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Any top tips for getting comfy for back sleeping??

Posted , 18 users are following.

angela1988
angela1988

I know we are all subject to the dreaded back sleeping and wonder what top tips for getting comfy you can share?

I seem to nod off ok to begin with only to wake about an hour and half later.

Try to have both knees slightly raised with a pillow but soon get back ache.

(Nearly 4wk post op...on paracetamol only)

Once awake takes bout 2hr to get back off hence on this forum lol 😪

2 likes, 42 replies

42 Replies

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  • Mizzfox
    Mizzfox angela1988

    Posted

    I bought some nice pillows and a topper for my bed! Trying not to drink too much caffeine during the day! I started coloring in one of those dres I started coloring in one of those adult coloring release stress coloring books LOL it actually works for me if I do it before bed ! hope this helps a little bit !
  • linda38528
    linda38528 angela1988

    Posted

    Hi Angela,

    This was my biggest challenge!

    Several things helped me: plugged in my favourite music; light exercises that I did in bed (toe & foot stretches, ankle rotations, tensing then releasing quads, bridge exercise, etc.). Sometimes just getting up and walking helped. The point of these is to help release tissues that tighten while we sleep.so anything you can do for this is good.

    Of course it would all be much easier to get back to sleep if I didn't have to sleep on my back!

    It is worth checking Graham's website - see link at top of discussions.

    Don't get too discouraged - it gets easier. Did warm milk ever work for you?

    • angela1988
      angela1988 linda38528

      Posted

      Thanks Linda but warm milk ....😲 no likey lol.

      Too dark for colouring too ...my kindle is great tho.

      Can try lots of pillows n fidgeting about as hubby gone to spare room for a bit 😣

    • montyjam
      montyjam angela1988

      Posted

      Can you download apps on to your Kindle? I have a couple of adult colouring apps on my iPad and they are great!
    • angela1988
      angela1988 montyjam

      Posted

      No apps on kindle but lots of books .

      Thanks for suggestion tho i could play games on my tablet.

      😊

  • joashmv
    joashmv angela1988

    Posted

    Hi Angela,

    Everyone has different ideas that work for them but I found what worked for me (I am long term side sleeper) i never slept fully laying down but semi reclining and used a horseshoe shaped pillow u use on a plane. It supports your neck and head better. Hope that helps.

  • AnnieK
    AnnieK angela1988

    Posted

    I am a longtime side-sleeper, and had to sleep sitting up for 6 weeks following THR, which I hated! I am having another surgery, and am trying to prepare myself to be able to sleep better next time. I got a memory foam pillow for under my head, and I have my legs raised more than just a little, with king-sized pillows, which helps avoid back pain. So now I can sleep on my back before fully waking for about 4 hours, a great improvement. I do awaken a few times, need a sip of water for dry mouth, but go right back to sleep. I'm also having a sleep study done, as I may have obstructive sleep apnea, which prevents restorative sleep.
    • angela1988
      angela1988 AnnieK

      Posted

      Good luck Annie it sounds like you are getting organised .

      Get well soon x

    • Mizzfox
      Mizzfox AnnieK

      Posted

      Pillows and lots of them! I use a body Pillow and rest my arm on it! The more comfortable you can make your bed the better ! eventually you can go back to sleeping anyway you want prior to this it just takes a little time! I had a hip resurfacing which turned into chromium poisoning ! They had to take the hip out and now I have a full hip but they damaged the nerves in my leg I can't feel from the knee down and I can only feel my toes thank God I can walk ! 💝❤️🌹💚🌷
    • AnnieK
      AnnieK Mizzfox

      Posted

      Wow, Mizzfox, chromium poisoning! And a revision, and now your nerves are damaged. That's a very hard road you are on, and I am so sorry. It's good that you can walk, but it must be hard without feeling from the knee down. You must have to be extra careful to check frequently in case there is damage that you can't feel. 

      I was the pillow queen after my THR, using up to 15 pillows all around to try to make the sitting-up-sleeping as good as it could be. For the next surgery, with practicing sleeping on my back ahead of time, getting a memory foam pillow, and having the sleep testing done, I feel I will be much better prepared this time.

    • linda38528
      linda38528 Mizzfox

      Posted

      What a scary road you have been on! Thank goodness indeed that you can walk. It is there any hope of reversing the nerve damage.

      So sorry for the bad luck ou have had with this journey.

      Big hugs,

      L

  • lors23
    lors23 angela1988

    Posted

    I am afraid its been my biggest challange l have had both hips replaced since december and l still can't sleep a full night in my bed. I take my painkilers ( which are a lot stronger than paracetamol) l am on tramadol co-codamol and l also have a morphine tablet which l take in mornings. But before bed l take 2 tramadol and 2 co codamol and get to sleep no bother in any position now as l am 9 weeks from last op. But wake up at 4 in pain so l get up and move to couch downstairs and seem to get to sleep on my couch no problem. My poor hubby has not woke with me in bed since nobember last year. As much as l would love to sleep in my bed the full night by 4am my painkillers must be wesring of and l get sore. If l was you l would maybe ask gp for a stronger painkiller like tramadiol or co codamol as paracetamol do nothing for my psin especially if you are close to post op. I was realeased from hospital on the 2 painkillers so my gp gives me whatever l was realeased on.

    Good luck but l am afraid sleeping right has been the hardest part for me through both ops.

    Laura x

  • David06570
    David06570 angela1988

    Posted

    Hi Angela.

    ​This is something I am trying to learn to deal with too.  I've tried everything and not a lot seems to work.  One of the most horrendous things that happens during the night is my muscle / tendon that runs from the inside hip to knee spasms and it is the most painful thing ever.  I wake up thinking I have dislocated my hip. Do you or anyone else get this?

    ​David

    • gillyb74
      gillyb74 David06570

      Posted

      since my surgery 10 days ago i have been having horrendous night time muscles twitches and spasms to the state that they wake me up with such a jolt and then i think i have dislocated my hip too as pain terrible. I spoke to my hosptial at home nurse about this, and apparantly this is a common problem post hip surgery and best remedy is tonic water becasue of the quininne. As much as i hate the stuff i have been drinking it daily for the past 2 days - and it has worked - no spasms or twitches. So perhaps  you could try that. Wish the tonic water would make me get comfy and sleep tho 
    • Guest
      Guest David06570

      Posted

      I had muscle spasms from the waist down to the knees from well before the op.  They don't wake me up, but as soon as I try to move, the muscles all tighten, very painful.  I still have them at 12 weeks post op.  But I have noticed since the op that it is worse with my non-op leg.  I am having more pain with this hip, than the replaced one, so maybe another THR is on the horizon.  I have tried tonic water and magnesium tablets, but they don't seem to work for me.
    • renee01952
      renee01952 Guest

      Posted

      hi Wendy,

      are you talking about your thigh muscles? I still have them too and believe that these are growing pains ...I had 2 THR surgeries. .2 rods were jammed in the bones. ..

      I just rub and massage them and do gentle stretching exercises. .

      hmmm, now good hip is acting up huh. ..

      do you have another appointment with surgeon coming up? could be decline of cartilage. .I had this diagnosed at follow up visit ...If so, darling, it won't get better, I am sorry to say. ...

      do you have other pains? like in groin?

      could also be that your unoperated hip is a wee bit overburdened. ..

      are you resting enough?

      Big warm hug

      Renee

    • AnnieK
      AnnieK David06570

      Posted

      It sounds like you might be undermedicated. I would check with doctor for better pain relief
    • David06570
      David06570 gillyb74

      Posted

      Hi Gilly,

      ​I remember someone suggesting this before I had surgery, but because I hadnt experienced the pain I didnt really connect it.  I'll give it a try thank you and let you know how I get on... Is there a certain amount that your supposed to drink?  I might google it...

      ​David.

    • David06570
      David06570 AnnieK

      Posted

      Hi Annie,

      ​At the moment all they have given me is paracetamol and Dihydracodine to take as required.  It didnt seem like much to me.  I have my naproxen as well but thatll only deal with the swelling.

      ​David.

    • David06570
      David06570 Guest

      Posted

      Hi Wendy, I havent had the muscle spasms although my operated leg tightens up a lot during the night...

      ​Since I have had the operation I have noticed the arthritic pains in my unoperated leg but I think thats because I am using it more now and also the 'bad' leg used to mask the pain in the 'good' leg.. 

      David.

    • AnnieK
      AnnieK David06570

      Posted

      Here where I am in the US, you are given an opioid to take round the clock for the first 4 weeks or so, or however long you need it, some need it less. I used them for 5 weeks and had no such difficulties as you are describing. If you are having that much pain at night, I would contact the surgeon's office and tell them that you need better pain control!
    • linda38528
      linda38528 gillyb74

      Posted

      Welll - very interesting! I am filing this for my next operation (late summer). Thank you very much.

      L 

    • linda38528
      linda38528 David06570

      Posted

      Hi David - I had this for months before the operation as well. It took my athletic therapist several weeks work to 'turn' it off (a combo of gentle rocking motions across the muscles and tendon to lull it followed by deep tissue massage. Post surgery - this continued and my PT has me using a heating pad and following this with a small rolling appliance to run along the area with as much pressure as I can tolerate. Not comfortable but after a few weeks I am making good progress and this means that I can do more exercises and walking.  Also did you see the postings below  re tonic water (worked for one hippy) and magnesium tables. In my competition days we used to check potassium levels and pushed oranges and bananas to to avoid muscle cramps ..... may be worth a try.  
    • Guest
      Guest renee01952

      Posted

      Hi Renee

      The tightening of the muscles is my back from the waist down to the front and back of my thighs, the thigh that hurts the most with this is the un-op leg.  When I had xrays done of my hips both showed severe OA, but the 'good' didn't give me pain, just a reduction in range of movement.  At my initial consultation he did say that I would need both doing.  I just thought it would be a few years away.  I do see the consultant again at the end of June , at nearly 20 weeks post op.

      and no I am probably not resting enough, I find it very hard to keep still.

      thanks for the warm wishes.

      Wendy

    • Mizzfox
      Mizzfox David06570

      Posted

      David they should be giving your muscle relaxers if they are not you should ask your doctor for them immediately ! I'm still taking them and sometimes oxycodone but not every day ! If there's anything I can do to help let me know I've been through it all !
    • montyjam
      montyjam David06570

      Posted

      I had a large wedge placed between my legs after surgery and was instructed to keep it there every time I was lying down. Talk about uncomfortable but I got used to it. I am using a hard, thick yoga bolster now that I'm home. I was taught how to sleep on my side before I left the hospital but haven't done it yet.

      My low back has been tightening up so I've been bringing my non-operated knee into my chest. This has the added benefit of stretching the hip flexor on my operated leg which is listed in my exercise regime anyway so it's all good.

      I have a pillow under my knees and another pillow under my calves, abutting the first pillow. Ice packs also help. Gentle music is a balm as well. Good luck!

    • David06570
      David06570 Guest

      Posted

      Hi Wendy, thanks for the reply.  I tried tonic water and still got them last night.  I'll persevere with the tonic and see if things improve. Another thing I have noticed since the operation is that when sleeping on my back I get a very uncomfortable pain in the left side of my chest.  I think its wind / indigestion and may be from something that happened in the op or maybe some of the drugs they have been giving me. Its quite horrendous really.  The only way to get rid of it is to get up and move about, however once I go back to bed its back in about an hour or so again....

      ​David.

    • Guest
      Guest David06570

      Posted

      Hi David

      Yes, if it's not one pain then it's another.  My knees have OA and the unop knee is complaining of all the extra work it is having to do.  It would be so nice not to have any pain at all, wouldn't it.  I have OA in the spine from top to bottom so this doesn't help.

      Wendy

      Wendy

    • montyjam
      montyjam David06570

      Posted

      David, chest pains are cause for concern. Are you still doing your deep breathing exercises? Respiration difficulties are something to watch with all this medication. Take care.
    • montyjam
      montyjam David06570

      Posted

      Your inner thigh muscles (adductors) get overworked when your hip craps out on you. I used many different modalities to keep mine loose and it was always painful. Now that you've had your surgery, try hot/cold therapy and light massage. Muscle relaxants will also help if they don't interefere with your other meds. Pain will make you tense up so try to minimize that as much as possible.
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