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insomnia two months out of hip replacement surgery

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westexas

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Apr 29, 2008
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West Texas - United States
My question is about sleeping after 6 weeks post op. I know that you are sleeping on your back and to the one side and slowly moving to the hip that has not been replaced. I am not a back sleeper at all. Yes, I have tried all the high powered drugs, AMBIEN< RESTORIL< and then gone the HERBAL route. Everything wires me. Someone mentioned Tylenol/byenadril combo and that seems to work until the tylenol wears off. I am really not able to find anything. And, yes I even found Xanax in the cabinet and that did nothing. Believe me, I am not a drug freak. I know that there may be things I do during the day, iced tea, coffee...but come on....I did that before the hip and am now having problems....help in west texas....
 
Hi sleepless in west texas.....from not sleeping well in Kansas.
I also have problems of waking out about 2:30 and am awake the rest of the night, especially if I have had coffee, tea, cola, or chocolate....and if I have them, I don't even get to sleep. I think that we can not get really comfortable (I am not a back sleeper) and therefore don't get into a good sleep pattern. Good luck because I have tried some of the things you have and they "wired" me even more.
 
Hey Phoggie,
Just Got On And Saw Your Reply. I Am Nine Weeks Out And The Only Thing That Is Helping A Little Now Is Being Able To Sleep Some On The Unoperated Side. But Then I Will Wake Up With My Shoulder Killing Me, My Husband Snoring, Etc. I am still doing the Benydril/tylenol and that at least gets me a fiew hours. I also got A Shuffle Ipod And Had My Kids Help Me Download Some Soothing Old Tunes From The Sixties And Seventies. Ha.. That Has At Least Put Me In Another State Of Sleep. I Also Started Pool Therapy On Tuesday And That Has Helped Get Me Going During The Day. Just Trying Not To Slip In A Nap And Yes I Still Love The 2 Cups Of Coffee In The Morning. So, As Far As I Know, Unless We Go To A Sleep Clinic....lol....we Just Need To Keep Trying. And Just Think, I Will Have To Have My Other Hip Done In Less Than A Year. Then I Will Really Be Crazy With The Sleep.... Westexas....
 
Oh my God am I glad someone else has this problem. I thought it was just me. Just 9 days out of hip replacement. Have had one good night of sleep. Other than that, I get tired as hell, go up to bed lay down and am wide awake. My P/T told me not to lie in bed awake. So I get up and go downstairs to watch tv. I don't go to sleep down there either. Tried 3 times last night, finally gave up. Then had to be yelled at for tugging on the covers from the wife.... Tell me it gets better-someone. I am going to start OTC sleep aids and see where that gets me. Tried Tylenol PM-wide awake. Bennedryl--wide awake. Have not had to take any Percocets lately as the pain is mostly soreness in my incision. I too, cannot sleep on my back. Now sleeping on the non surgical side is a blessing, but I need to be able to sleep on my stomach also--anyone try that?
Thanks for the vent and any suggestions. Thought I was all alone with this.
 
Oh my God am I glad someone else has this problem. I thought it was just me. Just 9 days out of hip replacement. Have had one good night of sleep. Other than that, I get tired as hell, go up to bed lay down and am wide awake. My P/T told me not to lie in bed awake. So I get up and go downstairs to watch tv. I don't go to sleep down there either. Tried 3 times last night, finally gave up. Then had to be yelled at for tugging on the covers from the wife.... Tell me it gets better-someone. I am going to start OTC sleep aids and see where that gets me. Tried Tylenol PM-wide awake. Bennedryl--wide awake. Have not had to take any Percocets lately as the pain is mostly soreness in my incision. I too, cannot sleep on my back. Now sleeping on the non surgical side is a blessing, but I need to be able to sleep on my stomach also--anyone try that?
Thanks for the vent and any suggestions. Thought I was all alone with this.
HANG IN THERE..I KNOW IT IS HARD. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SAY THIS BUT I AM GOING TO LOOK INTO A RECLINER AFTER READING A FEW OF THESE BLOGS. SOUNDS LIKE IT HAS HELPED OTHERS TO BE COMFORTABLE. AND NO, I AM STILL WAITING FOR THE MIRACLE SLEEP AID. PATTY...WESTEXAS
 
I had a similar problem with lack of sleep. I am 3 weeks post op THR (Rt) .Not a "back sleeper" either so day after dicharge home (day 4 Post op) called the Hospital who advised sleep on the operated side if i must,I did to no avail. Had a couple of restless weeks since with snippets of sleep.

My daughter ,aged 5, decided she was having cuddles with mum last night so i was relegated to her bed,I was woken this morning @ 11.15 to "get up there is a drink here for you" reply " gimme another hour" it was bliss never woke once ,no stiffness,no pain on shifting position nothing ! I know it may not be possible but try changing the bed you sleep on or the mattress it may help.

And try a hot milky drink before sleep it relaxes me and psychologically prepares me to shut down and sleep.

Good luck everyone. Brian
 
I too have never been able to sleep on my back and tried the Tylenol PM which is only tylenol with benadryl added. It only made me more alert. I finally stopped fighting it and just planned my night time tv. At 4 weeks my PT said I could try sleeping on the operated side with a pillow between my legs. He said this gives the hip more stability than if this side was up in the air moving around. This didn't work since the incision was too sore. At 6 weeks my surgeon said I could sleep on my stomach or my side. I tried this but was still too sore to be comfortable. Finally at 8 weeks I was able to get comfortable and the sleep finally came. There is a light at the end of the tunnel! Good luck.
 
I hear you guys! I am a side sleeper and I found out after THR on right side, I slept mostly on that side. I can get into bed and sleep on the left for maybe an hour, but go to turn and can NOT sleep on my back. 7 weeks out and can NOT sleep on my incision.

Yes, I do the the recliner thing. And I have to have 4 or 5 pillows for my back, head, behind the knees etc. I do take tylenol PM if I have been having trouble sleeping for a few nights.

Maybe you could rent a recliner at a rent-a-store? Just a thought. I did try one night to sleep on a couch, since with back support I can sleep on one side longer. It didn't help much, but it was the couch in my Mom's basement and not really comfortable. If I didn't have a recliner I would be on a couch. (But I only have a love seat since I have a small living room). I do recommending trying lots of pillows for reinforcement. Getting comfortable takes me a while, but it is worth it.

I had congenital hip dysplasia, and I have extra curvature of my lumbar spine as a result, and even have trouble lying on a flat surface like at a doctor's office. I'm 54.

Anyway, I am going to stay in the recliner until I can sleep on both sides. I anticipate that could be a long time. But I can walk!!! I don't limp!!! I can go to the grocery store! I can walk the dog! So I'm not caring so much about being in my bed.
 
I'm definitely not a back sleeper either. I get decent sleep on my left side after RHR, but my shoulder keeps getting sore. So, I swiped my wife's CPAP machine and put that on when I slept on my back and I slept great. I think I'll get one of those babies ofor myself permanently.
 
One answer is to sleep where ever and whenever you can - nap during the day, during the night. Ten mins, twenty mins, half an hour, whatever you can. But whatever you do, don't get in a spate about it. Even if you are watching TV, you are resting, so take some small comfort in that.
 
Well, I am now 21 days post op. I have found that the best way that I can go to sleep is to be up during the day and try to be normal, doing exercises, driving, walking, shopping taking the kids to their ball games, etc and then just becoming tired. That usually puts me to sleep. I still hate sleeping on my back and am sick of the pillow between my legs. My biggest thing now is that I have to not rush recovery. I am working hard on getting rid of my limp-it seems to have become second nature. I still get sore but I do not hurt like before. Seems there is light at the end of the tunnel after all.....
 
Hi, Im quite new to this but I am also having a little trouble sleeping. I am five months out I found light excercise, warm/ medium hot bath and two Tremadol is the onlly thing that works really well for me but I dont like to keep taking tablets! Especially as im not in any pain!
 
Joanne....have you tried staying off the Tremadol for a while? Sometimes it takes a week or so for the effects to wear off. During that time you might have trouble sleeping, but I may go away after your system is clear of the drugs. That is what happened in my case anyway even though I was not taking the same drug you are. I know what you mean about wanting to get off the drugs entirely! That's a real common feeling!!!
 
Thanks for the advice! Honest I am trying really hard not to take them and am probably down to taking them twice a week now but I am back at work and drive quite a bit so when it gets to 3am if Ive tried switching beds to the spare room and ive been for a little walk and im really tired but the legs feel like there wired to a frankenstein monsters machine and I am desperately in need of some sleep Iso I can function at work I end up taking them. I wont take them at weekends though and it really helps knowing im not the only one. I go back in July to see my consultant and along with giving him a big kiss if im still not sleeping I am going to get some advice on the sleep. Ive been booking days off here and there to catch up and im coping! just! Its 10 times better than the pain I was in before and I wouldnt go back for the world so I feel like I shouldnt moan too much!!

Thanks again!
 
  1. Well it has been three weeks since I started this post and I am now at 12 weeks. I am finally sleeping a lot longer at night and can sleep on the operated side. Not very long though. And, I still have the potty breaks many times during the night HA...but, it is getting better. I am not as intimidated like I was before when it was time to go to sleep. But from beginning to just this last week, I was still struggling with trying anything and everything and resorted to wine at night and believe me, that got me no where but waking up several hours later. I am realizing, it just takes TIME and lots of LOST sleep to get through this. And I am still awaiting the recliner of my dreams to arrive. Just think, I will have to have my other hip replaced down the line. YUCK.... But, hopefully I will remember many of these tips to get through it. Thanks, Patty
 
I too have trouble staying asleep around 2 to 6 am. I never had problems sleeping on my back but the last 2 - 3 weeks I have had no choice and thats where the problem comes in. A couple of days ago I tried to sleep on the non operated side and that does help. I put a thick pillow between my thighs and knees and carefully roll over. Tried to lay on the operated hip side last week but wasn't comfortable with the amount of weight/pressure there.
 
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