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TKR SeptemberZen's Bionic Journey

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Lack of sleep - aaaaaaargh!
I would sell everything I own to be able to sleep through the night just ONCE.

Tired at work alllllllllll day from the same pattern:
Fall asleep between 10 -11pm, usually with no meds because I'm not in pain.

Wake up around 3 am. Leg feels like it's on fire. I get up stiffly, but within 5-10 minutes, it feels better. This happens whether I take a pain pill or not.

Sometimes I'm too tired to go get a pain pill and a drink. Whether I do or not, it takes 30-40 minutes to fall back asleep, sometimes more. Sometimes I sleep fitfully for the next couple of hours before the 6 am alarm goes off.

Next day I'm groggy at work. ......lather, rinse, repeat. ...

The nighttime pain -- does this ever end?
 
My guess is that the night pain should be easing soon. I know for me it was the last to go.
 
Your muscles are still fighting back with work etc its a stamina thing. I had it with some jobs then after opp it was same.
 
It does seem that night pain takes a long time to go away. it's almost as if the knee behaves during the day, but then at night pays you back for all the daytime activity.

Do you think that leaving a drink and a pain pill beside your bed would help? That way, you wouldn't need to get up to fetch them. Make sure you only leave one pill beside the bed - you don't want to get confused and take too many.
 
I strap my knee pillow on my knee. It is a memory foam pillow. Works for me.


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wberry said:
I strap my knee pillow on my knee. It is a memory foam pillow. Works for me.


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Yes I have long pillow right tight against my leg it helps and am still taking pain meds


20/01/2015
 
SZ..I hope you find some rest soon! It is no fun when you are groggy all day! Sending good thoughts your way!
 
Maybe a sleeping pill might help. I take my tamarol weather it hurts or not. I also heard some sleep with the cryo cuff on. I know your already doing the wrap. I'm out of suggestions.


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That lack of sleep was a big problem for a while for me also. I rarely need pain med during the day & for overnight I take 2 50 mg tramadol. It helped a bit. But...the other day I developed a rash around the incision. I saw my GP & it is just contact dermatitis. After using a cocoa butter with vitamin E cream I developed the rash. Must be the cream because only the area I applied it to broke out. I'm using a prescription topical cream that is clearing it up. The reason I tell you about my rash is because I also bought Benedryl when I first got the rash in case I needed it. Well last night I took one Benedryl liquigel tablet. I slept like a rock until 7:30 this morning. First time in years that I slept for 7.5 hrs straight. I think I might try it again tonight. Forgot to mention that I did not take any tramadol at bedtime. I did not want to mix the two. @SeptemberZen, do you think trying Benedryl is worth a shot? I cannot imagine trying to get throgh your workday and commuting when you are not getting good sleep. Oh, I did not even wake up to use the pottie and I always wake up by 3 or 4am to. And NO my bed was not wet this morning! I hope this cycle changes for you soon.
 
Think I might try the Benadryl. I hadn't thought of it because Percocet already makes me sleepy, and no, I would not feel comfortable mixing the two. But maybe I'Il give the Benadryl a try.
 
I forgot about that. My wife gave me a Benadryl when I had an itchy rash and I slept well also, but I found it hard to wake up.


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we have OTC stuff here called RESTAVIT its basically an antihistamine - i find it works - I only take 1/4 to 1/3 of a pill (they say 1 or 2 - I'd sleep 4 a week - LOL) Do you have that kinda stuff in da US of A?
 
SZ. I have been getting some good interrupted sleep this past week. My GP prescribed an extended release dosage of generic Ambien (Zolpidem) 12.5mg. I take that along with my usual tramadol approximately two to three hrs before bedtime.



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Just a word of caution: I think that any medication to help you sleep should be prescribed by your own doctor. He/she will know if there is any untoward interaction between the medication you are already taking and the proposed sleep aid.
 
If we can't sleep our GP should help us out with sleep aid.


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wberry said:
If we can't sleep our GP should help us out with sleep aid.


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My OS recommended I contact my GP for sleep deprivation/insomnia issues and he was very helpful.


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As was mine too a point as not a lot works on me. But we are all different nae harm in checking

Legin THR Sep 14
 
Not a fan of sleeping pills. No judgment on anyone -- just not comfortable taking them myself. Might try the Benadryl or another antihistamine, though.
 
SeptemberZen said:
Not a fan of sleeping pills. No judgment on anyone -- just not comfortable taking them myself. Might try the Benadryl or another antihistamine, though.
Click to expand...
I felt very much the same way. I tried Tylenol PM, Benadryl, and melatonin. Nothing seemed to work. My OS told me that he would write a script for Ambien, but I resisted. I understand exactly how you feel.

When I went back to the classroom, I went back on about 2 hours sleep, and I realized that that wasn't going to work.

I gave in and took the Ambien for ten nights only, re-established my sleep pattern, and said goodby to restless, sleepless nights.
 
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