Can't Sleep?

Posted , 10 users are following.

I often read that many of us can't sleep after their THR and that includes me. So I thought I'd share my tip for passing those long dark nights.

I used to sit up in bed and watch TV but that only kept me (and my husband) awake.

Now I have a radio on the bedside cabinet with a small microphone tucked in under my pillow and listen to radio 4 or 5 live, both rarely have any music, just people talking (I prefer speech to music as I also have tinnitus). Often the subjects are interesting and I get absorbed enough to forget my pain for a while. Sometimes I wake again much later to find that I have slept through for several hours while the radio has been talking to itself.

Having the microphone tucked in keeps the sound just under my head and doesn't wake my husband which is good.

I hope this will help, it's worth a try as I know it works for me.

 

3 likes, 35 replies

35 Replies

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  • Posted

    Had to laugh when I read how many of you are in the same position as myself: I thought I was the only one sleeping in a different room from my husband (who also snores!!! )  HaHa. I toss and turn incessantly since the op (10 months on) and waken regularly during the night.  My solution is to read a book on my Kindle Paperwhite, which usually makes me doze- eventually!     
    • Posted

      You're post op 10 months and still have issues on sleep pattern after surgery?

      It's usually the first 4 weeks. I stopped using med after the third week of post op.

      unbelievable.

    • Posted

      Hi Marg

      It is amazing isnt it......we think we are the only ones cheesygrin

      Its the most sensible thing to do i think.

      Love Eileen.....UK  {originally N.I.}

    • Posted

      You don't know how lucky you are, 4 weeks then no problems? I've had 18 months, still in great pain, I take prescribed meds at bedtime then fall asleep but the pain wakes me after a while and so I listen to the radio while I wait for the next dose of pain meds to kick in.
    • Posted

      Yep I do consider myself lucky thanks God.

      I wish you guys can recover as well.

    • Posted

      I deal with nerve pain from nerve damage and IT band damage, anterior approach, but I "think" the replacement is OK....I get twinges of pain, but I'm 4 yrs out.....I don't know why so much pain after 18 months.....could there be infection, what does your surgeon say.    I take ibuprofen daily, but sleep good with my sleep stuff.....again I'm dealing with FM, body wide OA and the hip mess...... 
  • Posted

    For whatever it's worth to you, I worked long on getting the right combo which gives me 8-10 hrs sleep nightly.

    At about 7:30PM, I take 1/2 to 3/4mg Melatonin with choline/inositol combo  capsule....taking this at this time gets my body ready for sleep.

    When I go to my bed, I take an 500mg inositol (calmer) and calms homeopathic tab and sometimes add a cap of Lemon Balm.  

    This puts me out, when I wake up middle of night for bathroom and can't get back to sleep take another calms and or inositol....this does it and back to a dreamy sleep.

    Sleep in a totally dark room, no bed pal, which is good for me at this point in my life and know how vital sleep is for healing........Joy 76  US  

    • Posted

      Joy "When I go to my bed, I take an 500mg inositol (calmer) and calms homeopathic tab and sometimes add a cap of Lemon Balm. "

      How is that mixed together or how is it taken? Are those capsules or powder form?

    • Posted

      Inositol and lemon balm are powder capsules....calms is a little tab and can be chewed or swallowed whole....i've been chewing it lately.....

      You can try one at a time, add another etc....see what can work for you....I start my sleep process at 7:30PM to get the body ready for sleep...

      No electronics in my room and can't imagine sleeping with earphones....yes I have my radio on low and it goes off as I set it to do so....I'm asleep by then.  My radio is on the other side of room.   Since I do starting readying myself for sleep at 7:30PM, all this works for me...

      I just posted my whole sleep procedure on the FM group as sleep is a huge issue for so many and in pain and with aging....  FM stuff is a lot of nerve pain, so one needs to continually user calming agents to calm the nerves.    joy 

    • Posted

      I need to try it to see how it works.

      A friend cant sleep so i figure introducing this product to her.

      would the lemon balm work on me im hyperactive.

    • Posted

      Hi -- everything I listed are calmers....I've been taking them for a lot of years and I do take some melatonin close to bed time.....

      Gotta try them and see, price is sure right.   And NO SIDE EFFECTS that I know of.     J

    • Posted

      soon i have to pay a visit to GNC i should find it there.

      thanks Joy.

  • Posted

    Hi Jayive,

    Yes, couldn't live without my radio on at night! I have a digital one so if there's nothing interesting on R4/World Service or R5, will go to Radio4 extra for their dramas and comedy programmes. I use earphones rather than the speaker under the pillow - and that's the only advantage I can think of by sleeping on your back, you can use both earphones without it hurting. I also have a small MP3 player so I can listen to music I like, or some rainfall and ocean sounds if I really can't sleep.

    Not sure how long I will have to sleep on my back; last time it was 6 weeks, but my operated side was painful for months so it didn't really help.

    Jean

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