Scary post-surgical sleep problem

[tobagotwo]

Glad to hear things are improving steadily for you, Bill.

You seem to be chugging forward very quickly. Just want to point out that not all days will be forward motion. There will be times when it's two steps forward, one step back. My suggestion is don't push too much on those days, and take more advantage of the good days instead.

You also may go on a roller coaster with blood pressure or palpitations. Both of these become variable/changeable for a while post-surgery, as your heart adjusts to its new pressures and begins to shrink back to a more normal-sized left ventricle. Most of these are temporary - a week, a couple of weeks. Unless you or your doctor feel they represent imminent danger, you may want to ask your doctor to wait-and-see on these (especially BP), and see how your body sorts it out first. Easy to get things prescribed, but generally tough to get them undone later.

Best wishes,

 

[Lily]

Glad to read how well you're doing, Bill. When you had written early on about the sensation in your neck, it reminded me of my Dad's description of how his CHF would begin coming on; he always seemed to feel it in his neck first. And his tummy would feel bloated. I'm so glad that's not the case for you. Also, I wondered, did Dr. Miller instruct you to use a spirometer? If he did, be sure and keep up with that until instructed otherwise. They're a wonderfully useful tool/instrument. Continued good wishes to you .

 

[Bill B]

Bob: Sage advice, as always. Thanks. Yes, I'm having lots of variability in energy. BP is pretty good, but they want a lower target ideally. See my cardiologist on Monday.

Lily: Oh, yes. I have the spirometer. I have used it sparingly. I'm up to 2L, but it's been the same for a few days. I was supposed to use it much more than I do.

Hey, the tummy gas seemed to respond real well to a mixture of Canada Dry ginger ale, my wife's favorite cure, and Gas-X chewable (simethicone). I think the ginger ale may have helped most. I actually ate a steak sandwhich (trying to get some natural iron) and had a few good quick belches and no distention.

 

[Bill B]

More progress today.

Had more energy today. Saw my cardiologist today. He's very happy. He addresed my biggest complaint - the stomach gas/bloating - with Reglan. Almost instant relief.

I'm on a roll now.

 

[Danny]

Sounds great Bill...keep it up.

 

[terodac]

So true! You need to also make sure you are sleeping with your head raised at least for a while! Get a few good pillows and put one on both sides of you it is much more comfy! I always have slept on my back after being pregnant so it was not a big deal to me! Good Luck, because good sleep is good to have and really good for you!

Best cure for the lack of sleep was a nice, soft recliner at home. I napped lots during the daytime, but slept in bed at night. Sleep does come, but it takes a while just like everything else. Recovery is slow as you've been through a major surgery. Time is your friend...along with a good masseuse.

 

[PairoDocs]

I had sort of forgotten my own sleep stuff. Yes, I did sleep okay at the hospital, but usually only 3-5 hours, with intense (and lots of fun!!) dreams, then on arriving home I found that sleeping purely on my back was bad, as was my attempts to sleep in the upstairs easy chair. Side sleeping was out, so Laura and I came up with a compromise that involved about 4 pillows. I slept at a 45° angle toward my left side with pillows propped under my right side and right leg. This included a microwave buckwheat pillow by my feet. The compromise allowed me to avoid the apnea episodes of pure back sleeping, and the pain of pure side sleeping. This way I got 6-9 hours of sleep nightly, and gradually moved to thinner pillows until I could completely either lay on my back or on my side. If I tried to sleep completely on one of my sides(I don't recall which one right now), I could hear my heart-beat and feel the pulsing quite intensely--so I couldn't sleep on that side and would have to naturally shift to the other. After the first six weeks, rolling over wasn't so painful, and became more natural.

I'm glad the sleep issues have resolved for you, Bill B. My wife's a doctor, so that helped me with my feelings of trust toward the medical professionals in general. I was treated well, and had nothing but praise for my exceptional care.

Chris

 

[Bill B]

OK, more progress.

Reglan did the trick! Slept 6 hours plus straight last night (more than my usual before surgery). Ate breakfast (with Reglan) - no problem with gas and firm abdomen. Ate my steak sandwich lunch early (with Reglan) - no problem. Saw my GP today. All of my post-surgical water build up is gone - there was still a little yesterday. Better strength today. No need to pause occasionally while speaking to grab some air. Took both dogs on a long walk over hill and dale. Tuckered THEM out. I'm still anemic, but I'm feeling it less and less.

YEAH, BABY!!

 

[Bill B]

Each day gets better. May not need the Reglan any more. Sleep is still an hour here and an hour there usually assisted by 1mg lorazepam at night. I may up that dose to see if I can get longer than a couple of hours again, but I don't want to become dependent on it.

 

[Superbob]

Each day gets bette. May not need the Reglan any more. Sleep is still an hour here and an hour there usually assisted by 1mg lorazepam at night. I may up that dose to see if I can get longer than a couple of hours again, but I don't want to become dependent on it.

Bill, very glad to hear this is getting better and better for you. Almost five years after my initial surgery, I still take a low-dose sleep aid with my doctors' approval. So you could say I am dependent, I suppose. But it seems to cause no ill effects -- we are all different, though, and I applaud you for working to resolve it without dependence on a med.

 

[Bill B]

Superbob: I notice nothing adverse from the lorazepam too. It's not like I ENJOY it. It just allows me to ignore my still pounding heart (resting HR 84), hopefully which will come down as anemia corrects. I may have to work more actively on the anemia after I see what the lab results drawn Friday show for retic, serum iron, CBC. Anyway, if I need a longterm sleep aid, so be it. Thanks for your presepctive.

 

[Lynlw]

Superbob: I notice nothing adverse from the lorazepam too. It's not like I ENJOY it. It just allows me to ignore my still pounding heart (resting HR 84), hopefully which will come down as anemia corrects. I may have to work more actively on the anemia after I see what the lab results drawn Friday show for retic, serum iron, CBC. Anyway, if I need a longterm sleep aid, so be it. Thanks for your presepctive.

Since you were low in the hospital, did they give you back your auto blood? or did you use that in surgery?

 

[Bill B]

Lyn:

The rules for infusuing autologous blood are the same as for banked blood. In this case, no transfusions for HCT about 24. So, I got one of my units when my HCT hit 22. That raised it to 28, and I doubt I'm much above 30 yet. Pre-donation was 44. It's going to be a slow recovery. Donating my blood actually increased my post-op anemia. So, the other unit I donated will go to the general popualtion. Now, in theory those two units were there per chance I had a catastrophe, but for more routine surgery they are likely a waste.

 

[Nancy]

One of Joe's doctors told him that it takes about 2-3 months for a normal person to recover from anemia because it takes that long for new blood cells to develop to the point that they can function as they should.

 

[Lynlw]

Lyn:

The rules for infusuing autologous blood are the same as for banked blood. In this case, no transfusions for HCT about 24. So, I got one of my units when my HCT hit 22. That raised it to 28, and I doubt I'm much above 30 yet. Pre-donation was 44. It's going to be a slow recovery. Donating my blood actually increased my post-op anemia. So, the other unit I donated will go to the general popualtion. Now, in theory those two units were there per chance I had a catasphe, but for more routine surgery they are likely a waste.

I was thinking donating the blood that close to surgery was probably part of the reason you were so anemic post op. Usually it takes 4-8 week to replace all the RBCs from 1 unit donated. The volumn doesn't take that long but the red cells can. Do you happen to know what you hgb /hct was pre op?
It's interesting some centers have different triggers for auto blood than donated units and others don't.
I know since most OHS don't need blood any more,or they reuse enough blood from the cellsaver, that is one of the concerns against donating autogulous, chances are if you don't donate you won't be as low after surgery, BUT if you did run into a big problem 1 or 2 of your own units won't make that much of a difference. But that is water (or blood) under the bridge now, hopefully you enjoy eating alot of the things that help make red cells and have all your energy back soon.