anyone had to have a metal plate screwed into bone?

had my arm done 2 1/2 years ago and today i have woke up in ALOT of pain from it. had pain before but this is just mental. constant throbbing *dont make any rude jokes* and just hurts whenever i move it.

just wondering if this is the norm or if i have fubar'd my arm somehow.

[L3nny]

I have a plate in my collar bone and it's pretty uncomfortable sometimes. Go to the doc and see if you can get it removed. I am on the waiting list to get mine removed after only 6 months.

[NTECUK]

Off to the doctors young man. Better safe than sorry.

wasnt sure they removed them anymore. i was told it stays in and the bone will grow onto/around it. if it keeps up like this all day and tomorrow, i'll go to the docs. cheers mate

[L3nny]

The only remove them if there is a reason too as there is a risk with any surgery (and it's expensive) they said I didn't have to have it removed but because the collar bone is near the skin you can see all the metalwork and I am vain so I'm getting it removed.

I think an trip to the docs would be advisable just to get it checked out.

[Messie]

I was given a good bit of advice once - if the pain is so much that 2 paracetamol doesn't touch it, then seek medical advice.

[Winder]

Some plates are designed to be temporary and some permanent. After 2.5 years your plate was designed to stay in there. I would go to a walk in centre, they can X-ray and examine your arm without having to wait a lifetime at A&E. If you need a CT or need to see a specialist to check for trapped nerve or something they can book you in at your local hospital which again saves the A&E wait.

[ixlr8]

Had to have my tibial plate out after 2 years because of intractable pain. Easy as...and beautifully pain-free after.

I have had plates and screws in my leg for 40 years and it is only in the last couple of years it has started to give me grief. When I asked about getting it/them removed, because the bone had grown around/over them I was told it was MAJOR surgery and I was better off taking strong pain killers.I know it sounds simple enough to remove the metal work but remember the risks that go with surgery.By all means consult with your doctor and let him either refer you or give you advice.
As a younger person who would heal much quicker the prognosis may be different in your own case but everybody I know has had pain in later life,it is just the degree of pain that seems to vary.

[Littlepeahead]

I managed to detatch the plate from the bone. Which wasn't as painful as you'd expect, but it did then mean a bone graft when I had it put back on again. Then 6 months after the op I had the plate removed. Apparently they do usually stay in, but mine was a bit lumpy against the armour in my jacket. The surgeon said he knew I'd be asking to get it taken out so he'd planned ahead and used special screws. 6 months after that the scar was still a bit lumpy and sore so he got me in again and did some nerve fixing and cosmetic work.

It won't surprise you that this was not NHS. Cost over £10k. My surgeon is fantastic, widely regarded as one of the best. But he does still do NHS at St Thomas's in London if you do want to see someone about getting a plate removed from arm or shoulder.