Question:
What is the best way to sleep after surgery?

I sleep on my side now, but I don't think that I will be able to do that after surgery. Any sugestions?    — peaceangel58 (posted on October 8, 2000)

October 8, 2000
I am a stomach sleeper. When I was in the hospital I slept sitting in a chair because I had such back pain from the hospital bed. The first two nights at home I slept on the sofa so I would have the back and arms to assist me in getting up and I slept on my side. By the time I had been home a week I was sleeping on my stomach and off all my pain meds. I did not have staples though. My incision was closed on the exterior with Steri-tape.
   — Nanette T.

October 8, 2000
Hi Debra. I'm also a side sleeper and was pretty uncomfortable not being able to sleep on my side immediately following my surgery. But then again, nearly EVERYTHING was pretty uncomfortable immediately following surgery. Sleeping in the hospital was possible thanks to the "good drugs" they administered to help with the pain...10 min and I was out like a light...and it didn't matter WHAT position I ended up in.(I could have been on the floor of the closet and I wouldn't have cared). Once I came home, it was a little less uncomfortable (than it was in the hospital) sleeping on my back but within a few days I was able to carefully manuver onto my side for an hour or so and sleep more soundly. Everyday the pain and discomfort lessened and about a week after coming home I was sleeping fairly comfortably on my side throughout the night. My best friend hooked me up with about 4 new pillows and I stratigically positioned them around me to prop me up during that first week at home and that helped alot. Many wls-ers have said that sleeping in a recliner helped them sleep more comfortably when they first came home, but I prefered sleeping in bed and I survived ok. Good luck to you and God bless as you begin your new weight loss journey. cj
   — cj T.

October 8, 2000
I had my surgery 9/6/00 and I have found that a Body Pillow will help you a great deak. Just pick one up from the store and you will find that it will asist you when you want to lay on your side. The large body length pillow will support you. I was also totally uncomfortable in bed for the first week and I slept in a lazy boy chair. Good Luck!
   — ROASTBEEF11

October 8, 2000
Hi! I, too, was and am a side sleeper. For the first few nights home, I slept on my back with multiple pillows, but was very uncomfortable. My husband bought me one of those five foot long body pillows and I started "wrapping" myself around it and rolling slightly to my side, pressing everything into the pillow for support. By the time two weeks had passed, I was sleeping comfortably on my side again. . . wrapped around my favorite pillow! Good Luck!
   — Carla I.

October 8, 2000
I am a side sleeper and was able to slep on my side the day after surgery. While lying on my back I would "hug" a llow to the wound site and then use the bed rails to turn onto my side. At home it took a few days to turn without the hospital bed rails but now (3 months post) I am fine! Good luck and I hope this helps!
   — Andrea P.