Question:
Why can't I sleep now that I am post-op?

I am 2 weeks post ,and ave this constanlt nervous feeling, legs shivering, have to be moving all the time..I have not sleep but bits and pieces during the day..I am exhausted but I just cannot sleep>>>any suggestions????    — mjvallee (posted on July 7, 2001)

July 7, 2001
It could be the pain meds, I felt that way when I came off of them. This "hyper"thyroid makes me feel restless and disturbes my sleep. Could it be your thyroid?
   — Rose A.

July 7, 2001
If you came off the pain meds all at once and did not slowly wean yourself off them, this could be the cause. No one told me I couldn't just stop them and I felt awful, called the nurse and she told me why I was feeling this way.
   — Lisa B.

July 7, 2001
It could be from your body adjusting to the great changes. Thyroid levels could be thrown out of whack. Ask your dr to test it. Also, i am like that now..and i haven't even had surgery. The dr. prescribed a pill to help me sleep as i was only getting two to three hours of sleep a night..and that wasn't even a solid sleep..this could be an option. talk with your dr.
   — paula B.

July 7, 2001
You didn't say if you were still taking any pain meds. I am 19 days post-op and what I noticed as I returned hoem from the hospital within 2 days, was that while the pain meds seemed to help and had been prescribed, they helped with pain, but screwed up my sleep. Weird dreams too! I have not since taken any, do not really nap, and am sleeping through the night. I must admit though I am sleeping very long and very soundly which I did not do pre-op. From what I have read and heard, it is still probably our bodies adjusting to the generals/epidurals and to the major surgery itself. Good Luck!
   — Molly S.