i am on day 12 but cannot sleep at night !! I manage 2 hours initially and then not much more and it is taking its toll .
I was taking 60mg of codeine at night but that now doesn't work and I wondered if my gp would prescribe sleeping tablets to help me through this phase of misery !
any ideas ???????
You can only ask Jay. My mum always used to say your body heals itself when you're asleep. I already am prescribed sleeping tablets so hopefully they'll help me post op. I'm dreading the sleeping bit.
Good luck xx
Hi Jay,this brings unhappy memories of no sleep,I use to think it was just me,but no most people seem to go through it.I was on quite a lot of painkillers so I was worried about taking sleeping tablets,It's hard to think you can go all night without nodding off,but I had many of those nights,I am12 weeks post op don't take any pain killers at all and havn't for 4 weeks,and now I take 1/2 sleeping tablet,but it will get better for you and you can look forward to that sleep.Take care and Good Luck Michael.
THANKYOU
I think I will ask my gp on Monday because although every other aspect of this op seems to be going well , the lack of sleep is getting depressing .
Hi Jay.
we all go thru this phase, you are only 12 days out so your still trying to sleep on your back!! hell on earth for most of us, have you tried propping yourself up to an almost sitting position with pillows? I found this helped me , as for the sleep meds, well I wouldn't recomend starting on them except as a last resort, codiene should make you sleepy, I take a valium sometimes maybe this would help you, ask your DR what he thinks, are you in that much pain at night? or is it you just can't get comfortable? it could also be that mentally you are scared of moving your hip in your sleep and causing a dislocation, if this is it try a giant U shaped pillow, mine served me well during the first fwe weeks you can get them on ebay.
hope this helps,
Love and best wishes for a speedy recovery,
Lynne x
Hi Jay,
I have been on Amitryptilene for many years now for pain but I find it knocks me out. It's really good for helping you to sleep. They aren't sleeping tablets as such but have the same effect. Your doc might be able to prescribe you something along those lines.
There's nothing worse than not being able to sleep. I hope you get something sorted soon.
Ali x
Hi Jay,
I'm week 7 and I can say that what you are experiencing is pretty typical in the early days. I can say that it does get better! Honestly. I feel your frustration. I tried to catch up on sleep during the day, mainly out of pure exhaustion! After 2 hours I got up made a hot chocolate, went on the ipad and then tried again.
Keep in there, but do try to get to sleep in the afternoon.
Love and light.
I think it is a combination of fear of moving my hip and at night I can't get rid of the dull ache in my leg ! I have tried different pillow arrangements but as yet nothing is working AND I WANT TO SLEEP !!!
i will phone doctor on Monday to ask .
Thankyou
Hi Jay!
Welcome.e to hippy land!
Ah sleep...balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course. Hope it will return, as it did for me. I found snatches of sleep in afternoons helped, plus not worrying if at 4 am I'm drinking tea and watching catch up tv. All will be well.
Take care
Mic
Thankyou
Unfortunately I don't seem able to sleep in the day either so am doomed !
I tried lavender spray on my pillows last night but to no avail !
I am just counting the days until I can sleep on my side .
are you taking any anti inflammatories, if not i suggest you get some off your doc. i think if you were like me you are worrying about moving your leg in your sleep. what i did i slept on my back till i woke up , about 2-3 hoirs, then put a pillow between legs and turned on my side , for another 2-3 hours, then back again, don't worry about moving your leg as long as it is not more than 90 degrees to your waist you are ok
Hi Jay,
This seems to be a very common problem...everyone of us has had problems with sleeping during the first few weeks from the operation. It will get better, in the meantime...sleep when you can! I used to feel exhausted at 4.00 p.m. and I used to go to bed and sleep until 6.00. I used to go back to bed after breakfast.
I seem to remember that I coudn't sleep for more than two hours.
It will pass and soon you will be able to sleep like before the op.
Best wishes
Ella
Thankyou
I do hope so
Dunno why but 2amI was always up. Could never really fall back to sleep until 5am or 6am. Sleeping on your bacck is tought. Do you have a recliner chair? I never had one and wish I did, people ho have them slept in them for the first few weeks.
I know it is frustrating, actually probably the most frustrating thing about a THR, the (no) sleeping side effect. 60mg of Codeine should put you out for at least 2 to 3 to 4 hours. My you really are havibg a tough time. If you can just hang on a little longer it does get better. It got better for me when I kept my leg all the way down to the ankle level with my hip and sort of slept half on my stomach and half on my side. and I threw that good leg out behind me so I had a good 3 feet between the feet. Like you I just couldn't take it any more on my back and I just did it. It didn't seem to hurt me any. I lined up two rows of bed pillows from my stomach down to my foot, so if i moved there was even adjoining pillows, to make sure my leg didn't fall down past my hip. I think as long as you keep your ankle/foot level with your hip you are ok. Actually now that I think of it, I folded up a fluffy thick blanket comforter on top of the pillow to give me height on the leg. Even with all of that though Jay, I only got marginally more sleep about 2- 2 1/2 hours more at a stretch.