Sleeping Problems?

[katcat5]

Hi All,

I'm having my bi-lateral knee replacement surgery next Monday, the 19th and I think I'm as ready and as prepared as I can be.

I do have a question though, in reading a lot of the posts out there and in reading all the stuff my Doc gave me to read it says that it's not uncommon for knee replacement patients to experience difficulty sleeping for about two months, and you may lose your appetite as well.

Can anyone tell me what would cause the sleep problems? Also my Doc doesn't prescribe anything to help with sleep problems, he doesn't feel it really helps that much. Anyone have any natural remedies they can recommend

 

[Josephine]

The disturbance in sleep patterns/appetite is due to a variety of factors

~ pain and the discomfort from swelling
~ having to sleep on your back which, for most people, is unnatural
~ being exhausted from the demands that healing places on your body
~ being anxious about how you feel
~ having overly optimistic expectations about your outcomes
~ worrying about anything and everything
~ depression
~ constipation!
~ being divorced from normal life
~ being dependent upon other people (specially worse for mothers!)
~ and a whole host of other things, many trivial in actuality.

The answer is not to expect to get your usual 6-8 hours sleep. That just won't happen. Sleep whenever you feel like it, day or night and for as long as you can even if it's only 20 minutes. Don't obsess about not sleeping.

Appetite - eat what you feel like when you feel like it and make sure you drink LOTS, be it water or fruit juice. I'm sure others will chime in shortly with all their pet remedies. This was just for starters!

 

[Laurie]

Hi, We who have had hip replacements had the same problems with sleep. I did not realize how touigh getting good sleep would be--reason alone to stay out of work as long as is possible to recuperate. Even though there is not alot of real pain, the act of moving to get comfortable, along with the restrictions, made it really hard to doze off and stay asleep. I remember feeling that the sleep problem was the biggest problem after about 2 weeks in recovery. Then at about 5 wks, when I could move better, sleep problems went away.

Many have recommended getting a body pillow. I did and though it didn't work miracles, it helped give me additional positions to try to get comfy. Have since stopped using body pillow as it is so big on the bed.

My appetite wasn't quite up to par for several weeks though I ate healthily and saw it as a good thing.

Laurie

 

[Max Wallace]

I had BI-TKR 8 weeks ago and still have sleep problems, I get what seems to be two hours at a time. I have tried sleep aids,body pillows etc. and they did not help. I think it has to do with the trauma of the surgery,healing and the pain meds. I have been off the pain meds for the last week I have healed quick and gotten released to go back to work at this point. i am just now starting to get 4 hours between wake ups. I dont really know what is waking me up because I have no pain in my knees. Some times I would be in my recliner watchin TV and not able to keep my eyes open get up to go to bed and my eyes would pop wide open. I started sleeping where ever I could, if I was in the recliner, couch or whever my wife and kids had orders not to disturb.

This is a recuring problem with any major surgery.

 

[Jamie]

The folks are correct about the importance of sleeping whenever and wherever you can. That is an important reason NOT to expect to race back to work. Regular sleep patterns take a while and quite frankly you are pooped a lot of the time. In my case, I would wake up in the middle of the night for weeks and have to pace the house for an hour or so. All of that got MUCH better once I was off prescription pain meds. Just don't be afraid of it and don't feel guilty. Listen to your body and it will tell you what it needs and when. This is one time where you MUST put yourself first.

 

[Simon]

I had a prior sleep problem so when I had a major problem with sleep and the OTC did not work, my OS gave me Ambian and that did not work. I called the sleep doctor and she said the problem is common and is called learned/conditioned insomnia. Jo gave you a pretty good list and the one I would add from my doctor is a major disruption in your normal sleep pattern. According to the sleep doctor, the main problem comes from Anxiety and a low dose anti-anxiety agent like lorazapam is a good choice. I tried that for a week (after 2 months of poor sleep) and that solved it. She also told me to read the book No More Sleepless Nights and though it is geared to people with chronic insomnia it does have some very good suggestions like if you go to bed and don't fall asleep within 15 minutes, get up and go to another room and read or do something and don't go back to bed until you can't keep your eyes open.

Knowing it is normally will help.

Simon

 

[richfriz]

I must be in the minority here. I only strugled for a couple of weeks after the op but now, after 7 weeks I sleep like a baby

I do have to sleep with a couple of pillows between my legs

 

[JenniferG]

I still put a pillow in between my knees sometimes (50%). And I'm coming up on 10 months. No pain, just fickle comfort.

 

[edk]

The appetite loss I think has two causes 1. lack of the need for energy (you don't sleep much but you lay around and doze a lot) and 2. the narcotics you'll be taking will make your gi tract sluggish so food will just move through you a lot slower. I lost a bunch of weight - look at it as a bonus to the surgery.

Remember to take your stool softeners.

 

[Laurie]

Re: mattress topper?????

Hi Josephine and all,
Please remind me of the best mattress topper to buy. Can't find the previous thread. Think the consensus was memory foam, 3 inch, cool max??? Anyone have a good website to order from??? Need to order for hubby.

Thanks.
Laurie

 

[Gretchendz]

here's one:

http://www.isoform.com/

Think there were others as well. Most seemed to vote for 3 inches.
I would base it on how soft a matteress you tend to like. If you usually like firm mattresses, I would go with a thinner topper.

I recommended cool max cover because some people complain about body heat build-up.

 

[Laurie]

thanks a bunch Gretchen.

 

[Josephine]

3" for sure - mine's wonderful except now I can't sleep in bed because of the knee! Rats!

 

[Laurie]

I ordered a 3 inch mattress cover from isoform...hope it is comfy.

Sorry your knee is keeping you from sleepin on your bed Josephine...

Laurie

 

[jacques1]

I am 13 days after surgery and sleep is definitely a problem. I remember Sporthog telling me he would eat grapes when he got up. I guess I had better get some tomorrow because crackers doesn't do it, let alone yick, I don't want weight gain.
I seem to have to sit up and rub my legs. The pillow between my legs defiitely helps when I first get into bed but 4 or 5 hours I am up for a long while. I'm a gal who likes ss9 hours sleep.

 

[Jamie]

At this early point in your recovery, about 4-5 hours sleep at a time is pretty normal. That's usually the cycle when you need to take your pain meds again and your body is telling you that. Also, some people have sleeplessness WITH the pain meds after you are on them a while. Seems strange since they originally knock you out, but that can happen. At any rate, you kind of have to go with what your body wants to do. It is doing all the work healing, you know. Continue to take your meds on schedule and rest when you can...day or night. Eventually you will get your full night's sleep back. The best thing is just not to fight what your body wants in order to achieve what you had as "normal" sleep before. Normal right now is whatever and whenever your body demands.