8 weeks after a double bypass and still can't sleep in a bed

[Stevegee100]

Hi all It's been 7/8 weeks now since I have my op

I can honestly say that I have been in so much pain from day 1 to the point i wanted to just cry

It has got better during the day time BUT at night that's when I can't cope

I've had morphine codeine and paracetamol

I have found that I have to sit up on the sofa with loads of cushions to sleep sometimes i manage to lay down but wake up with upper body pain even sitting down it is very painful if im sitting for any length of time

Has anyone else experienced this type of pain

[Ageingfast]

I was advised to sleep sitting up. I built a semi circle of five pillows plus a Teddy (rolled up towel ) under my knees. The routine pain killers kept me reasonably pain free.

I also had telephone advice available from the cardiac ward.

If you cant get to speak to your cardiac ward, then try the nurses on this site.

After nine weeks you should be improving greatly. Perhaps twelve weeks before you are fine.

Things are certainly not OK for you. You need a little help. Then you will enjoy the wonderful recovery that I got.

Good luck

Sooty

[Stevegee100 in reply to Ageingfast]

Thank you

[Stevegee100 in reply to Ageingfast]

I tried last night to use the bed but by 12.00 I was back on the sofa I'm wondering if sleeping pill would help

[Redfloyd]

So sorry to hear of your struggles. The day before I was discharged my left shoulder froze and was excruciating. I had that for about a week and had to take morphine, it was more painful than having the op. It still niggles a bit sometimes. Apart from that I obviously ached a bit, took paracetamol up until week 6 or 7 post op and nothing since. The amount of pain your in doesn't sound right, is it surgery pain or could it be muscle or skeletal pain in which case a chiropractor or osteopath might be the person to see. I have recently had treatment from a chiropractor for my shoulder.

[Stevegee100]

It feels like more muscle pain now if I actually get to lay down I struggle to sit up it takes a 2/3 of goes

[Ageingfast]

I have never taken a sleeping pill, but I do find that paracetamol helps bring sleep. Please ring the nursing team. They are qualified to advise whereas I am not.

I am five years on and still think that the heart ops are just fabulous. I recall the day, about 14 weeks post op, when I realized I was fully recovered. A golden day that I will never forget.

I slept in the spare bedroom, possibly better than the sofa. Then the sofa was comfy during the day.

I never got any rehab (covid) so I listened carefully to medical advice from the cardiac nurses and it worked for me. I got bad setbacks from two bouts of gout, but listened to the nurses and came through well. I carefully followed the easy exercising, which was mainly gentle walks while talking.

2025 will be wonderful for you. Keep on keeping on but please ring the nurses today.

Sooty

[PadThaiNoodles]

I got some relief from turning my electric blanket to high and using it as a giant heating pad.

(Just make sure to set a timer or alarm. Nodding off and then waking up an hour later in a pool of sweat is no fun. Don't ask how I know.)

[Stevegee100]

🤣

[survivorsguilt]

After having my aorta and valve replaced at first had opiates but from the third day on was on a strict regime of two paracetamol every four hours. I kept rigidly to it and can honestly say that the only pain I had was when they moved me in my hospital bed. I had to sleep upright for eight months, which I hated but it worked. Apparently the key to the success was in sticking solidly to the strict routine.

[cabgpatch]

We are put in some very weird positions during the op which have a knock-on afterwards. Things get moved around in the torso as a result and I found that at one point I moved and it felt like something popped back into place and I was more mobile afterwards. However, as others have said, the amount of pain you are in sounds like you need to get a medical opinion. I only ever use paracetamol, although was prescribed morphine if I needed it for nerve pain.

Talk to someone, BHF nurses or GP or cardiac staff at the hospital where you had the op. Hope it works out for you.

[TeresaMay]

I'm sorry to hear of your problems. I regularly use codeine and paracetamol but not morphine. My only advice can be to take them regularly and I think your answer would be in the position you sleep. Good Luck.

[egton1966]

Hi I am the same have tried different combination till got fed up spoke to my pharmacist and he spoke to my Dr who prescribed me 50mg tramadol up to a Max of 8 a day I take 2 at lunchtime 2 at 5pm and then 10 ml of morphine at 6pm and then 10 ml at 10pm and then pharmacist said if you need to tweek it take extra 5ml in 4 hours and it works hope this helps

[Stevegee100]

Thanks