Sleeping

[NaomiAus 104]

Just curious on how people found sleeping post-op. I imagine sleeping on your back would be recommended, but If I sleep on my back I wake up with a really sore back so I prefer to sleep on my side. Just interested in how others managed in the firsts few weeks.

[jane13 2,256]

whatever is comfortable I was told by my doctor, which was my usual position - but with a pillow infront of my belly and between my knees. I sleep facing away from hubby so there was never an issue there.

[NthQldAus 22]

I was in hospital 3 nights and was told I could sleep however I wanted.... So I usually slept on my side .

No problems at all.

[NaomiAus 104]

That's a relief to hear, I was thinking I'd need to camp out on my recliner so I wasn't flat in my back until I'd healed a little. Thanks for the help

[jane13 2,256]

<p><span style="font-family: "comic sans ms", cursive;">I clutched the pillow to lie back on the bed (stomach muscles a bit sensitive) and if I needed to cough or sneeze. Take a pillow to the hospital for the ride home!</span></p>

<p> </p>

<p><span style="font-family: "comic sans ms", cursive;">If you have GERD issues you may need to elevate the head of the bed a smidgen and it also helps getting up. I actually sat down and layed sideways and then rolled to my back.</span></p>

Edited July 10, 2015 by jane13

[slvarltx 332]

I had to sleep on my back. The pain at the large incision would wake me up if I rolled on my side. Pretty much a non issue by day 10. I still sleep more than I did pre-op

[fromsleevedtome 50]

I pretty much slept on my side for the most part and didn't have any issues with it. Within 5 days I was sleeping in my stomach with a pillow without any pain.

[roundisashape 712]

The doc SAID I could sleep however I wanted, but I spent the first couple of weeks sort of draping sideways over a pile of pillows and mostly sitting up. For some reason, I found that I had a lot of unexpected pain that made laying down or anything like that really hard. By about 6 weeks or so, I could sleep however I wanted.

Now I sleep like a rotisserie chicken because my bones don't seem to know where to go, lol. I have fewer built in cushions . It drives the dog crazy!

[lauraellen80 854]

I slept in a recliner for about a week and a half after surgery. I found that I couldn't get comfortable in bed, even propped up with pillows, and my usual side-sleeping position was no good because of the pulling sensation of my large incision. I also share a queen-sized bed with my husband and our 60-lb dog, so it was easier overall to manage in the recliner initially. At 3.5 weeks out, I'm back to sleeping in our bed and can sleep on either side and on my stomach again.

[NaomiAus 104]

I guess everyone feels differently after surgery, some have no issues and some do. I guess I won't really know if I'll have a problem until after I'm sleeved

[jeanniereenie 177]

I slept sort of on my side the first few days, sitting up on a pile of pillows, we have a temper-pedic and it was extremely hard for me to move around comfortably.

by day 5 or so i could lay on my own bed with no problem, getting up quickly was another issue!

i would imagine its ok to sleep however you are comfy, i was told by my nurses to just be comfy and not to try to twist a lot in the bed...it wasnt a problem because i kept getting stuck in the middle of the bed lmao

[julias1119 27]

I slept on my back with 4 pillows under my head and shoulders to prop me up for about a week. After that, I was comfortable enough to sleep on my right side. I had some bruising/swelling on my left side, so I wasn't able to sleep on that side until 3 weeks out.

[roundisashape 712]

You're exactly right! The best thing to do is just be prepared with a couple of options since it's hard to try to figure out a new arrangement when you first get home.

[shugarhey 79]

I slept on my back and side the first few days. Woke up in the middle of the night on post op day 4 flat on my stomach! There was no pain so I went back to sleep. Slept like a baby.

[GirlOnFire 111]

I was sleeved this past Monday the 6th and I'm still sleeping in a recliner. It's been such a help. Much easier to get in and out of and I can kind of turn on my side a little while keeping a pillow over my stomach to help with pain. I tried sleeping flat in bed and it was a nightmare... Then when I tried to sit up I was like a turtle stuck on its back lol.... So recliner for me until I can comfortably get back in bed.