Posted on 02/15/2010 10:00:00 AM PST by VA Voter
During a fall last Wed. night, 2/10, I completely broke two lower ribs in my right rear quadrant. The pain getting in and out of bed was excruciating. For some reason as the day progressed the pain decreased and was somewhat tolerable.. The doctor gave me a prescription for some heavy duty pain pills which were helpful except for getting in and out of bed which was still about the same.
Saturday night when the thought of getting in bed was really daunting, I chose instead to slept in a semi-sitting up position, at about a 45 degree angle, with my feet on the floor*.
Getting up Sunday morning, the pain was orders of magnitude less than the prior morning and was at about the same reduced level of pain from the prior evening. I slept the same way last night with the same result. It’s like a little miracle.
I have not taken or needed the prescription pain pills since Saturday night.
This sleeping technique was not suggested by my doctor and is probably not a part of the protocol. I’m passing it along for FReeper benefit.
Good sleeping.
* I used an extra seat cushion on a sofa so the sitting height was raised up.
LOL..I want your doctor! I was taking pain meds for my broken ankle, but I got off those and now I just have some wine or a shot of Galliano. :)
I’d hate to get him in trouble for his advise, but his reasoning is sound. Go light on the narcs, and it will go light on you. Go heavy....
Have you convinced your mate to stop joking around and making you laugh?
Been there, done that. Bucked off a horse, broke 3 ribs, punctured a lung and got a dislocated shoulder. It’s been 5 years.
I slept in my LazyBoy recliner for many weeks. I even needed my husband to “lauch” me out of it, since I could not operate the handle located at the right side of the chair.
I was presribed the mega-dose ibuprophen 600mg each and was told to take quite a few per day. Can’t remember how many anymore. There were other pills, can’t remember what, thankfully. At least part of the bad memories have faded.
I like to laugh. It was very difficult to remain stoic while I healed. It was a few months before I could laugh, sneeze, hiccup, twist my upper body at all, or do much of anything. I could not get in and out of the car or truck for a long time. I didn’t drive for a long time.
One of the 3 ribs was broke completely apart into 2 pieces. that is the one that went through my lung. The x-ray was incredible. The lung injury explained why I had such a time walking to the house after the launch into space from the horse.
I feel your pain, fellow FReeper.
It will feel better little by little, until one day it is gone.
I would take the meds as prescribed. I really needed mine. My husband hid them and doled them out to me, I was in such pain I would have taken too many.
Hang in there! Don’t get sick, blowing the nose, coughing, sneezing, etc. is not an option.
Correction, paragraph 2, I was “launched” out of my LazyBoy.
(Forgot the “n”). Oh great I also spelled “prescribed” wrong! It’s been a long day...
Best Wishes for a fast recovery!
When I had a cracked sternum I found that naproxen is better at relieving the pain than the opiates. Just watch for the kidney and liver effects.
It doesn’t sound like mine is as bad as yours was, thank goodness.
I’m kind of surprised the doc didn’t tell you to sleep in a recliner: That’s what the doc had my son do. Also, he had a note for “no seatbelt use” in the car, except lap belt if available.
Yup. Same here. Doc TOLD my son to sleep in a recliner when he broke his rib.
Ha, I misspoke. It sounds painful to have broken ribs, where you cannot even laugh or cough. She said sleeping sitting up was a wonderful discovery.
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