Fractured Rib Recovery and BPC-157

[Luv2Ski]

I sustained a non-displaced rib fracture and a tiny pneumothorax from skiing about a week ago on rib #5.  (Left side rib) When I fell I smacked right on top of the buoy and then proceeded to do several flips down the lake.   My lungs are fine & that part of the injury is healing very fast.  I'm wondering if anyone has experience with fractured rib recovery and/or the use of peptide therapy (specifically BPC-157) in trying to heal from injuries.   The nurse at the ER told me to sit and do nothing for 4-6 weeks but that sounds like pure torture for a highly active person like myself.  I have a trainer 2 days a week and I'm used to skiing multiple sets 3-4 days a week.  I have only been walking, doing light/gentle stretches and a few unweighted squats and lunges over the last week.  The lower half of my body feels great and I feel no pressure, strain or pain in doing any unweighted squats or lunges but I'm being told it's probably not good to do anything other than walk and stretch for at least a few weeks.  Does anyone have experience with this?  If so, when did you start exercising lightly, and when were you able to ski again?  My trainer suggested trying BPC-157 for faster healing and my natural path doctor agreed with this idea.  She also suggested a few other natural supplements (specifically for bone and lungs) to help things heal faster.  I trust this natural path and she has always helped me feel better when traditional doctors have failed, so I'm going to try it and see how it goes.  Wish me a fast recovery and send me any tips you have!  I'm already going stir crazy and it's only been a week. 

[dave2ball]

@Luv2Ski I recently used BPC-157 for a hamstring injury. I did feel that it helped me recover quicker along with PT. I believe it is worth a try. 6 week cost for everything is around 300.00. I would do it again if need be.  

[S1Pitts]

I have had broken ribs 3 times from skiing. I found regardless of what I took it was 6 weeks before I could handle the ski loads. Report back on how your recovery goes.

[Rednucleus]

Even a tiny pneumothorax is significant and requires time to heal. Think of it as kind of like a concussion for your brain - your chest took a big hit and you kind of need it to work well all the time - unlike a sprained ankle or pulled hamstring that you can nurse along even if it's not fully healed.  Rest and heal now, ski later - rather than push it and don't ski for a lot longer.

Full disclosure - I'm a veterinarian, not a physician - but the animal parts work the same as ours!

[Luv2Ski]

@Rednucleus Thank you.  The medical director said it was a 5% pneumothorax if that helps give any more context.  They actually missed everything at the hospital originally and discharged me saying I was just bruised up.  Then after I was home for about 30 minutes the hospital called back to say someone else looked at the CT scans and they totally screwed up and shouldn't have discharged me.  They said I had a fractured rib, small pneumothorax and a pulmonary contusion and I needed to come back to the hospital so they could do more scans and keep an eye on me.  They wanted to make sure the pneumothorax wasn't expanding.  It wasn't expanding and they still couldn't see anything on the additional x-rays so they let me go home.  My breathing got better very quickly according to the spirometer they gave me.  We took the baseline that day, and I have gone way above where I was so breathing is good. I am resting and definitely don't want to delay healing.  I'd rather heal correctly (and as fast as possible) vs. push anything and delay getting back on the water. I fully appreciate the input because this is all new to me and the first time I have had this type of injury.  I'm literally just walking, and doing light stretches.  That is practically stationary compared to my normal pace.  I understand not to touch any weights, not to do any fast movements, not to do any cardio or put pressure on my chest or lungs for a few weeks.  I am assuming the light leg work is fine (it feels totally fine to me) but I'm getting mixed reports.   Injuries suck.  

[swaterkd]

they recently banned this.

[34mph]

You can still get it with the right Dr. 

[FishFreq]

I fractured a couple ribs last fall skiing, and being that it's bone you're healing, only time will fix that. Mine took 7 weeks before they stopped popping and became stationary enough to lift heavier weights and ski. Sounds like your lungs would be fine by then. I would think this would not be the right application for peptide therapy? 

A friend and I will be doing bpc-157 here soon for pesky soft tissue shoulder injuries, and I can update you on how that goes when the procedure begins....  

[Luv2Ski]

@FishFreqThanks.  Keep me posted on your friend.  I've been doing a lot of research and it seems this peptide can help speed all kinds of healing so we shall see.  It's worth a try to me.  So far I am only hearing good things about it.  My lungs feel just fine, but my rib doesn't.  Sometimes I do feel a little click or tiny pop when fully breathing in.  I don't quite get what that is from though if there is just a tiny fracture and there isn't anything truly broken to cause a bump or pop.  It's subtle but it's there. 

[Luv2Ski]

A quick update for anyone who might be interested.  I'm 4.5 weeks post-injury.  The first 2 weeks were rough.  It was hard to breathe, I had a lot of pain, I couldn't lay on my injured side, and I had to move slowly.  At the start of the 3rd week, I started BPC-157.   I started feeling dramatically better within a few days.  I'm not sure if it's just a coincidence, but in the 3rd week, my pain level went down dramatically.  I've been doing squats, lunges, etc... (lower body exercises) and just started to do light upper body work (holding light weights during lower body exercises and arm band work) at the 4.5 week mark.  I still feel my rib if I have a big, heavy sneeze, or lay flat on my back to stretch but otherwise, I'm not noticing it too much anymore.   I can lay on my side, twist, stretch, and I have full range of motion everywhere.  The clicking I kept feeling is gone as well!  At 4 weeks I did a quick down and back at the lake on two skis.  I didn't spin (because I'm not at all used to riding 2 skis and didn't want to take any chances) but it didn't hurt or aggravate anything at all.  Sometime within the next week I will try riding the trick ski to start getting a few ski muscles back.  I won't do any tricks and risk taking a slam, but I'll just ride back and forth with no risk of falling.  I may try that on the slalom as well.