Tips for post-op recovery sleeping?

[mrichardson]

I have a bad lower back. The short amounts of time that I DID sleep yesterday (which is partially why I'm writing this at 3:15 AM my local time) I slept fairly well. Unfortunately, because I have a bad back, sleeping for long periods of time has now become uncomfortable.

I had to end up taking a nap in the middle of the day yesterday.

I was a side sleeper. I was told this was OK to do, but I also toss and turn sometimes, and I'm afraid with the general post-op restrictions (no pushing/pulling, no lifting more than 10 pounds, etc) that I'm going to injure something if I side sleep. I guess it's also a little psychological, as I don't want it to hurt.

Any tips or advice?

 

[Paleowoman]

Sorry to hear you are up in the middle of the night - it's morning here in the UK. First few weeks post surgery I was up in the middle of the night loads and then you guys over the other side of the pond were awake to advise me.

I'm a side sleeper but no way could I lie down after heart surgery, not for several weeks. I slept propped up on my sofa. That was more comfortable even though not particularly condusive to sleep even so, but less painful. I kind of dozed most nights. Do you have a recliner or suitable sofa you could try ? I found "sleeping"/resting on the sofa in the living room kind of nice too as I could get up, put the light on, get a drink, do things when I couldn't sleep, without disturbing anyone else in the house. As the weeks went by I found I could lie down on my side for short periods, and then longer ones, until about six weeks post op I went back to my bedroom (I still couldn't get in my own bed which is a futon on the floor as getting up from floor posed problems after surgery for a while as not supposed to lift your bodyweight with your arms so soon after surgery, but I got a futon on a bed base which my husband bought for me. Got back on to the floor futon after about three months - hurray).

 

[almost_hectic]

Sleep when're you can. I did the same as Paleogirl, I could only sleep in spurts because I could only sleep as long as a pain pill would last basically. Plus I'm kind of a terrible sleeper too, as I have some arthritis in my neck and laying still for too long flat on my back was really uncomfortable. Besides, you shouldn't find it at all unusual to feel tired and in need of a nap during the day. You're going to be tired and sleepy for a little while during all the healing you've got going on. The body repairs itself during sleep. So don't feel guilty for sleeping as you'll needs lots of it! Best wishes, stay strong. I used. To be on here all night reading and posting in the weeks right after surgery.

 

[Jamieann]

I had surgery on April 1 and have also struggled with sleep. I haven't been able to sleep in bed - for some reason it hurts my back way to much - I learned that lesson my first night home from the hospital. I've been sleeping on the couch and that has been feeling a lot better. On nights where I haven't slept well I've also just had to resort to naps during the day.

At least at home there's no one coming in to take vitals 4 times per night! best of luck!

 

[Bushman]

My advice would be to load up on pain meds before bed and sleep in whatever position you are most comfortable in.
Nap as long and as many times during the day as you need, rest is healing.
I am a side sleeper as well and 3 weeks out of surgery, I'm just starting to sleep on my side for longer periods(1-2 hours at a time).

Best of luck and it does get easier day by day.
Bushman

 

[Marguerite53]

Hello. I remember gathering up every darn pillow in the house and making a kind of armchair in the bed for myself. You might have a round pillow you can put under your lower back and then sleep sitting up with your arms on top of pillows. Fortunately, too, we had purchased a recliner chair for me and after a week of trying the bed, I gave it up completely and slept in the chair for a month. Pillows are very cheap at Costco if someone can go buy you some extras! I also agree with the sleep whenever you are tired -- you are in recovery and it will rule you for awhile. Don't worry about any kind of schedule. It's okay--it's just for awhile )
Good luck!

 

[mrichardson]

So I tried couch sleeping last night. I'd say it went fairly well. I'm probably going to need to do some experimentation over the next couple of nights regarding lateral positioning, and getting in/out of the couch (soft, squishy couch), but I would categorize last night as a "success".

 

[honeybunny]

Glad to hear you got some rest last night. Like the others have posted, I had difficulty getting comfortable, even in the zero-gravity recliner my brother helped me purchase specifically for my recovery. I alternated between it and the sofa. I didn't return to my bed for 6+ weeks.

 

[Capizzi]

I bought two dense wedges designed to prop people up in bed. I bought them at Bed Bath and Beyond, which is store selling bed sheets, pillows, etc. They made a world of difference because unlike trying to prop yourself up with pillows, they don't slide around and are firm enough so that your back does not get sore from hinging at the same vertebrae. It is important to keep good posture even while resting or sleeping. I was over protective of my right breast and shoulder where my incision was, and I created a secondary problem. I should have been passively stretching it during rest.

 

[David W]

Tamazepan.......

 

[almost_hectic]

Even after my pain went away it was still uncomfortable to sleep on my side. If i did sleep on my side I would wake up feeling sore for a minute in my sternum. Actually not my sternum but right next to it. Last night was the first time I slept comfortably on my side with no soreness at all and I am 8 months out from surgery.

I wonder how much pain relates to different surgical procedures we each go through. Mine was a ministernotomy, so while i had a smaller incision my sternum was probably stretched with more force and disrupting more cartilage around it?... I don't know enough about the procedure to say Im just speculating.

 

[Bushman]

Even after my pain went away it was still uncomfortable to sleep on my side. If i did sleep on my side I would wake up feeling sore for a minute in my sternum. Actually not my sternum but right next to it. Last night was the first time I slept comfortably on my side with no soreness at all and I am 8 months out from surgery.

I wonder how much pain relates to different surgical procedures we each go through. Mine was a mini-sternotomy, so while i had a smaller incision my sternum was probably stretched with more force and disrupting more cartilage around it?... I don't know enough about the procedure to say I'm just speculating.

WOW! I can't believe how similar our stories are. I too had a mini-sternotomy, Onyx valve, side sleeper, same soreness.... I'm only one month post-op though.
For me the mini-sternotomy was painful as hell, I originally thought the pain was from the incision but a few days after surgery when the bruising formed it was clear that they used those stretchers for their intended purpose. It really looked like I had been run over.

 

[almost_hectic]

WOW! I can't believe how similar our stories are. I too had a mini-sternotomy, Onyx valve, side sleeper, same soreness.... I'm only one month post-op though.
For me the mini-sternotomy was painful as hell, I originally thought the pain was from the incision but a few days after surgery when the bruising formed it was clear that they used those stretchers for their intended purpose. It really looked like I had been run over.

Pain, yes for sure! Although I had zero bruising.