Can't sleep - need help, please - getting desperate

[DarylMB]

My mother is 70 and is waiting for hip replacement surgery. Her main problem right now is that she can hardly sleep at all because of the pain. If she gets 2 hours of sleep a day, she's lucky. Painkillers don't work on the pain anymore and she can't get comfortable anywhere. She spends the night going from her bed to a recliner downstairs and back again but nothing helps. A friend who had hip surgery had the same problem and was prescribed zoplicone (a sleeping pill). It worked wonderfully for her so my mom got a prescription. It didn't help at all. She actually took 2 pills one night instead of the regular dose of one pill and still nothing changed.

Has anyone on this forum experienced this type of problem with sleeping? If so, I'm open to suggestions of other sleeping medications or supplements that might help. My mom has no trouble going to sleep but she can only stay asleep for about an hour and then she's awake and never really goes back to sleep.

Any help would be appreciated. Dealing with the pain would be a lot easier if only she could get some rest. Thanks.

 

[Troweltalk]

Been there, done that. If she is not on the 10 day rehab (time period before surgery when they ask you to stop taking EVERYTHING), I used Melatonin (3 - 5 mg).

http://www.melatonin.com/melatonin-faq-general.php

No morning after effects, very mild, some people have said they have bad dreams, but these are the same people who say the same thing about Ambien; they have never been a bother to me in any way. You can pick them up at any drug store.

I still us ethem, one 3mg tablet about 30 minutes before I turn the lights off.

 

[Jamie]

DarylMB, welcome to the BoneSmart forum. I'm so sorry to hear about your mother's pain when trying to sleep. Is she able to nap during the day to try and make up for the sleepless nights? Let her know that is just fine. Sometimes people feel they should ONLY sleep at night.

I would keep contacting the doctor when the meds prescribed don't work. They have a number of options for pain and sleep problems.

On the pain meds, was she taking them on a schedule or just when pain occurred. If not on a schedule, the medicine doesn't have enough time to build up in her system to keep pain at bay. For example, when I was taking hydrocodone, it was 2 pills EVERY four hours when the pain was at its worse. It actually takes a day or so once you start that schedule for your body to get regulated with it. So if she was not doing this, give the pain meds a try. What did the doctor prescribe???

 

[Josephine]

My sister is in a similar state. She hasn't had a decent sleep, night or day, for almost a year now. Plain fact is, she needs a new hip joint and until she gets it, it's rather like toothache - there's just nothing you can do or take than makes a difference.

Have you tried nagging the hospital for a date?

 

[DarylMB]

Thank you, everyone. I will be contacting my mother's pharmacist about the melatonin. Insofar as the pain medication is concerned, she's been through the gambit of meds, both prescription and over-the-counter. The pain during the day is bad but not intolerable. She moves around and then rests because if she sits for too long, the good hip starts to ache from lack of movement. It's the lack of sleep that's getting her down. Since she's retired, she's able to rest whenever she can. I can't fathom how a younger person could deal with this kind of sleep deprivation and still work a 9-5 job.

I'll keep you all posted. Thanks again!

 

[JudyS]

DarylIBM

I have had an endocrine problem and was sleeping only a few hours a nite for a few years.
A doc asked me If I wanted something for sleep. I had never considered asking for something.
Anyway I was prescribed trazadone. It is a mild antidepressant which causes drowsiness. Well, I started taking it at bedtime about 5 years ago. It works like a charm. I have many specialists and all have said it is a pretty harmless substance and I can take it forever.
Bottom line it works. I have 50 mg tabs and take 2 each evening. It has worked even after my hip replacement surgery when so many others have problems sleeping. I recently had some major back surgery which was extrememly painful.
When I got home from the hospital I took an extra tab, but still was able to get a good 8 hours sleep.

I highly, highly recommend Trazadone!!
judy

 

[HopAlong]

The last few months before surgery, the pain kept me up all night too! Even though I suffered for 5 years, it evolved into "please-kill-me-now" pain.

I used aspercreme and 4 motrins, and it only helped a little. I also bought an LED light, which is for pain, but it didn't do anything for that level of pain.

A few years ago, my hip had pain so severe that I passed out and didn't remember hitting the floor, but woke up on my hallway floor wondering what happened. I drove myself to the ER, and they gave me pain killers with an IV, but they did nothing either!

Surgery is the only answer when the pain progresses that far. If or when my other hip goes, I will not wait 5 years like I did for the left hip!

Hop

 

[Josephine]

Plain fact is, (you) need a new hip joint and until (you) get it, it's rather like toothache - there's just nothing you can do or take than makes a difference.

All of which proves the above ....

 

[tahoe1009]

I am there right now!! Pain meds don't help, sleep meds don't help. I am young (32) and I still have to work (50 hour weeks). It's hard, but I am only 6 days until my surgery. I think that everyone is right nothing short of the surgery will relieve the discomfort!

 

[HippyJill]

That's tough. I agree with the others that at this point, trying to move up the surgery may be the best thing to put your energy into.
Best Wishes to you and your mom.

 

[Troweltalk]

I am there right now!! Pain meds don't help, sleep meds don't help. I am young (32) and I still have to work (50 hour weeks). It's hard, but I am only 6 days until my surgery. I think that everyone is right nothing short of the surgery will relieve the discomfort!

As far as the inability to sleep, the 8 - 10 days before surgery were the worst, when the doctor ordered me to refrain from all meds prior to going under.

Hang in there... help is on its way (6 days).