Sleep help...any advice

[Juno]

Hi all,
I so appreciate the support I've received here. I am now 11 days post op and am doing better every day. I'm happy to see progress.

The one issue I'm having is sleep. I am just not sleeping well. I am tired and try to go to bed at my normal bed time. I am not napping during the day -- but of course I am much less active than I have ever been. I lay in bed at night and my operated leg gets so restless. I'm sure it's due to swelling and nerve endings being triggered due to the swelling -- it's annoying (not painful per se).
I try changing position, elevating the leg, propping pillow, getting up wand walking -- nothing helps. As you know staying in one position for very long is hard -- my leg gets more tired, the muscles complain and it takes effort to move into the next position. So far I can lay on my unoperated side for about 20 minutes before then muscles ache. I can lay on my stomach for about an hour.

So finally at 1:30am I relent by taking 1/2 mg of Ativan to settle the restless feeling. This is not something I want to continue to do.

Anyone experience this restless leg feeling? Any tips, tricks or suggestions? Maybe I just needed to commiserate! Thanks!

[hernanu]

Sorry to hear that, Juno - many of us had trouble sleeping at the outset. Remember that you've had major surgery, and are affected by the meds, etc.

I had somewhat the same, but I made sure that I also did a regular nap during the day. Elevating my legs with pillows (under the knees) helped me, but I think sleep just takes its time to come back.

[bestbob]

Juno - I also had trouble sleeping, and was up every 3 to 4 hrs for the 1st 3 weeks. I would take a pain pill to get thru it, go for a walk to loosen up my stiff leg, would sleep laying down, or with 2 pillows under my upper back or on a recliner, and basically do whatever I could to get some sleep. I dd find that sleeping on my sofa 1/2 the night did help, as it is not as firm and that made my leg more comfortable. Around 3 to 4 weeks out things got better, was able to sleep on non-operated side or stomach for a bit longer. Still got up about every 4 to 5 hrs now. 2 days from now I will be at 5 weeks, and am sleeping at 5 to 6 hrs, and only take a pain pills at bedtime. For me I noticed a lot of progress between week 4 and 5. Can't wait till 6 weeks when I am cleared for full weight bearing and no crutches.

Hang in there, it WILL get better.

Bob

[Marco Polo]

Juno - Having a recliner to sleep in was a lifesaver for my first few weeks.  I spent a lot of time in it during the day and split my time between the bed and the recliner at night.  I am not sure if you have access to one.  I ordered a Lafuma Zero Gravity recliner online and it worked great for me.

[Lauren Lee]

Juno, I take magnesium before bedtime and that has been a huge help for my restless legs issue. If you can't get the tabs quinine water (without the vodka) can help.

[Juno]

Thanks for the replies. Hubby keeps telling me to just take a pain pill or the Ativan to sleep and not worry about it -- realistically I know he (and you all ) are right! Sleep is just too important right now since that is when the body will do the most healing.

Lauren - I've been taking my magnesium in the morning. Maybe I'll try it closer to bed time and see if it helps.

I do have a recliner in the family room. It has been a godsend. But I'll say by the end of the day I am so ready to be out of this chair! Not sure I could sleep in it....but I may need to try.

Glad to hear it will get more comfortable sooner as opposed to later.

I finally got my nerve up to watch one of the hip resurfacing surgical videos on YouTube. I'm a RN and have seen some gory stuff as an ICU nurse,  but the operating room was never my thing. I'm glad I finally watched it --- makes me appreciate the need to slow down and be even more patient with my body --Wow those muscles and that leg are manipulated six ways from Sunday!! Unbelievable that we all were walking 4 hours after surgery!

[Lauren Lee]

Wow Juno I hadn't watched any of those either but...I went to YouTube and had a look. YIKES! They did that to me!!!! ??They are GENIUSES!!!!! I loved it when the doc checked the ROM and put the pts knee right up to his chest. I have not been able to do that for years. I requested a copy of my OR report post op and the doc said my ROM was "excellent" and my PT says that she could "easily" go beyond the 90 degree restriction (but she won't yet).  YES!!!!!!!
I'm a few weeks ahead of you but I tell you every day there is something to celebrate. And you are right...I have gotten a little reckless (just a little) with some of my restrictions because I feel so good...and this was a reminder. Thanks!!

[curtieman1]

Juno, at this strange of recovery I wouldn't worry to much about having to take pain meds or other medication, as long as you are having no other side effects from them. I know I usually only slept 3-4 hours after my surgery, usually by then I had to go to the bathroom anyway. Thankfully I was always able to get back to sleep again. Good luck in your recovery.
Curt

[Dan L]

Juno;

Oddly, I found that the narcotics were one of the things screwing up my sleep after the surgeries.  The second time around I used muscle relaxer (after the first 7-10 days) and OTC 8-hour tylenol with a fresh icepack right before bedtime, and that helped alot.

Also used pillows to prop upper leg up on a level plane when sleeping on my side, with the upper leg in front of the lower leg, so the legs were on parallel planes and no "sideways" pressume being placed on the upper leg.  Kind of like I hear pregnant women will do as well when sleeping later in the pregnancy.

Hope it helps.

Dan

[keepmovin]

Hi Juno,

It's been 2 years since my first surgery but I still recall that intense desire to just sleep through the night!  Almost like being a new Mom - this time, it's not the baby keeping you from sleep but that darn restless leg after surgery!

I did rely on the pain meds because I knew it was temporary and sleep was important for me.  After  the pain meds, I would take either one Advil PM or a melatonin tablet.  I used lots of pillows under my legs for the longest time and drank herbal teas before bed.  Although I never tried this but I know people who used very relaxing, soothing music to listen to help mind and body to relax before falling to sleep!

   

[Tin Soldier]

I think the body pillow and side sleeping was the best for me at that stage.  Or propping the legs up a bit whne on your back.  The day I could sleep on my operated side was so awesome (for about an hour) then it was sore.  Although I kept pushing myself to lay on that side a little more each night and within a week, It was not bothersoem to lay on the oprated side. 

I think being motivated to move away from Ativan sooner than later is a great idea.  You don't want to be taking a benzodiazapene for very long.  It does affect people differently though, so who knows.  Maybe the prescribed narcotic or acetominophen, or other alternatives like melatonin, or maybe even one of the prescription RLS meds, would be better.  I do think sleeping position and pressure points can be factors restless-ness. 

Hope you get some rest.

[obxpelican]

Without knowing what restrictions you have I found that by taking walks and not sitting too much eventually I got tired in the evening. 

Those special teas help sometimes, a glass of milk at bed time really helps me. 

Most doctors want you up and moving around as you can easily end up with a clot.  Get up at least once every hour (assuming you do not have restrictions) and move around, I tried to make my own meals, do dishes ect, be as normal as you can to make yourself tired.

Sleep will come soon.

Chuck