naproxen, as an anti-inflammatory it will do you no good and is notorious for being harsh on your stomach and making you feel a bit iffy. If set on an anti-inflammatory, Ibuprofen will be more than enough with less of the nasty side effects. Paracetamol may not be strong enough as pain relief, so possibly consult your GP for some additional pain relief or over the counter something a bit stronger from local pharmacy to mix in on your more active/ painful days.

Might sound a little stupid, but make sure you stay warm, even if it is a little into the breaking a sweat zone, being cold and breathing with a broken rib do not mix well!

P.S. I realise accepting internet advice has never been received well, but, my previous career was a consultant physiotherapist, with prescribing ability 🙂 
 

Well-informed advice is invaluable!

[Las Palmas]

Get well soon.

Kieran is right. Ibuprofen may be better to take with Paracetamol to reduce the pain. Probably a good idea to take Omeprazole with the Ibuprofen as that is not good for stomach either.

[Mr Vlad]

Great advice and info Kieran. I was a bit dubious about the Naproxen and then being recommended to take paracetamol to counteract the effects that Naproxen have with the stomach lining. Actually had a chat about Ibuprofen and that I don't take paracetamol as its not as good as Ibuprofen but the doctor said not to use Ibuprofen with the Naproxen. Strange. I'll give Naproxen a few days just to see then I'll stick with Ibuprofen which I know works for me. 

[Simon F]

My sympathy goes out to you as well.  I cracked and broke a few ribs about 18 months ago (got electrocuted, which threw me off the chair I was standing on and onto the arm of another chair, right on the right hand side of my chest).

It really is no fun whatsoever and there's very little you can do other than wait for things to heal.

[Las Palmas]

3 hours ago, Mr Vlad said:

Great advice and info Kieran. I was a bit dubious about the Naproxen and then being recommended to take paracetamol to counteract the effects that Naproxen have with the stomach lining. Actually had a chat about Ibuprofen and that I don't take paracetamol as its not as good as Ibuprofen but the doctor said not to use Ibuprofen with the Naproxen. Strange. I'll give Naproxen a few days just to see then I'll stick with Ibuprofen which I know works for me. 

Reason doctor told you not to use the 2 hard on stomach drugs together could be that Omeprazol would not be enough to shield the effect on the intestines.

[talaipwros]

4 hours ago, Mr Vlad said:

 the doctor said not to use Ibuprofen with the Naproxen. Strange.

nothing strange, typical advice Never to combine NSAID's ( Non Steroid Anti Inflammatory Drugs), to avoid renal/liver and other complications

[LenT]

6 hours ago, Mr Vlad said:

Great advice and info Kieran. I was a bit dubious about the Naproxen and then being recommended to take paracetamol to counteract the effects that Naproxen have with the stomach lining. Actually had a chat about Ibuprofen and that I don't take paracetamol as its not as good as Ibuprofen but the doctor said not to use Ibuprofen with the Naproxen. Strange. I'll give Naproxen a few days just to see then I'll stick with Ibuprofen which I know works for me. 

Very sorry to hear about your accident, Vladimir.  A timely warning to us all!

If you feel the paracetamol isn’t quite up to the task, ask your chemist about some co-codamol.

Otherwise, doing as little as possible is pretty much the main treatment for broken ribs.

[Mr Vlad]

Yeah thanks Len. The paracetamol was suggested to counteract the effects of the Naproxen on the stomach. Funny how the doctor didn't mention she'd also give me Omeprazol which is a kind of indigestion pill. So 2 drugs to counteract the effect of the pain killer. And from what Vasileios said I think I'll stick with just using ibuprofen and sack what I was given. If that doesn't work then I'll try co-codamol.

[DavidCM]

Having read this,I shouldn't have made those wisecracks earlier.

I know it you are in agony.I cracked a rib 30-35yeats ago skiing.It only hurts when you laugh (or cough)

Get well soon.

[LenT]

14 minutes ago, Mr Vlad said:

Yeah thanks Len. The paracetamol was suggested to counteract the effects of the Naproxen on the stomach. Funny how the doctor didn't mention she'd also give me Omeprazol which is a kind of indigestion pill. So 2 drugs to counteract the effect of the pain killer. And from what Vasileios said I think I'll stick with just using ibuprofen and sack what I was given. If that doesn't work then I'll try co-codamol.

Another thought - which you’ve probably already had! - is that as well as waiting for the Service Station liability response, it may be worth checking any Household Insurance because that sometimes includes Loss of Earnings.

[Mr Vlad]

Eh up David. What wise cracks? Mmmmm Len no I haven't thought of that. I'll look into that tomorrow if I remember that is lol

[ALAW]

Aaaw sorry about this Vlad and what a time to do it. Hope you make a speedy recovery.

[Malc1]

Best wishes for a speedy recovery .  reading today that wearing a pair of old socks over your shoes while out on ice might help prevent slips 

You MUST now stop laughing 

Malc

[PCM]

BEST wishes for a speedy recovery.

I slipped and fell over this morning on the ice - ok I think.  Be careful out there...

But do have Covid - again.

[Mr Vlad]

Blimey Piers hope you're OK and in no pain anywhere due to your fall. I brick it when I go out for a short stroll for some fresh air lol.

Mmmmm old socks outside of footwear Malc? Never heard of that one. One must look a bobbydazzler with socks outside of footwear lol. Thanks for the tip 👍 

[royoftherovers]

On 12/10/2022 at 8:28 PM, Mr Vlad said:

On Friday morning at a service station on the way to Edinburgh I unfortunately slipped on ice and landed with a loud thud on my back. Oh how it winded me and made me wince. Few minutes later I got up and just about got back in my truck. Drove to Edinburgh where i swapped driving with my 2nd mate. But by crickey it took me over 5 minutes to get out of the cab. Walking was difficult and breathing was as was talking. What The Duck I thought. Well trying to make deliveries was a nightmare. Basically I was useless. My 2nd mate was a diamond. 

On the way back we stopped at that same service station to see the manager to report my slipping on ice. He seemed a decent guy and a number of forms got filled in. The area where I slipped should have been gritted. A lay by where one took up with water and blows tyres up. I intend to claim against them for liss of earnings etc.

Went to hospital this morning and 4 hours later after a X-ray I'm diagnosed with a cracked rib. No wonder I was useless yesterday and couldn't sleep when I went to bed. So I've got me a box of Naproxen tablets and a box of Omeprazole and I'm to take paracetamol too.

So for anyone who's not had a cracked rib I'll tell you how it affects me. I can't bend down without wincing. Can't sit down or get up from a seat without wincing. Putting socks on and pants on and jeans on is ruddy painful. Walking is affected because of the shock of footsteps running up ones body. Talking is affected because breathing is affected. Since I landed on my left side when in a vehicle going round a righthand bend or turn it hurts. Getting in and out of my car hurts unless I tence up and the pain is reduced. I tence up basically every time I move so the pain is reduced. 

It's not nice having a cracked rib. I was in less pain decades ago when when I got knocked off a motorbike and smashed the cartilage between my leg and hip and cracked like an egg my hip.

Take care out there when it's ice and snow. 

Sorry to read all of that Vlad. I hope that your recovery is short period and relatively painless.

Take care,stay well and do not forget..............................that Hot Toddies work wonders.🤣👍

[Mr Vlad]

Yes John hot toddies work wonders but whilst on pain killers I'm keeping off them for safety sake. Thanks again 👍

[Mr Vlad]

Well it's been a short while. Saw my doctor today and got another sick note for another 3 weeks. I'm now getting full nights sleep because I can now, was able about a week ago, lay on my right side and on my left,where the crack was/is, side and that is a massive relief. Still got a niggling discomfort but no pain.

My work involves pulling 0.5 and 0.75 ton pallets. It's the pulling I'm not ready for as it involves the latimus dorsi muscles (the ones on the side muscles) which are the main ones used in pulling. 

So it's more watching YouTube videos lol. Oh my breathing is back to normal. I'm going on 2 and 3 mile walks. It's just brain numbing not being at work. Oh well such fun being 60 lol.

[Malc1]

12 hours ago, Mr Vlad said:

I'm going on 2 and 3 mile walks

with old socks over your shoes if it's icy eh !  🙃

Malc

[Mr Vlad]

lol I keep away from what looks icy