I'm sure Kate won't mind

Posted , 12 users are following.

Hi everyone, I was looking back through some old posts trying to find one about constipation if all subjects (!) & I found Kate's post about sleeping. I'm sure she won't mind as I've took the liberty of copying it again. It was such a great read & made perfect sense particularly now I'm post -op.

As I now consider myself a hip guru after two THR's wink I thought I would impart my most considerable knowledge about sleeping post op.

So as you gather in closer to the screen to read I am going to poke you in the eye and tell you the first first rule...

1) There are no rules of sleep club

In fact there are so many rules of sleep club world wide that it would be hard to confine them all but we are all victim to our country, our county and surgeons particular cruelty (I mean surgical style) when it come to how we are supposed to sleep. Anterior, posterior and lateral scars all bring their own particular delights when trying to stop doing the twist in the early hours.

So, you can arm yourself with the latest in latex support pillows, V pillows, small hand embroidered cushions that Aunty Edna gave you, mattress toppers, wedges, sleeping tablets, pain relief, whiskey cocktail or a complete hospital bed but one thing isn't going to change - your healing!

Our lives before were clock driven , getting a good night's sleep before getting up for work was imperative. Lack of sleep meant we couldn't function properly.

Now, the God of New and Shiny Hip Implants has thrown all that up in the air and we don't know where we are!

We toss and turn (very carefully) waiting for the elusive sleep that never comes or comes in annoying one hour servings. You think you have slept all night only to find that barely ten minutes has gone by since you last looked at the clock. You hobble out of bed with one eye shut, trying to fool yourself into staying asleep while you have a midnight wee and you just know that if you lie there a bit longer then YOU MUST fall asleep.

As we all know things at night are magnified to horror proportions and the sweating, the pain, the twitching, the discomfort have all become mountains we cannot climb.

So, you have read this far and you are waiting for me to give you the secret to sleeping all through the night after having part of your leg chopped off and in a position that you detest. Sorry, I don't have have those answers but what I have learned is....

This lack of sleep, is it so bad? Are you hoping to go to work in the morning? Are you leaping out of bed to go hiking, on holiday, ice sking? No.

The best cure I can find for lack of sleep is - chill out, go with it, let it happen.

Goodness knows what healing is going on inside but it doesn't confine itself to happening at night. It is imperative to rest in the first 6 weeks as it is to walk and that rest can be feet up on the sofa or a few catnaps throughout the day.

I have no problems with lack of sleep because I don't care about it.

A six weeks (today) after my 2nd THR I have learned that it is all transient. Regular sleep comes back in a position that we favour eventually and the trick is to stop worrying about it.

I sleep most of the night now, waking up between 5.30 and 6.30am. Once you find that it okay to find a sleeping place all over the house you will sleep much better as well.I was more comfortable on the sofa this time so that's where I went.

I watched all the films that no one else wanted to watch and knew that I was getting back to normal when it took me five nights to watch a film.

So, wave yourself a magic wand, stop fretting, this is temporary and I'll even go as far as to say enjoy it. For those going back to work that will come soon enough and your body regulates very quickly so in the meantime give yourself a night break, chill out - a bowl of ice cream at 3am is really rather nice!

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  • Posted

    Hi Fernlady, I have an auto immune disease and am on long term steroids. I have been told if I don't have a THR within six months I will be in a wheelchair. Do you know if taking steroids will cause any problems? 
    • Posted

      Sorry to hear this but you need to speak to your doctor. I am most certainly not qualified to answer your question. Best wishes x
    • Posted

      I just wondered if you had come across someone with a similar problem. My doctor is hopeless I have been complaining about thigh pain for nearly two years and he refused an xray. I now find I need a THR now or I will be in a wheelchair in six months. The only reason I got a diagnosis was because I said I was prepared to see someone privately and pay. Perhaps I should ask my doctor for my money back!! 
    • Posted

      There are only four doctors. My usual doctor is a trainee GP, who referred me to the current doctor who is supposed to be the most knowledgable and is currently the most senior. The senior doctor has gone on a year's sabbatical. Frightening really. In fact I have had five different doctors in the last two years and four of them have left, along with most of the nurses and receptionists.
  • Posted

    Thank Kate,not me. I only found it again & thought it was great advice x
  • Posted

    That's brilliant just what I needed :-) I am going in for my second hip on the 23rd scared stiff again and memory's of the first few weeks are coming back:-( thanks for this post has cheered me up :-) xxx
    • Posted

      Hi Vanessa, 

      I went through the same stages when date for 2nd THR was coming closer - by that time I was in so ,much pain though that excitement exceeded fear - funny huh? we know what we can expect - it wasn't that bad - surgery was nothing, really ... but still !!!  I can tell you  that I was absolutely euphoric post-op - Of course I compared the two, eventhough I was told not to - I even became cocky and paid for it (too much too soon)-

      to be honest, I was put on anti anxiety medication, I was freaking out that much -

      hang in there - thinking o fyou 

      renee

       

  • Posted

    Oh I love and relate to this! The dreaded sleep deprivation! What I wouldn't give for a whole nights comfy sleep on my tum or side.

    My daughter may be nearly 23 years old but this has been as bad if not worse (maybe my memory had faded 😂) as new baby tiredness.

    At least the new hip doesn't cry all night.

    Fiona xx

  • Posted

    Well l was with kate through her journey and l am also a hip guru getting both done in the space of 8 week. And l agrer with everything above. Although my recovery is not as straight forward here l am at half 2 in the morning writing this post as like yiu said l slept and woke as if l had been sleeping for hours. And i move about the house finding places (usually my couch) to get some more shut eye. But like you said or kate l am not on a schedule l am still off work so l just go with it and don't get angry l just grab what sleep l can when l can and l am so used to it now its just part of my life. Kate was so wise and funny at the same time. I miss her but she has recovered well and l should be the same if it were not for my knees now needing replaced. But again l am not. Gonna get angry l just have to get fixed and go through that recovery. I am soon gonna be full metal legs l think like a little terminator.. but its nice to hear one of kates old posts.

    Time served hippies we are

    Laura xx

    • Posted

      Big hugs Laura. I'm so glad I found this old post as it certainly made an impact on me & even if 1 other person takes it on board I'll be pleased. When I first read it I was pre-op but now it makes much more sense. Kate was an excellent writer that could add that little spark of humour into everything she wrote. I miss reading her posts & hope she is doing well x
  • Posted

    Hi Fernlady, 

    absolutely worth to be re-posted ... it is so true and funny and put things in perspective - 

    I miss her too and hope that she is back living  a full life , painfree and enjoying whatever she is doing 

    big warm hug

    renee

    how are you getting on otherwise, darling ?

    • Posted

      I'm ok Renee thank you. Better than I thought I'd be to be honest but each day is a new day & I'm well aware there could be a few steps backwards! Up at 5 this morning as I've got horrible back ache from sleeping in the same position! I've just taken pain meds so should have some relief soon. Day 6 today & I've still not been to the toilet! I've been taking Senokot but they don't appear to be working! Other than that I'm very good thanks. How about you x
    • Posted

      I am good and getting ready to go to senior citizen centre to volunteer - wasn't able to do this for a while due to the trochanterc busritis - just need to be more aware not to push heavy wheelchairs etc. ..

      I am so sorry about the constipation - there are many threads about this problem  - I actually am a bit surprised that they discharged you without you having had a bowel movement ....nurses in the hospital asked me to not flush when I had one so they could be sure .redface.. sorry, too much information - 

       

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