Sleep

[Agian]

Is it normal to sleep this much post op?
I'm pulling between 10 and 12 hours.
Don't feel like doing anything.
Cold outside.

 

[pellicle]

Sleep if you can

Seems natural as a result of both physical and emotional stress

 

[vivekd]

Hi Agian,

Here are some numbers for reference (as reported by Fitibit Surge):

Sleeping Patterns:

Week 1 after surgery (was in hospital and did not have fitbit on)
Week 2: Avg Sleep 11 hr 14 mins
Week 3: Avg Sleep 9 hr 44 mins
Week 4: Avg Sleep 7 hr 59 mins
Week 5: Avg Sleep 6 hr 10 mins


Weekly Walk in miles:

Week 1 after surgery (was in hospital and did not have fitbit on)
Week 2: 7.41 miles
Week 3: 7.78 miles
Week 4: 18.35 miles
Week 5: 22.85 miles

Resting Heart Rate:

Before AVR Surgery: 46


Week 1 after surgery (was in hospital and did not have fitbit on)
Week 2: 66
Week 3: 63
Week 4: 61
Week 5: 61

Hope it helps,

-- Vivek

 

[Paleowoman]

Is it normal to sleep this much post op?
I'm pulling between 10 and 12 hours.
Don't feel like doing anything..

Are you on a beta-blocker ? Beta-blockers are usually prescribed post AVR for a certain length of time. One of the side effects of beta-blockers can be tiredness.

 

[epstns]

Are you on a beta-blocker ? Beta-blockers are usually prescribed post AVR for a certain length of time. One of the side effects of beta-blockers can be tiredness.

Yeah - big-time energy sink! When I had valve surgery, I was prescribed 100 mg/day of metoprolol. I felt like I spent my day towing around a sled full of rocks. Over time, my cardio and I reduced my dosage to 50 mg/day, and then to 25 mg/day, and things got better for me each time.

Early on, your body will need a LOT of extra sleep and rest. You may not feel like doing anything. I didn't even feel like reading for a couple of weeks. I was just a lump. Gradually the fog lifted.

I've had a mini version of the energy curve the past 10 days or so. I had my pacemaker and one of its wires replaced last Wednesday. For the first couple of days I needed my afternoon nap - really needed it. Now, post-op day 9, and I can't nap even if I try. Valve surgery may mean you need naps for a longer number of days, but it is quite natural in the healing process. Just sleep or nap when you feel you need to. Over time, it wall normalize and you may not even realize when it happens.

 

[FredW]

Vivekd, the metrics you posted does help. Thanks, I was surprised as to see the avg hrs for week 1 to be just over 11 hrs. Since my surgery, my average is around 3 hrs nightly. I find this is doing a job on me. I may have to breakdown and get a recliner. Did you use one?

 

[epstns]

Fred - A LOT of us have had very disrupted sleep patterns during the weeks just after surgery. Initially I was able to sleep OK (barely) in my recliner (with pain meds to help), but once we got my digestive system sorted out and I was able to be comfortable in my own bed, things sleep-wise went downhill badly. Many nights I would awaken at midnight or 2 AM and be awake for literally hours at a time. I took comfort in the fact that I was not yet back to work, or was only working part-time, so if I was a bit foggy-headed, it wasn't a big risk. Many times I had to get out of bed and read or surf the web. There wasn't anything good on TV, so that was out. I just had to occupy myself until my body once again would give in to sleep. I was good at training myself not to worry about it, figuring that when my body needed sleep, it would allow sleep. Eventually it passed, and the sleep disturbances drifted into history.

This, too, shall pass.

 

[FredW]

Steve, thanks for the information. I was expecting some sleeping issues but found them more difficult than I expect. I think we need to invests in a recliner. Between being sleep deprived and the emotional roller coaster of OHS has me acting fairly ugly and impatient with most everything around me.

The home health nurse showed up unexpectedly yesterday and when I ask her greeted her at the front door, she smelled of cigarette smoke, said she sometimes shows up unscheduled and it went down hill from there. She treated me like I was stupid until I asked her some questions she had could not answer. She almost pushed me over the edge when she asked me if I needed help with fixing meals or paying my bills. I told her nobody cooks as good as my wife and that why would I trust a stranger to pay my bills? I contained my desire to sic my dog on her and let my body language tell her I didn't appreciate how she was treating me. I'm sure she left thinking, this guy is really a cranky old man!
:Mad:.

My wife tells me I ranted and raved about her for the rest of the day!

 

[Paleowoman]

Hi Fred - I slept really badly the first few weeks after AVR even though I was taking sleeping medication (Zopiclone which normally works for me). I think the main issue was pain and not being able to lie down to sleep. I was sleeping on our sofa which is very comfortable but I had to be propped up with pillows for the first few weeks which is not exactly condusive to sleep. Never mind, I'd come on here and ask questions or whatever - being in the UK you guys from the US were all awake when I was supposed to be asleep ! I'd also surf the net and just try and rest and doze. I would also have a rest in the afternoon as per the hospital's instructions. By the time six weeks had passed I was able to lie down properly and sleep in my own bed which was tons better ! You will too !

 

[vivekd]

I did not get recliner, but had lots of pillows. I did have some sleeping issues during 1st and 2nd week I used to have pain during the day in shoulders and triceps, but things got better after 3rd week.

During first 2 weeks, i would go for a walk for 0.5 mile, come home and sleep for 2 hours.

 

[Mellyouttaphase]

I have started sleeping much better two nights ago (YES!! YAY!! HURRAH!!) and my last surgery was three weeks ago on Monday. It is still difficult to get comfortable and all of a sudden it is like my body has realised what it is missing - the tiredness has hit me hard! Lots of pillows have been key. I have a recliner but it doesn't go far back enough. Then again, if it went back further I would probably still find cause for complaint. I miss my old chest that didn't feel like somebody has dumped a 20kg sandbag on it if I try to lay down!

 

[Agian]

Yay. I'm also three weeks out. Sleep hit me hard today. Woke up at 7.30pm and thought it was the morning. Getting ready for sleep again now. What helped me was to embrace my sleeplessness. My bed had become my prison. I would stare at the walls, and like Steve said, I wasn't even motivated to read. This might sound spooky but I really felt I was dying. No one said this was going to be easy.

 

[Mellyouttaphase]

Agian, I have only just regained my motivation to read this week. I sat up in bed at all hours of the night playing silly games on my phone which I know was no conducive to sleep either. Then I would absolutely dispair and cry for a bit. Rinse, repeat. Ugh! I was definitely a prisoner because I was not going with the flow at all!

It's funny that you say that - nobody said this was going to be easy but it has actually been so much harder than I could have anticipated. I have actually been at my parents' place for the last two weeks since I was discharged from hospital. I go home to my own place tomorrow and I hope I don't encounter the same sleep problems all over again :/

 

[epstns]

Agian makes an interesting point. I guess things became a lot less emotional when I, too, embraced my sleeplessness. Once I stopped worrying about it and realized that my body would sleep when it was good and ready, I just began to roll with it.

I did fill a prescription for Ambien, but once I read the list of potential side effects, I never opened the bottle.

Probably the best things to keep in mind right now are things like not to make any important care, medical or financial decisions, not to operate any dangerous machinery, etc., because you may be sleep deprived. I did OK as long as I was not trying to go to work at that time.

 

[FredW]

Last night I got 5.5 hrs of sleep in my new power recliner. I also napped today for another 2 hrs. For me, managing my pain, a comfy recliner, and shutting down my screen devices were key. Im 1 week post op and feel much better.

Steve, good advice to not make any decisions or operate machinery for a while. My emotions are still all over the place.

 

[Paleowoman]

Glad you got a better sleep in a power recliner Fred ! And you got your picture there too