The Importance of Sleep (Changes Post Op)

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R

Rush20

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 14, 2004
Messages
265
Location
Bradenton/Lakewood Ranch, FL. (Heart Still In Chi
Has anyone noticed a change in the phsyical impact of sleep (or lack there of) post surgery?

I had a pretty hectic schedule the last few weeks and unfortunately, suffered through a 5-day period where I only averaged about 5 hours of sleep per night.

When I was younger and pre-op, I would feel run down as a result, however now post-op it seems as though my body has less tolerance. I even noticed some palps as a result.

Last night I was finally able to get in a good night (7.5) hours of restful sleep and feel 100% better today as a result. I know lack of sleep is never good, however I'm curious if anyone else felt the strain on their post-op hearts as well.

It's as though my reparied heart acts as an overall barometer of health....
 
Yes, Allen, I definitely notice that a good night's sleep has become necessary.
Maybe pre op we just don't notice our heart having weird beats or palps, but post op it sure is more noticeable and a good warning sign to slow down or get more rest.
 
I am definitely better about getting a good night's sleep. I do need it and feel the loss if I don't get it.

Personally, I think that pre-surgery I was so incredibly tired and worn down that I just didn't notice the difference. Going to sleep was something I did not want to do all the time!! I'd hate those intermittent palpitations and the emotional worry that I might not wake up by some cruel twist of fate.

As my husband loves to say.... I think naps are highly under-rated! :p

I don't nap as much as I did the first 6 months post-surgery. If I do nap, I have trouble getting to sleep at night now. So. My feeling about your comment, really, is that I feel SO MUCH BETTER in general all day long that I really notice it now when I don't get enough sleep. Before I felt lousy and therefore did not really notice any sleep deprivation as much. Does that make sense?

Maybe some extra vitamins when you are having those hectic weeks??

:) Marguerite
 
I definitely need more sleep ever since I had my OHS. Pre-op, I used to get by on 5 hours sleep no problem. Now if I don't get 7-8 hours I'm dragging myself. What I don't know is whether I need more sleep as a result of the OHS or just because my body just got so spoiled by all that rest I got during my recovery. :rolleyes: Either way, it knows how to rebell when I don't get enough. :p
 
I have always slept well (one of the lucky ones, I know). I don't know if I sleep more but the quality of my sleep is better post AVR. I can really tell it when I don't get enough rest, so can others:eek:
 
palpitation

palpitation

O my god!

I'm realy concerned about the palpitation I have last days. I haven't sleep well for weeks, becouse of the many engagements. I had a graduation of engineering design and had so many projects to finish (which means many sllepless nights). At the same time I work for my political career, couse there are elections comming.

So, on monday, after my presentation for bachelor, I think I colapsed. As a result - palpitation on every second or third beat!

I thought this is an arrythmia. Immidiately visit to the cardio!... She asked me about the things I've done last week and the conclusion was - tiredness: "You need a break, boy! You are only 3,5 months post op!". She didn't even set an ECG and perscribed me more Kalium (grapes and raspberries, not medications).

So - it is common to have a palps post op.

As for the general feeling post op, compaired to that pre op, I don't find so big difference, but I wasn't symptomatic in general and was in NYHA class II ( I don't know how many persons here were in this NYHA class).

About the sleep - SLEEP IS GOOD!

Ivo
 
marie said:
Gosh sleep is worse after surgery?

The only way I sleep now is with a prescription sleep aid.
Click to expand...

I definitely don't need any help getting to sleep. If anything, since my OHS once my body decides it needs to sleep, there's no stopping it and I'm out like a light. I found I dream more post-op, and will wake up in the night occasionally, but will go right back to sleep. Nope...I sleep very well post-op...just seem to need more of it. That said, immediately after surgery, I had some difficulty with sleep, but that was due to the post-op discomfort in those early days while your body recovers from the invasive surgery it just experienced.

Hopefully, post-op you'll be able to sleep naturally, too. I'm sure the worry of having OHS is contributing to your trouble sleeping. I know it did for me pre-op. Good luck and best wishes.
 
Hopefully, post-op you'll be able to sleep naturally, too. I'm sure the worry of having OHS is contributing to your trouble sleeping. I know it did for me pre-op. Good luck and best wishes.[/QUOTE]

If I can sleep naturally that would be a wonderful plus. The worry is most certainly part of the problem. I just lay there and think about it and it's a vicious cycle the more I try to think of something else the more I think about the surgery and sleep becomes impossible.
Thanks
 
geebee said:
What's sleep? ;) :D
Click to expand...


I wish I knew. Can't sleep more than 2 hours at a time, then I am awake for at least 1/2 hour before I can go back to sleep. My PCP even gave me sleep aids and that didn't work. Oh well, I try to function on a few hours of interrupted sleep.
 
Sleep....

Sleep....

:)

I agree that sleep is important to good health. My own experience both pre-op & post-op is that typically I don't get enough. Primarily my concern, of course, is post-op sleep pattern changes. We have two young children which means no sleeping in as well as having to do some things after they go to bed. I have mentioned my lack of ability to "go" to sleep to my Doc. who basically blows it off. I use OTC-sleep aides with little effect. My wife tells me when I do sleep I often have dreams that seem to distress me. I can't remember the last time I woke up and actually felt rested. The best thing I've found is to just do what I can while awake and take short naps as needed. However with the kids this is not always possible. I try not to be too cranky but sometimes it get the best of me. In the past living an active day usually let me rest at night but with my current condition I am not very active at all. When I do try to be active I pay for it later either with my B/P going up or just feeling very run down. Oh well I always like to say "Every day above ground is a good day"....Take care!
 
Sleep matters

Sleep matters

Yes, definately, just 2 nights ago I laid awake getting myself all worked up about palpatations, just PVC's but annoying nonetheless. It was after a few days/nights of maybe 5-6 hours sleep at most. Doesn't work for me. In the old days pre-surgery I could, not now.

Peace,
Ruth
 
Thanks for all the replies. Obviously, this is an issue that effects a lot of us pre and post-op.

I think the toughest thing I had to get used to was the sound of my heart. I usually sleep on my side and noticed in some positions, I can hear the valve echo through the pillow. Throw in a stress-related palp and the mind takes over making it more difficult to sleep.

I really don't want to entertain any idea of medication to help me sleep, because IMO my anxiousness is a result of the BP meds I'm currently on. I keep telling my PCP and Cardio that I don't want more meds and if I have to continually adapt with more lifestyle changes, I'm more than willing to try. I'm afraid that I'm losing track of the medication side effects and just growing accustomed to them and now adjusting to artificial influences of the original root cause. :rolleyes:

As a result, I'm trying to get into a position to sleep earlier each night. I think a lot of has to do with trying to cram productivity into every waking minute - literally. I get done working or off the computer at 11PM and then expect to be asleep at 11:15 PM, five minutes after I get into bed. I don't think this is a realistic expectation. Perhaps getting into bed around 10PM and then reading something enjoyable or listening to some relaxing music will allow my body to turn off slowly, allowing a more gradual sleep pattern.
 
Pre-op, I often got by with only 5-6 hours' sleep a night. Sometimes even 4 hours.
Can't do it any more.

Post-op, I can get by with 6 hours' sleep one night, but not two nights in a row. Sometimes I am tired after a big heavy-duty weekend, preceded by only 5-6 hours' sleep on Thursday and Friday nights, travel, meal schedules off, etc.

I complained about this to my cardiologist this summer, and he seemed astounded that I wanted to be Superwoman and get by with less sleep than most "morals." He said my schedule would tire him!
 
Thankful@43 said:
:)

I agree that sleep is important to good health. My own experience both pre-op & post-op is that typically I don't get enough. Primarily my concern, of course, is post-op sleep pattern changes. We have two young children which means no sleeping in as well as having to do some things after they go to bed. I have mentioned my lack of ability to "go" to sleep to my Doc. who basically blows it off. I use OTC-sleep aides with little effect. My wife tells me when I do sleep I often have dreams that seem to distress me. I can't remember the last time I woke up and actually felt rested. The best thing I've found is to just do what I can while awake and take short naps as needed. However with the kids this is not always possible. I try not to be too cranky but sometimes it get the best of me. In the past living an active day usually let me rest at night but with my current condition I am not very active at all. When I do try to be active I pay for it later either with my B/P going up or just feeling very run down. Oh well I always like to say "Every day above ground is a good day"....Take care!
Click to expand...

Just wanted to pop back in and say WELCOME to Thankful as this is his first post on our forum. Lovely to have you and please don't be shy!!! :)


I recently had a sleep study done. My husband was concerned about my increasing snoring. Different subject, of course, because then you get into the varying definitions of sleep apnea. I'm kind of doing a full look-see on all related areas....had my sinuses looked at......having an endoscopy for GERD and associated possibilities. My point in mentioning this is that I think Sleep Studies are fairly amazing and revealing. BUT I would strongly recommend that anyone deciding to get a sleep study done NOT go through their normal GP or internist, but insist on a sleep study specialist. For those of you who are really having difficulty sleeping.......what are you waiting for??? Get a sleep study done. Maybe there are things going on that you have no idea about. Heart health is hugely related to sleep! Please do some investigating. I found a forum for sleep apnea which was responsive (daily responses, like ours) and friendly and very very full of info and links. It's on the www.sleepapnea.org site.

BTW, Rachel. I loved your comments about restorative sleep
" Yeah, sleep helps you heal, just like good nutrition helps you heal. Have you ever noticed how you can have a wound, and maybe you look at it right before you go to bed, and then you look at it when you wake up and it looks a lot different -- even if you only had few hours sleep? Sleep is restorative. Your body needs it to consolidate memories, heal wounds, and probably lots of things we don't even understand. "
My husband needs lots of sleep (annoyingly so) and your comments have actually given me a much deeper appreciation for who HE is!!! Thank you so very much!!

Marguerite
 
I guess I'm also one of the lucky ones. Pre surgery I would only sleep for an hour or so at a time, and although I would fall straight back to sleep its was always interupted. Now almost ten weeks post op I sleep right through the night without waking and feel refreshed in the morning. I still have an afternoon snooze some days but not everyday.

Mary
 
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