Sleeping advice with Broken Collar bone and ribs...

As someone who has busted up ribs very badly a few times, there is no choice but pain meds, and I hate pain meds.

The one time I strongly tried to avoid them at all costs I had sleep deprivation to the point I wasn't thinking clearly anymore. You need to be able to let your body rest and start to heal. It sucks man, best of luck.

 

Assuming that you were not plated, as you are already home. That's a very good thing.

I slept in a frickin recliner for about 4 months. Could only doze off when on drugs. Became dependent on them. It ended up damaging my hips, being in that chair for so long and it took a while to get over that. There is no easy answer for getting some sleep. No way that I could even get close to sleep in any other position than sitting. Really, you are going to have to just be so tired that you can't stay awake.

I hope that you have an excellent care giver. Very important. GWS.

 

Get some THC edibles gummie bears or something! If they are good and you don’t have a high tolerance they will make you sleep! THERE IS NO GOOD IN PAIN MEDICINE

 

Have you taped the ribs? That will help a little, recliner for a week or so should help too. I crashed in a cyclocross race and broke a rib or two on Sat. I'd forgotten how much a sneeze can hurt, hopefully it won't take as long as the last time when I broke 4 of them.

 

Lay z boy. And if you take the pain pills, take laxatives. No sense adding more misery...

 

at least you're not trying to hide it from your wife and casually loading and unloading the dishwasher in front of her...

 

life's hard enough

 

Soooo true.

lol.

 

This goes completely against conventional thinking, but when I did my ribs/shoulder-palooza, I ended up saying "screw it" one night and laid on my stomach. It hurt a bit at first, but then felt great and I was able to sleep. Not sure if it was the constant compression effect or what, but it worked wonders.

 

Recliner or get one of those triangle pillows for support.
Tylenol PM, Benadryl but you probably need something strong honestly.

 

cant do that with a collar bone..... but thanks,,, good news is in all this is its mainly my left side and I can still wipe my ass

 

havnt had both broken at the same time but was able to sleep on my side OK but it was just about the 4 day mark before I could.

 

Use the pillows and that comfy chair no one but you in your house ever sits in. Also I highly recommend avoiding sneezing, coughing or laughing too hard.

 

When they put the plate and screws in my collarbone, I just used the drugs at night to sleep.
I gritted it out during the day, but nighttime needed the drugs to sleep.

Sleep = recovery

 

I broke 5 ribs, and shattered my collar bone, moving was the problem, once I lied down I didnt move to do more than breath.

 

pillow under the arm/shoulder to hold it up helps. but drugs. Drugs may be needed .. sleep is important. you will want some laxatives as narcs will stop you up. ween off slow when done.

 

I'm NOT an MD. In my unfortunate experience; Recliner; Advil (like 3 at a time on a REGULAR schedule) Screw drivers (I'm not kidding) but don't get falling down drunk.

And no kidding, as others have said, harden the fuck up. You hurt as much as you let you hurt. If you think it hurts, if fucking hurts. Don't let it.

 

Recliner if you have one. I slept on mine when I busted my collarbone and ribs after my crash. Spent about 3 weeks there, about 2 weeks before and a week after surgery. You'll not get a GOOD night's sleep, but the recliner keeps you propped up and minimizes your tossing and turning. At least, it did for me.

And yeah, ice therapy. 15 minute intervals. Don't just slop a bag of ice on your shoulder for 2 hours. Heating pad on your ribs for 20 minutes before you want to sleep to help relax the muscles around and lessen the muscle spasms.

 

This is what I did as well. I had a broken collarbone, scapula and top 4 ribs along with a bunch of bruising so I was hurting pretty bad. I do not do well on opioids (i get confrontational, angry and quite assholish) so I would take an advil / tylenol mix thru the day and then just oxy myself to sleep at night. But I was in the recliner with ice and heat for quite a while too.

 

So...normal?







(it was a softball, man.)