np13’s AchillesBlog

Hello all, I’m glad I found all of these stories.. I really had no idea this condition existed.. Three other times in my life I’ve had casts on my extremities with no issues and 2 of those times on this same leg. I am 2 weeks out from surgery on my right ankle. I had a splint on the back side of my leg with gauze and wrapping from foot to just below the knee for the first 2 weeks which was absolutely fine. This past Friday I had a cast put on in basically the same area, the only difference is I the doctor pointed my toes upward to alleviate the pressure on ligaments. For reference the doctor was between a cast and boot because the cast was not really necessary to fully immobilize thee ankle but I opted for a cast if it would give me the best heal. Boy was that a mistake.. About an hour before normal bedtime I started feeling anxious. It came and went however each time it came back it grew. I tried explaining it to my wife and we did nothing but argue. I was later on the couch and figured I had 3 options. Call my doctor and plead my case to him before even knowing that cast claustrophobia was a thing, go to the ER with the same thing

Mary, I have suffered from cast claustrophobia as well. My doc prescribed a low dose of Alprazolam (Xanax) and that helped get me through it. You might give that a try. Good luck!
Paul

I am so thankful to read about the experiences from other people. I have had my ankle/foot cast on now for just 11 hours and I am experiencing extreme anxiety, a rapid heart beat, sweating, and severe claustrophobia from this cast. I decided to get out of bed rather than stay there tossing and turning. I actually woke myself up by calling out to get this cast off of my foot. I came to the internet to see if I was losing my mind, had an allergy to the cast, or if claustrophobia was at play. I never heard of a cast causing these kinds of problems. I will call my doctor as soon as possible, but it is only 2:18 AM now so I have to wait a few more hours. I even thought of driving to the emergency room to get it off. What a nightmare!

I am so relieved to read all these reports! I have just come back from the hospital cast free! I had a temporary cast for a broken elbow and after the first day I started noticing the feelings of enclosure and being trapped. It got so bad I had a panic attack and wanted to cut it off, my husband told me it wasnt a good idea but i made him free my hand. I had to take sleeping tablets to sleep but it just got worse. I was trying to hold it together and stay calm, focus on other stuff but it just wasnt working. After a breakdown at hospital they finally cut me free. I’ve never felt so good but the whole experience shook me up and the lack of control was scary. I’m due in on Tuesday, meant to be getting a proper cast on but there is no way I’m letting them do that! I saw online somewhere where they have supports which are strapped on so you can free yourself when you need to but I’m in England and these were from America. Hopefully I will find a solution but I would rather suffer my arm than my sanity! Glad I’m not alone!

Thank you so much for all of your stories! I too had panick attacks and I never had this intensity in my life. I fractured the 5th metatarsal. It was the 1st week of me wearing a real cast (the week before was a slab to wait for the foot to be less swollen and I felt fine.) I was going mad. I wanted to take my cast off from my right foot. I was thinking of things in the kitchen that can cut this cast off. I didn’t think others understood me. I didn’t want to wake my husband up because I felt bad. But it was maddening. I felt trapped. I was afraid that if I kept being in this constant stress, I could kill myself. And that thought was really scary. So I meditated and prayed. It actually helped me a lot, but I was in a constant stress. I was finally taking up a courage to ask my doctor to change back to a slab after the week 2. I was afraid he would thought I was demanding and being a troubled patient. But I cared for my sanity than my foot at this point. I was so glad he was ok with me wearing a slab. I just had to be extra careful. I am in the week 3 as I am typing. I just wanted to support any person out there to go through this or

As The guy at the emergency room was putting on my cast for my broken fibula I started feeling a little anxious ,,,, after three hours and laying in bed my husband and I were having a severe fight because I was telling him he had to find something anything to cut off the cast!!! I felt like I was losing my mind and I have never been claustrophobic before , by the next day I had tried scissors and tin snips from Home Depot The thing that finally worked to cut off the fiberglass was getting those handheld branch cutters from the garden department that can cut a five eights inch branch , when I finally got it off it was miraculous I felt so peaceful and happy I overnighted a boot from Amazon and in three days I go to see my first orthopedic appointment I don’t know what to do I can’t go back in a cast I’ll just go crazy . My own story of cast claustrophobia

Email notifications at every phase of the transport process. Deducible distribution, from the minute the parcel is collected to its ultimate drop off.

you will certainly have the ability to go into the Musically area. There you will certainly give a username and also password of your option for your account.

Ely - I am very much like you. Ended up being prescribed Valium and it really helped but I did not want to be on that for the entire time so my doc got me into a boot after a week. Good to hear there was a solution for you. I am good in confined spaces and have been caving and scuba diving but the constriction on my limbs seems to be a problem. I have often thought how I would have managed if I were in the same position as Stuart Diver.

i am 70 yr F who suffers from claustrophobia with a broken humerus. had a slab on for 2-3 weeks. first 3 days were horrendous. cast was digging in - inside of top of arm and forearm. I was very weepy and felt very trapped. i woke up with nightmares about the COLUMBAN MINERS and Stewart DIVER who was trapped for 63 after a landslide in Thredbo NSW. Two physios at hospital just suggested cotton wool to relieve pressure.
Had sarmentio brace put on 16th march but by the evening it was digging into my armpit like cheesewire and i was having very severe panic attacks pacing the floor and knew i would have to go back to hospital to get some of it cut off. I was crying so my husband gave me 2 panadol forte which knocked me out. The next day the lovely physios in plaster room cut off my brace and strapped it to my arm and said that there was no need for to feel trapped anymore because i could always take it off. i just needed to tighten the straps as it got looser. Knowing this has taken away all the stress. They also told me I was not alone - many people feel trapped when in a cast

Ron M- Hope you return to keep us updated. The good thing about this site is the way it lists recent posts, so even non-active posts are seen when someone posts on them. I’m glad you took the time to “Pay it Forward” I’m scheduled for surgery in a few days and even though I am not normally claustraphobic, (I do have a small fear of heights.) I have had my moments of “crazy” this past year with multiple medication changes etc from the numerous physicians I see for my problems. Trying to figure out how to get a policeman to stop and shot me the day after I started a new pain med had me asking my daughter to take me to the ER because I knew my thoughts were not normal ones. I’ve found I’m VERY seceptable to meds that have dual pain/depression properties and have to be very vigilant about talking to my doctors on how they affect me.

So I’m very glad you found this post and posted. I won’t “worry” about it but I know to be aware of the possibility now should the “crazies” return post-op.

Well, it looks like this thread of valuable information has been dormant for quite some time, but the very nature of how invaluable it has been to read all the insightful comments here has compelled me to post and hopefully pay it forward to the next person that finds themselves in the same situation and questioning their sanity as a result.
Only a few days ago I slipped on some ice hidden under fresh coat of snow and my foot went right and the leg went left. Broken ankle. Emergency room visit provided my a temp “stability cast” which was made a bit tighter the following day when seeing the ortho specialist. I am due for surgery requiring screws and plates –and what I am sure is a regular cast in less then a week when the swelling subsides so I am still in the same “cast” which is wrapped together. It wasn’t until last night (day 4) that I was trying to find the “sweet spot” to elevate my leg. It was at this point–late at night that for the first time in my 49yrs on this earth that I experienced what I can only describe as a true panic attack. The feeling of my heel sweating…sticking to the gauze under wrapping….the knowled

I am so sorry you had to go through those panic attacks. Unless a person has experienced it, it is difficult to imagine how catastrophic it feels. Even when you tell yourself you are bing irrational, it doesn’t help. I am no different than you so I wanted you to know you are not alone. In fact, I told my surgeon I didn’t think I would repair if it meant being In a cast and he agreed to put me straight into a walking boot. Even though I didn’t take it off initially, just knowing that I could if I wanted made all the difference. I am almost four weeks post op and I think things are going pretty well. I hope you are doing okay and I may so glad your doctor agreed to out you in the boot. Be very careful and keep it nice and snug. Best wishes for a speedy recovery,

I am so sorry you had to go through those panic attacks. Unless a person has experienced it, it is difficult to I again how catastrophic it feels. Even when you tell yourself you are bing irrational, it doesn’t help. I am no different than you so I wanted you to know you are not alone. In fact, I told my surgeon I didn’t think I would repair if it meant being In a cast and he agreed to put me straight it I a walking boot. Even though I didn’t take it off initially, just knowing that I could if I wanted made all the difference. I am almost four weeks post op and I think things are going pretty well. I hope you are doing okay and I may so glad your doctor agreed to out you in the boot. Be very careful and keep it nice and snug. Best wishes for a speedy recovery,

Hello RoseMary

I hope that you’re feeling nice and calm today, feet up nice and high, so important at this early stage. Easy for new atr victims to feel a little hysterical but it usually settles down when you know what is going on now and what is going to happen over the next 12 months.

Interesting that you wanted to have the stress of an operation as well as suffering with the broken tendon but I guess the jury is still out on which way to go (sometimes depends I think on whether you want the cut and stitch route or a more relaxed non surgery procedure), although complicated because many of the medics don’t seem to be up to speed with best practice. Don’t worry here though, yours will be fine, you have the boot nice and early, and they’ll be having you mobile and exercising by September, and in 2 sensible shoes in October. Might want to check the fit of that boot - you should be able to get it nice and snug.

Where are you based?

Hi guys, well you lot have done way better than me! I have never had panic attacks about anything and have had a number of surgeries which didn’t faze me in the slightest - however my “partial” atr went into a cast & I was fine for a while then had two massive attacks. Calmed down after xanex & my sister shouting at me. Had to go to my local a&e the next day who put it in a backslab which wasn’t as bad (although I was trying to unwrap it a bit). Outpatients two days later and still no scan and was told I’d be in a cast for 4 then 6 weeks. By the time the full cast was on I was going bananas - I was clawing at it and by the time we were home I was a mess and trying to take a hammer to it!!
My sister rang a recommended ankle guy who couldn’t understand why I wasn’t scanned & recommended presenting myself at his a&e.
So the next morning I went - as soon as they split the cast down the side I was fine - it was still in but allll anxiety was gone.

2 days later I went for a scan finally - all this time being told it was a partial - eh no! It was a full tear and required immediate surgery!! After much begging pl

I have just cut myself out of part of my cast and now feel much better. It felt far too big, I now have a cast more like an ankle boot which feels much better and my foot is still immobilised.

Bobby, in addition to meds and relaxation techniques, you may be able to argue your way into a boot. You still have to keep your foot 100% immobilized, NWB and protected for the first ~2 weeks, but you may find it comforting just to know that you COULD take the boot off. Starting ~14 days in, it’s recommended by most of the best protocols - like bit.ly/UWOProtocol - to remove the boot for gentle seated exercises and gentle PT. Casts don’t allow that.

@cwessels — If you have emailed Dennis (creator of this site) at achillesblog@gmail.com and received your user id and password, your personal blog should be at: achillesblog.com/cwessels, assuming that cwessels is the name that he set you up with.

Then all you do is go to achillesblog.com, log in by clicking on “Log in” link on left side of screen. Then you should be transferred to the admin part of your blog. At the top to the right of middle you can post your first blog by clicking on the New Post button/menu.

If you can’t log in or have other issues, I guess you should email Dennis.

Good luck!

Bobby,

I know exactly what you mean I remember wondering if I had anything in my kitchen that would take off a cast. I don’t know what your history with meds is, (1mg of atavan in the evening helped me), but if you don’t want to use meds, the other thing that helped was deep breathing and focused relaxation. I found that thinking about my foot was actually better that trying to put it out of my mind, I just took deep. slow breaths, and concentrated on keeping my foot soft and still and totally relaxed. Find something calming and reassuring to read. Even if you’re not religious, the psalms can be very helpful, especially #91. If not that, something else that’s meditative and soothing. Quite, relaxing music can also help. Good luck.

First off, I am a very claustrophobic person and now four days in this cast for Achilles repair. I am having panic attacks like crazy and was actually charging my air tools when I caught myself. I wake up in cold sweats and feel very confined. I don’t do CT scans, MRI’s, or anything confined without meds. Does anyone have a suggestion on a exercise or way go get over the initial onset? With all due respect, it is good go see a site like this to help people with this condition.

A few folks here have had trouble “winning the mental game”, Bree. The injury is a bummer for all of us, though lots of your neighbours are suffering with worse. Stay sane, keep coping. There aren’t any freak-out moves that will make anything any better — definitely including cutting off your cast!

Bree - I felt the same about the cast and I found I had a type of claustrophobia. Go to your GP Doc. He can help you with some medication to ease the anxiety in the short term and then see about getting into a boot ASAP.

Stay calm Bree. When was your atr? Can I suggest that you post on the main blog, achillesblog.com or create your own blog within it? Do you have a rehab protocol and timeline? Op or non-op?

Take it in small chunks of time and try to manage what you expect and when. Definitely read the posts regularly - helps you to understand that you are not alone in this. Masses of real life experience too.

If you’ve been in the cast for more than 2 weeks, ask why. In many cases you could be in a boot after diagnosis, and certainly at 2 weeks. Mobility as soon as possible, and don’t leave the weight bearing too long.

Keep posting - being ‘crazy’ will slow you down! But I know what you mean…

OMG I went through this last night, which is how I found this thread. I can’t deal with this cast, I just can’t. It’s all I can think about, it’s making me crazy and I am not normally crazy or dramatic. I fear I will cut it off at home tonight!

Hey there cwessels I also suffer from tendonosis in both legs much worse in the left am in a boot now for less than a week after trying eccentrics for 3 months plus physical therapy and iontophoresis . Did u have a Debridement or tendon transfer and how are you doing? My doc suggest no surgery at this point the MRI shows tendon thickness but no partial or full tear although I am sure there are many micro tears . This site is wonderful many good folks on to encourage you and offer sound advice I have found a few wonderful folks here.how long have u had the tendonosis and did u try orthotics and such first as well? Hang in there it will get better I hear!

I suffer from achilles tendonitis in both legs and had surgery on the left one on Tuesday, April 10. I ran across this blog today and am finding the posts really helpful. This is the first day that I haven’t taken pain pills during the day. I’ve switched to ibuprofren. Didn’t realize I was going to have a cast and just today received the cast cover I ordered Tuesday, following the surgery. Am looking forward to a real shower tomorrow! But first, I’ll need to crawl up a flight of stairs.

Can anyone tell me how to start a blog on this site? I’ve created a user ID and received a password but can’t seem to find where to begin. I know it must be staring me straight in the face somewhere!

np13- I also had an experience very similar to yours. I had a broken fibula and a dislocated ankle (surgery with a plate and screws).
My “attacks” happened twice; both times in the evening. It was always much harder for me when the sun set… I became really nervous about night time coming.
I too thought I was going insane and it felt like a rabbit hole that I might not be able to come back out of. The worst thing I have experienced in my life and I consider myself a brave person. I am lightly claustrophobic (I am OK with elevators but not so good with MRI’s). This was a feeling like I was trapped/locked in a 2′ by 2′ box and couldn’t get out… but there was no box. I can also remember thinking while I was going through this that I did not want to live with this feeling…. Could not live with this mental state and I have never had that thought before in my life. I can remember thinking please let me not remember exactly how this feels. It was very traumatic. That is the best way I can describe it. And if you are not a claustrophobic person I don’t think you are going to “get” any of this.
Both times I had thes

Hello np3…i’m sure you are out of your cast by now! congratulations..i envy you. i just had Achilles’ tendon surgery 6 days ago and have already had some minor cast induced panic attacks. this same thing happened to me 2 years ago when i had another similar injury. this time i asked the dr. to prescribe something…he did…prescribing an anti depressant, Trazodone..i think it’s helping a little but i TOTALLY relate to waking up in the middle of the night and going somewhat crazy…”let my foot out of prison!” I was thinking today about a way I could explain the feeling…similar to when I used to ski and I recall a great feeling that I had at the end of a long ski day when I would unbuckle my ski boots and remove my feet…ahhh…how sweet. I just WISH I could reach down NOW and be able to do the same with this cast….drats…I guess I’ll just have to hunker down and try to keep it together…here we go!

omg. this baby is

I don’t even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good. I do not know who you are but certainly you are going to a famous blogger if you aren’t already Cheers!

[...]very few websites that happen to be detailed below, from our point of view are undoubtedly well worth checking out[...]…

About a year ago, somebody started a popular page with a title like “That @#$%^& 1-leg heel raise!”, where we all compared notes — and a lot of frustration at the “plateau”!

First ATR, the 1LHRs came at something like 20 weeks. (And I did too many of them that first day, and I went back into a boot — with pain, even! — for a MONTH!!)

Second ATR, I think I’ll probably never get back to a full-height 1LHR with a straight knee. But amazingly, it doesn’t seem to have slowed me down in any way — even when playing 2-on-2 beach volleyball or 4-on-4 court volleyball, or skiing hard and fast on expert slopes in Whistler, or bicycling. . .(!). I’m pleasantly surprised how little that particular demonstration of calf strength seems relate to running and jumping and diving and such.

re the swimming, i’ve never heard of those dangers, though i’m also not a PT and unfortunately am not in PT so not sure… i haven’t had ANY problems w/cramping other than a small cramp in the toes of my “bad” foot the other day.. but that quickly went away. swimming has been awesome for me.

Hmm, not sure how to describe my boot.. looking on the back of the heel it says “MAXTRAX”.. big black, soft boot w/velcro straps. has been pretty easy to drive in except for one incident 1 week ago where i thought i was stopping, but d/t the width of the boot, i was actually pressing on both pedals at the same time, causing my car to lurch fwd and almost hit the car in front of me.. thankfully i quickly figured out what was happening and readjusted.

I’m behind in reading posts, so forgive me for chiming in at this late date. I was getting irritated reading your original post about how snarky your doctor is. I’d fire him. I agree with Ryanb that the docs work for you. At a minimum they need to respond to your questions in a timely manner, without the attitude, and if they can’t pass that simple test you should move on. Find someone who will take an interest in your medical journey and help facilitate a full recovery. I don’t think that’s too much to ask. Sounds like this guy should have found another profession where sarcasm is appreciated.

A good PT can help you navigate the road ahead. Even with a supportive doctor, the PT takes over with some very general guidelines from a doctor. So, assuming your surgery protocol was routine (no complications) I think that a PT with experience in achilles tendon repair rehab (that’s important) can easily deliver on the rehab plan for you and be your partner in healing. Good luck!

Regarding swimming, my doctor said no swimming or pool running (non- weight bearing) until she sees me this month. It will be 11 weeks post op when I see her. Initially she was worried about an infection at the incision, but once that heals she was worried about the torque provided by kicking (a swimming friend who is also a physical therapist commented prior to my surgery that I should stop kicking because the torque is a bit too much on the ankle/achilles). Water is a lot more resistant than water, as you know, so there is a concern that you exert too much pressure when pool running (what I did exclusively for quite a while prior to surgery). Perhaps swimming with a pool buoy would work for you.

My surgeon and PT both gave me the OK to start swimming before 7 weeks. No mention of a cramping risk.

I know products like Cytomax can help endurance athletes prevent/reduce cramping; but I think the underlying mechanism (electrolyte imbalance) is different that what your PT is worried about. Still, it might be worth investigating.

The only calf cramps (spasms) I encountered were when I was immobilized. Getting my joint moving (eg. swimming) didn’t cause calf cramps, it made them go away.

All that said, I’ve had toe cramps when swimming (not since my ATR), so I understand the risk. Like everything, you’ve got to balance the risks vs. the benefits, and decide what’s right for you. It might be worth a quick call to your surgeon for a 2nd opinion.

Hey just a quick question that maybe someone can help me with…..I am 7 1/2 weeks post op and am in two shoes now and everything seems to be going to be going fairly well, although I am alot slower now in 2 shoes than I was in my boot. My question is, when I went to see my pt I asked her about swimming and she told me that I definitely should not swim. She said that the problem with swimming is there is a chance that a person will get a cramp in their calf due to the postion a person’s foot is when they swim and this cramp could cause tearing in the tendon. Has anyone heard of this? Would love to start swimming! Thanks!

Hi, I too am addicted to working out. I’ve also kept up the upper body weight workouts as well as abs & lower body w/o weights. The hard part was getting in the cardio. I haven’t gone swimming yet but got the go ahead yesterday.I am 5 wks post op. My question to you is what type of boot you are wearing? I have a very clunky,non-flexible walking boot. I drive left footed easily but am interested in the boot that allows you to drive & cycle. Thanks for your exercise post…it’s always interesting to hear how others are doing!

thank you for the info bcurr.. much appreciated!

Your achilles is not 100% knitted together until week 12. Healing long at a guess is happening whilst its still knitting together so its most likely the earlier in them 12 weeks than the later, probably when the first 2 collagen layers are happening (google “achilles collagen type 1 2 3″ for more info)

Not much you can do until you are full healed I think (12 weeks) but the test is:

* Lie on a bed, on your front
* Feet off the edge, completely relaxed
* How your foot hangs on your good foot is normal
* If your heel is further away from your leg then that is heeling long. The amount is key though as a ruptured tendon will usually be a tiny bit longer anyway. How much though is something best answers by a doc/PT

I don’t have a good answer for you np13, but can direct you to a good conversation we had on this topic not too long ago:

AchillesBlog.com/ryanb/2011/10/05/healing-long/