My hubbie is doing really well in every respect after his hip replacment. He doesn't complain in anyway and is moving around beautifully. He wakes up every 1.5 hours during the night, like an alarm clock. He has to pass water and go into the bathroom and lays awake. He is not comfortable laying on his back and I am sure this is half the trouble. Any suggestions?
I was like that every op i had. I juat tried to makeca little pillow base to keep me slightly upright and a pillow under the operated area. Didnt really improve much but it was a lot more comfortable
I met someone who had the new procedure which goes through the buttock rather than the hip. He told me he had a lot of pain at night and could not sleep. However he was streets ahead of me as far as recovery went and I was amazed when he told me that he had the op only 2 weeks previousl!. This is not a suggestion but encouragement if he had this procedure. Hope it gets better and you have a good New Year.
I was the same. I found a pillow behind the knees helped. The waterworks thing will soon pass. And in two weeks or so he'll be on his side again.
Dear Rosalindblue,
I am now 4 months on but do remember well that I needed to get up several times a night to wee...I had however bought a She Wi in anticipation of this...would your husband use a bottle? It is just because the effort of getting up and go to bathroom wakes you fully and even harder to get back to sleep in that awful 'on your back' position. All I can say about that is it is a joy to be able to turn on your side at roughly 6 weeks dependent on your surgeon. PIllows etc ,which I am sure he does, help but it is really a question of sleeping when you can and during the day too until you are ablle to sleep in your usual position . It gets better everyday and altho there are setbacks..he will cope. I expect your nights are disturbed too so it was easier for me as on my own and didn't have to worry about that.
Very best wishes.
Alice
Thanks Graham. He's not in pain, thats the point. His bladder wakes him up, it seems, but its not like that during the daytime.... But thanks for the encouragement. Happy New Year you too.
Thanks Sarah, He is jolly comfy.... he hate sleeping on his back though.
I think it will improve with time. Thanks for your encourgement!
I am 3 weeks post op today and have not slept for more than 2 hours at a time. It really is impossible to sleep on my back and I find that after a few hours my back aches and so I have to get up. I do sleep on a mattress topper and several pillows which is more comfy but not enough!!! This forum is so helpful and informative - it seems that every post hippie suffers the same. Hopefully it will ease in time.
Good luck to you both.
We did all suffer the same with this sleeping position..the good thing is it is so wonderfuk when you can turn on your side....
Best wishes,
ALice ( I am now post op 4 months..)
I know how he feels. When i get mine i might ask if i can sleep on my stomach haha. But my problem is im a wriggly sleeper. I toss and change my positition all night
That is onemore thing no-one tells you about - passing water every hour ...
Comfort - it will pass, (or it did for me) eventually, just about the time they let you sleep on your side!
A variety of pillows can help - and I found the harder mattress in our spare room helped
Graham - 🚀💃
I'm three weeks post op and felt just the same. I bought a new mattress as my back hurt so much. Enforced back sleeping is awful, even if you previously slept in this position. I was so frustrated I lay on my side a couple of nights ago with a pillow between my knees, only managed for a very short time as it became uncomfortable and I was worried I would cause harm, but just felt nice to be off my back.
The constant waking is exhausting and I only sleep a few hours each night, waking constantly. The trips to the bathroom will improve though. Like others have said, it will all get better, it's early days yet. Good luck!
Im now a little worried about waking up to wee a lot in night. My bathroom is downstairs and our stairs are incredibly steap to be honest, i struggle to walk down them currently never mind after ops haha
The trips to the loo will pass fairly soon. I think my record was six visits in one night, I was exhausted!!! By the end of the 3rd week I was back to once in a nighth.
i found a triangular pillow helped and maybe a pillow down the side as well. Actually I amazed myself by finding sleeping on my back was eaSier than I expected.
I was the same as your husband. I woke up after two hours and then couldn't get back to sleep, when I did, I'd sleep for about an hour! I did find having a pillow under my knees helped and being propped up with loads of pillows around me. I remember the first night I slept on my side at six weeks was HEAVEN. Sounds as though he's doing really well otherwise.
Only six in a night .... I was 'going' every hour - very exhausting.
A lot of consensus here. No one likes sleeping on their back. Hopefully the pain meds cause drowsiness and can be taken at bedtime. Is he napping during the day? Monitor drinking a couple hours before bedtime? I'm sure you've thought about all of these good luck. This phase will pass.
Glad he is doing so well otherwise
I usually sleep as soon as my head hits the pillow but post op I was awake every couple of hours. I sat on the edge of the bed for 20 mins just for a change of position and also kept a drink on the bedside table. This lack of sleep is normal at night but. It will get better. Tony
Sarah, that is not so good, darling - either have something upstairs, perhaps one of those portable toilets/chairs or sleep down stairs - or a She Wee..
Sarah,,as REnee has said get yourself a 'She Wee'...from Boots. I did and was very grateful for it. You need to practice a bit to avoid accidents. Marvelous thing it was....I only used it the first two weeks. It seems we do wee a lot those first few nights..not days oddly.... never kneew why and thought it was just me till I read all the posts. So don't be worried as appears the noem and can be dealt with with planning!!
ALice