How long does a fractured foot bone take to heal?

[artforartssake]

Three weeks ago, while walking down the stairs in my building I lost my footing and missed the last stair. My foot landed on a wooden doorstopper lying on the floor and I went sliding and twisted my right foot. The pain was excruciating but I thought it was just a bad bruise that would heal itself in a few days.

When that didn’t happen, I went for an x-ray five days after the accident and the diagnosis was “a minimally displaced fracture through the base of the 5th metatarsal”.

My doc said that it takes 6 weeks to heal and that in the meantime I should rest and take it easy. He said there was nothing else that could be done and also told me to take Voltaren 25mg twice a day for the pain.

But the day after seeing the doc and getting the x-rays, the pain was so bad that I went to hospital emergency. I was seen by a physio, who fitted me with a special boot, which I now wear around the house.

However, I don’t seem to be making any progress and the pain is still intense. I can’t walk without the boot and I’ve been mostly housebound since the accident. The pain is particularly bad in the mornings after waking. I can’t put on a normal shoe and the foot is still blue and bruised at the impact site.

The Voltaren didn’t help and caused me to have nausea. I tried Panadol and Nurofen but they don’t help much either. Now I just take 4 Panamax tabs a day but they also don’t seem to make much diff.

I’m supposed to be going on an overseas trip in three weeks time and I’m really worried. Fortunately, the trip is mainly to visit family so it won’t involve a lot of sightseeing or other activity.

What should I do? How long will this take to heal? Based on the lack of any progress so far I feel that the doc's assessment of a six-week healing time is way too optimistic.

I guess I should also mention that this same (right) foot was injured about 15 years ago. A “Morton’s neuroma” was diagnosed (that’s some kind of bunching of the nerves) and it was operated on. It took at least a year or two to fully recover from that.

Thanks in anticipation for any suggestions/advice..

[2106greencat]

I am codeine intolerant so can not take this but hear it is very a good pain reliever.

Panadeine Forte - it used to be prescription only but I think it is now available from the chemist over the counter

[kengillard]

don't think so...too powerful a drug to be over the counter.

[**meep**]

Panadeine Forte is definitely not available 'over the counter'.

[kengillard]

http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcmed.nsf/pages/swcpanaf//$file/swcpanaf.pdf

[artforartssake]

Thanks all, yes I'm sure the previous injury and Morton's neuroma have aggravated the problem and made it worse than it would otherwise have been

I also don't want to go to a specialist, never had much joy from them and really, what could he or she do for me? An op is out of the question

so I guess what I'd like to know is:

1. Should I cancel my overseas hol (due to leave 20 May)?

2. What can I do NOW to mitigate the pain and make life a bit more bearable?

3. What can I do to speed up the recovery process and to get to a point where I can at least walk outside

(The boot is useful but it's heavy and cumbersome, takes ages to tie up, hurts my foot getting into and out of it and causes it's own probs - it's so big in front that I sometimes knock it against furniture or a wall which causes more pain)

[**meep**]

I don't think there is anything you can do to speed up the process of healing a fracture.  It is a matter of not prolonging it.  You need to stay off it and somehow try to explain it to your wife.  Perhaps take her with you to see your doctor so she has a better understanding of the injury and the recovery process.

I broke my leg when I was young; spiral fracture of the sheen.  I remember my whole leg being in plaster cast for 8 weeks.

20th of May would make it approx 6 weeks since the accident, is that right??  It depends how your foot is by then, what you're planning on doing during your holidays.  A lot of walking?  Relaxing mainly ??

[**meep**]

I have just read that ibuprofen (Nurofen) is not recommended for pain relief while recovering from bone fractures, something to do with blocking inflammatory responses that help broken bones to heal themselves.  You might want to check with your doctor or a pharmacist.

[artforartssake]

Hi Meep, in answer to your questions: Yes, by the time I leave on my trip, it will be almost exactly 6 weeks since the accident.

Trip plan is 3 days in Singapore, where I was hoping to do a bit of sightseeing & shopping, then onto Sth Africa for 3 weeks, to visit fam. Very little is planned so I will pretty much be able to relax a lot of the time

But still, do I want to go away and be immobile and miserable most of the time?

[**meep**]

I completely understand.  I'd love to be able to say just go on the trip, by then your foot will be a lot better or should be.  I would treat the 6 weeks as a minimum time to recover.  Discuss it with your doctor, get a second opinion maybe and see what they recommend in regards to your trip and remember, the more stress you put on it now, the longer it will take to heal.

[**meep**]

Is this a family holiday?  will your wife be unhappy if you cancel the holiday? 😉