I'm new here. I am having trouble sleeping after bypass surgery.

[ginny1807]

I had a triple heart bypass 5 weeks ago. I am now having trouble sleeping at night, I can be awake for 3 to 4 hours during the night and when I eventually do fall asleep its the early hours of the morning, and then I only sleep for a few hours and wake up exhausted. I have tried meditation, herbal tea's and so on. Is there anyone else out there who has experienced the same issue. Any help would be appreciated.

[SarahNeale]

Hi

I had the same problem after my valve surgery. I would be awake for hours and hours thinking about things and then wake up the next day totally exhausted. For me this did settle after about 8 weeks. I made sure the only thing I did in bed was sleep. I found that since I was spending quite a lot of time in bed during recovery I was reading and watching to etc in bed. I took all those things away and only slept in bed which actually did make a difference for me. I really hope that things start to get better for you soon as not sleeping is really awful xxx

[skid112 Heart Star]

Hi Ginny,

I too suffered, and to some extent still do, with restless nights post surgery. I used to nap during the days to get some rest and gradually it got better. I don't think there us a universal cure but you do need rest, little and often. Have you tried some light exercise, walking, just to get wear yourself out a little more?

Mark

[sturon]

Hi Ginny. You are not alone in having sleep problems. My partner had a implanted defibrillator fitted (S-ICD). This was fitted after he suffered 2 cardiac arrests. He has a heart condition - Long QT Syndrome. It is now over a month since the surgery and he just can't sleep. He will be awake all night and as soon as it gets light he can sleep. It's like being on the night shift. We have tried night lights and relaxation techniques but nothing works. His GP is very understanding and did give him some sedation to help, but he didn't want to take it. His GP has now referred him for some counselling, which he feels may help him to talk to someone about his fear of sleeping. You may find your GP can help. We hope you can settle after the operation as rest is an important part of recovery.

Good luck

Ron (& Stuart).

[Mary_Janet]

I too had sleeping problems post surgery. Partly due to being uncomfortable and not being able to lie on my side. Also I was in hospital for nine weeks and had antibiotic therapy every four hours including through the night. I had got used to being woken constantly through the night by nurses attending to me let alone all the noise in the bay. I was generally the youngest by 30 years and I am 56 ! The bay was noisy and at times lively! By the time I left hospital, I was sleep deprived and realised that I had to learn to sleep again. It helped once I could lie on my side once again. I did find that my mind was racing and I had to work through "stuff" and learn to trust my heart that had let me down so badly. I have not had formal counselling but did have a good talk with the GP and the rehab team. As I have got physically stronger and able to do more and learnt to trust my body again I am finding I can relax and sleep again. It is so hard when you can't sleep and the wee small hours are very lonely.

[Mary_Janet in reply to Mary_Janet]

I should also say that I really find this site very helpful and reading other people's struggles and solutions.

[KazSumm]

Hi Ginny 1807

I had trouble sleeping after my AVR, part was due to not being able to lay down flat and on my side, the other down too broken sleep while in hospital. It was making me feel frustrated feeling tired all the time. Sleep is very important for recovery. I never been on any medication before this but after trying all sort of sleep remedies I went to see my GP she gave me sleeping tablets I only took them for 2weeks had the best sleep ever, started to feel so much better in myself , my sleep pattern returned to normal and I’ve never had a problem with sleep since. I’m glad I took them and they really aided my recovery. Here’s to 😴 🛏 Kaz ❤️💕💖

[ginny1807 in reply to KazSumm]

Thank you for your reply. I have been given some sleeping tablets from my GP, but I only use them as a last resort. For some reason I have been getting a better nights sleep the past week, all be it only 4-5 hours which I am happy with. I am sure my sleep will get back to normal soon, I forget what a major surgery I have had, but just want to get back to normal asap. Thanks

[pibrom]

It took me about six weeks before my sleeping improved after my 2xcabg + AVR. The first two weeks were pretty horrendous. I found initially that I was more likely to get some sleep overnight in an armchair rather than in bed.

[stevejb1810]

Yep, sleeping was a real struggle and I wouldn't say I'm a great sleeper even now, but I do at least get good nights interspersed with bad ones, rather than all bad ones. I'm 16 weeks post GABG.. I echo the comment made already about taking all distractions away (phone, TV, iPad, laptop, Kindle, light sources etc.) out of your bedroom and make that room somewhere where you sleep. Try and get some fresh air into the room (window afar for example), and try and make the room as dark as possible. Avoid caffeine and alcohol late in the day (alcohol will help you get to sleep but it doesn't keep you asleep - unfortunately!). None of these things will be an instant 'cure' but given time, they do work. I also agree about taking naps. If you are tired, get rest when and where you can - it does help.

Steve

[FMW62 in reply to stevejb1810]

I don't want to depress anyone, but I'm 2 years post valve replacement and still sometimes have trouble sleeping with good nights and bad nights. The trick is to stop minding!

Initially I woke every 2 hours and usually went to the loo, I thought it was because I was worried that I would eventually fall asleep and then be woken by the need to go. Eventually it occurred to me that I actually needed to be upright every so often.

Techniques I have used so as not to mind not being able to get back to sleep include thinking in detail of the plot of a novel I have recently read, or film I have seen; go through the alphabet, listing all the countries/parts of the body/pop stars/ rivers of the world you can think of beginning with A, B, C etc. Yes it's boring, but that is the point! My most successful technique though is to get up make myself a cup of chamomile tea, do a bit of a crossword while the tea is brewing and go back to bed to drink the tea, trying to find the solution to a clue I'm having trouble with.

Mind over matter

[BAGS17]

I too had major issues with sleep after quad cabg. I have lived on 5 hours sleep a night for most of my adult life, being a workaholic who considered sleep as time wasted. Initially after my cabg op I was scared to go sleep as I was convinced my heart would stop working, irrational I know, but true nevertheless. My wife designed a pillow arrangement that enabled me to sit up and read until tiredness took over and then I managed to sleep fitfully but somehow reassured by the pillow supports. Persevered with this but eventually I met a psychiatric nurse through my cardiac rehab class who taught me Mindfulness techniques which helped the sleep situation enormously. If I'm being honest, I was very sceptical about Mindfulness but I now sleep far more than I ever have in my adult life, although I still resent it a bit!

Try mindfulness, it might help.

[ginny1807 in reply to BAGS17]

Thank you for your reply, the cardiac rehab team did say they could send me to see someone about the problem and mentioned Mindfulness, so I am going to give it a go.

[BAGS17 in reply to ginny1807]

Good luck, as I said, I found it very helpful both with the sleeping thing and also some issues I had with being overwhelmed on occasions.

[Mikgalmo]

Have done a sleep test thingy? You know, to test for sleep apnea? I had that before I lost a load of weight. Now, I am at 12 weeks since surgery. If on the days I ride the bike 5-10 kilometers or not, I still am lucky if I sleep 8 hours. Usually 4-6 hours early on and up at 3:00 to 5:00! When I can, I take a nap. I'm done worrying about it! My bp is good, I'm eating good, and so I've let my worry go about it! I don't care!

[Plumbtorre]

15 months after a triple bypass and valve replacement I still struggle to sleep more than 5 hours...I normally wake up around 2.30 am and have a cup of tea catch up on the Internet etc than go back to bed for 2 or 3 hours more sleep. I have got used to it now and it doesn't really bother me

[Heartfeltgood]

Do you have sleep apnea? I did and did not know it for a year after surgery, it been six years and I am in pain everyday, I had several nightmares after surgery, I still don't sleep through the night. But then again I seldom ever did.

[Circular]

I am just coming up on eight weeks post bypass surgery and sleep problems have been my biggest concern. The pattern you describe is just like my experience. It is very distressing.

It is hard to find a comfortable position and then there is mind racing with crazy thoughts.

In the last two weeks things have improved. There is less discomfort in the sternum so finding a comfortable sleeping position has got easier.

My doctor prescribed a half nortem sleeping tablet and I have used that on a few occasions to break the cycle of sleeplessness. However, I don't want to become dependent.

While my sleep is often quite broken I am getting six or seven hours most nights and I take an hour nap in the early afternoon.

It might be worth talking to your GP and using a sleeping tablet to break the pattern.