# Sleeping with a broken collarbone and 2 broken ribs (on the same side)



## chainsawgeoff (Jan 25, 2012)

Seriously, this sucks. It hurts like a ***** to breathe and move in any way and I can't find a comfortable position to sleep in. Anyone have any experience dealing with this specific situation?


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## 11053 (Sep 19, 2009)

Several years ago I had two broken collarbones, grade 3 sep shoulder, and 7 broken ribs.

The only thing that worked for me for months was to sleep on my stomach.

Side sleeping was not an option.

Sleeping on my back appeared good in theory except for the fact that it was fantastically painful to get out of bed-any rolling was an instant wake up as well.

Sleeping on my stomach made the broken bones feel better and kept my shoulders pushed back + in order to get out of bed all I had to do was drop my legs off the bed and then I could stand up.

Good luck.


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## soccerdude (Aug 6, 2006)

I've never had a broken collarbone but I did have two broken ribs on the same side once. Everytime I moved in bed I could feel them move around inside. Hurt really bad too. I hate to say it and even more so to recommend it but I took a bunch of Tramadol pain pils to kill the pain and help put me to sleep. I hate to take prescription pain meds and only do so in situations such as this. Took 2 months before I could sleep without feeling the ribs move.


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## mackt (Jan 27, 2008)

Hi

Sorry to hear about your injury - I am at 4 months post crash - did right clavicle and a number of ribs.

You will be able to sneeze and move again with out it planned event in a few months.

Keep the pain relief going (more for the ribs than collarbone in my case) - that will help for the sleeping. 

I couldn't sleep on my back or front for 2 months (or in my bed)

I slept in a recliner for the first month.

Also found one of our couches was firm enough if I slept on my "good side" and wedged myself in between the base and the back, supported the ribs and the collarbone and pillows to support arm.

But I got a Hennessy Super Shelter for Christmas (fancy hammock) and I found that really comfortable and could sleep on my back- slept in that for two weeks and then into bed - but had to sleep on side.

Now Ok to sleep on front,back and side so almost back to normal.

Hope thats helps - heal fast.


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## Caffeine Powered (Mar 31, 2005)

I guess I'm an expert. I've broken both collar bones and separated a shoulder on separate occasions but worse was breaking my shoulder and ribs on one side. 

What worked for me was positioning myself on my stomach and placing a feather pillow under the injured shoulder/collar bone. It sometimes helped to sleep on the futon mattress we have in the spare bedroom since it was firmer than our regular mattress. With that I would sometimes dangle my arm over the side. 

What worked best of all was taking two oxycodone before bed. Out like a light. Then if/when I woke up in the middle of the night I'd take one and go back to sleep.

If your doctor won't prescribe Oxycodone, Tylenol PM works better than nothing.


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## dmckiwi (Feb 3, 2011)

I did the pillows under my arm and a couple behind my head and shoulders so I was propped up and loosely wore my sling in the beginning, it worked but even with codeine it still sucked so got to watch alot of late night TV.


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## chainsawgeoff (Jan 25, 2012)

thanks for the info everybody, i appreciate it. I've broken my collarbone before and had both of my shoulders reconstructed, but these ribs take the cake in the constant pain department. I have some hydrocodone but i think im gonna go ask for some higher powered stuff at least to help me sleep, it's too bad darvocet isnt on the market anymore, that stuff was awesome.

I'll post on here again once it all starts healing up.


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## 411898 (Nov 5, 2008)

I hope you are using something like Vicodin to take the edge off? It does help...


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## dth656 (Feb 12, 2009)

hydrocodone=vicodin (vicodin is the trade name i think) 

one thing that helped me sleep when i had a broken arm was using these cylindrical, super soft memory foam pillows to support the injured extremity. you might be able to use something similar to support your body into a less painful position.


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## Caffeine Powered (Mar 31, 2005)

dmckiwi said:


> loosely wore my sling in the beginning.


Sling or figure-8 brace? I can tolerate the slings, but the first time I broke my collarbone they stuck me in a the figure-8 brace and I was in massive pain. It was pulling a bone against a nerve. So the orthopedist told me to take it off. He had a low opinion of emergency physicians and their stabilization methods. He was the team doctor for the UW hockey and football teams so he had some credibility.


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## fast540 (May 29, 2011)

im three weeks in from a seperated right ac broken ribs right side and a broken left wrist im sleeping in bed now for two days but up till now built a nest of pillows to support all the sore bits then had my wife cover me in blankets


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## chainsawgeoff (Jan 25, 2012)

UPDATE

I went in to the doctor's office (different one from last week) today for a follow up x ray of my collarbone. In addition to that, he took a rib series and it turns out that I have 5 broken ribs and a partially collapsed lung. So now I get to spend this night in the hospital and they're gonna stick me in the chest to drain everything out. This is awesome.

On a positive note though, I've actually been feeling a lot better over the past few days. Dunno how that works but I'll take it.


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## Caffeine Powered (Mar 31, 2005)

chainsawgeoff said:


> UPDATE
> 
> I went in to the doctor's office (different one from last week) today for a follow up x ray of my collarbone. In addition to that, he took a rib series and it turns out that I have 5 broken ribs and a partially collapsed lung. So now I get to spend this night in the hospital and they're gonna stick me in the chest to drain everything out. This is awesome.
> 
> On a positive note though, I've actually been feeling a lot better over the past few days. Dunno how that works but I'll take it.


I had a collapsed lung in the crash that broke my shoulder and ribs. Fortunately I was on a respirator in the ICU for 12 days after they inflated it.

Hang it there, keep us up to speed. :thumbsup:


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## chainsawgeoff (Jan 25, 2012)

*Update on my broke ass*

It's been 3 weeks and the lack of 2 wheeled activity is literally killing me. Yesterday I finally broke down and put my road bike together and rode it for the first time in over a year- I never thought I would stoop so low. The worst part is that it was fun, my DH friends almost disowned me when I told them that. I ended up doing intervals and absolutely loved that my legs were burning and I was breathing hard, first time I've exerted myself since the crash and it was awesome.

The collarbone is healing properly so I'm not going to need hardware, the ribs are hurting a lot less which means I can quit the opioids and other weapons grade painkillers. My collapsed lung hasn't done anything stupid since my hospital visit when they stuck the chest tube in me. The chest tube, by the way, ended up draining 700ml of blood out of my chest cavity. I still have a bit of air in my chest but I'm seeing a pulmonary specialist this coming week and hopefully it will resolve itself without me having to get stuck again.

Here are a few photos. The first is my chest X ray, see if you can spot the breaks. First person to correctly spot them all gets an internet high five. The second is a shot of all the blood that drained out of me into this weird attache case/chemistry class beaker hybrid thing.


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## SirBrapNot (Apr 6, 2012)

Seriously? All those injuries and you're riding after 3 weeks? Give yourself a little more time man, it's worth it to heal properly. I broke a collarbone in one wreck, an elbow in another, and a scapula and 3 ribs in a 3rd. I have no permanent affects from these injuries, because I gave myself time to heal. Obviously you can get after it before the docs say you can, but 3 weeks? Knock those shenanigans off or those injuries will be with you for a very long time.


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## chainsawgeoff (Jan 25, 2012)

*Update #47*

I had another round of chest x-rays last week and it's not good news. For whatever reason, my left lung is still partially collapsed. This time it's just a bunch of air, but the collapse is at 30% which isn't good.

I'm meeting with a cardiothoracic surgeon tomorrow morning to discuss my options.  1st, the collapse has started to go away on it's own so nothing needs to be done. 2nd, it hasn't changed at all since last week and I get a one way valve installed (three kings marky mark style) and walk around for a week draining the air out of my chest. 3rd, the collapse is worse which means the underlying problem is still there and I have to get opened up.

Either way this sucks. I really hope I don't need surgery. That would put my bike park season in jeopardy, and my shiny new DH bike is already getting pissed at me for not riding it enough.

Cheers,

Geoff


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## fast540 (May 29, 2011)

go easy i got out there too fast and went down again and did a mild seperation of my other ac,4 weeks ago i seperated the other one and broke three ribs now im just a mess


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## chainsawgeoff (Jan 25, 2012)

Just saw the surgeon, I'm scheduled for surgery Friday afternoon. ****.


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## 62kona (Mar 25, 2008)

Damn man good luck. It seems like its just more bad news after more bad news. I wish the best for you. 
I know this isn't for everyone, but I found that with my last injury, (dislocated shoulder and bruised ribs, obviously not as serious but still painful to sleep) smoking a little bit of pot really helped me sleep through the night. I was on vicodine and tramadol too, but prefer the more natural method if I can.


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## pwd81 (May 2, 2011)

62kona said:


> Damn man good luck. It seems like its just more bad news after more bad news. I wish the best for you.
> I know this isn't for everyone, but I found that with my last injury, (dislocated shoulder and bruised ribs, obviously not as serious but still painful to sleep) smoking a little bit of pot really helped me sleep through the night. I was on vicodine and tramadol too, but prefer the more natural method if I can.


:skep: I wouldn't smoke anything to relieve a collapsed lung. Edibles, perhaps.


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## ozzybmx (Jun 30, 2008)

Anything with a broken collarbone is bad enough without the ribs too..... you must love sneezing.


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## SDKmann (Apr 23, 2012)

Broke my ribs last year and I dealt with it by getting a ton of foam (that egg crate looking stuff) and sleeping on that. Ive heard of friends strapping themselves into an upright position and trying to sleep like that, but I would think that you would get a worse nights sleep doing it that way.


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## Katie785 (Jul 28, 2010)

I can understand your pain! Broke my neck and 4 ribs (next to the middle of my spine) a couple years ago. I could only sleep on my back bc of the neck brace, which happened to be directly on the break of the ribs. They never healed right and my rib cage now looks wierd in a bikini.


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