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No sleep

Posted , 16 users are following.

susyp
susyp

Hi I've posted previously about not being able to sleep as I can't sleep on my back but I think this is getting worse.

I'm 20 days post THR and lie awake most of the night. Last night I slept from 12am till 2 am I am exhausted today and feeling really down about this situation.

I cannot sleep on my back and when I do I try to turn on my side which is where I normally sleep and this wakes me up.

Ive tried more pillows, being more relaxed but nothing seems to work.

Does anyone have any other advice, I'm relatively pain free and stopped my tablets apart from blood thinners. Does this get any better? I've tried sleeping tablets but the Doctor only gave me 7 and to be honest they didn't help.

Thanks

Sue 😴 x

2 likes, 71 replies

71 Replies

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  • EAP26437
    EAP26437 susyp

    Posted

    Hi Sue.

    I so feel your pain.  I am 12 days post op from a Left THR and apart from the first night home I'm sleeping ok even on my back.  What I do is have a pillow between my knees - incase I roll over ( I had a Right THR in 2013 - so the right side feels odd).  If I do roll over onto my right I put my left ankle on my solid pillow to keep my leg straight  I have a very solid pillow under my operated leg from thigh to ankle.  I had a blanket rolled up and under the mattress to raise my feet.  I also put in ear plugs to mask any noise and some eye shades.  I'm not taking any pain killers - cause I'm not in pain.  I also had to change how I wore my hair to bed so it doesn't annoy me.  

    AND I nap during the day if I need to.  Heres to a nights sleep.

    Elly X     

    • susyp
      susyp EAP26437

      Posted

      Thanks Elly I know what you mean about your hair mine drives me mad at night. I don't know how it can get so messy either I guess when I do sleep I must do a lot of moving of my head.

      Think I'll try raising my feet. I'm typing this at 5 am been awake since 3am so willing to try anything.

      I do try to nap during the day but wonder if this is why I'm wide awake at night. Still need to sleep at some point.

      Take care

      Sue x

    • EAP26437
      EAP26437 susyp

      Posted

      Morning Sue

      I have longish hair - like a long way down my back.  I used to wear it plaited on one side but back sleeping made that not the go.  So I put it into a messy bun thing on the top of my head using a elastic hair tie.  Then it sort of stays in one place.  I also plan my nap - after my noonish walk.  The earplugs were my best new go to thing.  All I can hear with them in is a  sort of restful sea sound smile

      Have a great day today.  

      Elly

    • susyp
      susyp EAP26437

      Posted

      Morning Elly

      I go to bed with straight ish hair and wake up with a curly frizzy mess which is all matted. Least of my worries I know but I'm going to tie it up for bed as every little detail becomes irritable and can affect sleep.

      Hope you have a good day thanks for the tip.

      Sue x

    • bini31328
      bini31328 susyp

      Posted

      Lol, i goto bed like coco channel and wake up like coco the clown , but my hair has always been like that ! Xx 
  • keith13467
    keith13467 susyp

    Posted

    I told my husband Keith that he was letting the sleep problem get to him then was getting anzirity which then makes it worse, I know it must be awful but try sitting up in bed with lots of pillows, it is only for a short time,if you can't sleep read or put tv on then you may drop off to sleep cause you are not thinking about the problem,he wanted to go on his side but I said you know what will happen if the hip pop out he would be back in hosp but it was upto him and he wouldn't take the chance in the end,it's to risky I think until he see the surgeon for the first checkup in two weeks, try and relax and

    don't fight it and go with it then you may sleep a bit better,all the best.x

    • susyp
      susyp keith13467

      Posted

      Hi this problem appeared to be getting better last weekend and I slept one night for 6 hours. That could of been the wine though. It's back with a vengeance now and appears to be a common problem.

      I'm now pain free so not relying on medication so the answer obviously is take more wine haha.

      Sleeping tablets only get you to sleep but don't keep you there so they didn't help me.

      I've got another 3 weeks on my back and counting.

      Like your husband I wouldn't risk sleeping on my side. I'd be devastated to say the least if I went back to beginning.

      So onwards and upwards hope your husband has a speedy recovery.

      Let me know what the surgeon tells him. They all seem to have different views.

      Take care

      Sue x

  • wendy38510
    wendy38510 susyp

    Posted

    Hi Sue.

    I am not sleeping either and I'm like a zombie most of the time. My surgery was 4 weeks ago and I find it impossible to get comfortable no matter what I try. After reading all the comments I don't feel so bad knowing that others are going through the same experience. I was really thinking something is wrong with me and that I should be more recovered than I am. Often I'm just about to doze off then suddenly jolt awake for no apparent reason and that hurts my leg.

    Music does help take my mind off the struggle to fall or stay asleep.

    I really wish you all the best and I am grateful to everyone who has posted their experiences here.

    Wendy

    • annie.conway
      annie.conway wendy38510

      Posted

      That sounds odd. I'm 3 weeks out and I sleep like an angel. I have a memory foam mattress which is very comfortable. Is your mattress not too hard? I found lots of soft pillows in strategic places helped fwiw
    • wendy38510
      wendy38510 annie.conway

      Posted

      Hi Annie. I don't think it's the matress but that's a possibility. I'm not used to sleeping on my back and I feel like I'm sitting on a rock in one particular place. I've read others have that sensation of "the rock" as well. It's possible that the muscle needs to recover and strengthen up again. The physiotherapist has told me to do 5 "mini squats" per day which I've been doing but I think it will take some time to get built up again. I'm going to try strategically placed pillows to take some pressure off that area.

      Glad to hear that you are sleeping well and that will be a good aid to your healing and general well being. 😃

    • Rocketman_SG6UK
      Rocketman_SG6UK wendy38510

      Posted

      Wendy,

      The good news is that it should all start to get much better in the next two weeks for you.

      I also found my iPod became my night-time friend on bad nights.

      Best wishes

      Graham - 🚀💃

    • Rocketman_SG6UK
      Rocketman_SG6UK annie.conway

      Posted

      Annie,

      How lucky you are there, I found it absolute hell trying to get to sleep - both times.

      I actually found our spare room bed with a very hard mattress was best for me.  Both beds had mattress toppers on them.

      Graham - 🚀💃

    • CelsB
      CelsB wendy38510

      Posted

      Hi Wendy,

      I'm agreeing with everyone else here.  I'm just over 4 weeks and my sleeping seems to be levelling out from brief snatches through the night to just waking up a couple of times.  I'm getting about 6 hours a night now but this has only been happening in the last few days.  Hang in there.

      Cels x

    • annie.conway
      annie.conway Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      Always been an A-Team sleeper. My husband always says I either have a very clear conscience or I have no conscience LOL
    • susyp
      susyp wendy38510

      Posted

      Hi Wendy sorry to hear you are not sleeping well. It's really frustrating. I'm 3 weeks and last night I placed a large pillow between my legs and a lot of pillows to the side of my unoperated leg. I then kinda turned on my side but not right over if that makes any sense. I slept from around 12am until 6pm. I was over the moon. Think this is the way forward for me .

      I've heard people on here sleep on their side with a pillow before the 6 weeks restriction but I'm too scared to do that.

      Take care

      Sue x

    • annie.conway
      annie.conway susyp

      Posted

      Lots of fluffy pillows in strategic places.... Even behind you back to stop you from rolling back. Moan, groan and move them around until you feel like Goldilocks .....
    • EAP26437
      EAP26437 susyp

      Posted

      Sue thats so amazing 6 hrs sleep.  Here in NZ we are allowed to sleep on our sides from about day 2 - BUT i'm learning that every country has different rules.  Keep on sleeping smile

      Elly

    • susyp
      susyp EAP26437

      Posted

      Hi Elli in the UK we are advised to sleep on our back for 6 weeks. I find it really hard. It's interesting to hear how different surgeons are with their advice.

      My surgeon has restrictions on movement in place for 12 weeks but the average seems to be 6 weeks.

      Best wishes

      Sue .x

    • EAP26437
      EAP26437 susyp

      Posted

      Yeah.  I'm not allowed to cross my legs or run ever again - according to my surgeon AND my sports Dr.  But the 90 degree rule and a pillow between my legs at night can go after 6 weeks when I'm allowed to drive.

      Bring on normality smile

    • wendy38510
      wendy38510 annie.conway

      Posted

      So glad I found this group. Got a good mix of people here and I don't feel so alone. I feel very encouraged. Love the Goldilocks reference 😆
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