Post Tibial Plateau Fracture....

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Hello out there!!

8 and half months ago I was in a minor accident that resulted in a Tibial Plateau Fracture. I was out riding my eBike with some friends, and we got a bit tangled. Everyone was fine... until the guy that weighs 300lbs decided to loose balance and come down right on my knee! Result was a crushed area across my tibial plateau that was 16cm deep by 35cm wide. As you can imagine, I was in the hospital for about a week (the hospital I work at no less... being taken care of by your coworkers sucks almost more than the leg did!)... then I was in a wheelchair for a couple of months. Off work for 4 and a half months total.

Before the accident, I was really into weight lifting and in the gym 3-5x a week. I could eat basically whatever I wanted (within reason) and could still maintain an appropriate body-weight. I liked it like that.

Post accident, I had to move in with my Grandmother for 2 months as I couldn't get a wheelchair in my apartment and my family didn't want me living alone so soon after (parent's house not wheelchair friendly either). Now, I know most grandmothers are supposed to stuff you full.... but I ended up hearing "you're too fat to be allowed to eat" every time I went to put something in my mouth. The result of which was me eating at night (only things easily grabbed, as I couldn't cook for myself or anything like that) after she went to bed as I was sooo hungry. Even though I was in a wheelchair at the time, my body was burning so many calories trying to heal that even with the eating at night I still lost a lot of weight.

Fast forward though the rest of the 2 months... and I'm back at home in my apartment, alone. With chips, and cookies, and ice cream, and everything else full of sugar I wanted. Mom and Dad felt guilty over what I went though my my Grandmother (as I had called them crying in hunger pains several times). And I thought to myself... "well damn, I deserve this candy!!!" I was still doing physio 2+ hours daily, etc, etc.

The weight kinda creeped on.

2 weeks ago I noticed my largest pairs of pants were getting a little tight around the middle. 1 week ago, I stepped on the scale and said enough is enough!! But I can't lift weights any longer because of the injury (causes me incredible pain)... so here I am, counting calories for probably the first time ever.

The first couple days of the 1200 calorie diet were hard. Feels a bit like being back in the nightmare of my Grandmother's house... only, at least, this time I get to control it! Luckily, I bought a stationary bike (one of the only exercises I can do) a few weeks ago, so I can usually eat 1400-1600 calories a day in the end.

4lbs lost last week... 50lbs to go. I feel like I'm heading in a good direction. Fingers crossed!!

Replies

  • Thelmasgirl54
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    Congratulations on having lost 4 lbs so far! I joined MFP about 9 weeks ago and had lost almost five pounds before breaking both my tibia and fibula in one leg. The tibia has three fractures and the fibula has one fracture. I have enough metal in my leg that I will probably never clear airport security again ???? I am still non weight bearing. I am trying to eat healthy, but have not been tracking my food since the accident. I am hoping to start pt in 1-2 weeks. My goal at the start of this journey was to loose 50 lbs..... I hope that is still all I have to loose once I can get out of the wheelchair!

    Keep up the good work.
  • treasured_one
    treasured_one Posts: 13 Member
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    Thanks! Congrats on your weight loss so far as well!

    I wouldn't be surprised if you lost more weight while the bone is healing, because it takes a lot of calories to do that. I run a group on facebook for Tibial Plateau Fracture Recovery, and most people on there have reported an initial weight drop.

    The trouble comes after the bones are healed (about 2 months)... especially if you feel like you deserve ALL the yummy treats because you're broken. That's the trap I fell into. I think that if you are careful and don't fall into that trap, you will be just fine weight-wise.

    I am going to add you on here, as I wish to follow your recovery! I hope so far it has been going smoothly!
  • erin97426
    erin97426 Posts: 1 Member
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    i too suffered a tibial plateu falling off a step ladder in 2011. i now carry 5 screws and a very large long metal plate on one side. i have become severely overweight and am now in the process of losing it (8 lbs so far). i am going slow and walking almost everyday. i can now walk and not be in pain however my knee under the scars will swell up. Will that ever go away?
    can i run? i have never run before and i wanted to add a little umph to my walks. i tried little bits at a time and still no pain.
    thanks all!