Injured at work and have been in constant pain for months. Really messing with my head

[Mahalko]

Hello Everyone,

I injured my arm at work several months ago and have been off work for almost 3 months now. I am in constant pain no matter what pain relief I sought. I feel like I am getting nowhere and the pain is starting to really get to me. I want to get back to work but the pain keeps me from sleeping properly. If I can fall asleep I wake up shortly afterwards with aching pain or numbness and my fingers tingling because no matter what I do I always seem to roll onto my arm during sleep. Then I can't get back to sleep and have to take pain relief just to make the pain subside enough for me to fall back asleep or end up laying or sitting there for sometimes a couple of hours until I get back to sleep only to wake up again with pain or my arm aching again and repeat the whole process again until sleep finally takes over from exhaustion or I have had enough pain killers to put an elephant to sleep. This happens just about every night and if I am due to go back into work for my return to work program I am just so tired and exhausted and the pain has returned I can't even bring myself to get ready and end up taking more pain relief which takes a while to kick in. I am sick of taking pills and the medication is wrecking my stomach and making me feel worse.

It is making my life a misery. I can't do things around the house that I should be doing. I can't pick my 3 year old daughter up to cuddle her because it hurts my arm and because she is getting bigger and putting on some beef I can't hold her in my other arm for long till it starts to hurt from her weight. If she wakes during the night I can't pick her up to rock her back to sleep which I love to do and to give the other half a break because she works also and it is hard on her as well. It is so hard trying to tell the little one I can't pick her up as she stands at my feet arms stretched up asking for cuddles, she doesn't understand and gets frustrated and upset and the wife has to take her and then she has broken sleep which frustrates her as well. I am hoping this week to see a specialist and have an MRI scan to see what other damage I have done to cause the pain.

I just need to vent and release and I am positive the people I vent to are sick of hearing me do so..This has taken me so long to submit because even typing or writing causes pain and I have to stop for short periods to rest.. I JUST WANT MY ARM BACK... 😫😫😫😫

[Peppermintbach]

Hi Mahalko,

You are always most welcome to let out some of your frustrations (and anything else) here. I feel an emotional release in word form can be very cathartic so please feel free to vent away...

The pain from your injured arm sounds excruciating, not to mention how it’s keeping you up at night and stopping you from hugging your lovely daughter. It must break your heart to see her outstretched arms but knowing you can’t pick her up...and of course with her being 3 year old, she doesn’t quite understand why...

I would think you must be so sick of the “routine”, so to speak, of feeling pain then taking pain relief then waking up in (more) pain or to a numb arm, and being generally tired from poor sleep, which makes getting through the day that much harder. It all sounds very tiring and I truly do feel for you...

You sound like someone who really cares for your family. Your daughter clearly means so much to you, and I like how you seem to also appreciate your wife for all she does (but your injured arm is temporarily stopping you from being as actively involved as you would like).

I am reading along, and if you find writing here helpful, please feel free to vent or share whatever you would like to share...an injured arm is awful.

Kind and caring thoughts,

Pepper

[Beetle]

Hello Mahalko

I feel you. constant pain + sleepless night+ unable to do what needs to be done =depression.

I am off work too, 7 month now. I go through a similar thing. I injured m brain and neck.

I found I have to be my own advocate. If I just blindly trust the doctors I would have gone in the wrong direction. MRI sounds good. So you can see the tendons and muscles. You also should have a nerve test, you know to check if your nerve where you injured your arm is injured/compromised/squashed. You go to a Physio? I found they helped me more than any doctor. But a specialized one.

found for the frustration/depression a councilor is super helpful. I see one weekly. Shes great. JUst to keep me on the straight and narrow.

healing takes time.it sux. Keep doing what you doing. you are doing the best you can. keep researching on the web for your condition. It helps. It makes you informed and you can ask great Q at the docs !!

Please keep us updated 🙂

xx Beetle