Can`t sleep

Shop deals on ebay
Advertise with us
shop deals on amazon
Valve Replacement Forums

Help Support Valve Replacement Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
O

Oslo73

It`s 9 days since I had my surgery, which by he way went great.
They saved my valve. :)
I still have a grade 1 leakage, that is little I`m told, and still some stenosis. 2,6 m/s through my aorta.
I have to take medication to lower my BP and HR. The medication can
cause sleeping disorders. I havn`t slept since pre surgery. I can describe it as drinking coffee before bedtime. My brain just won`t shut down.
This makes me incredible tired. The dizziness prior to surgery is still there, only now the doctors tell me it has nothing to do with my heart. :(

I am very happy that all went well, and that they saved my valve, over the mountain and what not. I just have one wish left. PLEASE let me sleep. I hope it`s not the medication that causes me loosing sleep, but me fighting uncontiousness. If it`s me I will get over it, but if it`s the medication I will be like a zombie pretty soon.

Any tricks besides drugs to get some sleep?

Thanks for all the support you guys gave/give me.
 
I'm glad to hear that they were able to save your valve.:)
That's the positive part of this post.
The negative part is, I don't have an answer for the lack of sleep.
However, I think you will eventually fall asleep. It's just a matter of time . . .
 
Oslo - I don't have an answer for the sleep issue - but just wanted to say - "Welcome Back!!". We had been wondering how you had gone - so glad to hear they were able to save the valve!!! I'm sure someone who has been through a similiar situation will have advice on sleeping .....
 
The whole first week home, although I fell asleep alright, I always woke up at about 4:00 in the morning and could not get back to sleep. I have heard that sleep disorders like this are very common after surgery, so it might not be your medication. Some people say it is the pain that keeps them awake, but with me, it really was not that. I simply woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. So, wait a week or so and see what happens.
 
This seems to be a very common problem, post-OHS. I hope you are one of those who gets back into a normal sleep pattern.

I never have. I still take 15 MG of temazepam to buy me a night's sleep. I tried phasing out that by sprinkling a decreasing amount of the contents of the capsule in applesauce every night, but that didn't work.

My doctor says that as long as I'm not having side effects, I can keep taking the tema. Eventually, she says, it will no longer be effective because my system will tolerate it so well and then we will consider other alternatives. Perhaps a pill better suited for long-term use, perhaps something else.

Again, I hope you can avoid all this. I don't know if any of my medications contribute to sleeplessness. The doctors haven't said that. I think the anxiety pre and post surgery may have just disrupted some sort of rhythms, somehow. If you look at other threads on sleeplessness on vr.com, you may find some ideas others have advanced for battling insomnia.
 
Welcome back!! And congrats on your surgery. Now lay your head down, close your eyes and think happy thoughts. Oh well, thought I would try. Sorry, can't help with your sleeping problem. I do hope you can get some good sleep soon!
 
Melatonen

Melatonen

Eat a turkey sandwitch!!! Turkey is high in melatonen that is way you get sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner!!! It works so will that some states have outlawed serving turkey at truck stops! You can also get melatonen over the counter but Call you doctor first! And a word of warning high doses couse headaches, and for me set off a migrain.

Hope you get some sleep.
 
Lavender essential oil on your pillow, a couple of drops each side of your head should do. A warm bath is helpful but I guess that might not be an option just yet. A painkiller containing codeine could help but not every night, except it might clash with other medication.
 
I just want to welcome you home as I don't have any answers for the sleep issue. I haven't slept well in years and never sleep through the night.

I will be watching this thread to see if there are any tricks I haven't tried.;) :D :rolleyes:

Things that have helped me get to sleep in the past - benedryl, massage, hot bath, warm milk, earplugs, sound machine, sex, reading, and pretending to be part of a story or playing a part in a movie (silently and with eyes closed). All still work now and then but never KEEP me asleep which can be a real bummer.

I wish you well.
 
The first thing that comes to mind is

The first thing that comes to mind is

DRUGS!! Truly - Ambien or another medicine specifically for sleep but as Gina said, Benadryl works wonders.

I think your body is still recovering from the surgery. I took Benadryl and Ativan at night for several weeks post surgery to help me get to sleep because I was scared to go to sleep (and I think this might be a problem with most post heart surgery patients).

However, recently I was found to have mild sleep apnea and now wear a nasal CPAP - I read that taking sleep aids can cause or exacerbate sleep apnea, so I do not take any sleep aids any more and get to sleep just fine and sleep through the night most nights. So, if you do take a medication to help you sleep, don't take it for very long.

Don't eat much at least 2-3 hours before bedtime, but drink a warm glass of milk with decaf chai in it - warm baths are great but not too soon out of surgery of course.

Another biggie - stay away from the TV for at least 1-2 hours before bed and read or look at a picture book - meditate/pray - listen to calming music - also another thing I used was a relaxation CD - that worked like a charm also - "Guided Imagery for Stressful Times" by Dianne Tusek (given to me by the Cleveland Clinic). You might be able to find it on the web - there is something about this woman's voice - it is hypnotic.

I hope some of these suggestions will help you - it is really awful to not be able to sleep and I am so thankful that so far I have no issues sleeping (just not sleeping well apparently with the sleep apnea - now I am hopefully not having apnea any more with the CPAP).

Most of all - don't worry about not sleeping!! This is a common thing post surgery and will pass - truly it will.

Christina L
 
Hi there:

benadryl, valarian, melatonin, turkey sandwhich, all good. temazepam...lunesta...kava kava...

i'm no doctor, but i know that when you've been through this it's normal to have some anxiety. try biofeedback, that once worked for me.

and one time i went to the yucatan and drove to where there were no phones and drank some tequila and fell asleep finally in a thatched hut.

great advice, huh! You'll be fine! Know that eventually you'll sleep, maybe you already have. chances are you sleep and don't really think you do because it's not deep.

meditate, get a foot massage...and count your blessings...
 
Welcome back. Glad to hear things went well.

I can't help you about the sleep issue as my problem was keeping awake after the surgery.

Take care and get well.
 
You are not alone....i can't sleep either...:confused:

I was discharged with tamazipam? which was bloody useless (got me about 2 hours), have since been given mogadon? which has worked but is habit forming/adictive so its only to get me over the hump and get me back on top of my sleep quota....i tried to take one tablet last night instead of two and that got me about 4 hours rather than the 8.

Just been back to the doc for other issues this morning and been given some stilnoxCR which is supposed to be better and work for longer on just one tablet.

I thought it was my mechanical valve going thump thump thump that was keeping me awake but it too sit there late at night without any inclination to go to sleep at all, i'm just not tired. I also read on my antenol (25mg) that it can cause sleep issues which i'm hoping is the cause as i'm only on this until january.

Anyway, i bought an ipod shuffle and have put a few quiet songs on with no vocals, added to that the sleeping pils and i get some sleep but not a lot. I spent 1/2 of last night on the recliner, 1/2 in bed.

I will look for some relaxation cd's the next time i'm out but its a bit of pot luck if you get a good one or a crap one.

I guess i'll be having a turkey roll tonight also. ;)
 
Been to see my cardio this afternoon and he has given me some different beta blockers (bicor) instead of the antenol as he has said that they can cause sleep issues. May be worth asking your cardio the same if you are on antenol.
 
Sleeplessness

Sleeplessness

I like everything that has already been said here. you have heard from the pragmatists and realist as well as the idealists and spiritually oriented.

I think there is one other thing to consider. Part of the problem with sleeplessness is it stresses us out the more you think about what a hard time you are having sleeping the more you feel anxious and the more you feel anxious, the harder it is to sleep. It is a vicious cycle. I think that resolving within yourself that if you can't sleep you will rest is a good thing. Rest can't match up with sleep but it can lead to sleep. Another thing is then if you resolve to be satisfied to rest and not stress that you are not asleep then you must think through what you will do with your time while you are resting. Well some things to stay away from are too much alcohol right before bed (an alcohol induced sleep is not really good sleep, do you feel better in the morning when you have drunk yourself into a stupor, usually not) stay away from caffeine and the tv right before bed. Some people use tv to fall asleep but it can wake you back up with the noise and all that simulus is not good right before bed.

I listen to soothing music like many have suggested, I often read before sleeping. I pray or give things away to God that are concerning me. Let the stuff go that cause anxiety and just be content in relaxing. Meditating for those who are not prayers helps to destress the brain. The point is break away from the things that get your anxieties going and just relax and rest. Take the stress away from sleeping and focus on resting and you might find you fall asleep, but at least you will rest and not be pacing or sitting up watching tv.
 
So glad that your surgery went well. I hope you find some resolution to the other symptoms as well - dizziness.

I take meds that give me horrible insomnia as well - energetic, clean the bathroom 12 times at 3:30 in the morning insomnia. I am afraid to take prescription meds because I have small children that still wake up at night. My doctor said to try Benedryl - which helps sometimes, sometimes not. I try to stay up until I am really tired, then take the Benedryl - and am really thankful for the nights that it helps. Sorry not to have a better answer.

Good luck!
 
Had my first day on the alternative beta blockers yesterday.

Heart rate was up about 10bpm, went for a 2km walk (cardio advised) and never broke higher than 98.

The important thing for you is that i slept nearly all night without a sleeping pill, so i'd say the beta blockers have a significant affect on sleep patterns.

Unfortunately i felt like i kept missing a heart beat late evening which i was worried about and has made me switch back to the antenol until i can speak to the cardio on monday (and also see if it happens on the antenol also and that i wasn't just more sensitive to it because i'd switched meds)

Sorry for the ramble :rolleyes: summary=beta blockers affect your sleep big style....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top