I know I should HTFU, but I wasn't fully conscious for the surgery. They need to tap the holes; just cranking the screws in would shatter the bones.

I met a guy on the trail about a year and a half ago, who had the same break, the same surgery, and the same surgeon I did. He said the screws were really bothering him and he talked the guy into removing a few screws in his office! Mine, fortunately, haven't bothered me at all, so even though it is an open invitation to TSA gate-groping, I haven't bothered to get mine removed.