Broken neck and back

[mcshroom]

A mate of mine at work was involved in a car crash and bashed his head. For a few weeks he was forgetting numbers, birthdays, combinations etc. He doesn't seem to have any long term effects though so it sorted itself out in time.

With the muscle discomfort, you may be moving differently to accommodate the broken and injured bits, which is upsetting other muscles. The most uncomfortable muscles I had a week after surgery on my arm was in my shoulder muscles, as they weren't used to the work they were doing supporting my arm in a sling.

As Ganymede says, mention it all to your doctors. I'd note these things down now and take the notes with you so you don't forget when you get to the hospital.

Oh, and I hope you are feeling better soon

 

[raleighnut]

It looks as though my memory may have been affected as well. I am forgetting things I have asked people and I am struggling to remember technical words that are involved in my work and peoples names.
The back is hurting more, but I think it is more muscle pain than the actual bones. I should be going back to the hospital next week so I will know a bit more then.

Could be a side effect of the pain meds, depends what you're taking. I'm still on 30mg Codeine after my leg op and they're interesting, mind down to 2 a day instead of up to 8 in 24 hours.

 

[Pumpkin the robot]

I saw a specialist this week. He thinks I should be back to work by the end of September. He thinks the memory thing is just a temporary thing, he says that as I was unconcious at the scene of the accident that this is not an unusual thing to happen. I have stopped taking the codeine after reading up on the side effects and the chance of addiction.

 

[mcshroom]

Hope he's right. GWS.

 

[windym]

Hi, I fractured and broke C3 and C4 along with my collar bone and five ribs, was in a body cast to start with and then head and neck brace. I took a while but I went back to time trailing, kick boxing, Ju-Jitsu and Iaido after a couple of years, I found an excellent physio who kept me going with stretching and manipulation so be positive take time to heal and learn to control the frustration of being laid up for a bit.

Andy

 

[smokeysmoo]

I packed the codeine in a.s.a.p. following my last accident, (non-cycling related TBH), and after reading the horror stories connected to the drug!

It was great to see you up and about tonight though when I called round for those bits.

I hope everything continues to improve and that you can get the collar off in a few more weeks

 

[Pumpkin the robot]

Sounds like you had a big impact! That sounds a lot worse than my crash. Glad you are back to doing the things you enjoy.,
The boredom is the hardest thing to contend with. I can put up with the pain.
I am going to see my Doc tomorrow to arrange for the collar to come off and physio in just over two weeks time and sort a few other issues out.
I spoke to the traffic officer in charge of the accident this week and he is satisfied that I was not at fault, I said I thought it was an accident and did not want the woman prosecuted as long as she admitted fault. He has been to the site of the accident to assess the situation for himself and now spoken to the driver. He said she had siad if I had not been in the middle of the road I would have gone behind her (I go in the middle of the road there to stop cars overtaking me on a blind bend) He explained to her why I was there and that it is a legitimate manouvre. She also commented on my dark clothing as a reason she did not see me, but the officer siad that is no reason, I am entitled to wear whatever colour I like (my helmet is silver and the top I was wearing was black with fluorescent yellow shoulders) He is doing his report and saying it is her fault, but will not be prosecuting. Her insurance company have been notified and she has reported it to them. They have another 10 working days to admit liability before court proceedings are issued.

 

[raleighnut]

Sounds like you had a big impact! That sounds a lot worse than my crash. Glad you are back to doing the things you enjoy.,
The boredom is the hardest thing to contend with. I can put up with the pain.
I am going to see my Doc tomorrow to arrange for the collar to come off and physio in just over two weeks time and sort a few other issues out.
I spoke to the traffic officer in charge of the accident this week and he is satisfied that I was not at fault, I said I thought it was an accident and did not want the woman prosecuted as long as she admitted fault. He has been to the site of the accident to assess the situation for himself and now spoken to the driver. He said she had siad if I had not been in the middle of the road I would have gone behind her (I go in the middle of the road there to stop cars overtaking me on a blind bend) He explained to her why I was there and that it is a legitimate manouvre. She also commented on my dark clothing as a reason she did not see me, but the officer siad that is no reason, I am entitled to wear whatever colour I like (my helmet is silver and the top I was wearing was black with fluorescent yellow shoulders) He is doing his report and saying it is her fault, but will not be prosecuting. Her insurance company have been notified and she has reported it to them. They have another 10 working days to admit liability before court proceedings are issued.

Sounds like somebody had been briefing her what to say, luckily the policeman sounds a sensible chap/chapette and has probably heard this kind of thing before. The driver should be left in no doubt that she could have easily killed someone.

 

[Easytigers]

GWS Martin. Hope it all gets sorted out quickly and sensibly for you.

 

[brand]

Not quite the same although I have had fractured and crushed vertebraes in my lower spine and I think it was a dislocated vertebrae in my neck but I was not cycling at the time. A couple of years ago I had an infection in my upper spine (neck) it affected just about every joint leaving me with septic arthritis in my knee. After a total of 6 weeks in hospital and long convalescence the muscle in my right leg had wasted away. I was told the best way to reduce pain significantly was to cycle. No chance the way I was so bought a exercise bike. Worth going for quality here. It worked brilliantly but I could not raise the handle bars on the exercise bike and I still had neck pain so had to keep my head down looking at the screen on the bike. I also had to rebuild my lower back and stomach muscles as back pain had started up again. Now walking is an excellent builder of lower back muscles. Weight training stomach and lower back are a requirement to support any long term problems you may have note may have. Cycling will not do that for you. Of course this is long term and only if you need it. I would suggest weight training for the neck but you would probably not need that. I had to but that was to continue playing hooker. I am assuming you are not taking that up anytime soon. So to sum up your spine/vertebrae are held in place by muscle if they are weak you will have pain. There are plenty of people who have back pain simply because of the lack of back muscle related to their job. If your neck still hurts I would suggest a more upright position to start of. Cycling does not build back muscle you may have to do that to relieve any long term lower back pain. Not a certainly but think about it if you still have pain in the future.

 

[Pumpkin the robot]

Thanks for that.
I saw my Doc this week and have been signed off work for another 6 weeks. She thinks the specialists estimate of me going back to work for the start of October is optimistic. I have been referred for physio in September and the collar comes off in 2 weeks. She did say i should try going for a walk once or twice a day and once the collar is off I could try swimming (back stroke) and also pilates and/or yoga.
I think I under estimated the injury in the first few weeks, I was hoping to be back in work in 8 weeks, but that is obviously not going to happen! After reading about the injury and speaking to the Docs, I realise I was very lucky to not have more serious injuries and that i cannot rush the healing process no matter how much I want to.

 

[brand]

Thanks for that.
I saw my Doc this week and have been signed off work for another 6 weeks. She thinks the specialists estimate of me going back to work for the start of October is optimistic. I have been referred for physio in September and the collar comes off in 2 weeks. She did say i should try going for a walk once or twice a day and once the collar is off I could try swimming (back stroke) and also pilates and/or yoga.
I think I under estimated the injury in the first few weeks, I was hoping to be back in work in 8 weeks, but that is obviously not going to happen! After reading about the injury and speaking to the Docs, I realise I was very lucky to not have more serious injuries and that i cannot rush the healing process no matter how much I want to.

Cannot really go wrong with a walk a couple of times a day. I would suggest you ask about an exercise bike. The physio had no intention of suggesting it to me until I asked if I would able to cycle again. He took me straight over to the exercise bike and suggested I book an appointments to use it every day. Not pratical as there is only one scheduled bus a week from my village. Of course I am not talking about the same medical problem but you could ask as it will help keep your cycling fitness up. Good luck either way.​

 

[Pumpkin the robot]

Well a few bits of news;
The insurance for the driver have admitted full liabilty (1 day before my solicitor was going to issue court proceedings) and they have offered to pay for private physio.
I am due to start physio next week anyway, so I dont think I will be needing it, but I will see how I get on.
Last Sunday I had a bit of numbness in my right arm so I went to a and e and was kept in for a few days while they did a few more tests and an MRI. I saw a couple of different specialists and physios, who all had different ideas of what the final outcome will be, but they didnt find anything untoward and discharged me yesterday, but I have to keep the collar on for another month as the bones are not healed yet. Just what I didnt want to hear, but if it helps it heal I will do as I am told. It seems I will not be back to work full time until Christmas going by what I have been told. Hopefully now the driver's insurers have admitted liability, I am not far off an interim payment, but I first have to see an independant Doctor and they do not have to pay out if they dont want to. I was speaking to my solicitor and as I cannot commute to work (when I get that far) I will have to insure and tax my car, so I can claim for that apparently, as well as the mileage (20miles each way)

 

[brand]

Well a few bits of news;
The insurance for the driver have admitted full liabilty (1 day before my solicitor was going to issue court proceedings) and they have offered to pay for private physio.
I am due to start physio next week anyway, so I dont think I will be needing it, but I will see how I get on.
Last Sunday I had a bit of numbness in my right arm so I went to a and e and was kept in for a few days while they did a few more tests and an MRI. I saw a couple of different specialists and physios, who all had different ideas of what the final outcome will be, but they didnt find anything untoward and discharged me yesterday, but I have to keep the collar on for another month as the bones are not healed yet. Just what I didnt want to hear, but if it helps it heal I will do as I am told. It seems I will not be back to work full time until Christmas going by what I have been told. Hopefully now the driver's insurers have admitted liability, I am not far off an interim payment, but I first have to see an independant Doctor and they do not have to pay out if they dont want to. I was speaking to my solicitor and as I cannot commute to work (when I get that far) I will have to insure and tax my car, so I can claim for that apparently, as well as the mileage (20miles each way)

Looking better insurance wise but collar on for another month, shoot to that. Must be really annoying. Do you have to have it on all day? What do you do at bed time.
Whats this mean "they do not have to pay out if they dont want to" Haven't they admitted liability?

 

[vickster]

I think he means they do not have to make interim payments prior to settling, not full stop