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Sleeping problems 3 1/2 months after surgery.

Posted , 6 users are following.

JLADY99
JLADY99

I had broken both ankles and had ORIF surgery on 1 side about 3 1/2 months ago.  I am now walking in my shoes and doing well with little pain and am pretty much back to normal.  But since my surgery I having been having problems sleeping, not pain related just feel like I can't fall asleep like I am not tired enough, and when I do, I wake up a few hours later and have a hard time falling back to sleep, again feel like I am not tired enough to sleep.  It feels completely unrelated to my ankles and I understand before when I had to wear the cam boots then I had a good reason.  I am also in menopause but don't have hot flashes.  Anybody else having sleeping problems long after fractures/surgery???

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • machelle1961
    machelle1961 JLADY99

    Posted

    I had surgery 2 months ago and still have a hard time sleeping. When I was in a cast it was pretty much impossible. I was so desperate I took 2 of my Mom's sleeping pills and still couldn't sleep. I am also in menopause and woke up a couple of times in the night prior to my ankle break, but nothing like now. I'm hoping it will get better with time. 

    Good luck this is a tough one!

  • Morrismanc007
    Morrismanc007 JLADY99

    Posted

    Hi. Gosh it sounds like you have really been through it!

    I totally get where your coming from with the sleeping, I had an ankle fusion in May...I think last night I fell asleep at 4am and was awake at 6am.

    It's pretty tough as I have little ones to look after, it's energy sapping isn't it. I find after 3/4 days of 2hrs sleep a night I sleep for about 6hrs.

    I've had a lot of ankle ops and I do find that after each op once I'm at the walking stage my sleep becomes awful. I guess it's because you just don't use up the entry to help you get to sleep.

    For me this usually gets better as I become more active and once I'm back at work fingers cross it resolves.

    Hope it does for you too.

    Claire. Xx

  • rhonda022260
    rhonda022260 JLADY99

    Posted

    I take a half of a Tylenol PM before bed each night it really works well for me.  A whole one and I am so groggy the next day.  Hope you find a resolution soon as sleep and rest is vital for the body to heal! 
  • MSK2017
    MSK2017 JLADY99

    Posted

    Hi,

    I have my days and nights completly switched. It started with taking meds for pain which caused me to sleep all day. 

    Now I take nothing and am awake all hours of the night. Then I want to sleep until noon or later in the afternoon. 

    Since I’m going back to work a few hours a week this has become a problem. 

  • kpower
    kpower JLADY99

    Posted

    JLady,

    You are in good company with your sleep problems. So many people are in same boat.

    Since you are humming along admirably in ankle recovery and pain is not the issue it is probably safe to assume your injury is not to blame for your sleep disorder.

    Insomnia is epidemic in our society, and there are so many identified causes. So the first place to look is at your sleep hygiene (look it up) and determine what you need to fix there.

    Especially important in this day of computer and cell/smart phone screens everywhere is avoiding excessive blue light from said electronic screens (doubly detrimental in evening before bedtime-- stops melatonin production). Also, cell phones and wifi routers in/around bed can disturb sleep in some individuals due to EMF emissions.

    We are bombarded with stress-promoting stuff everyday from TV, news, work, etc. so stress reduction techniques like meditation can help there. Sleeping pills are a crutch and not a long-term solution (and have side-effects).

    And of course there are so many other topics and issues with sleep that one could write a tome about it. But if interested you can tons of material about it online and in popular books.

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