sleeping after opp

[joel132]

I have always found it difficult to sleep on my back. i know in my sleep if i start on my back i will turn on my side while asleep. is this going to be a problem after AVR+ CABGx3

[080311]

You won’t turn on your side the sternum will let you know it’s not a good idea! I am side sleeper, I had a rolled up baby blanket that I used to hug if I need to cough or sneeze, this I used to sleep with my arms wrapped around it don’t know why but it really helped! That blanket went everywhere and it still lives on my bed just as a reminder.

I can remember the first time I could sleep on my side it was bliss😂

[gilreid1]

Don’t worry about how you sleep. Your body will change a lot in the first few weeks. Just listen to the advice your cardio team will give you and don’t do anything you think is normal that will come with time.

[Vicky12345678]

I am the same joel132 , always slept on my side. I was also wondering how I would ever sleep on my back but as someone said, my body knows there is no choice and since home I've managed to sleep quite well (I've used one of these amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00... and a v-pillow which seems to be working and others swear by a wedge pillow. I've found once I'm kind of wedged in I stay there - this coming from a VERY fidgety side sleeper normally !)

[joel132 in reply to Vicky12345678]

Yeah i got one of those v shaped pillows a few days ago but i think i will look at the wedge also.. i too fidget around a lot in the night

[Hidden]

Trust me you won’t roll onto your side ❤️

[Chappychap]

It's difficult to appreciate just how tired you'll feel for a good few weeks after your operation, you 'll be able to sleep standing up let alone on your back!

[Nic25]

I hate sleeping on my back Joel, and hated it after my AVR. I did however find that even in hospital I was able to turn a bit. I used all the props I could to provide support/cushioning - pillows, my rolled up towel etc! But mostly it was just a case of accepting it and recognising hospital 'sleep' is largely a case of interrupted dosing anyway! They also wake you up early too anyway, but on the plus side it's not as if you haven't got the whole day to catch up and/or just rest.

When I got home I found a small wedge maternity cushion under my sternum helped (though not immediately, this was after a few days) as it meant you could sort of be half of your side and then a pillow behind you to provide further support. Then gradually of course as things healed I was able to roll further and further until eventually back to 'normal' on my front.

But yes you'll be guided by your sternum telling you what's what!

I was also in a fog of exhaustion for about the first six weeks home, so lots of dozing and actually a proper sleep in bed for a couple of hours in the afternoon (in part again because of often not sleeping hugely well at night). But rest assured it does all past and things do return to normal. And hope that helps.

But good luck. Hope it goes well for you of course and that you're quickly on the mend.

Cheers

Nic x

[Nic25]

Hey Joel. Just to add just spotted your other post saying you're up for the AVR in the morning. So if you're still awake (and hope you're managing to rest) and not too parched, just to wish you the very best. I'm sure you'll be in good hands. Take it easy, take the painkillers, and hope you're up and about, and feeling loads better (if sore and tired probably) in no time at all. Cheers Nic x

[joel132 in reply to Nic25]

thank you.... cant sleep but beginning to let go and settle.. go in tomorrow and AVR+CABGx3 on Wednesday. All this waiting finally coming to an end, outa my hands now. Its been a comfort i have appreciated so much to hear from people on here who have been through the same or similar. Especially as such a major opp is an unknown for me.. x

[Gail1967]

Hi I had a pillow & propped 1 shoulder up so I sort of slept on back but very much to a side. This worked for me as I too am a side sleeper. Good luck Everything is about taking it slow & being kind to yourself but I saw improvements daily - then before you know it you’ve recovered & can move on. Walking is fine on your own - just build up slowly. Good luck

[road2ruin]

I found I was able to sleep on kind of my side. Like you I can't sleep on my back. So I managed to tilt my self to the side a little, with no pain, and put the rolled up towel behind my back to stop me rolling back. It worked well enough.

Good luck

[SecondOHS]

Best of luck tomorrow Joel.

I bought a wedge pillow. Made a massive difference as it is almost impossible to sleep on your side on one of those. This made it easier to go to sleep relaxed knowing the pillow wouldn't let you roll over. As others have said, the body will look after itself. But the pillow gave me peace of mind

[Supernanu]

I had a v pillow plus others to make a ‘cocoon’ to keep me on my back. Even then I would sometimes find I’d rolled over but the discomfort would push me back again.

Sleep in hospital was very disturbed and it was lovely to come home.

You will soon find a way to adjust and cope and in a couple of months you’ll feel so much better.

Good luck for tomorrow.

Nicole

[Tessie28]

Slept on my side in hospital after week one.

[Handel]

I rolled 2 bath sheets up for hubby's right side and a single duvet rolled up between us. He eventually went to sleep hugging a pillow to his chest. Our little granddaughter gave him a huge teddy bear to hug!! Worked wonders!

xxxx

[080311 in reply to Handel]

One of my sons bought a very soft baby blanket that was rolled up and I hugged when I slept, coughed or sneezed. That blanket went everywhere with me! The family called it Mums Teddy😂 it still lives rolled up on my bed just a gentle reminder!

Best wishes Pauline xx

[Handel in reply to 080311]

We swapped the huge teddy bear (Arianna our granddaughter missed him!) for a giant Tigger that she'd lost interest in!! Good job he didn't bounce😂.

He now takes pride of place on our dressing table. xxxx

[080311 in reply to Handel]

That reference to Tigger made me smile eldest Granddaughter loved watching Tigger the movie! can’t count how many times we watched it with her! Been browsing the net this morning for her 18 th birthday present. Funny old world isn’t it 😂 x

[Handel in reply to 080311]

😂!! Our little grandkids have the full set of characters as well as a Bagpuss each. We've spent a fortune at the Disney shop but they're worth every penny!! xxx

[080311 in reply to Handel]

If I am honest loved Winnie the Pooh Tigger and Piglet, plus all the other characters watching with her wasn’t any hardship.

Keep well Pauline x

[Handel in reply to 080311]

Same here! 😂 Take good care of yourself xxx

[080311 in reply to Handel]

You too, very windy and wet in Central Scotland today, cleaning the kitchen thought I would open the back door not the best idea I have ever had😂

[Handel in reply to 080311]

You do make me smile Pauline. A bit chilly and blowy here in Birmingham! If the Met Office is right, we're having shed loads of rain later today. Must remember to put a bucket by the bed to catch the drips from our bedroom bay! 😂!! xxx

[080311 in reply to Handel]

Oh heck, not good! The sun tried to come out at lunch time, notice I said tried. Hope the Met Office have got it wrong and you don’t get the down pour they said. It’s certainly getting colder up here and it’s very dark in a morning when I get up. Here comes Winter😩

[Handel in reply to 080311]

Soon be Christmas! If the lockdowns continue I wonder how this years Christmas will play out 😩 xxxx

[080311 in reply to Handel]

Living in the Central belt we are going in to more strict rules from Friday evening, until nearly the end of October, so looks like Christmas will be behind closed doors😩 family is on the south coast and Australia so thank goodness for FaceTime! Not the same though, but hey oh it’s the way it as to be so have to get on with it. Have bought all Australian presents need to get them in the post parcels are taking 5 weeks to get there. Our youngest granddaughters ( and oldest) are there and look for parcels arriving 😂

Hope the weather overnight for you is not to bad.

Take good care Pauline

[Handel in reply to 080311]

Our 2 sons and families are fairly local but it's hard not seeing them in person. Like you say, thank goodness for FaceTime. Our 5 year old granddaughter has an iPad so she FaceTime's us most mornings before she heads off for school!! Get those parcels posted!

It's just started pouring with rain so fingers crossed it's not too bad.Bucket is under the bedroom bay just in case!!!

Take care Jan xxx

[080311 in reply to Handel]

Love the case of these wee ones so tech savvy 😂

Stay dry

Pauline x

[Handel in reply to 080311]

Bucket was dry so no leak and hardly any rain during the night! xxxx

[080311 in reply to Handel]

Met Office right again 😂 glad your nice and dry.

We have bright sunshine and pouring down 😉 lovely rainbow though 🌈

Pauline x

[Handel in reply to 080311]

We had a double rainbow yesterday when we were at our allotment. I poured myself a cup of tea from my trusty Thermos and left it to cool a little on an upturned plant pot. One of the little foxes that roam around on the allotment took a fancy to the tea (cool by now) and drank the whole lot. I'm sure she asked for a biscuit to dunk in it!!!

Happy times that take you away from this awful situation we're all in. xxxx

[080311 in reply to Handel]

Oh thanks for that post, cheered me up no end. We have a squirrel who sits on the wooden rail round the decking and looks at me every morning through the French doors! Sometimes after he as dug up yet another bulb😩

Should feel annoyed with him but he cheers me up.😉 x

[Handel in reply to 080311]

Our squirrels very often fall off the fence under the weight of the apples and pears they've pulled off our trees!! As for the squirrel proof bird feeder......!!??

Take care and thanks for making us smile xxx

[080311 in reply to Handel]

Your squirrels beat ours! Though he does have a little fat tummy and some mornings sits there with his paws sort of rubbing his tummy as if he’s just had a delicious breakfast.

You take care to x

[Handel]

Just read other comments and forgot to mention the V shaped pillow I bought. Wonderful for getting comfy on the sofa and in bed.

You'll be in our thoughts tomorrow xxx