Some of you may remember that I had an accident in December and spent a month in hospital. I am well on the road to recovery now and the pain in my pelvis is lessening. The problem now is I can't sleep, when I was in hospital I was propped up in bed because I had a chest infection but when they came round with the drugs at 6am I would get out into my chair and stay there until about 10-30pm! Now when I go to bed I start off propped up and sleep for about an hour but then I have this urgent desire to sit up on the side of the bed with my feet on the floor. I stay like this for the rest of the night leant over to one side propped up on a stack of pillows. I then sleep on and off until morning! I am not short of breath and don't think I am having a panic attack (never had one so don't know) Do you think it is anxiety caused by the accident (I don't have flashbacks). I am wondering whether to speak to my respiratory nurse in the morning. Keep smiling
Carole X
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caroleoctober
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Hi Carole - so nice to see you back and that you are gradually recovering from your nasty accident. Speaking to your nurse tomorrow sounds like a good plan and I hope he/she is able to help you as not sleeping is not good for anyone.
Hi Carole' it's great to hear your on the mend and back home. I can't think of anything that might be causing you to have this trouble sleeping. Do you think it could be having to re-adjust to being back home and In your own bed that could be unsettling you?
Hi Carol i think you need to tell your nurse about this, it may be related to your accident but you can't go on like that not sleeping,get some advise, x
So pleased to see you here. Some very friendly people around. Sleep can be the most elusive, temperamental commodity. Dont I know it. Cant help but feel that you will eventually grow away from sleep problems. All a question of relaxing and getting your mind in the right mood. Speak to anyone you can and hopefully, you will get back to what you were before.
Hi Carole, good to have you back and glad you are recovering well. You could just be associating this sleep pattern with being in the hospital. It is well worth mentioning though. Hope you get an answer soon. Lots of love, Carole xxx
...Trying to sleep in Hospital is difficult enough - with other Patients coughing and spluttering, plus the odd one who has mental issues, and of course the Nurses doing the rounds of Tests etc, during the night , - a month ago I battled with lack of sleep in my local Hosi with breathing difficulties , only this time ( have had eight admissions in the last four years), at three in the morning , a thirteen stone chap fell out of bed ! - cor, what a performance the Nurses had , all FEMALE struggling to get him back in bed, with the help of a Hoist, plus all the items of his bed table crashing to the floor ! , THEN , half hour later A LIGHT FITTING MYSTERIOUSLY CRASHED DOWN FROM THE CEILING - just missing my bed by inches ! - - a night to remember !!, and two hours later a radiator started leaking ! - yes, a few feet from my cot !, all in all a pleasant night ! - minus me ( as the English say, ) - kip !! , - a version of " CARRY ON NURSE " COULD'NT HAVE DONE IT BETTER ! you certainly need a sense of humour for a stay in Hospital these days, so keep yours up Carole and good luck with your other health issues - think positive !, and have a nice visit to Rhodes - did the visit a few months ago , - lovely place, don't worry about the flight - you'll be alright .God Bless !!..
After my stay in ICU 32 days and the hospital wards for 10 days when I got home as soon as I woke I had to get out of bed no matter what time it was or how tired I was. This went on for nearly 6 months! I still do not sleep well and this has been from 2008. I do not think it will affect you in the same way but worth looking into as it may well be PTSD or nothing at all
Hi Carole, it is great to see you posting but so sorry about your sleep problems.
The problem with our stretched, free nhs is that they don't look for problems, just dealing with the instant, fire fighting constantly.
I totally believe this is due to your accident plus the difficulties getting sleep in the hospital.
It's vital you speak to your practice nurse, don't play it down and hopefully she will refer you immediately to the doctor.
Post Traumatic Stress - PTS - is the reaction to a life threatening situation (which you had, a totally frightening experience).
It's a beastly problem and needs sorting out asap because it can creep along getting gradually worse. Whatever your mind is telling you, we don't have the capacity to get through it on our own.
Please seek help now, just incase.
You deserve a bit of support after being such a hero.
A close friend of mine was involved in an motorway accident. the car turning over & over, she saw it coming and was conscious for a while, pelvis broken in five places.
Shes a tough cookie, however, suffered for years afterwards not knowing her change in character was due to PTS - and she's a psychotherapist! It was a nightmare.
I hope you get the help you need, sleep is so important, you won't be able to heal emotionally without it. Look it up and see what you think.
Perhaps some help medicinally just to get you back in a pattern?
Myself, I take an antihistamine tablet to knock me out when my sleep gets desperate.
Wishing the very very best of luck with it. Don't be a heroine my lovely. P xxxxx
I rang the nurse this morning and she said she would ask the doctor to ring me........he has just rang and said it is because I retain fluid and as my legs are so swollen from the fractured pelvis the fluid goes from my legs to my chest so I need to sit up for it to drain back down. He has upped my diuretics spread out through the day. He said it was too dangerous to give me sleeping tablets as I would sleep through it and not sit up!! Keep smiling
I have had problems in sleeping for some years now made even worse when I have a chest infection. I have lower back problems so every time I turn over I wake up in pain my GP has now put me on some sleeping tablets and changed my 2 slow release morphine tablets a day to the patches and I have to say my sleep has improved.
Hi Carole, it's good to see one of the longer standing members back on form. Have you tried sleeping in a riser/recliner chair?. Ever since I came out of hospital I've been unable to sleep on my back and no amount of support pillows have enabled me to get a good nights sleep. Since buying a riser/recliner chair I have managed at least 6 hours of unbroken sleep on a regular basis.
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Am I the only one who does this (I hope not)
Hot sleeping
Late nights don't pay. (Humorous poem.)
having trouble breathing 
