any tricks to getting some sleep?

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bootch

I was wondering what the secret is to getting some sleep. It has been 8 days since AVR surgery and in all that time I do not think I have gotten 8 hours sleep total(1hr day). I have never been able to sleep on my back in the past. I tried laying down on my side, however it feels like a truck is driving on top of me even though I am on a darvocet pain killer that is supposed to be very strong.:( p.s this web site has been a great help to me the last couple of weeks)
 
I normally can't sleep on my back either. However, those first few weeks post-op there wasn't much choice. I propped myself up with lots of pillows, both behind me and on my right side to give me a bit of an angle. Of course, I took my pain meds right before bed. I used Oxycocet before bed although I used something "lighter" during the day. Good luck.
 
Sleep

Sleep

Have you tried sleeping in a recliner? Everyone's different. I also find it difficult to sleep on my back. When I finally did get brave enough to roll to my side, my husband would tuck a pillow under my back and then I would hold another pillow to my chest, then my head on a third pillow. Doesn't the darvocet make you sleepy? I have a mech. valve and had a hard time sleeping even after 6 months after surgery because of the "ticking." My dr. prescribed temanzepam, but it didn't seem to work, so I just stick with Tylenol pm when I need it. I also sleep with a small fan next to my bed for noise to drown out my ticking and my snoring husband:) Best wishes for a speedy recovery!
 
Pillows, pillows and more pillows. A recliner really helps at first, especially if you keep someone handy to bring it back up to a sitting position for you. Use all the pillows around you that you can fit in so you are almost in a "cloud". If someone can put some pillows under your back so you are propped a little bit on your side it might help. OF course I always found that as soon as I had my perfect spot, I would have to get up to go to the bathroom, and then would have to start all over again! In a few weeks, once you can actually sleep on your side again, keep some pillows in front of you so you don't roll over on your incision.
 
I'm a stomach sleeper and wasn't able to comfortably sleep on my side until 5 weeks. Insest in a wedge pillow. I also used one of those cushy pillows (the fad with the kids) for under my neck to support my head. I used two cheap pillows to put at my sides (sometimes slightly under me) to mimic the feeling I get sleeping on my side. Sometimes I'd put a pillow under my knees.
This was the Worst part of the surgery for me. Good luck!
 
You're not alone. Getting back into a good sleep pattern seems to be one of the most common post-op problems. I slept in a recliner for a few months. Had too much trouble getting in and out of bed and couldn't find a comfortable sleeping position when I got there. Others recommend wedge pillows or creative combinations with pillows.

Even after I could get in bed, I had problems sleeping. Finally was prescribed temazepam, and that did help. Have to watch it, though, or you can become dependent on it. I finally am just using it occasionally, not on an every-night basis.

If you and your doctor consider a sleep aid, you might consider Rozerem. It's a new one that is considered non-addictive and suitable for long-term use. My doctor gave me some samples and it does seem to work. Hopefully, though, you can get back in a good sleep pattern without having to use meds. Even now, two years after surgery, I am trying to kiss the sleep meds goodbye. Breaking up is hard to do. :D
 
eventually your old sleep pattern will return........... meanwhile.......

I slept on my side with pillow at my back. Had lots of trouble learning how to rise to get out of bed. that one's tricky. I don't think there is a magic trick that suits all of us, we just have to experiment until we get WELL! dang it..........
 
Welcome to the Club.....

Welcome to the Club.....

You are not alone. I was a great sleeper until my MVR. Now I can't fall asleep to save my life. I finally had to ask the Dr. for sleep meds. They gave me ambien first which made me psycho. So they prescribed something else instead. I'm disgusted to need meds to sleep, arrrggghhh.

You're only 9 days out, make sure it isn't pain that's keeping you awake even if you are already not needing pain meds during the day.

Also take a look at the meds they have you on. Beta blockers can be real sleep-robbers. Think about if there's a way to take the drugs that keep you awake early in the day, not before bedtime.

About a month out you may be able to sleep on your side again but don't be surprised if that doesn't fix your sleep issues. It does feel good though.

Try setting a routine, just like you would for a child. Do the same things in the same order to give your body the 'head's up' that bedtime is coming. It can't hurt.

I wish you all the best,
Ruth
 
Ambien works great. I am also a stomach sleeper, but everynow and then I need a little help along with a bunch of pillows.
 
Hi,

I agree with Adam, Pillow wedges and Pain Killers... Perhaps even an Ambian!
anything to help you get some sleep during the early days of healing.

I also do not sleep on my my back, and found it very difficult to get to sleep when I first came home.

Also, one of the posts above referred to Beta Blockers as a sleep robber. That is "Not" true. Actually Beta blockers will make you feel tired, as they slow down both your heart rate and your blood pressure.

That being said, that does raise a good point. Perhaps some of your other medications are contributing to your lack of sleep. I would suggest that you look on the link below to readup on the the meds you are taking, especially the side effects..

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a698026.html


Now... where were we.... ohh yeah... one sheep, two sheep, three sheep... :)

Rob
 
Sorry i missed this post earlier, looking at the date you are probably already back on track now.

Nothing sorted me out but sleeping pills over the early 3 or 4 weeks.

I took some weak ones (tamazipam??) then stronger ones (mogadon??) for a few weeks then suddenly when i was worried one night about my changed heart rate after changing my beta blocker from antenol to bicor i just went to sleep on my own....was it the change in beta blocker or just time since surgery that fixed the problem? or a combo of the two?

I basically told my GP that i didn't care about what he gave me as long as i was knocked out for a good nights sleep so i could rest during those early weeks, without the sleeping pills i was like yourself, 1 hour max if i was lucky.

Apologies again for missing the post earlier.
 
Take your pain meds about 60-90 minutes before you go to sleep.

For the first 3 weeks or so I had to prop myself up with pillows in order to sleep. I slept reclining on a sofa in my parents' den. Didn't know about recliners then :( and they have two.

If you limit your naps to about 30 minutes and try to get most of your sleep at night, that should help you return to a more normal sleep pattern.
 
I was lucky enough to be able to sleep on my side almost right away. When I slept on my back I was always waking up all sweaty, for some reason (less surface area on the bed) I was alot cooler on my side. I'm a stomach sleeper, usually. It probably took me at least a month before I could lie flat to sleep--I just felt like I was suffocating.
Ambien really helped me--I asked my GP for some about a month or so after my surgery. Get the generic if you can--it's EXPENSIVE ($50 copay at Kroger)
 
I second the recliner. If you have a hardish couch (like a sleeper sofa) you can sleep with your back leaning against the back cushions and your head elevated some so you don't have all your weight on your arm. My doctor gave me a sedative of some sort, which I took every evening - long after I stopped the pain pills. Also, pretend you're a baby or a cat, and sleep whenever you can. Don't feel that you only can sleep at night. I would sleep for an hour or two at a time, so limited my visitors to dinnertime (only if they provided it:p ).
 
Find a gooooood, lonnnnnnnnng boook.

Then...

Read... Read.... And, read some more....

You'll get your Zzzzzzzzzz.

:)
 
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