Sleepless (but not) in Seattle

[Dozer26]

Looking for some feedback from you vet Bilats out there. Had my second BHR three weeks ago and, unlike the first go round, I'm finding little to laugh about this time. Despite having been warned by the doc and his PA that I might find #2 a harder/longer fight, I'm now dealing with a number of issues including muscle aches, off and on swelling, and most troubling, difficulty sleeping for more than two or three hours straight at night due to pain. Makes me wonder if I've just forgotten the challenges of the 1st recovery period, I'm overly optimistic to the point of stupidity, or if I'm experiencing something significant.

Here's my SITREP. Doing the self imposed PT (walking with crutches & ROM exercises 2x daily) and having little to no pain during the day. At night though things have gotten rather dicey. Specifically, the level of discomfort in the operative leg - primarily in the quad, hamstring and posterior knee - has become high enough that last night that I took a muscle relaxer - the first in over a week. I was even tempted to break out the heavy duty pain meds, again after more than a week of discontinuing their use. Was able to avoid doing so but only because I obtained some level of relief by switching beds, accomplishing this by kicking my son out of his room at 0100 and commandeering his bed. The softer mattress and the delivery of a BIAP (big a.. ice pack not Baghdad Intl.) by my dear wife (Biscuit) made the difference and I was soon in a more tolerable zone of discomfort, enough so that I got another block or two of sleep in before reveille.

So, with that brief sketch of my current state of affairs, I'd appreciate it if you all would share your perspective on this - is this par for the course and I should just suck it up or am I heading into shoal water and need to place a call to the doc? Also, any experiences/suggestions for dealing with nocturnal pain would be appreciated. Willing to try anything, crystals, chicken feet, copper bracelets, plinkey-punky music, etc. All joking aside, I'd be grateful to hear what you all have to say. Thanks in advance.

Dozer
(or rather, I'd really like to be)

 

[Dee Dee]

I am one week post op and found that I sleep best in the anti gravity lounge chair purchased at SAMs club for $75.  I can't sleep on my side yet in the regular bed.   So when the pain hits I get up take a fast acting pain pill and move to the lounge chair for the rest of the night.  It is working so far.
______________________________________________________________________
Right HR 5-23-12. Dr.Gross
50 yo homeschool mom of 5

[tedroberts]

Dozer, it sound like to me you are in suck it up territory. If you have any pain that really bothers/scares you you should go to your surgeon to get it checked out.

I had both hips done at once and only got 1 hour of sleep at a time for almost two weeks because of the pain in my bladder.  I had to pee every hour as the swelling in my legs was reduced (only a night of course).

We did rent a hospital bed which got me out of our bed room when sleeping on my back and snoring and allowed me to change my position a bit since I was stuck sleeping on only my back for a month.

You may need to use some pain pills or muscle relaxants to get the sleep you need.  In my case the last place I needed the pain pills was at work.  Sitting in an office chair was a pain in my hips.

Good luck - Ted

[hernanu]

Hey Dozer, unfortunately, it sounds fairly Situation Normal All F***d Up.

Early on for both of mine, I had the same muscle discomfort, swelling, etc. I did not have the behind the knee thing, but plenty of other folks have and eventually if left. I had pretty bad sleep for a bit, mine wasn't so much due to the muscle stuff (that went away for me after a couple of weeks) but from monsoon like night sweats. I had to lay several towels crosswise on the bed to avoid washing away.

I didn't get to 5 - 6 hours of sleep until the sweats were gone (they happened both times), so about four weeks later. If you're good when you're up and walking, I'd say Ted is right; although I was not shy AT ALL about calling my surgeon for just about anything that worried me.

For sleep, I just took Xtra strength Tylenol, and used a pillow under my knees to keep my legs elevated. Eventually things clear up and you can sleep more.

[jjmclain]

Dozer,

I was on Coumadin for the first 4 weeks and had the 90 degree restriction. I too never slept...probably woke up every hour, mainly uncomfortable from laying on my back and having the restrictions. Plus I think the blood thinner caused really weird nerve pains in my legs! I would have to get up and crutch around just to feel better. My husband would hear me clunking around in the middle of the night. Then I would go back to sleep and wake up and do it all over again!!! I think what you are experiencing is normal.

June

[David]

Well you should indeed strap a chicken footed copper bracelet around your ankle and put an Iggy Pop record on the spinner.
Other than that, you are experiencing the normal...It get's better friend...
D.

[stephen1254]

A recliner is the answer - unfortunately it's not a very good answer.

It will pass in time, and probably pretty soon; you are right at that "crossover" point.

[Tin Soldier]

I'd like to call it "soldier on" territory, you get the idea.  Like others said if something really does seem out of whack or even if you want some doc time for more confidence, call your surgeon.  I think my recoveries were a little easier than some of the folks here have had.  Although I do recall that at the 3 to 4, maybe 5 week time frame I felt like it was taking longer to feel normal and then wham at 6 weeks I really felt pretty good, life was getting back to normal, albiet I still had a limp.

I think maybe what happens, is for the first week or so you're taking meds, you're sitting in an easy chair all the time, maybe you have folks helping you out, then at 2 to 3 weeks everyone is back at work, you might be also but part time,... it's a period of adjustment and your body is still healing a lot, but mentally you want to be back at 100%.  Also having limited sleep will creep up on you and that will certainly decrease the mood, but it may also slow down the healing.  Hang in there and, 

Soldier on!  ;)

[Dozer26]

Thanks to all of you for your replies on this one. Really needed some perspective on this and your inputs have helped me rise above my poor memory and a misplaced belief in my superhuman recovery ability (wait - I don't have an adamantium  skeleton?).

Seem to have come out of the trough somewhat, though more than 3 - 4 hours of dreamtime still eludes me. Pain has diminished enough that I'm no longer tempted to uncap the heavy weight meds and unless things go south again I'll hold off the call to the doc, especially since the daytime discomfort is very low and primarily in the quad and hamstring. ROM's increasing too, so with what I've heard from you all I'm probably a wee bit impatient and unrealistic in my expectations.

Got to admit I really thought the second time around I'd be such a pro that I'd be able to join the elites who were back at the squat rack/free climbing/bull riding by week three. Sadly it seems, I am but human after all. But hey, I do have these two cool scars to brag/lie about at the schvitz!

Thanks again,

Dozer

[hernanu]

Well, if you haven't rebuilt a fireplace by the third week, you are definitely a slacker!  ;D

Good that things are getting better, you and the wonderful Biscuit deserve it.

[johnd_emd]

Dozer, take the pain meds.  You have to sleep.  Best time is at night.  Once your mind stops and the distractions of daily life disappear your body will feel all the pains and discomforts caused from your surgery.  Your body will heal much faster and you'll feel much better if you just take the pain medication.  Plus, you'll be more active in the day and that will help with your healing as well.  I never could figure out why people try to be all macho and not take the pain medication when they're in pain. 

[Dan L]

Dozer,

Sorry to hear this one seems worse.  You're hopefully right around the bend from better times.  it seems normal given my experience with the first, more difficult, one.

I got better length sleep when taking 8 hour tylenol, right before bed.  It is not the PM (w bendryl), but an 8 hour dose of straight tylenol.  Also relied on the muscle relaxers at night before bed.  The narcos and other 4 hour dose pain meds would wear off and I would wake in the middle of the night otherwise.  Also used a fresh set of icepacks when laying down (before I was able to sleep on my side).

We also have 6" memory foam pad which really helps alot.

Hope you are doing better soon,

Dan

[bluedevilsadvocate]

Dozer -

Love your posts, especially your initial post after your first surgery.  Dr. Brooks did my LBHR back in October, 2010, so your story brings back a lot of memories --- memories which are, all things considered, not so bad.

Sorry to read that your second has been somewhat more difficult than the first.  But hang in there!  The toughest  part should be in your rear view mirror soon, if not already.