Can't Sleep...24 Hours Post Op

[wannabethin2012 12]

I had surgery yesterday morning and I was so excited the night before I didn't get one minute of sleep. Now post op, My Dr. said do not lie flat until all gas pains are gone. So now I can't get comfortable enough to sleep. I've dozed here and there but nothing significant and I need help. Is there any sleeping positions you used to relieve gas pressure and get a good nights rest?

[honk 780]

Did they tell you not to walk at all? If so I've never heard that one. Most tell you to walk around to move the gas. Activity will also help you sleep. I felt most comfortable sleeping on the couch.

[Sojourner 2,446]

I stayed in one of our recliners for the first night, and after that had no trouble sleeping in bed.

It's extremely important for you to not allow yourself to become sedentary. I was advised to take a short walk around the house every hour that I was awake. I also had a series of foot and lower leg exercises to do every hour to help avoid the development of blood clots.

Also, walking is the best way to get your "insides" working again...the sooner that happens, the sooner the gas will be gone.

[kah1213 311]

I didn't get a good night sleep until day 3. Hang in there!

[miswoo 23]

Yep this is day 5 and still haven't slept through the night. Just napping off and on all day and night, but I also normally work 7pm to 7am so my clock is off anyway. I slept on my back with at least 2 pillows until I could start to sleeping on my sides again...hang in there!

[jen_1381 446]

I slept curled up on the couch, propped up on pillows, with a heat pack on my chest or back, depending on where the air pain was. Every time I woke up, I'd walk. Trust me, it will get better! I had air pain for two weeks post-op.

[NWgirl 574]

I was really sedated from all the anasthesia meds when I came home that I crawled into bed and slept normally. I would wake up every hour or so, walk around and drink some liquids, and then go back to sleep. I am usually a stomach sleeper, so I had been "practicing" sleeping on my back the week or two prior to surgery. I also had one of those pillow chairs to sit up in bed with.

[Ric 89]

Recliner worked great for me for 4 or 5 days! liquid Morphine and Gasex did help alot. I was told to walk every couple hrs so I would walk and take the pain meds and sleep

[AnnieR 0]

Hi!

I'm 3 weeks post op today and I had a terrible time sleeping the first whole week.

The pain from left over air can be very painful but you do have to move... even if

its just a walk around the house.

I took a mans cotton sock, filled it loosly with white rice and knotted the end.

Microwave it till very warm, dont over do it, and put it where the pain is. That really helped

me, espically with the shoulder gas pain. Good Luck!!

[cfurrey 53]

I had to sleep in a recliner!

[maegan 51]

I had surgery last week. I slept pretty flat but got up and walked plenty. Sometimes the only way I could relieve the pressure and pain was to lay flat! Good luck. I promise it gets better!

[jeani81 93]

I went out and bought a body pillow and propped myself up in bed.

[pcosmommyof4 13]

I had surgery yesterday morning and I was so excited the night before I didn't get one minute of sleep. Now post op, My Dr. said do not lie flat until all gas pains are gone. So now I can't get comfortable enough to sleep. I've dozed here and there but nothing significant and I need help. Is there any sleeping positions you used to relieve gas pressure and get a good nights rest?

I used my big pillows that went on my day bed when I was a kid. However the first three mights I slept in fav. chair with ottamon.