Sleeping Position

[GreyBike]

Hi

Does anyone have any hints and tips on sleeping position when both shoulders are agony?

(I have a back problem as well so actually sleeping on my back is not an option).

I am waking up after about 4 hours with both shoulders in agony and that's it sleep wise - I have to give in and get up. A hot shower helps a lot but it takes a few hours before I can properly use my shoulders (and hands). I would say my shoulders are at their 'best' at about 6pm.

(I'm on my 4th day of an 18 day trial of predisolone so pretty new to it all)

Thanks

[Mary63]

Not sure I have any ideas on how to sleep comfortably. I couldn’t get in any way comfortable until the dose dealt well with the inflammation causing the pain.

For some people the removal of pain happens quickly....mine was in 6 hours, lucky me! But for others I believe it can take up to a week.

OR you may not be on a high enough dose. What dose have you been prescribed? The recommended dose is between 15 and 25mg, and everyone is different, though I suspect a heavier larger person would need the upper end of that dosage.

I would get back in touch with your doctor to see if you could have a higher dosage.

Good luck! I hope you feel much better soon.

[GreyBike in reply to Mary63]

Thanks.

I'm on 15mg and weigh about 8 stone.

i guess i need to give it more time.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Look up Bob &Brad sleeping positions with bad shoulders on YouTube.......there are various -

will try link, but for some reason it very often doesn't work -

youtube.com/watch?v=19zQUsY...(Not working as expected?)

Sometimes it works from email notification.

They do waffle a bit, but advice us generally good

[GreyBike in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks. The link worked and I watched it. See what you mean about the waffling but I am going to try the extra pillow below the shoulder suggestion to try and leave a channel tonight.

[Viv54 in reply to DorsetLady]

What a pair ! But some good tips !

[43tripandskip in reply to DorsetLady]

I tried out one of the sleeping positions recommended in the video, I woke up this morning (Saturday) with no pain in my head and shoulders. I can't tell you how pleased I am. Thank you for the information!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to 43tripandskip]

Good...long may it continue!

[MrsNails]

Shoulders are not easy parts of the body & l tend to sleep on my shoulder(s) with my arm crooked under a pillow.

I have had more pillows in the last eight/nine years than in my whole life, l totally wreck them & l sleep on three.

Amitriptyline is the Saviour of Shoulders & a good nights sleep 😴

Hopefully the Prednisolone will make a difference to you over the next few days 🍀

[GreyBike in reply to MrsNails]

Thanks. I will bear the amitriptyline in mind.

[MrsNails in reply to GreyBike]

It does relax the muscles 😴

[scrambledegg]

Try bunching the pillow up so your neck is fully supported and at a more natural angle to your shoulder

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I am assuming your back problem is totally unconnected to PMR? Just wondering as it suggests the night time pain is far earlier than we expect with PMR but it is typical of a form of inflammatory arthritis what can have a polymyalgic presentation.

[GreyBike in reply to PMRpro]

Hi. Yes the back problem is pre-existing. I guess you mean RA (which has not actually been ruled out for me).

I don't relish the prospect of more back pain to come in the future.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to GreyBike]

No, I specifically meant ankylosing spondylitis

[Hidden]

I also have very painful shoulders, the right worse than the left at present and so can’t sleep on my right. Also like you I can’t lie on my back for too long. I have a large V shaped cushion which I position at angles to take pressure off the painful points and it creates a gap between my normal pillow and the V so that there is less pressure on the shoulders / back... The only thing is trying to reposition it in the night when everything hurts and you can’t get your arms up and round!!! The joys!!! The V does help though 🙂

[GreyBike in reply to Hidden]

Hi. Can you remember where you would have bought the V shaped cushion? (I cn't recall ever having seen any)

Thanks

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to GreyBike]

You are in the UK:

Amazon, Argos, Dunelm, M&S, John Lewis - all come up when you google it.

[Hidden]

I bought them off the internet, complete with pillow cases, it may have been amazon or eBay. You can buy them in Dunhelm Mill, if you have one, or Argos. Just google V shaped pillow and will come up with lots of options.

[GreyBike in reply to Hidden]

Thanks folks.

(I should have thought to google before I posted )

[Blackcatlover]

This may sound odd but putting a pillow between my knees seems to help straighten out my body position and it really helps my back. I’m a side sleeper with neck, shoulder and back problems. Give it a try. I also find listening to tapes takes my mind off the pain and I usually fall asleep before the tape ends.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Blackcatlover]

Cushion between knees is a well known ‘cure” for bad back - it supposedly keeps the hips/knees aligned - and therefore the back also.

There are plenty of knee pillows on internet, or just use a normal one.

Pre shoulder replacement (OA) - I had more pillows than bed!

[123-go]

You poor thing! Reading the comments brings back awful memories of pain before diagnosis. I, like others here, have a selection of pillows in my loft, none of which were of much use. I bought a soft/medium memory foam mattress and 5cm mattress topper which worked wonders. Previously a side sleeper, I did find I got used to sleeping on my back and a flattish pillow under my knees helped align my spine as did making sure there was no gap between my head/neck and shoulders. However, unlike you, I don't have back problems. It was trial and error but I will say you don't need to spend vast amounts of money on mattresses. For me it was a case of scouring the internet, reading reviews and crossing fingers that those were authentic.

I hope you find something very soon that enables you to rest more easily.

[xena-]

Hi

When my shoulders are hurting, like you I slept 1/2 and 1/2. Back and shoulder. Resting my top arm on a pillow

Took a few nights to get used to. This was before being diagnosed with PMR. I Had bursitis in both so had steroid injections to relieve pain. Hopefully something you can try!

[Dambusters]

I used a body pillow- as used by pregnant women - when my shoulders gave me gyp.

I am past that now and use a knee pillow and lie one side with my tummy towards the mattress....for hip relief. I also take my meds. in the evening after my main meal.

[Tawnyowl1 in reply to Dambusters]

It took a good week for the Pred to take effect with me. I tried pillows in different positions and an oat heat pad round my neck. Alot of trial and error. I also got some stronger pain relief from my doctor to try and get a better night's sleep. The downside of the pain relief was it made me constipated, so I had to take a laxative with it as well !!Hope your shoulders ease up soon and you get your sleep back xx

[S4ndy]

I have a bad back and shoulders. I can only sleep properly on my tummy with my forearms tucked under pillow. I use memory foam pillows. Tried the V pillow and a wedge but to no avail. I know tummy sleeping is not the best but I get the best rest that way. I cannot sleep on my back and if I sleep on my side I wake up with painful shoulders. I should add that I have been a tummy sleeper since a child, it's not something I do to make it easier to sleep, I just am more able to.

Amitriptyline is wonderful for me. I take it every night and have done for many years. If I take it too late I do feel a bit hungover in the morning but if I take it by 7pm I am ok by 7am the next day.

[daworm]

no help from me, I got the same problem and I'm not even on Prednisone anymore...flip flop all night and around 4am it gets bad...nsaid's and Tylenol help but your lucky I haven't slept for four hours in at least 3 years since my PMR flared up...when things get desperate I take the lowest dose Xanax or flexeril (muscle relaxer) and those thankfully give me a fairly good sleep...I tapered and quit prednisone and I feel basically the same now as when I was taking it minus some of the side effects so why take it...I guess its OA or maybe even late onset RA thats my problem...joint pain not muscle anymore like PMR...