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Sleeping with THR

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Sofa King

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Hey All,

New thread time... I braved the stairwell last night, first time, 21 days post op. Slept in the bed with Jess, a full size bed, (not quite as small as a twin, not quite as big as a queen), on a memory foam mattress. It was alternately GREAT, and not so great...

I've been in a recliner without exception since coming home 5 days post op. The bed was nice, but I spent about 70% of the time on my non surgical right side, 25% on my back, and 5% on my left surgical side... the left side didn't work so well, and every time I shifted, (every 30 minutes), I woke my Wife by grunting, grumbling, or moaning in pain. She suggested I sleep downstairs in the recliner again tonight! LOL ~ Went ok overall, but I used a body pillow between my legs, and an hour after I fell asleep, realized I had crossed my legs at the ankle. Had lots of weird dreams too, one included huge, viscious grizzley bears attacking me and her, and large firearms to boot... strange!! I slept harder and deeper for 30 minutes a stretch, but woke up far more often than when in the easy chair. I'm going to spend another week in the recliner...

~Dalton
 
Dalton,
Sorry you got booted down to the recliner. Glad you sleep better there though.
When I take trazadone (pretty much every night) I get into a deep enough sleep to have weird dreams. Last night I was in a boat again (lots of boat dreams lately) some major storm was coming. It was in the form of something looking like big foot and threatening to basically crush the boat!!!
Wish I could interpret the weird dreams
Judy
 
Dalton

So sorry to hear that you have to spend another week on the recliner. Well, after 9 weeks post op I am still sleeping downstairs on a bed. I still cant sleep on my operated side. I wake up many times at night bcos of the pain.
PS Anyway I am enjoying the whole bed to myself.

Jaz
 
I had to use our bed since day one as opposed to trying to use the recliner in the living room. It wasn't till about week 3 when I put extra cushions on the seat and tried to sit on it, also I was worried it might cause hip problems. Mechanically its more of a mechanical bull instead of a recliner. The first few weeks Jackie had allot of broken sleep. Seemed like I had to go to the bathroom every hour or so. Could have been the pain meds early on but I sure drank an awful lot of water. Every time I got back to bed (If I didn't need her help getting my leg up) I had to lay back in bed diagonally first and that usually woke her up. Still using the pillow between the knees most of the time when I sleep, even at the physical therapy place if I;m on my side.
 
Judy~

Yeah, lots of strange dreams here too. I also take about 75mg of Trazadone almost every night, and it helps me drift off well. I've always heard, read, and been told that the most restful and healthy restorative sleep occurs while in REM (dreamstate) sleep, so I welcome them, even if some are way too weird to post here! LOL

Jaz~

I don't mind the recliner too much, I've got all my gadgets, laptop, TV remote control, heating pad, floor fan, neck pillow, my extention grabber, snacks, meds, etc. ALL within arms reach! Jess bought an inflatable bed that she sleeps on during days off to keep me company, but when she's working 12 hour shifts, I send her upstairs so she can get more peaceful, quiet rest. I haven't tried the inflatable, it's too squishy and low to the ground for me. Thank goodness my recliner is very comfortable!

GMAC~

Sounds like your recliner isn't as user friendly as mine. Too bad, but if you're comfy in the bed, more power to ya. I too have to pee quite often, but I made myself stop using the bed bottle over a week ago; I guess it's good therapy for me to get up off my duff and hobble to the bathroom!

~Dalton
 
Dalton,
At 41/2 months, if I could have known at 1 week post op about one of those fancy shmansy lift chairs with all the gadgets I would have had it here in a heartbeat. As I have told everyone, the first six weeks are pure &^%$ as far as sleeping goes...So many threads on that....Josephine says it right on....the trauma of the operation, the drugs from the hospital and just plain getting used to a new HIP.... I finally started to be able to sleep on the operated side about a month ago. And now, it is so much easier. And yes, Patty has about 50 pillows in the bed too....
Now with this operation,,,a KING bed is TOOOOOO SMALLLLL....Anything less, you are on your own....lol....
Just remember, read these other posts about sleeping and THR....You will soon have many answers to why you cannot sleep....
 
Patty,

My nitetime med regime is follows: 25mg of Phenergan (for nausea), 10mg of Flexeril (for muscle spasms), 5mg (or 10mg sometimes) of Lortab (for pain), 2 Osteo-Biflex, 2 calcium supplements, 1 Colace (stool softener, to combat the Lortab, which constipates), 325mg of coated aspirin, (blood thinner), 1 omega 3 fatty acid supplement, and 75mg of Trazodone, (a mild sedative). All that knocks me OUT for about 8-9 hours now... I'll soon be off the Lortab, Phenergan, and Flexeril, and will probably up the Trazodone to 150mg, but I'm sleeping like a baby for at least the last week. Think I'll try the bed again by Sunday... As far as having a King size bed, I WISH!! We have a full size, not even a Queen, and Jess and I have to spoon just to keep from falling out of it!

~D.
 
Hi Dalton,
I have a huge list of drugs, most in the morning. At night I too take the colase and 100mg of trazadone. I am glad my body has not built up a tolerance for it (I have been taking trazadone for 3 years now). I give myself my growth hormone injection although it does not make you tired and a few others, no effect on sleep. I usually take my last dose of percocet at 5pm (always 2 5's)
Works almost every nite. I have only had 2 or 3 bad nights at home.
Trazadone was the best thing ever prescribed to me. Well probably the growth hormone, but trazadone is great. I have been assured by a few docs that you can take it forever, it does not have any long term side effects.

I wish everyone having sleep problems would get to try it.

Judy
 
Yep Judy,

I agree on the Traz. My Doc put me on it about 6 months ago for mild insomnia, (it was just hard for me to unwind and fall asleep after 12 hours dealing with murderers, rapists, child molesters, and armed felons). When I got home I did some research on it online, and found out it's been around for decades, and was originally used to treat depression, but the important factor is that it's NOT effective as an antidepressant unless you take minimum of 400mg a day, and up. After several years, Doctors stopped perscribing it for that, because the sedative effect in those larger doses was too powerful, and patients couldn't wake up and function. Now, it's strictly perscribed in the low doses that we take, just as a mild sedative, but doesn't have any antidepressant properties at that dose. Also, it's proven to be very safe and mild longterm, just for insomnia. FYI...

~D.
 
Dalton,
Geez I can't imagine why you can't wind down and go to sleep.

I actually have major endocrine issues. It was not diagnosed at the time I was put on trazadone, had just told my doc that I was sleeping about 3 hours per night total.
That hormone , cortisol (the fight or flight) is messed up. I had the diurnal rythm backwards. It was really high at night and very low in the am. I remember when I first started noticing that my coffee no longer worked!!
Being too high it causes damage to muscles and bones. I started off with the diurnal rhythm off then it was just too high all day. It did damage muscles and bones. Also the extreme lack of growth hormone. At one point I could not get the gas cap off my car. Glad there are always guys around!!
Rambling
Judy
 
No kidding Judy?

I'm sorry to hear that you've got medical issues other than the surgery. So many folks are so lucky that their health is intact, and they don't even appreciate it. I have the pre-existing condition of hypertension, it runs rampant in my family, (CVA/strokes are usually what gets us, in my family), and I became aware of it regarding myself in my early 30's. Likely due 60% hereditary, and the rest is being 50lbs overweight, my SUPER STRESSFUL job, and eating too many quarter-pounders with cheese while on the go...
I plan to correct that as soon as I'm able physically, by biking, swimming, weightlifting, and cutting back on the fried foods, cheese, etc. I was a tri-athelete in my early 20's, but fell prey to the malady we've all had to face; AGING! I've lived most of my life down South, but was a Yankee by birth, (70 miles from Chicago), and I am the poster child CHEESEHEAD! I put it on everything, including apple pie! LOL ~Will have to cut back on that too... Anyway, that really blows that you have the endocrine issues, and I salute you for being such a survivor in that respect. We all have our crosses to bear, and some bear theirs better than others... Hang in there Sweetie, you are an inspiration to me!

~D.

P.S. ~What's the growth hormone for?
 
Dalton,
My main endocrine diagnosis is hypopituitarism. My pituitary gland is not producing what it should.
One of the main things is growth hormone. As an adult growth hormone helps maintain bone density, muscle( basically when deficient turns muscle to fat and deposits it in the abdomen) emotions, sleep .
I do have low bone density, probably lower than I thought as my femur fractured during the replacement.
Muscle weakness directly caused a hiatal hernia. The pituitary is the master gland and controls all others, so it being deficient causes thyroid deficiency, adrenal deficiency and on and on.

i fought to have dr's in atlanta believe something was wrong as I have lived an extremely healthy lifestyle. I ran almost every day or worked out at the gym and ate vegetarian....
I ,through research on line ,found an endocrinologist researcher in Los Angeles and came to see him. We had a long distance relationship until I moved back to LA 2 years ago.
Until my hip arthroscopic surgery I still maintained a very active life style even thought many times I would rather be asleep!! Back in C. I have been a mountain trail runner.

OK talk about rambling
Good Nite
Judy
 
Dalton,
By the way, I reread part of your post. You are by no means in the aging catergory. 38 is still in the baby category.
I am 51 and still will not be affected by the aging thing
I have many long hikes and backpack trips ahead of me after this hip heals. Bike riding and finally may have to get involved in swimming too.
I ran a number of marathons after your age and also had 4 small children at the time.
Yes, I can see how your diet could change. Do it gradually .
I'd better get to bed so I can get up and out the door in time to see the small town parade.
Judy
 
HEY JUDY....HAPPY FOURTH TO YOU AND DALTON AND EVERYONE.....
We need to check yours and his SNOOZE alarm this glorious morning...Why I sound so cheery...Slept in till 10am. Turned on the TODAY show got my yogurt and coffee....have two gone to the lake....Judy knows that feeling...two less than four....YEA....so must try and do something worthwhile today....Hope you get to see the parade....Patty
 
Happy 4th to you too Patty,
Here I am at 9:36, the parade starts at 10, I am in pj's just drinking the first cup of coffee.
I woke up at 7, layed there for a minute and it was after 9.
I have to wait for the percocet to kick in before I can start to move!!
Judy
 
Hapy 4th to you too, Judy, Patty, and all...

I tried the bed again last night, and it went well, slept like a baby, and slept in quite late too. Jess worked last night, and is STILL asleep, but that's normal... when she gets up, I defrosted 2 steaks from the freezer, and we'll probably grill them out back. (Actually, SHE will... I usually do all the cooking, but still taking it easy). Nothing else much planned, maybe a couple glasses of wine, and a DVD... Happy 4th Gang!

~D.
 
I went to the small town parade. It was really fun. There were about 10 kids with tubs of water and water canons near me and they battled with various groups in the parade, especially the fire fighters.
They were great and always asked if it was ok to squirt each group.

I'm tempted to see the location of fire works, although not sure I really want to go for it.
Judy
 
Hapy 4th to you too, Judy, Patty, and all...

I tried the bed again last night, and it went well, slept like a baby, and slept in quite late too. Jess worked last night, and is STILL asleep, but that's normal... when she gets up, I defrosted 2 steaks from the freezer, and we'll probably grill them out back. (Actually, SHE will... I usually do all the cooking, but still taking it easy). Nothing else much planned, maybe a couple glasses of wine, and a DVD... Happy 4th Gang!

~D.
So you are telling me we can have a drink or two post op with all those meds in us? Hmmm. No problem there?
 
Hi John,
I have had wine post op.
For about 6 weeks before surgery I was on vicodin(always took 2 at a time) so I could continue hiking. I have a good friend who is my hiking buddy, currently going through a divorce. Anyway after a day of hiking, I being very bad, many days washed vicodin down with wine followed by a shot of tequilla.
Judy
 
Hey John,

Well, I waited about 2 weeks before mixing ANY alcohol with my pain meds, but to each his (or her) own. Ask ANY Medical Professional, and they'll almost surely tell you "Don't Do IT!", but if you've built up a tolerance to your meds, you don't overindulge on either the meds or the vino, you're probably fine. Just trust and listen to you body, and be informed. There is a risk of depressing the CNS by mixing the two, and yep, folks die all the time from going overboard, but they're usually people who are still doing their meds "recreationally", and don't have a clue when "too much is really TOO MUCH". I would probably be brow beaten by my OS if he knew, but personally, 5mg of Lortab, and two 6 ounce glasses of wine are ok for me. I don't have a medical degree though, and don't take what I say as permission! LOL (Kind of like the disclaimer Josephine has under her posts, and I used to be a Medic, but Jo has WAAAY more medical knowledge than me. If I had to bet, I bet Jo would frown on it too).

~Dalton
 
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