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5 Week Recovery-Lack of Sleep

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Sir

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May 13, 2009
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I'm at the 5th week of recovery for TKR. I'm going crazy (although not totally sane at any given time) at nights not sleeping. I have great difficulty falling asleep and then I only sleep for about an hour or an hour and a half at a time.
Is this common and although everyone is different can anyone share their sleep or lack thereof stories with me?
 
Yes welcome to the club I am 5 weeks Friday as well. I would pay big money to sleep, but I guess it will come in time. But how are you doing otherwise. Join us on here when you cant sleep.........What was your surgery date? Kim
 
It is common. I am about 6 1/2 weeks and the last couple of nights
is the first time I have slept for 3 or 4 hours in a roll. I take a prescription sleeping pill but it does not help..

There are several post here that state they also could not sleep.
Several friends who had the tkr had same problem

Hang in there it will get better
 
Welcome to the forum, Sir. What you are experiencing is completely normal. You will eventually be able to sleep for longer and longer periods as you go along in recovery. This is why for most people, they should not plan to go back to work too soon. You will need to just sleep whenever and wherever you can!! You have plenty of company here on the forum.
 
Welcome Sir! You see? There are a bunch of nite owls on board here! I'm a hippie......STILL NOT the best sleeper...but it DOES get better! :)
 
Thanks everyone, your comments have really helped ease my mind. I have a tendancy to keep things to myself and I was beginning to worry a bit. This site is a God send. I'll be visiting often.
 
Sir

I know what you mean about going crazy, I was ready to kill for a good night sleep. After 4 weeks of it and trying Ambien with no improvement I talked to my sleep doctor (I have another sleep problem). She said it is common and is called learned/conditioned insomonia. The problem is you get anxious about not sleeping which only makes things worse. She said do things like not go to bed until you are really sleepy and if you don't fall asleep in 15 minutes, get up and do something. She also gave me low dose of lorazapam (an anti-anxiety agent) and that worked great, took 7 doses over 10 days and that cured it.

Good luck

Simon
 
Welcome Sir,

Best wishes for your recovery, sleep will come eventually, but grab it when and where you can until then.

I have also been told that our sleep cycles run in 90 min cycles, usually we just wake up and turn over and go back to sleep, but having had major surgery, we wake up stiff, sometimes in pain, find it hard to get comfortable again, so it breaks that cycle.
 
Thanks Simon on thise lil tips, I will try them I love when people throw things out there and really dont realize how they really help other people.......Thanks And Sir jump on the am band wagon........Kim
 
This revision was my 3rd tkr in 2 years...the lst 2 were sleepless at night...use to think am I the only one in the world awake..even the dogs were asleep..it was awful...for some reason this revision was different...I would always read at night before trying to sleep...lst night one I woke up at 7 am, light on, book flopped over..and if I could I would bottle it and send it out to everyone...every night thereafter..my OS says I'm his only one ever that slept that well right off the bat...wish I had a formula..but I don't.
 
Sir,
When it was early in my recovery, I ask the same question about sleep. Tammy, one of the forum members, said she took a pain pill and then ten minutes later she took a Ambien CR and that helped. I took her advice and did the same and got my first seven hours of sleep. So try it and see if it works for you.

God Bless,
Rick
 
Well Rick I am trying your advice tonight I took the pain med and will try the sleep med and if it works yeah!!! If not atleast I had something to try. Thank you for sharing that, really.....got my fingers crossed Kim
 
Hello Sir

With my first TKR I didn't get a decent night's sleep for weeks and weeks. I just could not get comfy in any position.

With my recent TKR I have been able to sleep pretty well right from the start.

So, the obvious answer, it would appear to me, is to have a second knee done!!!

If that seems a bit drastic, I suggest that you follow the advice given already. Best of luck!
 
Haha stives that made me laugh....I will say, I did try Ricks lil cocktail and I got 4 1/2 hrs sraight, never did that before Rick so thank you.............Kim
 
Hi Kim

Another short night for you, but it sounds as if you did have a bit more sleep than previously. How do you cope with weeks of poor sleep - was it normal for you even before your op? Are you able to nap during the day? Are your kids at school so you can have some peace and quiet to catch up on that lack of sleep?

This sleeping problem is pretty universal after a TKR, obviously.
 
I have been one of those blessed to be able to sleep preetty well from the start. BUT last night I didn't. Tossed all night and had bad dreams, leg ached and had to put ice on it too. I was glad to know that was normal thanks to this forum.
 
Yes Stives I was able to sleep before my surgery, but I am a side person and for the life of me cant get comfy on my back I hav e tried one pillow up to 6 pillows all over the place. I never used to nap Im not a npper but now yes kids are in school so I do try.........Thanks.............Kim
 
Kim, Why can't you sleep on your side? Some medical reason? I sleep on my side all the time. I lay on my right side and the TKR was on the right leg. It is a little less comfortable to lay on my left side but I can do it for a change and for a short while.
 
With my first TKR I always ended up on my back as that seemed to be only position my body wanted to be in once it eventually got to sleep. I could NEVER get comfy - it took about three or four months at least I think.

With the second I seem to swop from side to side. I wouldn't say I am as comfortable at the moment as I was pre-ops, but at least I seem to be able to stay on my side once asleep. I normally do sleep on my side.

Weird, isn't it!
 
No medical reason at all I just cant find that spot to go to sleep. Believe me, haha my poor husband stands there trying to help. Like with the pillows, I am like no move this one out it over there take the other slide it to the left...push the other one a lil..he has alot of patients....
 
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