Sleeping after hip replacement

Well, I am 14 days post op.  My Surgeon has designed a pillow he has all his patients use.   I am a small person less than 5'3" tall 163cm.  This pillow is 28cm across top and 49 cm across the bottom and about 28cm deep adn 52 1/2 cm long

I have to sleep with this pillow velcro attached to my legs.. Flat on my back!  The first few nights even in the hospital I fretted with this contraption and a nurse said to me all of your Dr.'s patients have to wear this when they are recovering from a THR surgery.  My last night there I , pushed the velcro off my legs and threw the pillow on the floor!  Then I came home and tried to tollerate sleeping with the pillow because he is a well reknown hip surgeon.

I am 56 and this is my first Hip surgery since I was 22 years old.  I hope you recover quickly.  I am still tired and can not do much around my house without being very tired.  I sleep lots but, not no much in my bed with the torcher device!

Hang in there it has to get better!

I was so miserable not sleeping and wishing I could just roll onto my side at least.  Then I called my mother in-law who after a specific eye surgery had to sleep face down over the side of her bed with her arms tied to her cedar chest so she couldn't turn over! After hearing what she went through, I figured I didn't have it so bad.  So, the last few nights I have tolerated my torcher pillow a lot better.

Because, it could always be worse!

Hi Rachel:  I love this site.

I am 3 weeks post op.  I had the darnest time sleeping on my back.  My surgeon has created this four sided pillow retangular pillow narrow at the top and wider at the bottom .  His paiients are strapped into this contraption to keep them from turning over and to keep their leg inline!

During my hospital stay which was a day longer then usual, I lost my cool one evening because this pillow is so large and I'm less than 5' 3"  or 163 cm.tall / small .  And this pillow is almost half my size.  It was ver cumbersome to have this huge pillow between my legs.  Espeically, since my legs were strapped into this contraption.  The first couple of weeks I fretted but was so sleepy it didn't mater too mcuh .  I did however awaken maybe 3 times a night.  Than one night I threw the dang thing on the floor and pur a pillow folded in two between my legs and I rolled over off of my very painful lower back!

Oh it was the first night I slept through the night and I awoke still with pillow between my legs. I know my surgeon wants me to sleep on my back only but , sometimes it is just impossible!  As long as we are treating our leg with the most precautions, ie. supporting it and keeping from crossing mid body , we should be good to go!

Be well, 

Mary from Canada

  

Hi I am 50  and had my double hip replacement 5 and a half weeks ago . Sleep has probably been the worst of it . I long to curl up as normal and have a good night sleep . Putting two pillows under my knees has been a big help but I do wake up very stiff from being in the same psition all night . I too have taken to napping in the day time , big help . I walk about 500 yards 3 times a day , is that too much or not ? Progress is slow but sure , I do see an improvement weekly . I can get around the house with one cructh or none but outside I use two for safety from our dogs . I have my 6 week check in a week or so and hope to be able to drive by then . Good luck with the sleeping things are always better with a good nights sleep !

I am 18 days into my thr and still can't sleep can some one tell me how to place the pillows and should I tie them in place?

Sounds as though you are doing very well, Rachel.....I am one week post op, and my physio advised me to have a rest/sleep every afternoon whether I felt like it or not, as the body has been through a big trauma and needs to recover....I, too, am finding it difficult to sleep on my back, but try to comfort myself that it is only until the wound is healed sufficiently to lie on......can't wait!

I am 45 had THR I am 4wks post op, I still have a lot of swelling around hip although wound is almost healed, is this normal.

I had ceramic uncemented hip replacement.

So far sleeping on back has been the only problem, although it is manageable. I am 78 years old and had a THR - titanium/ceramic. My surgeon employed the minimally invasive technique and I am on the advanced recovery programme. I am amazed at my progress and hope I am not crowing too soon. I am using one crutch and could easily do without indoors or just use a stick. I am however having minor problems with urinating but was told the epidural could give rise to this but will gradually subside. I am tempted to try the Slumber Support to help the sleeping problem

What I omitted from my post was that my THR was 4 days ago

Good luck everyone with your recovery. 

2d day after left side anterior hip replacement surgery.  Slept in a recliner last night, hip very stiff when I got up.  Worried about staying on my back if I went to bed. Walking pretty well with the walker, some short stints without the walker.......Have to take it easy.