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How soon to lay down??



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So I had my surgery yesterday, and I slept horribly!! My back is killing me! All I want to do is lay down! How long after the surgery did you lay down to sleep rather than be propped up??

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I slept on my side the 2nd night. I just put a small pillow under the side of my stomach to support it so that the incisions weren't being stretched out. Hope that works for you...

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After surgery, I remember my back was killing me too! It was awful! This think it's due to lying on the operating table for an hour or two. After about a day I was feeling much better with the back pain. Then, it was off to dealing with the shoulder pain!:(

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I slept lieing down from the beggining. I was able to sleep on my stomach. I would say just do what is comfortable for you. I don't think there are any hard and fast rules. Congrats on your surgery.

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I slept in a recliner for 5 nights, only way I could get comfortable

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I slept reclined on the couch for the first two nights and slept in bed going forward from there. I had surgery on Oct 26th, and am still having back pain - enough that my dr. put me on part time hours while my stomach heals. She believes the back pain is due to my back compensating for the stomach muscles that I can't use right now. I've been using the pain meds after I get out of work and head for bed at night. (I work 2nd shift)

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I slept the way I always do - on my side. I did put a pillow next to my stomach for extra support but didn't really need it.

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My back started feeling better after I could start walking normally again. i agree that your back has to compensate for your stomach muscles for a while. i slept propped up for a while, mostly cuz if i layed down i need help out of bed and didnt have anyone, btw, rolling works the best to get out of bed from a laying position. I still had to sleep on my back. use a pillow under your stomach if you sleep on your side. my port is on my left side. before the surgery I was a right side sleeper. I have difficulty doing this now as i get an uncomfortable sensation when i lay on that side, like i can feel my stomach flopping over and feel a tugging on my port, im sure all of which is in my head, but it is uncomfortable for me. so now i am a right side sleeper, which took about a week. Four and a half weeks later I am still pillow propping.

i think you should do whatever makes you comfortable.My doc told me not to worry about how I slept unless it caused me a lot of pain. I also had rouble sleeping well for the first day or two and kinda dozed in and out. just rest as needed and take plenty of naps! You deserve time to rest!

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I had surgery on Nov 10th and as of last night I was still unable to lay down in the bed. It is extremely uncomfortable and puts tension on the incisions and port. I've been propped upright on pillows on the couch the last couple nights. My back hurts also but could be from the surgery itself or sleeping on the couch. Like most people said, I think it just depends on you being comfortable. If you are not able to lay down comfortably then I would not push it. Take it a day at a time. The sleeping does get easier... the first night I woke every hour but last night I slept through the night.

Good luck to you!

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I had my surgery on November 1st.

I slept in the recliner for the first two nights then I was finally able to sleep on my right side some of the night and the rest of the night in the recliner.

I am not finally able to sleep on both sides..

It was soooo frustrating.. I just wanted to lay down and sleep!!!

Hang in there.. it gets better.

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It was a few days before i attempted sleeping flat on my back, then i slowly tried the sides. My left side was easier. What really helped my back while sleeping was the heating pad. It worked great on those muscles plus it helps move the gas around.

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I slept in a 1/2 sitting position for about 4 days, maybe more. I waited to sleep on my right side, until I felt comfortable enough and not sore from surgery. I was a stomach sleeper, but am too paranoid to sleep on my stomach. I sleep on my right side pretty much all the time, with my left arm over a pillow, so I won't roll over.

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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

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        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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