Post-Ops - Question...

I'm wondering how all of you post-ops are doing with sleeping and finding a comfortable position. I have heard that people need to sleep in recliners, on sofas, etc. I really want to be able to sleep in my bed... Fill me in please - my surgery is on Monday! Hugs, Nancy

I've slept in my bed most of the time since I came home. I have pulmonary problems also, so sometimes it is a matter of breathing rather than the surgery. But when I have trouble sleeping in bed I sleep in the recliner. Also, I think our society has gotten paranoid about drug abuse and people don't use their pain medications as well as can be. Lots of time, not finding a comfortable position is due to pain that we don't realize is there. Our bodies know and are trying to tell us. Try half a dos of you pain medication if you are having problems. Our bodies don't heal as quickly as they can if they are in pain. I'll be think of you Monday. I'm sure everything will be fine. Monna

I had no problems at all sleeping in my bed when I got home....if anything, I slept better because I had my man to hold me It did take a couple nights before I could lay on my side comfortably....but I did it, worse was the staples pulling a little now and then, but that's not bad. Good luck on Monday, I'll be thinking of you Linda

I slept in my bed! Lots of pillows!!!!!!!!! I also was comfy on the couch with pillows. At the hosptial I hated the bed... IT was tooo hard to get in and out and hurt my back.. I slept in a love seat type of chair with tons of pillows................ You will!

Nancy, If you can afford it, go buy a nice feather bed to put on top of your bed. I came home yesterday and am happily sleeping on my side since it is like sleeping on the clouds! Good luck, Natalie

Dear Nancy, I am 5 days post op and home for the past three nights. I have not slept in my bed yet and have been in the recliner in my bedroom. While the soft king size bed and my husband next to me is enticing, the truth is that the motion of getting into the bed and out of the bed can be painful as it puts pressure on the surgery areas externally and internally. Nothing happens to the insicions....it just hurts to roll over and drop your legs to the floor. The chair or couch is easier as there are ARMS to push on to help you lift yourself. My husband was very willing to be at my beck and call to lower my legs as I raised my body....but I felt more in control of my own pain by sleeping in the chair. Today, I did take a nap in the bed and it was awesome! I was less sore this afternoon and more able to hold by stomach tightly as I lowered my self and raised my legs onto the bed. Slept like a baby for 2 hours! You'll know what to do for yourself when you get home. If it hurts to get into the bed....find another spot! Mary Dailey, Central New Jersey

NANCY!! First let me say CONGRATS!!! Can't wait to have you join us!!!!! My first night home I slept on the couch in the recliner section. But if you would like to sleep in the bed do a test run first!!! I got some pillows and propped them up so that I could lay in a semi up right posistion. Then I made sure someone(my hubby) was there to help me up in case I could not get up on my own. You do not want to be home by yourself and not be able to get out of bed LOL!!!! After I tried a few different manuvours to get up I finally made it on my own YAHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! Also if you are having OPEN you may want to use some pillows under your tummy when you lay on yours side as well! GOOD LUCK Brandi

I was in the hospital for a week (well hospital room mon-thurs and then a guest room from thurs-sun) and I have slept in a bed everyday my husband helped me get up and down (called him my crane......lol) but really when I got home on Sunday I was getting myself up and down myself and since about 9 days out I have been able to sleep on my side.... good luck you are in my prayers

I slept in my bed at night and napped on the couch during the day. I had NO soreness problems, and had no trouble getting out of bed in the middle of the night. About five days after surgery, I was actually sleeping on my LEFT side and my STOMACH (squeezed quite a bit out of my drain, though ) If you have plenty of pillows for back support, you can probably sleep on your right side without pain...just take your meds!