Once getting home from the hospital.....

[Faithoftheheart 42]

Be careful with the recliner. We were all advised NOT to use them. It's even written in our informational binder. The reason we were given is that it is attributed to blood clots in your legs because of the way your legs rest on the lower portion of the recliner. Just something to keep in mind...

[toasty 371]

@@Faithoftheheart Interesting, I will have to ask my doctor about this. My surgery is in 2 weeks, and I was planning on using my recliner when I got back home.

[rnwrny 15]

I found getting out of bed while laying flat very difficult and painful. We don't have a recliner so I took pretty much every single pillow in the house and propped myself up at night. Then in the morning I could just sort of roll out of bed without having to engage my ab muscles too much. I think it was about a week, maybe 10 days, before I could sleep closer to my normal position.

[tls1210 25]

I spent my first night at home - out of the hospital- last night. I slept flat in my own bed. I had the best night night sleep! The only hard part was getting out of bed, this morning, but it was hard getting out of the hospital bed in the most upright position, too. Luckily, I have had my husband who puts his hand behind my back and slowly pushed me up - he needs to go work in the hospital helping all bariatric patients out of bed. It really helps and with very little pain because he's doing most of the work and I don't have to use my stomach muscles, as much.

[epiphani 28]

It really depends on the shape you are in at the time of surgery... how mobile you are, etc., and the height/type of bed and other furniture in your home.

I did not need a recliner. It may have helped that I started walking in response to everything right after surgery... while still in the hospital. If I hurt, I walked. If I was nauseated, I walked. If I was bored, I walked. When I got home, it was not a problem getting in and out of bed.

I wouldn't (as a nurse) recommend elevating both ends at once. Let your blood flow without restriction. It is your head that may need to be elevated.

Love the idea of asking friends about borrowing a recliner for a few weeks! It may be helpful and gives those that want to support you a chance to do so!

Edited August 27, 2015 by epiphani

[epiphani 28]

The easiest way to get out of a flat bed after surgery is to lie straight, roll to one side, push up onto one elbow as you swing your feet over the edge, then push up from there.

[tls1210 25]

I've been having a hard time rolling the entire way onto my left side. I know the pain will subside in time. I already am pretty much pain free, except for getting out of bed and coughing. But I can lay down with no problem, standing and sitting are going well. too.

[Amylou 206]

I slept in my bed with my maternity pillow. it worked awesome.

[leroy mann 19]

Yeah same here @@axlr8n it was though getting and still is getting out of the recliner!

[geronimo 52]

I'm still a couple months away from surgery but thinking about recovering already.

One question I had is concerning ways to enhance comfort once returning home from the hospital.

Is it advisable to not lay fully flat but slightly elevated on both ends ?

I also wondered about simply buying a recliner now since our downstairs chairs are rigid wing backs.

It may be easier if I recover a couple days in the recliner vs having to go upstairs to the bedroom.

The two things I did for discharge and ride home were to wear very stretchy and comfy clothes (I bought elastic waist band track pants with a tie that were slightly big for me) and a comfy pillow that I held firmly to my stomach to cushion the ride home. Both worked extremely well.

Once home, elevated is advisable, and though I remained upright throughout the day, I did sleep flat (with two stacked pillows) and all was fine. By the second night home I was feeling good enough that I could sleep on my side.

Personally, I'd stay away from the recliner. I might be nice, but it'd only be for a couple days - not worth the cost. Plus, the extra walking up and down the steps is exactly what you (all of us) need at that point.

[hellohealthy 32]

Slept fine in my bed but I had my head and feet elevated.

[Dub 10,070]

Cool.

Still kicking this around as I know the hernia repair is going to be the most unpleasant part of it.

I went to the Lazyboy store last week. Didn't find anything comfortable.

I'm going to try another store Monday morning.

[DangerMouse007 105]

I didn't have too many issues post-surgery. I normally fall asleep on my side, and I definitely couldn't do that my first night home. I had to try and fall asleep lying flat on my bed. I woke up several times throughout the first night as well to use the bathroom, I'm guessing to flush out the Water weight I had gained while in the hospital. Then I had some anxiety trying to fall asleep on my back again. I think on the second or third night I was fine sleeping on my side although I think the idea of having pillows on your sides to keep you from rolling is probably a good one. One night I woke up completely turned over on my stomach, and that certainly didn't feel good at all! Ha ha!

[Ashlegal 525]

I was released on Friday afternoon and I have made several trips up and down my stairs, slept with my head slightly propped and only ever feel horrible pain when trying to get out of a chair, off a couch or the side of the bed that is too tall.

I had a c-section in 2003 and would never compare the two. The c-section by far was harder to recover from and kept me from resuming normal activities.

And I'm a wuss. I do not tolerate pain well, my first night in the hospital I cursed myself for even going through with surgery and yet today I feel almost better than I did before surgery.

[Dub 10,070]

I've been hunting around somewhat in my search for a comfortable recliner. Not much luck and felt like I had plenty of time.

Well.....the plenty of time thing ran out last week. I opted to take the self-funded route with this bypass and my timeline shortened considerably. A buddy at work is a big guy and told me about the recliner he bought in December. He said the model name of the chair is "The Beast". It's made for big & tall folks.

I went and sat in one and realized the character from my son's favorite movies....Harry Potter's buddy, Haggrad, would be comfortable in this chair.

My wife wasn't too thrilled about the look of it, but she agreed that it'd be nice to have.

It is the easiest chair I've ever stood up from. I should have no problem sleeping in this bad boy the first few nights. Wished I'd had it after the first two hernia surgeries.

I'm very pleased so far.

I've been having a hard time rolling the entire way onto my left side. I know the pain will subside in time. I already am pretty much pain free, except for getting out of bed and coughing. But I can lay down with no problem, standing and sitting are going well. too.

Exactly.

I've been doing the "log roll" method of getting out of bad since April. My PT angel showed it to me on our first session when I was going for my back.

Trouble is that I sleep on the left side of the bed and wouldn't have much fun rolling onto that side, either.