THR sleeping on surgery side

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chrisA

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I know you can not sleep on the surgery side but wondering how long that will be if at all. I also have back problems and cannot lay on back all night long. I use to always sleep on my right side which is where I had the surgery. Will I ever be able to sleep on my right side.
I cannot imagine how anyone with both hips have done it not everyone can sleep on their back at night long.

Thanks for your input in advance.
 
Hello ChrisA! Welcome to BoneSmart!

You will indeed be able to sleep on your side (either side)! Have you had your surgery? If so when was it?

Normally you need to stay sleeping on your back until all your restrictions are lifted. Some hippies sleep on the side opposite the surgery site soon putting a pillow between their knees. This prevents the top leg from dropping to the bed and violating the restrictions.

Have you tried putting a pillow under your knees when you are sleeping on your back. I have major back problems and my physio recommended this. It really did help me.

I hope you will come back and tell us a bit more about your situation. Meanwhile please spend some time in the Library (top bar has the link). There's lots of good information in that area.
 
Thank you I had my surgery Dec 5. I will try the pillow for my back issue because I wake up and can hardly move in pain.
 
Hi Chris
I had my L-THR on Dec 5th as well. Was your surgery posterior or anterior? Did your OS give you specific restrictions? How are you feeling so far?

Andy
 
Hi Chris,

I'm a side sleeper too.

I had no restrictions coming out of the hospital but still found that sleeping in my bed at home - in any position - was difficult. So on the second night home, I moved downstairs to my recliner where I seemed to be able to sleep pretty well.

The last two nights I have slept in my bed, and last night was even able to sleep on my incision side! I have to have a pillow between my knees but at least I'm able to sleep on my side now, and in my own bed.

:thumb:

Of course, everyone is different. If you're still having pain or under restrictions, please don't take my own experience for anything other than that.
 
Hi Chris

Laying on your operated side will take time,I tried it out after a few weeks and it was still a bit painful, It is trial by error until you feel comfortable laying on it.
It is a nuisance but you will get there eventually.

Billy
 
Hi, ChrisA....welcome. So glad you were able to create your own thread and that you've received some responses to your questions.

For these early days when you need to try and sleep on your back, you can also try to prop some pillows up along your side and kind of lean back into them. That way you are sort of sleeping on your side, but not so directly on the incision area.

Another trick is to use a heating pad at the small of your back. That has helped a lot of folks sleep better.....including ME!
 
Hi Chris, just checking to see if you tried any of our suggestions. I know how hard it is to deal with back issues post-op. Hope you got some relief!
 
Jamie mentioned above:

// you can also try to prop some pillows up along your side and kind of lean back into them. That way you are sort of sleeping on your side, but not so directly on the incision area. //

I figured this out on my own a few weeks back and it was quite comfortable. You should try it.
 
Chris...
I also had back problems and wondered how I would do it. Had to lay on my back 4wks and slowly went to the good side (non-surgical hip). Then as time went on layed on bad side for short periods of time ~ when it hurt too bad, I rolled over to the back and just kept moving around which felt so great to change it up. While laying on good side, make sure to put pillows between legs for support so bad side will not drop. You will see as you go along. I am 11 months out and it all seems so long ago. I still use pillow between legs and my bad surgical side sometimes still feels a bit bruised. You know what? Haven't been to see a chiro for the back since I had the hip replaced. It will all take time.
Joe
 
I found after about 5 months I was able to sleep on my new hip side. I guess I could have done it before that but it was still not comforatable.
 
Hi ChrisA,

I was also not a back sleeper prior to the hip surgery and found that in the first month after the surgery it helped me some when I awoke in the middle of the night to actually get up out of bed and take a bathroom break, get a new ice pack & some water before settling back into the bed. During those night time walks I used the walker so as not to stumble around since I was both drugged and sleepy...

Now that I'm 6 months out I am tickled to see that I can sleep on my back comfortably for periods of time as long as I have a pillow under my knees...and I can sleep in all the other positions as well!

Take care,
Cardie
 
Hi Chris A.,

Hope you are doing well and the sleeping thing is getting better. It took me 7 months after my 1st THR to be able to sleep on the surgery side, and oh did it feel good. Hang in there it will come. All of this recovery takes time and patience (something I'm still learning!)
 
I sleep on my side now but I still wake up w/ a terrible ache from doing so - it's gotten better but still there!
xoxo
Linda
 
Chris

I started sleeping on my surgical at about 8 Weeks. Still today I prefer to have a pillow between my legs, possibly padding my knee but it feels like less pressure on my hip.

Do what you can to get sleep. Many of us seem to struggle with that.
 
Hi Chris

You will eventually be able to sleep on your side, just not for a little while.

I accidentally rolled over onto my surgical incision early in my recovery and my hip did not like it at all.

Ditto! With everything already said.

I am going into week 8 and have been sleeping (only because I got clearance from my OS) to sleep on my un-operated side with a pillow between my knees as described by chef.. I also have back problems and have found that this position (once cleared) has really helped my back. It keeps the spine straight so that it doesn't twist as much I find.

Good luck.
 
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