Sleeping comfortably after surgery

[LadyReyven 25]

I didn't even consider it before surgery (robot assisted bypass) but I'm sure as heck thinking about it my first night home! How am I supposed to sleep comfortably?!?

Unfortunately I don't have a nice recliner or anything, just my bed. I have seven incisions and my tailbone is sore beyond beliefe! Any suggestions for how to lay comfortably enough to get a bit of good sleep?

All suggestions greatly appreciated!

[leighannnn1791 38]

I didn't even consider it before surgery (robot assisted bypass) but I'm sure as heck thinking about it my first night home! How am I supposed to sleep comfortably?!?

Unfortunately I don't have a nice recliner or anything, just my bed. I have seven incisions and my tailbone is sore beyond beliefe! Any suggestions for how to lay comfortably enough to get a bit of good sleep?

All suggestions greatly appreciated!

pillows!! and lots of them! I wasnt able to sleep on my side or stomach for a week! but propping your stomach on a few pillows helps! goodluck!

[ccdomaika 12]

I'm a week out and I still can't sleep on my side. I was actually going to post the same question LOL.

[red37 116]

I slept in my bed from the first night home. Made a nest out of pillows so that I wouldn't move around much but was propped up too. Best purchase was a body pillow I put that behind my back and wrapped it around front under my arms-to help prop me up and keep me comfy. I am a side sleeper, so sleeping on my back propped up wasn't fabulous, but i got used to it and was so tired it didn't matter!

[LoggedOutForGood 233]

I'm two weeks out and still can't sleep on my side and my back/tailbone hurt as well...you are not alone!

I tried to side sleep last night with a pillow propped up under my belly and it seemed to make my stomach hurt worse, so I just went back on my back. @@red37 is right though, sleeping on your back isn't ideal if that's not what you're used to, but if you're sleepy enough it won't matter what position you're sleeping in!

Good luck and I hope you get some comfortable rest soon!

Edited September 18, 2015 by Nikikins

[LadyReyven 25]

Thanks for the helpful advice! I'm finding that pillows are indeed my new best friends! lol

It's so comforting to know that I can get on here and get advice from people that know just what I'm going thru. Thanks again everyone!

[mishi 72]

I'm almost a month out and still can't sleep on my side. The best I can describe the feeling of lying on my side is as if all my insides are pulling away from where they should be and while it is not exactly painful any more, it's very uncomfortable.

[NuOutlook 1]

Last night was my first night home after bypass surgery I slept on my side and back and it was okay. I never asked my surgeon about it but I will ask him when I go for my postop visit on Friday 9/25.

[LoggedOutForGood 233]

@@mishi That is the BEST explanation..that's exactly how I feel when I try to lay on my sides!

[SPettijo 40]

I found that I could prop one side a little higher then the other so I wasn't sleeping on my side but I was cheated to one side or the other. I also bought a donut pillow from Amazon and had it in just a few days. I remember my tailbone hurting so bad because all I could do was sit and lay down. I kept a walker right next to the bed so I could have help getting up and down. I also used a footstool next to the bed to make lifting my legs on to the bed easier.

[LadyReyven 25]

I found that I could prop one side a little higher then the other so I wasn't sleeping on my side but I was cheated to one side or the other. I also bought a donut pillow from Amazon and had it in just a few days. I remember my tailbone hurting so bad because all I could do was sit and lay down. I kept a walker right next to the bed so I could have help getting up and down. I also used a footstool next to the bed to make lifting my legs on to the bed easier.

I had wondered if a donut might help with my tailbone. I used the footstool idea last night. What a simple but helpful little trick! Thanks!

[SPettijo 40]

I'm glad it helped!

[dbfn 67]

It was a couple of weeks before I slept in my bed (it's very high so hard work getting in and out of it), several weeks before I could sleep on my side. As others have said, use lots and lots of pillows. Prop yourself up with them and pop one under your knees to take the tension off your tummy muscles. Also, if you're tailbone is still sore, try rolling a towel lengthways into a tube and wrap it around your lower back/hips. You might find the pillow under your knees will take the pressure off the tailbone a little, too.

[LoggedOutForGood 233]

Last night I was FINALLY able to lay on my right side only and I fell asleep for maybe about an hour then I woke up with back pain. I felt like all of my belly was just "falling" to the right side, which made my back hurt. I was even using a pillow under my belly.

So I tried adding more pillows..to my back, between my legs, a puffier one under my belly and nothing helped sooooo I defaulted to my back and didn't get a good night's sleep.

The good news is, my pain is starting to subside and it gets better with every passing day so I'm hoping by the weekend I'll be side sleeping! If not, my family should be scared... LOL

@@LadyReyven I hope sleeping is getting easier for you!!

[LadyReyven 25]

Last night I was FINALLY able to lay on my right side only and I fell asleep for maybe about an hour then I woke up with back pain. I felt like all of my belly was just "falling" to the right side, which made my back hurt. I was even using a pillow under my belly.

So I tried adding more pillows..to my back, between my legs, a puffier one under my belly and nothing helped sooooo I defaulted to my back and didn't get a good night's sleep.

The good news is, my pain is starting to subside and it gets better with every passing day so I'm hoping by the weekend I'll be side sleeping! If not, my family should be scared... LOL

@@LadyReyven I hope sleeping is getting easier for you!!

Sounds like you're getting close at least!

I've tried to forget that I even know what side sleeping is for the time being lol. I think the only thing getting me thru is having all the support from you guys and investing in a lot of new pillows!