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Sleeping Positions & Habits



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Hello everyone,

Ever since I was a little girl I've slept on my tummy (Ive been told it's not the best position, but oh well).

I got banded on July 2nd, and have managed to "force" myself to sleep on my sides, however, these last few days I have reverted to my beloved tummy-down position. I sometimes worry that this might not be good, and I still have slight discomfort when I do sleep this way...:)

Is there anyone else out there in my boat?

Thanks!

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Hi there! We are surgery siblings! I was banded on 7/2/09 as well. I am just now being able to sleep on my tummy with no discomfort. I prefer my tummy over my sides. sleeping on my back was horrible!

My incisions have healed quite nicely and I have my 2 week post op visit tomorrow!

i sometimes feel my port in an uncomfortable position, usually when I am on my right side, but no problems with the tummy!

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I'm a side sleeper, but after surgery I was terribly SORE if I slept on my side, due to my port. Either side made it feel like it was pulling and my muscles would be sore.

I'd try sleeping on my back (horrible, I agree!) cause in the middle of the night I would naturally try turning to my side, but the pain would wake me up!

I ultimately had to sleep in a recliner for the first several days, which allowed me to sleep on my back, but kind of in a C shape, so I slept great!

I'm now 2 months out, and can sleep on my side, but once in a while, that darn port will still ache a bit.

Your port doesn't bother you if you sleep on your stomach?

Oh- also, try to use many pillows if you can to try and protect the port area if it does hurt. That has also been something that helped me catch some zzzzz's.

Lisa

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Yeah, I'm going to be MISERABLE not being able to sleep on my stomach for a while. Not looking forward to that at all.

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I slept on my left side the night of my surgery (left side=side where my port is) and on my stomach, as per usual, from night 2 on. The big difference in us is that I don't think there's anything wrong with it and don't feel bad about it.

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Long term it wont matter, but its annoying if its uncomfortable in the short term. I tend to sleep 3/4 on my stomach, sort of on my side with my top leg bent.

The most uncomfortable part of the surgery for me was having slept of the anaesthetic for 8 hours lying on my back. I was so over it and I was kind of wakeful and unable to sleep that night, uncomfortable on my side (whch I could manage to get to with the aid of some pillows) for more than a few minutes but really uncomfortable on my back. I ended up asking for sleeping pills.

I was able to sleep on my side once I got home, it just took a bit of manouvering to get there.

But what I never realised was how badly I slept when I was heavy. I thought at a BMI of 36 with no sleep apnoea or anything, that I was mainly doing this surgery to prevent myself getting fatter and having health problems in the future. But once about 20kg had gone, i realised how GREAT I was feeling. I had been waking up multiple times in the night due to back and hip discomfort, just due to the weight, as I had done during pregnancy. I sleep like a baby now!

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I am a tummy sleeper and the first few days wasn't able to...so I slept on the couch. Uncomfortable but not as uncomfortable as being in bed and not being able to sleep on my stomach. By weeks end I was on my tummy again- no problem.

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Jacqui-

that's great to hear that you sleep better after losing weight- I never realized that!

I also wake up several times w/hip pain at night- I look forward to losing weight-- and sleeping better!

Lisa

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I am nervous about my surgery but I have been reading your posts and find them most helpful.We are the same age so I am hoping I will get through it as well as you did.Thank You.

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Hi we are surgery buddies! I was banded on July 2, also. I am also a tummy sleeper, and can sleep for a few hours on my tummy,tilted on my right side since my port is on the left. I also cannot wait to sleep on my tummy without worrying.

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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.
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