The nurse uses a drill like tools with a small circular cutter blade, the one she likes is smaller and is attached to a vacum so the dust does not fly every where. It only goes through the cast as she cuts through the front and the back of cast,it tickles . She may need a tool to pry the cut open. Then she takes scissors with a safety guard and cuts through the gauze sock that is under the cast. She then can remove your cast. Yes it is smelly with the long arm cast, after six weeks in my case! The shorter cast is not as bad after two more weeks of wear.
The skin is interesting! I used Neosporin on sores and red spots, even the white dead skin so it was easier to peal off.
I now have a removable splint to use when not in bed or just up watching TV or to let arm take a shower finally 🙂 with out it being covered in a plastic bag , hanging out the shower door :)! Need to wear this for four more weeks!
Doctor also says not to lift anything heavier then a pencil! To work on exercising my fingers /joints , like when cast was on and get hand to make a fist once again, so I do not lose the use of it!
Doctor said also,That I will still need to elevate my arm and may use ice at times . I still have swelling on the back of my hand below my fingers. I am badly bruised so there is still pain.
Ann
Best Answer – Chosen by Voters at Ask Yahoo
Been there, done that. what happens is that they take the big cutter thing and cut off the cast. You might think its going to hurt but it tickles A LOT! When you take it off , your hand just falls flat and its feels very weak and small. Since its been in a cast for so long, your skin will be VERY dry and peeling. It smells pretty bad but you’re allowed to take it home if you want!
Up-date
I had the tight cast up over my hand so long, too long! I have lost my knuckle on my little finger! I can almost get the rest of my hand into a fist. The thumb and down my arm was a killer with pain for a long time before I could get it under my fingers in my palm! Oh yes when I exercise it still all hurts:) My arm is weak and still bruised, it is now July 2011! Broken October 2010…. till now is amazing! I never dreamed what a cast can do to you!
Ann
Something new!
After designer Jake Evills broke his arm, he created the Cortex Cast as a solution. A breathable, light, recyclable and washable exoskeleton that mimics the body’s inner bone structure.
Redwood Forest 
How did you get the smell off of your
hand. I just got my cast off and my hand stinks can’t get the smell out.
you should regually wash it with hot soapy water x about 3 times a day x more if REALLY smelly!! lol x i normally spray it with a bit of spray deodrant to help fight bacteria x so do this process daily and it should go in a week or less x hope youareok with your incident xx
I tried every soap and bath product I had ! Even Lava bar soap and still had to wait for it to fade away! Felt like putting a clothes pin on my nose or wearing a mask!
My hand is still deformed to this day! From having the cast on too long and too tight up over my hand! I lost the joints on my little finger where they froze up!
Even with trying to exercise with the cast on and always working the very painful hand and fingers after the last cast came off!
Boy I thought I was going to lose my thumb for awhile there also! It hurt like heck to exercise it! Can not make a fist to this day! it has been over a year now!
For some reason when I get goosbumps in my left arm under my full arm cast, it feels like tiny knives going through my skin. The pain is horrible whenever i get goosbumps, please tell me what it is? Is it because the docs had to manipulate my arm back in place (dislocated) and the nerves are damaged?? I have had my arm in a cast for 5 weeks.
I am so glad I read this info. You get hardly any information from doctors. When my cast came off (it was on for over seven weeks), my elbow which was broken was really sore. My wrist (which was not hurt in the accident, had no movement). The doctor admitted I should not be in this much pain, but just said I would need some exercise. I have not been able to sleep at night, as I am in so much agony.The thought of physiotherapy in the first week of being free was too much. I will attend next week. I will post information about the exercises next week. The cast did not smell when removed though. I was surprised because it is summer in New Zealand. My arm looked so thin and weak. My wrist in contrast is really swollen. I can hardly see my knuckles.
The cast had been set on a funny angle. I think this may contribute to the pain i am in now.
I just my cast off and my arm stinks,is pealing too!the doctor said I can’t do any thing without this splint except sleep and take a bath,so I have to suffer threw lots of stuff!:(I do feel a difference in my arm because it doesn’t hurt as bad as it did before the cast also things like eat my food,brush my teeth, comb my hair because it was my dominant hand!
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Submitted on 2012/06/22 at 2:28 am
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What Happens When the Cast comes off the Broken Arm?
I am afraid of what will happen because I had to be put under to have my wrist reset. I was in the surgery long cast for 4 weeks. I am now in a half cast and its been a total of 7 weeks. I still swell to the point I feel like the cast is going to explode off. Just doesn’t seem right to me. The Dr. Is always very vague with his responses. I guess I will find out on the 29th when they take it off. Will keep you updated!
So what happened after taking your cast off? I still have a lot of pain 3 weeks after the cast was off. How long did it take for you to finally get some relief from the pain?
You know, after all these years I still have pain at times:(
I had the extreme misfortune to break both wrist bones where they join my hand (right hand). After 6 weeks in a plaster cast, I got into therapy and a splint. Now out of the cast, my wrist and hand is still swollen somewhat and the skin from finger tips to elbow is BROWN…..like a suntan. Doing the exercises, I now can pick up light weights with my thumb and first two fingers. Yet my last two fingers feel very fat, stiff and pregnant. The back of my hand is still showing swelling. I am seriously concerned that it may not return to full and normal use and if it does, how long will it take? I it will take long time. What took a second in time to do may take an eternity to repair and return to normality ……if ever.