Sleeping
Posted , 11 users are following.
I'm 53 years old and had anterior THR. Overall I seem to be progressing very well. I can walk with a crutch or a cane. I am still using some pain medicine but not as much. They switched me to a lesser strength narcotic and it does not seem to be doing as well, but now that I can take ibuprofen that seems to help a great deal. The greatest of conten but now that I can take ibuprofen that seems to help a great deal.The greatest difficulty I have is sleeping at night and I am terrible at taking naps. Pain at night seems to be worse and sometimes comes from the muscle groups around the implant more than anything else. The weirdest thing is when I try to roll on my surgery side I feel something that I swear is the implant? Is this normal? Does it go away?
Any ideas about how to make sleeping easier would be greatly appreciated. I feel my progress could be more if I could sleep better!
0 likes, 10 replies
ellenco
Posted
wlee ellenco
Posted
I had an anterior also and wasn't comfortable laying on that side until 3 or 4 weeks post op. Don't worry, that's not your implant you're feeling but it is knotted, traumatized muscles. The surgery is not only pretty hard on your skeleton but is also intense for all the muscle and ligament tissue that was heavily retracted to enable them to reach your hip. It will resolve itself but it definitely helps if you have the outer IT band area massaged at PT appointments. Hope that helps. Sounds like you're doing great. I slept on my back for longer than I had to (they tell you with anterior that you can sleep on you side sooner than other methods) because neither side felt great in the beginning even with a pillow between my legs. Continued good luck with your recovery 😀
nhquilta ellenco
Posted
Have you tried a leg pillow? It is contoured to fit between your knees and helps keep the hips aligned. I used mine the first 6 weeks or so and still like to use it. I'm just over 2 months post op. It's easy to turn over and hold onto the pillow. .
AnnieK ellenco
Posted
Ellen, I was a complete wreck still at two weeks after surgery. Sounds like you are doing very well! I was told not to sleep on my side (either side) for 6 weeks. When I tried at 3 weeks, I had so much pain that I knew I couldn't do it. Since I am unable to sleep on my back, horrible sleep was for me the worst thing about THR, and it didn't get better until about 10 weeks when I could comfortably sleep on my side again. I had to sleep propped up by many pillows, and only got about a total of 5-6 hours per 24 hours all that time, with nothing more than 1 1/2 hours at a stretch.
Bottom line, your sleep will get better. Some very fortunate people can sleep well right from the beginning, but most people struggle. Make sure you take your pain meds on a schedule and are well-medicated at night, for sure. If it is really bad, tell your surgeon's office and see what they recommend. Maybe you aren't ready for those lesser strength pain meds yet. Good luck!
debhip7.6.17 ellenco
Posted
THR Anterior, 17 days post op, 47yo.
I think I'm making good progress and for the most part i am using 1 crutch.
I too am finding that sleeping is really tough. Although we have no precautions, I have only been able to sleep on my back. I can slide to my non-surgery side with a pillow between my legs but NOT for very long. I have a small pillow elevating my legs to help with some lower back pain (that don't normally have). I don't usually have any trouble sleeping so this stinks! Tried Ambien for a couple nights, it was ok but awake about 5:00am
I have been off all narcotics for about 5 days but honestly, tonight I am going to start taking it again just at bedtime.
Best of luck.
Cindybud ellenco
Posted
Oh I can sympathise with you as I'm sure most of us can. It all plays havoc with our sleep and one the sleep parttern is brocken it's not easy to get it back. At only two weeks post op you are doing wonderfully if I may say so. I am four and a half weeks post op and simply can't sleep in my back. I was advised on here to break in gently and just stay on your side for a short time. Some say they were told they could try sleep on none operated side after two weeks other six weeks. I think it depends on the individual. If you can do it with a pillow between your legs comfortably then it must be ok for you, if not, don't do it. Listen to your body, everyone is different but don't dispair it will all sort it's self out at it's own pace. Good luck and take care.
Cindy x
amanda1827h ellenco
Posted
lyn1951 ellenco
Posted
Still early days yet, this is a marathon, the recovery, not a sprint I'm afraid.
I think our bodies react alot differnet, some of us have really bad cramps, others cannot sleep, others cannot eat, we all seem to be blessed with constipation, but thats probably more the strong pain killers they use, some we are not even aware of, given during the surgery.
Just give in to the lack of sleep, and sleep when you can, the more strssed you are about it, the worse you will get, you just have to give in for a little while.
You will not be able to sleep on your side for some months yet, depending on how big your scar is, lucky for the ones who can sleep on their side earlier, i coudn;t both times, had to sleep on other side with couch cushion, really well stuffed, quiet hard cushion between my knees, worked well with the comfort levels.
leah35183 ellenco
Posted
Hi,
Sleeping on my back was difficult the first time around. I took the clock out of my room. When I was unable to sleep at night I told myself I was just "resting". The second time around I got a lazyboy chair, one where my hips were higher than my knees and on occasion slept in this, not all night but for a few hours, and then I would move to the bed.
judith12644 ellenco
Posted
Hi, I think most of us found the nights pretty rubbish. I had posterior, and was told to stay on my back for 6 weeks. I used to feel very achy, and wake up a lot. I remember once thinking I'd had a good night's sleep, and it was only midnight! I used to get up have a stroll around on my crutches, have a stretch....
Don't reduce your pain meds too soon. Take it steadily, it will gradually get better at night, once you are more comfortable on your side. Good luck, Judith