Help - need to sleep

Posted , 12 users are following.

So, here I am, lying awake still at 3:20am having had only an hours sleep. I came to bed at 10pm!  The lack of sleep is making me irritable and grumpy, which is very unlike me.   

I seem to have one good night and then sleepless nights for days after.  I'm not in pain, and at 3 weeks post-op, I can lay on my side.  I don't take any medication other than magnesium. 

Does anyone have any tips for sleeping that would help me? 😩

0 likes, 17 replies

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  • Posted

    I remember this well. It will pass. I juat slept whenever. Hard to get comfortable the first 6 weeks. But it does pass. The magnesium helps. I kept a computer nearby to watch netflix. It will pass!
  • Posted

    Yes lay some pillows under you ìt helped me a lot I sleep in a sit up posìtìon but I slèep also it stops back pain .

  • Posted

    That's right. The pillows. I slept on the operated side with a pillow between my legs. It helped a lot.

  • Posted

    Normal I'm afraid post THR, most of the others will agree.

    Dr's don't tell you about this, they either ignore it, but they must have heard it hundreds of times from different patients.

    I think it is from the assault to your body, it seems very simple these days, but it is considered one of the big surgeries to be subjected to.

    Sleep when you can and stop looking at the clock, I found I would get up and switch on the TV, or play with my laptop, did some family history research and added to my family tree, so much available on the internet for free these days that kept me amused for some weeks. free zigsaws, again on the internet.

    Best wishes from a fellow hippie.

     

  • Posted

    Oh Kathy. Poor you 😔. The nurse at hospital told me that around 3 weeks you will suddenly feel well and that you could do anything !!! but to beware of this time of going too quickly. Other half just reminded me that I had a kind of euphoria at thst time followed by an emotional low for a few days.

    It's a roller coaster both physically and mentally. Just chill. Relax/sleep whenever you can and remember. ......be kind to yourself you've been through a lot.

    On a general note if ever I cannot go to sleep I think about what needs doing as I may as well get up and do it ie ironing. Bed then becomes very warm cozy comfy place to be and I usually end up 😴. Big hug xx

    • Posted

      You're so right, a roller coaster of emotions it certainly is. 

      I've come into the office for a meeting this morning, and it is lovely seeing everyone, but I am so tired! Will do as you suggest and catch up on sleep when I can. I have tried not to sleep in the day as I didn't want to get out of sync with my sleeping pattern, but needs must!

      Thank you! Xx

  • Posted

    Hi I am 8 weeks post op and still can't sleep it's getting beyond a joke now I feel shattered all the time I don't sleep during the day and am up and down all night no pain  no medication .....

     

  • Posted

    Hi Kathy

    I am 12 weeks post thr and still have some of those nights, not as often now.  I had to go back to work being self employed and this helps as i find it quite tiring.

    I did take some sleeping tablets prescribed by gp at around 6 weeks, just for 5 days to break that spiralling lack of sleep ( sometimes as you say only  1 or 2 hours a night), it worked to some extent, I take magnesium, drink tonic water for cramp, I can now lie on the non operated side, but before that I used pillows etc as recommended by the other hippies!!

    I had no concept of all the problems associated with thr that we are not told about, nor of how major the op is.  You know they tell us they do lots, you here other people say "oh your JUST having a hip replacement", well having asked the surgeon exactly what he did, he gave me chapter and verse and didn't gloss over any of it, he also said it is a huge trauma to our bodies!! So now I know!!

    Good luck with the sleeping it does gradually get better

    Chris

    • Posted

      cheesygrin  I know, right ??????  

      it is  a PROCEDURE  .... someone's friend' neighbor'sister had friend who ..... 

      bless your surgeon for taking the time to explain it to you - 

       

  • Posted

    hi kathy, 

    lovely responses ...  

    it might be like this for some time ... roller coaster, physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually - I was happy to get 4 hours uninterrupted sleep -

    try to not care about it and sleep whenever you feel sleepy - 

    I listened to healing/sleeping with hypnosis or something like that on you tube as I was really not able to focus on anything - 

    No shame in taking something to help you sleep ...

    and of course, always can come here ...

    I hope you are sleeping right now

    big warm hug

    renee

  • Posted

    Hi Kathy ,I remember this well but it will get better  with time.   Its hard to sleep

    well  first 6 to 8 weeks. I remember be up every 2 hours. Rest whan you can

    listen your body if you are tired rest.  Its normal to be grumpy but after while all will be just memory.  Watch TV, read the books , go for short walk if you can. 

    Evert day will be better .

    Hug Madla

     

  • Posted

    I used to lay there with my iPod with soothing classical music ... soon drifted off !

    [color=#000000]Some advice from my website; Give in to not sleeping well.  Sleep when you can (day or night), when you are awake watch TV, read or listen to music until you sleep again.  Pain will slow your healing process, so keep taking the painkillers.[/color]

     [color=#000000]As you have to lie on your back after the operation, your toes are in the air with the duvet resting on them. Your big toes being longer than the rest will take the weight of the duvet and the pressure on the nails can be painful for some people. A bed cradle, a sort of metal u shape that you slide under the mattress, will help by keeping the duvet off your feet. I successfully used a cushion placed upright between my feet.[/color]

    =16pxBest wishes[color=#000000]Graham - 🚀💃 🤸    ¯\_(?)_/¯[/color]

  • Posted

    Hi Kathy10666 I'm just over 3 wks I was suffering from anxiety and couldn't get to sleep and a look on Google .. I'm now drinking camomile tea and have lavender candles around my house.. it has really helped me to sleep on a night... wishing you a speedy recovery.

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