Sleeping

[Boomer]

I'm ten days out fro surgery and having trouble sleeping. I've been able to get some sleep in the recliner, but only three or four hours at a time. Sleeping in bed strapped with foam between my legs doesn't work very well. I supplement these shrt nights with daytime naps, which helps a lot.

Couple of questions for you Hippys. Neither my wife nor I remember receiving any instructions from Dr. Rector about sleeping when I was discharged. Are there standard sleeping instructions? If so, please share them with me.

I would love to find a way to sleep on my side, even if protected by a bunch of body pillows. I don't want to take any chances of hurting my hip, but I could sure use a good nights sleep.

Would appreciate some ideas. My recovery is going slow, but I'm doing OK.

Thanks

Boomer

[hernanu]

I didn't have really good sleep until the fourth week or so. I had really bad night sweats, so that woke me up at least three times per night. I felt okay, though, since I expected to nap during the day; made myself at least once by going to my bed instead of just laying back on the couch.

I used pillows, not the foam, but I was not able to go on my side until four or five weeks had passed. I slept on my back with both legs on the pillows, one pillow under my head and another available to position wherever.

[Aerial]

I am struggling with sleeping too.  I am 5 days post op.  I am so sick of being on my back!  I seem to sleep better in shorter naps rather than through the night.  Last night I managed to sleep on my side for a little while, up to this point I have not been able to role over to my side. 

[Boomer]

Thanks for the responses. Looks like I have another two weeks of sleeping like a vampire.

[Kiwi]

They had me sleeping on my unoperated side in hospital with two pillows between my legs on the first night. I've done that even since - I'm now on day 17.
I was also prescribed by request some sleeping aids (zopiclone), this has helped my sleep no end. I don't think there's any issue taking something to help you sleep - especially in the early stages. Sleep helps the healing & also gives you the energy to exercise.

[Boomer]

Kiwi,

Thanks for the post. I'm going to Try sleeping on my side with pillows between my legs tonight. Even if it works for just a few hours it will be helpful.

The hospital I used for surgery had me strapped down with Velcro to ensure I could not get to my side. Made me paranoid when  I came home.

Thanks

Boomer

[Kiwi]

That would make me paranoid too Boomer! I should add that my nurses did put the side of my bed up where I was facing & placed another firm pillow length ways behind my back to stop me rolling. I can't sleep on my back very well.
Good luck with it mate.

[FlbrkMike]

I was not comfortale sleeping on my onoperated side for a couple of weeks, and I'm 100% a side sleeper normally.

I bought a foam wedge to raise my legs, and that helped me a lot in trying to sleep on my back.

[PistolPete]

Boomer it is very normal for the first few weeks to not be able to sleep well.  Like Hernanu I too had MAJOR night sweats and would wake up soaking wet along with my pillow, covers, etc.  I couldn't sleep on my side for 3-4 weeks and sleeping on my back was difficult.  It gets better by the week and day so hang in there.  There were many nights where I would be sitting up in bed aggrivated watching my wife sleep like a baby.

That being said I'm almost 5 weeks post op and I'm sleeping better now than I have in years.  Hang in there you will have relief shortly.

[maxx6789]

i used a rolled up towel in-between my legs for sleeping. it was probably about 2 to 3 weeks for me to sleep on the non-operated side and maybe 6 weeks for me to be able to sleep on the operated side (that was and is my favorite side to sleep on). as others said ... each day will get better. good luck tonight!!

[Boomer]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I'm going to try to find a way to sleep on my side tonight.

[bothdone]

After both of my ops, when I got home I put a pillow under my ankles, a pillow between my legs, and wedged a pillow either side of my hips to stop me rolling on to my side.   It may seem like a lot to do but I slept very well.    It gave me the confidence to get to sleep without thinking, consciously or sub-consciously, about turning and damaging my hip.    I now enjoy sleeping on my back.

Hope your recovery goes well.

Ed

[ScubaDuck]

I didn't try to fight sleeping through the night.  I assumed I would have some trouble.  More often than not I would get up and read.  Then fall asleep in the chair.  Then maybe go back to bed.

I was also uncomfortable on my back constantly.  So maybe a week later I would roll on the unoperated side for short naps.  But that wasn't comfortable either.  And I am a side sleeper as well. 

Bottom line is that just about any position is going to be uncomfortable at some point.  Just plan on sleeping when you can and finding something to read or watch when you can't.

Best wishes.

Dan

[Boomer]

Thanks Dan. That's what I've doing. Fell asleep in the barbers chair today.

[OtterDriver]

Hopefully that didn't change the outcome of your haircut...are you sporting a new look?

Sweet Dreams!

[maxi]

nothings  easy first up ... work it out  ....    we all suffer at times and sleeping will come .... :'(

[Anniee]

Boomer, the sleeping problems are normal. As you can see from other posts, I think all of us have them to a greater or lesser degree for the first few weeks.  My biggest problem was to get in a comfortable position long enough to fall asleep - there were many nights in the beginning when I moved from the bed to the recliner to the couch, just trying to find a comfortable position for falling asleep.  I started sleeping much better around the third week after both surgeries. 

I had no real problem laying on my unoperated side from very early on, but it was a bit of a struggle getting there.  After my second surgery, I was able sleep on the operated side for short periods after just a few days - it took longer for the first surgery.  Dr. Gross's discharge instructions say that you will not hurt your hip by laying on the operated side, but it can be uncomfortable for several weeks or even a couple of months.

I think it helps to understand that the sleeping issues are normal, and get better quite quickly.   :)

[Boomer]

I tried some suggestions for sleeping on my Side last night, but when I actually go to my side, it wasn't comfortable. My operated hip objected somewhat to this new position, so it was back to the vampire sleep. But, I did get six solid hours of sleep last night, which is really pretty good for so early on. I feel rested today.

Moving from the bed to the recliner or visa versa in the middle of the night was wearing me out. Just too much work. I decided to stay put wherever I am, and that has worked out better.

I think I am having a very normal, though somewhat slow recovery. No real issues to speak of, just plodding along letting my body heal so we can increase the recovery work.

Anniee, it's funny that we think we're making little or no progress sometimes, and yet the people around us are amazed at how fast we are improving.

Thanks for the post and kind wishes.

We've had snow here in Denver, so I haven't been able to walk outside. We'll today's the day. I'm grabbing my ski poles for support and trying to do a little walk in the sun and snow. I'm pretty excited to get out of the house.

Boomer

[mslendzion]

I have problems sleeping now (pre surgery) and pre hip problems. I take ambien and it works great. Is there any reason you cant take sleep aids post surgery? 

[Kiwi]

I take sleep aids too & my surgeon wrote the prescription. It helps me sleep no end. I guess some people don't like taking them as they can be addictive.