TVH: Non-stop pain...need sleeping position help!

Okay, ladies, I think I need some advice and possibly encouragement. Up until now, I've had "normal" period cramps...well, all the time. During my period it turned into stabbing, ice-pick like pain, but after it's all done, I'd return to "normal" again. For reference, I have several small fibroids and one monster that's grown from the outside of my uterus straight on into the inside, now being submucosal and all evil.

That's what I've -been- dealing with. Of course, last week was dear Auntie Flo and enough pain to make me useless. I have Darvocet for this, because my doctor is a Goddess. It's the week after now, though, and I'm still having the occasional stabbing pain. And now I'm so bloated I feel like someone blew up a balloon under my ribs, plus my lower back is shrieking up a storm at me. I'm trying to avoid the Darvocet unless desperately necessary, but after a week solid of sharp, distracting pain, I'm thinking I may give in, even not on my period. I'm very, very tired of pain, and I just want it to stop. Come on, November!!!

So here's the question. I'm trying to find a semi-comfortable sleeping position. Usually I sleep on my side sort of twisted and curled up. This is not a happy-back position. The last week I've been sleeping on my back on a heating pad, or on my side with one side of my all-too swelly belly and ribs resting on the pad. I'm getting a whopping 3 hours of sleep a night, and as an elementary teacher, I'm pretty wiped. Thankfully my students know I'm ill, and have gone out of their way to be sweet. I love my kids.

And now I'm done babbling. If you made it this far, you have my gratitude. I'm hurting, depressed, and November seems a mighty long way away. Any advice? Thank you all, ladies. This website has been a fountain of brilliant information and encouragement!

Sorry you're in so much pain.

Have you talked to your about the non-stop discomfort you're feeling? Perhaps she would have some suggestions.

One thing which concerns me about your post is that you say you're sleeping on a heating pad. I hope you don't mean you actually have one on for prolonged periods, because this can be very dangerous (both for you and as a fire hazard). I have a heating device which is filled with (I think) rice which I put in the microwave, and this does stay warm for a while... but not an actual heating pad.

Beyond that, though, I'm afraid that a great deal of your discomfort is probably due to the enlarging fibroids. Did your doctor have you try any treatments to shrink them? This might ease the pain and the bloated feeling.

Finding a comfortable sleeping position is such a personal thing, and each woman "carries" her fibroids a little differently. For instance, even though my uterus was very enlarged, I didn't really have much back pain. I slept in a curled up position, sort of on my tummy and sort of on my side... and it was as close to acceptable as I could find near the end.

to you. I hope you can find a way to get some soon, and I am sure the other (((sisters))) will also come along and give their wise advice.

Fear not! I have a glorious heating pad with temperature control and automatic shut off. I would not otherwise attempt such a thing. And thank you. I may well call my doctor to see what she has to say, since it has gotten worse. Thank you!

As an ex-physical therapist (i had to stop because of a bad arthritis attack) id tell you a good sleeping position is to sleep on your side, but not the way you usually do it! Use a body pillow (its a long pillow, about 4 feet long). You put it against you, and hug it with your upper arm, and put the upper leg on top of it (you can also bend both knees and "sandwich" the pillow between them) so everything is well supported, and your back isnt all twisted.

If you cant find a body pillow, use two regular pillows. One for supporting your arm, the other one to support your leg.

Sleeping on your back isnt a bad idea, but if your fibroids are really big the pressure they put on your back and other soft tissue might make it quite uncomfortable, so maybe you would want to alternate between the side with body pillow and back.

BTW, ive heard of accidents with those heating pads, its not recommended to use them to sleep.

Hope you can find a way to sleep comfortably until your surgery!

Good luck and

From what I am reading maybe sleeping in a recliner might help.
I have massive fibroids right now and a huge swollen belly, I love using my body pillow and my other bed pillows and my laptop makes a great heating pad too lol. I would be trying all the furniture in your house till you find one that works for you.
My Dr pushed my surgery up, because of the amount of pain and the size they were becoming, so maybe your DR would do that too
Good Luck and we are hear if you need to complain

I want to thank everyone who responded so very, very much. I do, in fact, own a body pillow. I just never use it except as something to prop up the rest of the pillows on the other side of the bed. I used it last night, plus broke down and took both ibuprofen and a Darvocet. Between the combination of all that, the pain seems to have given up and thrown in the towel...mostly. It's most certainly back down to an easily ignored level, which I can handle no problems! Tonight is just the body pillow and some ibuprofen. I also turned the heating pad off manually before I went to sleep.

Thank you all again! Wonderful advice!

Another thing you might try (if the doc says it's OK) is to "stage" your medications... alternate the ibuprofen and the Darvocet every 3 hours, (or ibuprofen and Tylenol) so that nothing is ever "worn off" in your system. This was something my recommended and it really helped keep me ahead of my pain.