Psycho-Babble Social Thread 1052991

Shown: posts 1 to 25 of 39. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Broke my arm

Posted by Dinah on October 25, 2013, at 9:55:05

Had a sudden attack of vertigo. It felt as if the seat underneath me collapsed and hurled me to the terrazo floor where I broke my humerus bone near the shoulder. I realize of course that it was the vertigo that not only had me falling, but caused me to fall faster as I corrected *into* the fall.

Of course it was my dominant arm. :(

So I'm in my arm sling with a swathe anchoring my elbow to my body. It's hard to type so I likely won't be here much. :(

It's weird. I'd never broken anything before. I kept telling the people in the emergency room that I'd hurt that shoulder. But they kept lifting that arm to take blood pressure and take blood and take off my shirt. They left it to me to try to move from bed to bed without help. My husband says it was my calm, flat statements that I was in incredible pain when they did it. They couldn't take that seriously. I had to remind the doctor that he'd said he would xray the shoulder! They kept me overnight until they'd verified that it was vertigo and they were very nice once I left the ER.

It doesn't hurt that much, and the itch is getting better, but it is still deuced inconvenient. But I'm getting better with my left hand every day. I read the brain compensates so that by the time I get the sling off, my right brain will be larger and my left smaller!

 

Re: Broke my arm » Dinah

Posted by Phillipa on October 25, 2013, at 10:03:40

In reply to Broke my arm, posted by Dinah on October 25, 2013, at 9:55:05

Dinah I'm so sorry. If I understand this correctly you had vertigo fell, went to the hospital, you had pain in arm, which was ignored by the ER staff, and they used that arm for the blood pressure and blood draws. Trigger my old brain what is the vertigo from? If it's a serious condition I understand kindda them ignoring the pain as no injury was known then. It's broken found out after the effect? So when did this happen? And what's the vertigo from? A sling to hold the arm so further damage not done. I'm very sorry this happened to you. Phillipa

 

Re: Broke my arm » Phillipa

Posted by Dinah on October 25, 2013, at 10:38:12

In reply to Re: Broke my arm » Dinah, posted by Phillipa on October 25, 2013, at 10:03:40

It happened Sunday morning.

Benign (!) positional vertigo has to do with the fluid in the inner ear that helps us balance. A little crystal forms and causes the fluid to slosh. Or at least they explained it to me that way. I'd had vertigo before, from an ear infection that affected and weakened the inner ear. That time it just involved the room whirling around me. This time it affected my balance entirely. Even when they lifted me up off the floor, I kept falling towards the right because that way felt "up". When they provoke the vertigo by tilting my head back and to the side, I can tell my eyes jump up and down. They've given me some exercises to try to get the little crystal grain to dislodge itself.

If I understood them correctly. I need to follow up with the ENT who treated me last time.

As far as the ER, they were not behaving with any urgency, and there was another arm to use. It was just inconveniently on the other side of the bed and they'd have had to reach. I'm reasonably sure they had no idea I had an arm break. They just ordered the xray to pacify me since I kept asking about it.

I don't scream enough. I get very quiet and focus on my breathing when I hurt.

 

Re: Broke my arm

Posted by Dinah on October 25, 2013, at 11:01:53

In reply to Re: Broke my arm » Phillipa, posted by Dinah on October 25, 2013, at 10:38:12

There's a scene in "The Four Seasons" with Alan Alda where he's having a fight with his wife and he says very calmly "I am enraged."

We always laugh about that at my house because that's exactly how I am. Even after knowing me so very long, my husband finds it hard to believe me when I say I'm angry because I say it so calmly. Even though he knows I mean it. I really mean it.

So my husband looked at me in the ER and said flatly "I am in excruciating pain." and at least we got a laugh from it. :)

Of course he did do his best to see they understood what I was saying.

 

Re: Broke my arm

Posted by gadchik on October 25, 2013, at 11:37:25

In reply to Re: Broke my arm, posted by Dinah on October 25, 2013, at 11:01:53

You are taking this so very well. Im impressed. I would be absolutely useless. I know how vertigo feels,and that's what sent me into a downward spiral. I wish to be as calm as you. And a broken arm too, no way would I be able to stay calm. I hope you are feeling better soon. :)

 

Re: Broke my arm

Posted by Partlycloudy on October 25, 2013, at 12:06:53

In reply to Broke my arm, posted by Dinah on October 25, 2013, at 9:55:05

I hope your arm heals quickly with little inconvenience. I guess we are getting to be at an age when Stuff. Happens.
Take care
pc

 

Re: Broke my arm » gadchik

Posted by Dinah on October 25, 2013, at 12:41:34

In reply to Re: Broke my arm, posted by gadchik on October 25, 2013, at 11:37:25

Well, to tell the truth I am scared. It came so out of the blue. I was feeling perfectly fine and then it was not only sudden but so severe. My first thought was that I was having a stroke. I look back over it and can't think of anything I could do differently to prevent it happening again.

So in that way I'm scared. But as I move around with no problem, I gain (false) confidence. And there's nothing I can do about it. I didn't cause it, as far as I can tell, and can't prevent it.

I tend to be less frightened by things that are totally beyond my control. We joke that if they were to tell me that an asteroid was coming our way, I'd first panic and come to the conclusion that somehow I'd caused it. Once I decided it wasn't my fault, I'd probably shrug and say "Oh well."

What was vertigo like for you? How did it send you in a spiral? Is it ongoing or a one off deal? Last time it was ongoing, and lasted about as long as the doctor said it would take for my brain to adjust to the new normal in my damaged inner ear. The fact that I knew it was time limited helped a lot. But I can see how a lack of that assurance could cause a lot of problems.

 

Re: Broke my arm » Partlycloudy

Posted by Dinah on October 25, 2013, at 12:47:04

In reply to Re: Broke my arm, posted by Partlycloudy on October 25, 2013, at 12:06:53

Thank you. :)

I think the inconvenience is unavoidable, but I'm lucky to have a husband who has stepped up to the plate so willingly. He's working from home until we both feel secure in my ability to get by. I think it may have brought out his anxiety and control response a bit. But I can understand and empathize with that, since he also gets up in the middle of the night - without complaint - to help me into a long sleeve shirt when I couldn't sleep because my arm was itching from the foam on the sling.

You're right about the age. The nurse was asking me a list of questions about my health and I assured her I was as healthy as a horse. A horse with diabetes. And high triglycerides. And migraines. And an anxiety disorder. And kidney stones. And no gallbladder.

 

Re: Broke my arm » Dinah

Posted by Partlycloudy on October 25, 2013, at 13:08:53

In reply to Re: Broke my arm » Partlycloudy, posted by Dinah on October 25, 2013, at 12:47:04

Your wry sense of humor about yourself is your best health tool. I'm glad your husband is supportive. Mine still hasn't read the instruction manual.
:-)

 

Re: Broke my arm » Dinah

Posted by alexandra_k on October 25, 2013, at 15:45:16

In reply to Broke my arm, posted by Dinah on October 25, 2013, at 9:55:05

I'm sorry you broke your arm. I don't do well in hospital environments (as a patient at least) either. Because I'm not hysterical / overly emotional / attention seeking like they want / reward / chastise women for being. If you were a guy the same behaviour would likely have resulted in their being more careful, because it is expected that guys don't complain overly much.

You will get pretty good at one handed typing.

I'm not convinced brain volume changes as the result of adult limb loss... But it wouldn't surprise me if connections alter so that some processing becomes more efficient.

You are probably going to need physical therapy.

Do your exercises!

 

Re: Broke my arm

Posted by baseball55 on October 25, 2013, at 19:33:52

In reply to Re: Broke my arm » Phillipa, posted by Dinah on October 25, 2013, at 10:38:12

I had vertigo that lasted for about six months. I went to an ENT who proposed surgery. I went to another ENT for a second opinion. He said that, if I kept myself mobile and active, my brain would eventually adjust and respond to my eyes and proprioception and stop responding to the false signals from my inner ear.

So that's what I did. Went for long walks and fought against the vertigo until it went away.

 

spinning... » Dinah

Posted by gadchik on October 25, 2013, at 19:38:29

In reply to Re: Broke my arm » gadchik, posted by Dinah on October 25, 2013, at 12:41:34

Dinah, I was doing very well mentally, in my life, and one morning at 4, I awoke, rolled to my left, and bam, vertigo. My eyes were jumping, couldnt see, dont know how long it went on. I had a bad panic attack, threw up, was off the rest of the day.And, btw, this was on a Friday, the 13th! So I didnt have another attack until exactly 1 month later. I had just gotten my anxiety about it under control, thought it was a one time thing. Exact same thing happened, 4am 1 month later. I really lost it, and my anxiety got so out of control. I kept feeling like I was gonna spin out at any time. I saw an ent specialist who explained things to me about benign positional vertigo, and that I had fluid in one ear too. I just felt so out of control. But what's really weird is it has never happened again. I refused all meds back then and sunk into a deep depression because I didnt treat my extreme anxiety. It was a real dark time in my life. But if I'd been like you and just accepted it, I would never had gone thru that. I cannot stand to think I dont have control of something, and vertigo was one thing that really got to me.

 

Re: spinning... » gadchik

Posted by Phillipa on October 25, 2013, at 20:18:01

In reply to spinning... » Dinah, posted by gadchik on October 25, 2013, at 19:38:29

Sounds like mine woke about the same time, had to crawl to the bathroom to urinate. Crawled back and somehow got in the bed. Couldn't move my head or the dizziness was horrible. Went to ER in am the doc used a light to track the movement of my eyes. Said yup vertigo. Gave me 2mg IM of Ativan and a script for antivert. It went away. But this was at the time my thyroid was diagnosed hypo. So somehow mine was connected to the thyroid gland. No vomiting was lucky. P

 

Re: Broke my arm » Dinah

Posted by 10derheart on October 25, 2013, at 20:32:14

In reply to Broke my arm, posted by Dinah on October 25, 2013, at 9:55:05

I'm sorry. What a strange thing to happen. I've only ever broken a toe and both pinkie fingers...which barely counts. Never had a cast.

You have a great attitude. And I think a way more than good enough husband ;-) What does your son think?

I intend to Babblemail you, but if/when I do, no need to try to answer...

Life is what happens when we're making plans, isn't it?

 

Re: spinning... » Phillipa

Posted by gadchik on October 26, 2013, at 7:26:35

In reply to Re: spinning... » gadchik, posted by Phillipa on October 25, 2013, at 20:18:01

Didnt u feel totally out of control when it happened. Unlike anything Ive ever experienced, sooo scary. I believe that's why I havent been successful tapering klonopin. Everytime I try, dizziness, almost spinning, is the first withdrawal symptom I get.

 

Re: Broke my arm

Posted by Poet on October 26, 2013, at 10:57:54

In reply to Broke my arm, posted by Dinah on October 25, 2013, at 9:55:05

You'd think they'd take a calm person just as seriously, oh well, I guess Emergency Rooms are used to panic. Hope you mend soon. Maybe you'll end up being able to use both hands equally.

Poet

 

Re: spinning... » gadchik

Posted by Phillipa on October 26, 2013, at 22:22:03

In reply to Re: spinning... » Phillipa, posted by gadchik on October 26, 2013, at 7:26:35

I just lay there didn't move till went to Er. Then after the Ativan I think it improved but it took antivert and reading only a few days to get back to normal. Well really not there more than 15 years later.

 

Re: Broke my arm » alexandra_k

Posted by Dinah on October 29, 2013, at 9:10:17

In reply to Re: Broke my arm » Dinah, posted by alexandra_k on October 25, 2013, at 15:45:16

I am! Such as they are. I may find there are more when I go in for my followup.

I don't think I'll ever be able to choose multiple objects with my left hand. Never. :(

 

Re: Broke my arm » baseball55

Posted by Dinah on October 29, 2013, at 9:13:11

In reply to Re: Broke my arm, posted by baseball55 on October 25, 2013, at 19:33:52

That's what I did last time. I got pretty good at it. If I put my hand on something vertical, it helped me stabilize myself.

Last time I had an inner ear infection. I'm not sure what it is this time. They're looking into it. But I don't think there was much I could do about the disequilibrium when it was that intense and sudden, except fall or grab onto something if something were handy. :(

 

Update :(

Posted by Dinah on October 29, 2013, at 9:20:17

In reply to Broke my arm, posted by Dinah on October 25, 2013, at 9:55:05

I'm starting to feel depressed. I had another vertigo attack, this time more vertigo and less disequilibrium so I didn't fall. But I followed up with my ENT and he basically said that my husband was right. I shouldn't be doing anything where I might fall. (Which means I shouldn't do anything). I shouldn't look at the computer much, moving my eyes. I shouldn't reach up for anything, or walk on a treadmill. I can't drive until he clears me for driving. He might put me in a collar so I can't move my head, which along with my arm sling will be quite a sight. It could be as long as two weeks before I can even hope to get cleared.

I feel helpless and frustrated. My husband is being wonderful, but he is also feeling a bit frustrated I can tell. I like doing things for myself. I don't know how I'll be able to regularly see my therapist. My husband is willing to work at finding a time, and so is my therapist, but so far it's not proving easy. And I hurt my arm by accidentally trying to grab for something I dropped - pure instinct.

I think I've definitely hit the whiny phase of recovery.

 

Re: spinning... » gadchik

Posted by Dinah on October 29, 2013, at 9:28:20

In reply to spinning... » Dinah, posted by gadchik on October 25, 2013, at 19:38:29

Well, there's accepting and then there's accepting. I'm not really doing such a good job. And it seems that we're different in that you fear what you can't control and I fear what I can control. Believe me, I am not at all accepting when it comes to being afraid I've done something wrong.

Have you talked to an ENT about how to feel more in control of your vertigo, should it happen again? Or to your pdoc about the realistic probability of withdrawal causing problems of that sort? Because I've done both, and there is nothing in the world like vertigo.

I know how terrifying and unreal vertigo feels. I felt it again with my relapse. This time I had warning, thank heavens, in the form of that totally out of body weird unreal feeling right as everything started to spin around me. I was able to feel partly in control because I was fairly sure of what would happen, but that was a small part of partly. It does feel out of control to the point that I, at least, didn't even really feel like myself at all. There's a definite flavor of unreality that must come with the inability to orient myself with the world around me.

But it might help if you try to grab some vestiges of control. You can't control the onset of vertigo, but maybe you can wrest some control back over what to expect when it happens, how long it will last, what you might be able to do to shorten it, etc.

 

Re: Broke my arm » 10derheart

Posted by Dinah on October 29, 2013, at 9:48:03

In reply to Re: Broke my arm » Dinah, posted by 10derheart on October 25, 2013, at 20:32:14

Yes it is. I'm especially disappointed because I was hoping to use some of my non-deadline time late this year to do some painting outside. That now seems like a long shot.

It didn't hurt as bad as I thought it would. It was just an ache more than a stab of pain, until they moved my arm or had me try to move from one bed to another without help. I couldn't much use the arm, but it didn't hurt anywhere near as bad as kidney stones.

Kidney stones are my 9 of 10. I don't count it a ten because I want to leave room for even worse pain. Kidney stones, those stomach attacks I get (probably gall stones) and a very few of my worst migraines all tie for the most pain.

That's why I hate those scales of pain. I probably scored my arm way too low because I was comparing it to kidney stones.

 

Re: Broke my arm » Poet

Posted by Dinah on October 29, 2013, at 9:52:52

In reply to Re: Broke my arm, posted by Poet on October 26, 2013, at 10:57:54

Thanks, Poet.

There were certainly a good number of very vocal people there.

When I jarred my arm the other night I did let out a yelp. Then said "My, that was excessively uncomfortable." My husband pointed out that was an example of why I probably wasn't taken that seriously. :)

It likely comes from having a *very* dramatic mother. Already I've heard from relatives that my simple clean bone break has morphed into a bone fractured in three places through her retelling.

 

Waiting for locusts

Posted by Dinah on October 29, 2013, at 12:33:35

In reply to Update :(, posted by Dinah on October 29, 2013, at 9:20:17

Ok, this is ridiculous. I was just reminded that yes kidney stones are more painful.

I guess I was given something to whine about.

 

Re: Waiting for locusts » Dinah

Posted by Partlycloudy on October 29, 2013, at 15:43:55

In reply to Waiting for locusts, posted by Dinah on October 29, 2013, at 12:33:35

No. Way.
You have kidney stones too? Am I reading this correctly?


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