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Lateral Incision

Posted , 15 users are following.

susie74530
susie74530

My surgeon will be using a lateral approach to my surgery.  I have started buying things in.  He advises that I may sleep on my side with just a pillow between my knees. However, I am quite long in the leg, and I believe that the pillow will ot be long enough to support my foot on the operated side.  I understand that it is important that the foot and entire leg are kept in alignment.

I know tht ther is a porduct on the market at around £40, but it is quite ugly, and will be of no use to me once I have no further need for it, and it is rally not something to sell on.  I am wondering is a conventional double bed sized bolster would do the trick.  They are about 1/4  the cost!

2 likes, 28 replies

28 Replies

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  • colinTN17
    colinTN17 susie74530

    Posted

    I don't think you have to have the pillow all the way down. I certainly didnt
  • renee01952
    renee01952 susie74530

    Posted

    Hi susie,

    I was not told about that either - - I pull up my legs when I turn on my side -and have the pillow between my thighs -

    I used to sleep with a long body pillowwhich I could hug - - remember them? I could buy one in L.A. for $20.00 including case ...If I'd known that they don't sell them here I would have taken one with me 

    eoh well ...

    • susie74530
      susie74530 renee01952

      Posted

      HI Renee:

      I didn't know you could pull your legs up when turning, and very often I awake durig the night on my back with my arms up on the pillow.  My husband was constantly moving my arms under the covers, so that I didn't take the entire bed!  It was a queen size, but he was 6' 2".

      I think you maybe referring to what is known as  bolster over here.  They can still be bought online, and are about 4' 6" wide, which would be about the width of a UK double bed.  I thought it might be a good buy at around £8.00, rather than spending £40.00 for the "professional" type

      I have always slept with something of that sort, other than was was either married or living with a partner.

      Love,

      Susie

  • nikki52902
    nikki52902 susie74530

    Posted

    Hi Susie

    I did buy the £40 pillow in the end as I didn't sleep well worried that the pillow would slip or my leg would cross over the midline in my sleep . I will just lend it to people after who may have this operation . It gave me peace of mind, but it's a personal choice . Xx

    • susie74530
      susie74530 nikki52902

      Posted

      Hi Nikki:

      Many thanks.  I will be having the pre op assessment, and I think it may be best to wait until then, to see what they say.  Some of the things that I bought on kine this weekend wre quite resonable, but I took Graham's vegetable trolley idea, one step further and psent £30 nn a really good looking three tier, woooden trolley that has wheels that you can put on to it.  It will look good on the patio afterwards, filled with geraniums, etc.  I don't really have enough room here, for a vegetable trolley.

      Too add to my expenditure, my Freeview recorder receiver has just given up the ghost, so that's another expense.  I know I will need it when I come out of surgery.

      All the best,

  • rose0000
    rose0000 susie74530

    Posted

    Hi Susie, I always slept on my side, but even now 11 weeks in I still can't sleep on my 'good' side. It is too sore for any length of time. I think I would have to take a lot of painkillers to sleep all night like that even though it is my natural sleeping position....do you think it might be an idea to try out the hospital pillows before and if it works for you to order one at the time for next day delivery? I am just thinking of you by mentioning this.

    I could alway send you mine, I did not use it (hence my reason for mentioning it to you) it is brand new from JL? It is a maternity looking pillow that bends in the middle, lots of hippies use them. PM your address if you would like it? You can order a couple of new pillowcases for £2 each for it from same place if you want to. 

    • susie74530
      susie74530 rose0000

      Posted

      Hi Rose:

      How time flies!  I remember your post about the awful time you had in hospital!  

      Not sure what the clinic will be using, but I guess that will be clarified at the pre op assessment, that I am guessing will be within the next month.  I don't remember what procedure your surgeon used, was it lateral?  Consultant said that I could sleep on my good side with a pillow.

      Many thanks for your offer of the pillow.  Is it a sort of "V" shape, or is it straight, but bendy?  If it is right for me, I shall be more than happy to pay postage.  Not sure what a maternity pillow is, but think they are "V" shaped?  More than happy to send you my address via email.

      Hope you are progressing well in your recovery.  Are your children in school yet?  If they are, it must be half term, which must be taxing when you are still recovering.

      All the best,

      Susie

  • miele55255ch
    miele55255ch susie74530

    Posted

    Hi Susie!

    I've slept on my unoperated side since I got home from the hospital and that was 10 months ago. I use a king size pillow and fold it in half and place it between my knees. It also seems to help with my spinal OA as well. I still can't sleep on my operated side because it's still a little tender.

    I also had the lateral approach and my surgeon said I had no restrictions on movement after the surgery.

    • susie74530
      susie74530 miele55255ch

      Posted

      Hi Miele:

      Thank you for getting back to me.  

      My surgeon also said that I had no restrictions o movement,  which is marvellous!  Only restriction was that I should have a pillow between my knees, should I sleep on my left side, whichh is my preference.  

      How was your recovery from surgery?  I was told that I woud be released on day four on sticks, and not crutches.  Were you able to carry things around, like cups of coffee, etc?  I have offered a rather nice looking wooden vegetable trolley on line, that I can put on the patio with geraniums, or similar afterward.  It looks quite sturdy, so I should be able to wheel it around and put my weight on it - I hope!

      Best wishes,

      Susie

    • miele55255ch
      miele55255ch susie74530

      Posted

      I am 10 months out and I was also discharged in 4 days. They had me doing PT the morning after surgery. Since I live alone, I stayed at my brother's home for 2 weeks. I got up out of the chair every hour to walk and PT came to the house for 1 week then I started PT at a facility. I did well. OA pain gone immediately. It was a long road but worth it.

      I still have a slight limp and can't walk up and down stairs normally yet. But other than that I'm glad I had it done!

      Everybody's different but the best info you'll get is from this site. People share their experiences and that's what has helped me through.

      Good luck to you! Just be patient with yourself and don't push it. 

  • CelsB
    CelsB susie74530

    Posted

    I have a memory foam neck pillow that I use.  It has a dent/groove alomg the centre which my leg sits in and it's nice and firm.  I've tried to upload an image but I'm not sure if ot will work.  I bought it from Amazon.
    • susie74530
      susie74530 CelsB

      Posted

      Hi Cels:

      Download successful!  That's interesting.  I will take a look at it.

      Many thanks,

      Susie

    • Rocketman_SG6UK
      Rocketman_SG6UK CelsB

      Posted

      Looks like the one I bought some years ago - when I had a neck problem.  It has been fantastic.

      Graham

    • CelsB
      CelsB Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      I didn't get on well with it as a neck pillow Graham, I found it quite uncomfortable, so put on in the bottom of the wardrobe and there it stayed.  I rediscovered it was I was looking for something to support my leg and it has done the trick.  The groove fits my leg from knee to ankle perfectly and seems to keep my leg from moving around.  After the op though, I am considering a couple of of velcro straps to keep it in postion. 

      Cels xxx

    • Rocketman_SG6UK
      Rocketman_SG6UK CelsB

      Posted

      Shame you didn't like it as a neck support, but good outcome in the end by thinking 'out of the box' and using it as a leg support.  I'll check if that was the pillow I had - it looks just a tiny bit different to mine.

      Graham - 🚀💃

    • renee01952
      renee01952 CelsB

      Posted

      funny, I have one on my bed and not using it as it didn't work for me as a neck pillow either. ...

      brilliant ,darling .....

      Big warm hug

      Renee ❤

    • Rocketman_SG6UK
      Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      It was a different one- mine looks like this in the advert.

      Orthopaedic Cervical Neck And Head Support Pillow.

    • CelsB
      CelsB Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      Yes, it does look a little different to mine but I bet that would be fabulous on top of a normal pillow.  The space in the middle woulld be just right for a leg and the side bits would stop it from moving around.  
    • Rocketman_SG6UK
      Rocketman_SG6UK CelsB

      Posted

      The two 'rolls' are different consistency, and hardness - so my neck rests on one of them, and my head in the soft bit between them which sounds so uncomfortable, but for my neck problem it has been an absolute godsend.

      I had a trapped nerve up between c3 and c4 vertebrae, which gave me the feeling that someone had stuck a spear in my shoulder.  I could even feel the point coming out of my chest!

      No more trips to my physio or osteopath for the pain since purchase.

      Graham - 🚀💃

    • CelsB
      CelsB Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      That's good news.  I also have wear and tear in my cervical vertebrae (they didn't tell me which ones)  with a pinched nerve that gave me numbness in my shoulder and tingling in my left arm.  Two pillows seemed too high and one pillow seemed too low and I just couldn't get comfortable in bed.  After trying the neck pillow I bought a 'v' shaped pillow which I love.  I even took it in holiday with me last year wink
    • Rocketman_SG6UK
      Rocketman_SG6UK CelsB

      Posted

      It's amazing what a difference the 'right pillow for you' makes.
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