Sleep, oh how I wish I could sleep, I am feeling like an eyptian mummy lol , hi I am forty nine
I am four weeks post hip replacement surgery, I day dream about sleeping on My side ,worst part of the hippie trek ,
Breaking my silence , Tina. Been ingesting all comments on this site. So many similarities in pain, frustrations and emotional toll of joint replacement. But rarely does any one mention permanent paralysis from THR. Due to femoral nerve damage or acute bleeding. I had both. Am permanently mobility compromised. I just got to sleep on my side fairly comfortably about six months ago. I'm three years out from my surgery. Pt agravates the palsy. But I force myself to walk with my husband every day.. Good luck to all. Keep up the info!!
Hi Tina - look up a recent post by Gwen - actually a repost of one by Kate a while back entitled The Sleep Club.
The challenges of sleeping post-op are epic for almost everyone - whether due to sleep position (few of us think of sleeping on our back as normal or desirable or even feasible); or pain and swelling; the incredible quantities of urine we need to dispel at night; restless and cramping legs; or the night sweats (that my GP promised were behind me for all time).
Thank God for Internet and wireless and this forum or there definitely would have been a headline and photo this spring in our city paper of me on crutches on short pj's barking at the moon on our very snowy street.
Keeping my medications regular (thank you Graham for suggesting setting the alarm on my phone), extra pillows under my leg and around my hips to keep me balanced and ease my back (thank you dear husband for moving to the extra bedroom to make room for all of my paraphernalia), getting my magnesium level checked to reduce the restless legs (thank you ... Kate?); and the spare table w extra towels and t-shirts ready to do a quick change (well ... changes anyway) and an Ipod with favourite music (thank you dearest daughter) kept me (just ths side of) sane.
A cooler of cold packs and beginner sudoku also helped but ... this was the biggest challenge for me and .. I get to do it all over again shortly!
Hang in there - it does get easier and dozens of new hippies arriving all the time - surely someone will find the definitive fix for this 😁.
Big hugs,
L
Dear Sissy,
I cannot find words to send you that could matter one iota - and I cannot.
I am so sorry about your situation.
I wish prayers and hugs could make a difference but I suspect that if they could, you would be well again.
Thank you for sharing your situation and helping us put things in perspective.
With many hugs for you and your family.
L
Hi Tina, boy don't we all! I keep trying but it just isn't happening. My husband did say he got up the other morning and I was on my right side. Which amazes me must have done it in my sleep and doubt I had been that way very long. I had rthr on May 17, and just about the time I felt like maybe I could lay on my side it was time for my lthr (August 12)...so here I am on my back still. It seems like it has been forever! I am not a back sleeper so I keep trying to lay on my sides. My right side is still just as tender as the left is. I had a fracture on the right side though and think the healing is slower on that side. I can lay on either side for only a few minutes and I start to hurt. So then it is back to the back. First surgery I got by with slipping pillows under my knees and propping my legs up, but for some reason that doesn't seem to make me any more comfortable this time. Guess I am just getting tired of laying that way in general. Nothing wrong with daydreaming...lol....Hope you heal quickly and are able to lay on your side soon. Wishing you well...Barb
Hi Tina - it was Fernlady who did the repost😊!
Hi Tina, I an sleep on my side with a pillow between my legs I tired it for a minute, made me nervous and I rolled right back on my back, do you have a sleeping pill? maybe it would help short term? I pretty much sleep on my back so my face doesn't wrinkel ( no kidding lol). Good luck wishing you sweet dreams.
Annette
Prayers that you get relief and start to feel better. Hugs, 🤗🤗 LD
Hi Tina
We are all going through the same thing. I'm 7 months post op and I'm lucky if I get 2 hours at a time. I feel like a zombie most of the time. All you can do is keep going and grab sleep when you can. 4 weeks is such a short time after a big operation.
Brenda C
Hi Tina I'm 8weeks post op and have slept on
my operated side for the first time this week
YAHOO it's heaven couldn't do it earlier as not
comfy and a little afraid of dislocation, but so
GOOD. You'll get there little love ,hugs xxx😴
I think we should create a zombie club! I am also a poor sleeper. 7 weeks post op. Can sleep on my sides but still only get a couple of hours at a time! Doing the bed exercises does relax my legs and I usually fall asleep again, only to wake up 1-2 hours later. I was hoping it would improve!
Hi Tina I'm 40 and 5 weeks post LTHR from week 3 my pt said if it feels comfortable I can lay on my right side with pillow and was lovely to get some sleep check with your pt as everyone is different but worth the ? Good luck
My problem and I'm 7 wks on is incontinence. Have got used to sleeping on back and now on op. side with pillow. It becomes habit.
Hi Olwen
I wasn't a good sleeper before, but must admit I feel worse now. I agree about the zombie club, I feel as if I want to do the things I did before, but can't seem to make myself and that is not like me. All we can do is keep going and try to get plenty of rest.
Brenda C
Hi Tina and all,
I'm 41 TLHR 2 1/2 weeks post op. I had all the same problems with sleep as everyone else. Sleeping on my L side is still to tender. But by the end of the 1st week I could not function due to sleep deprivation. So I started sleeping on my front with a pillow under my pelvis (for support) and pillows either side of my operated leg to stop rotation. And it worked!!! I tend to get 3-4 hours on my front, then wake up for the loo, then another 2-3 hours either on my front or my back (if on my back I have pillows under my knew raising my legs slightly. The hospital said it was ok to sleep on my front, this was the PT and occupational health and the staff nurse. But said when you turn your body on to your front your legs, hips and torso have to be turned all at the same time, if that makes sense, a little bit of upper body strength involved.
I also suffer from friggety leg syndrome, so have started drinking tonic water (for the quinine) to take the edge off, it totally works.
Also wheni feel I'm not going to fall asleep well I take 2 herbal nightol a hour before going to bed. And if that doesn't work I listen to a 10 min mindfulness meditation and so far I haven't heard the end of the meditation. Don't get me wrong I'm not a hippy In the sense of meditation, it's more the fact that the gentlemen's voice is like velvet and sends me to sleep!!
But don't get me wrong, there are the odd night when my mind is racing and it just won't sleep.
I hope this helps a little.
Hang in there.
Nina. X
It hasnt been very long since you had your tlhr. Did they do it anterially? I had to go to dr to get sleeping pill. Are you receiving therapy?
Yep - we all know it's terrible - just get what sleep you can, whenever and wherever you can.
Adjust with loads of pillows,accept help inpositioning yourself, move the bits you are allowed to move the good leg if you have one), and grit your teeth, it will all pass - eventually.
🚀💃
Hi Tina,
well, as you found out, you are definitely not alone in the not-sleeping department -
everyone has their own coping mechanisms - those weeks are exhausting - and I was allowed to sleep on unoperated side right away (pillow between knees) and still - by the time I was comforatble and had to get out of bed , limp to the loo , get back in and so and so .... I was happy to get 2-3 hours uninterupted sleep at that time ...
hang in there - try to not get too frustrated ....
big warm hug
renee
dear sissy,
I am so sorry to read this - I don't have words either to comfort you -
would you like to share your story with us?
It take a lot of courage to break your silence, Tina -
we are here for you okay ..
big warm hug
renee
I am new to this forum and am 3-4 weeks post op left side thr. It is the sleeping that is the worst bit!!!!! It is getting a little bit easier now (I managed to sleep from 12 to 4 last night!!!) but it is a very unnatural position! However, now have a memory foam mattress topper, a big soft bolster pillow and make sure I do my exercises last thing and do the in bed leg exercises when restless-legs start. I have halved my pain meds and strangely that seems to have helped too. Mind you, I have always woken up at least once in the night - low bladder capacity I think! So nice to find this forum, best wishes to all of you.