HysterSisters.com is a massive online community with over 475,000 members and over 5 million posts.
Our community is filled with women who have been through the
Hysterectomy experience providing both advice and support from our active members and moderators.
HysterSisters.com is located at 111 Peter St, Toronto, Canada, M5V2H1 and is part of the VerticalScope network of websites.
With free registration, you can ask and answer questions in our HYSTERECTOMY forum community, get our FREE BOOKLET, access Hysterectomy Checkpoints and more.
You are not alone. The HysterSisters are here for you. Join us today!
|
|
How do I make laying down - & getting up - my friend?
|
06-20-2005, 06:15 AM
|
Guest
|
|
|
|
How do I make laying down - & getting up - my friend?
Hey ladies in nearly completely recovered land - how did you make it through the first few weeks of ....sleeping. I'm not having to take a bunch of medication & would prefer not to, but boy oh boy - nightime is definitely NOT my friend.
I'm 'resting' during the day with various sitting type activities - but I dread the night. Every time I have to change sleeping positions - I usually toss about quite a big - it's another big OWEEE. I tell myself "you've just had major abdonomical surgery - it's not expected that you'll be comfortable at night", but I still would like to enjoy sleeping again. Is it merely a waiting game?
Thanks
Simp
|
Sponsored Links
|
Advertisement
|
|
|
06-20-2005, 07:03 AM
|
Guest
|
|
Posts: 133
Hysterectomy: May 27th, 2005
Surgery Type: TVH
Ovaries: Removed both
|
|
How do I make laying down - & getting up - my friend?
The best thing for me was sleeping in our recliner. I could put a small pillow under one hip or the other and I could move my legs out straight or keep them scrunched up. If there's not one available, I'd have to say playing the waiting game. I started to feel comfortable in my own bed just before my 3rd postop week was up. And now I'm finding I can turn side to side and it doesn't kill me...even with a 12 in horizontal incision.
|
|
06-20-2005, 08:17 AM
|
Guest
|
|
Posts: 629
Hysterectomy: September 29th, 2004
|
|
How do I make laying down - & getting up - my friend?
I slept on my back, couldn't sleep on my sides for a while. I propped one pillow just under my back above my butt longwise and one just under my butt towards my kness. Sounds weird but I found that it took the pressure off my lower back and butt which was starting to hurt after all the sitting and laying around. It also brought my knees up alittle so that the scar wasn't being stretched by being fully laid out. Best way of getting out of bed was by scootching to the edge of the bed, and using the opposite arm to reach across and grab the mattress and slowly roll onto my side ,than slowly let one leg drop up, and than using my elbow to bring me up a bit and get the other leg out, and slowly come up sideways. I was sew from hip to hip, no little 4 inch scar, so for me this way the easiest and least painful. I couldn't go from laying on my back to straight sitting .
|
Sponsored Links
|
Advertisement
|
|
|
06-20-2005, 09:42 AM
|
Guest
|
|
Posts: 102
Hysterectomy: July 12th, 2005
Surgery Type: TAH
Ovaries: Kept 1 or both
|
|
How do I make laying down - & getting up - my friend?
Hi simp-just a suggestion I found useful after my knee surgery. put a high back chair (with the back towards bed) against your bed, it will give you a hand hold & some support when you get up. I also had one in the bathroom next to tub for when I showered, it was there for support & for when I really needed to sit down after getting out of the tub! This is my worth.
Bonny
TAH due to large fast growing fibroid.
|
|
06-20-2005, 09:54 AM
|
HysterSister
|
|
Posts: 345
Hysterectomy: June 16th, 2005
Surgery Type: TAH
Ovaries: Removed both
|
|
How do I make laying down - & getting up - my friend?
I am also finding it hard to get comfortable at night. I normally have no problems sleeping and like to sleep late on weekends.
Now that I can sleep all I want; I wake up early and want to be out of the bed. I've tried sleeping on my side, which is my normal sleeping position. But found it to be too uncomfortable. So for now, I'm stuck on my back most of the time and playing the waiting game until it's more comfortable.
Good luck. Hopefully it won't be too long before we can be comfortable again.
Cheryl
|
|
06-20-2005, 10:21 AM
|
Guest
|
|
Posts: 39
Hysterectomy: June 9th, 2005
|
|
How do I make laying down - & getting up - my friend?
I am 11 days post op and I know what you mean about sleeping at night. I am someone who usually falls asleep as soon as I hit the pillow and sleeps very deeply until the buzzer goes off. I have a two story house (bedroom up some steep stairs) and I normally sleep in a water bed. For my recovery we set up a twin bed in the livingroom. Oh my! My body aches like you wouldn't believe. Some from the surgery and some from sleeping on a hard mattress. This is what I have found helpful:
I stopped taking pain meds after day 2, couldn't stand the loopy feeling and I don't like to take drugs. But, I have started taking a pain pill at night before bed. I always wear support underwear at night (can buy at Walmart) the extra support really helps. I normally sleep on my side but have found changing positions helpful although a bit painful until I get situated. Using a heating pad has helped with the sore muscles in back and hips. When I lay on my side I sleep with a pillow between my knees (I have slept like that for the past 18 years!) and I place a pillow behind my back. When I am laying on my back I always have a pillow under my knees (takes off some of the pressure).
Last night I slept in my waterbed. What a difference in the achiness! It will get better each day, just hang in there.
|
|
06-20-2005, 10:42 AM
|
HysterSister
|
|
Posts: 316
Hysterectomy: May 17th, 2005
Surgery Type: TAH
Ovaries: Kept 1 or both
|
|
How do I make laying down - & getting up - my friend?
Yes, things take time. It was a real milestone for me when I could turn over in bed without lots of pain and re-arrangement. Likewise for being able to sit or lay down without making longterm plans cuz I didnt want to move again for a while!
I found that disciplining myself about turning really helped. What was happening was I kept moving trying to get comfortable and maed myself even more uncomfortable from the turning! So I used lots of pillows and propped myself into what should be a comfortable position. Then I tried to resist the urge to move as much as possible! It helped, but time is the best healer
Cant imagine trying to get off a water bed early on!
|
|
06-20-2005, 10:42 AM
|
|
HysterSister
|
|
Posts: 352
Hysterectomy: June 1st, 2005
Surgery Type: TAH
Ovaries: Removed both
|
|
How do I make laying down - & getting up - my friend?
Wow! I wish I would have had all this advice two weeks ago.
I am 2.5wk post. I showed my DH this morning, "Look! I can lay on my other side." At around 2 wks I started being able to lay on my left side and sleep comfortably. My bladder is what wakes me up. My body wants to go into a reactionary morning stretch and I find my self talking myself out of it.
My tips:
First, do the recliner until you can't comfortably lie down. I didn't, and I wished I had. But keep something handy to call for help if you have to go the the bathroom at night. I found that my old recliner was deep. (I'm not a big person.) I couldn't sit all the way back without slouching. I put a firm bed pillow vertically into the back of the chair and the support it gave me felt like I'd reached nirvana!
Second, throw off the blankets before you move a muscle to turn or sit up. I found the blankets trapping me and I would have a jerk that would send me to tears.
Third, put a pillow behind you to support you as you start laying on your side. This feels so good and safe.
Fourth, if you are sharing the bed, put on a seperate set of blankets for you. My DH would turn, the covers would go with him and I would get caught up like a tuna in a fishing net. OUCH!
I really hope this helps you. Good luck. You will be better soon!
Blessing,
Lilbelle!
|
|
06-20-2005, 12:03 PM
|
HysterSister
|
|
Posts: 345
Hysterectomy: June 16th, 2005
Surgery Type: TAH
Ovaries: Removed both
|
|
How do I make laying down - & getting up - my friend?
|
Quote: |
|
Originally posted by lindak130
Last night I slept in my waterbed. What a difference in the achiness! It will get better each day, just hang in there.
|
I normally sleep in a waterbed too. I guess I didn't realize that alot of my body aches may be from a hard mattress. Each morning my neck and back hurts like crazy.
I can't wait to get back in my water bed!
|
|
Similar Threads
|
From This Forum |
From Other Forums |
21 Replies, Last Reply 04-14-2010, Started By daydream58 1 Reply, Last Reply 12-06-2009, Started By Chrisrose 2 Replies, Last Reply 07-15-2007, Started By Stefanari 3 Replies, Last Reply 01-11-2006, Started By celtic d 14 Replies, Last Reply 07-17-2005, Started By beckd_72 6 Replies, Last Reply 04-23-2005, Started By Grace Like Rain 1 Reply, Last Reply 09-22-2004, Started By BlueRidgeBlue 12 Replies, Last Reply 04-08-2004, Started By Michelle17 2 Replies, Last Reply 04-19-2002, Started By dcm 10 Replies, Last Reply 07-30-2001, Started By Joaniejmv |
6 Replies, Hysterectomy Recovery (post hysterectomy) 4 Replies, Hysterectomy Recovery (post hysterectomy) 9 Replies, Hysterectomy Recovery (post hysterectomy) 9 Replies, Hysterectomy Recovery (post hysterectomy) 16 Replies, Hysterectomy Recovery (post hysterectomy) 28 Replies, Hysterectomy Recovery (post hysterectomy) 9 Replies, Hysterectomy Recovery (post hysterectomy) 3 Replies, Pelvic Floor and Bladder Issues 8 Replies, Prayer Requests for Hyster Sisters 3 Replies, Hysterectomy Recovery (post hysterectomy) |
|
Advertisement
Hysterectomy News
TODAY'S EVENTS
Calendar -
Hysterectomies -
Birthdays
Request Information
I am a HysterSister
Your Hysterectomy Date
$vbulletin->featuredvideos is not an array!
Advertisement
Advertisement
|