insomnia post op 3 weeks

I am currently 3 weeks post op and can not sleep. I can fall asleep easily but can not stay that way. I wake up about every 15 to 30 minutes. I can't go right back to sleep. I have tried to take xanax to help but just makes me wobbely when I get up, doesn't help with staying asleep. I also have tried a few other over the counter drugs. Is anyone else having this problem. It seems to be getting worse the longer it goes on. I am averagine about 1 to 2 hours of sleep a night and it is really starting to take its toll on me. I am exhausted!!! any suggestions would be welcome!

Lisa,
Insomnia does seem to be a common complaint at this point in your recovery. My problem was that I couldn't fall asleep. I have always been an early to bed, early to rise type of gal, but during my initial months of recovery it wasn't uncommon to find me awake at 1-2am. You might want to try a glass of Ovaltine before bedtime. Here's a thread that discusses why this may help Ovaltine: The chocolate drink for insomnia

Thank you Kim M. I like Ovaltine and drink it when I have some. Have not bought any since I have been home. I may send my DH out tonight to get some befor we go to bed. At this point I will give anything a try. Will keep you posted. Thanks again

Darn, I never learned to like the stuff. Now I learn it could help me sleep. Might be worth gagging some down. Do you think making it with lactose free milk would change how it works? It seems to be the actual Ovaltine that is good for sleeping so I hope it won't make a huge difference. My husband is never gonna believe I want to have some.....big thing between us--he loves it and I hate it so I never buy it! LOL.

Shellby, have you tried the different kinds of ovaltine? I think they make 3 different kinds. Maybe one of them won't be so bad for you.
Good luck!!!

I'm not sure if this is the case for you....but around that time during my recovery, I wasn't taking much of my vicodin, and i think I'd become used to taking it at night and it helped me sleep. It took a while to adjust to getting to sleep, and staying asleep, without the meds. As for ongoing things to help you sleep, I find a nice warm drink helps to soothe me....I prefer herbal tea. i usually have to get up during the night to go to the bathroom, but i just stumble in half asleep and then go back to bed. Sweet dreams to you.

Liza
I have been told sleepy time tea, tylenol pm or benadryl
I have not tried any of them yet, but I have them all in the house.
Like you I am having sleeping issues. I had them the first two weeks, got over it and now it seems they are back.My dr gave me Ambion, told me to get over it and just take one of the darn things.
I just hate to take stuff like this.
Anyway, Good luck with it. Hopefully we will both get a good nites sleep
Maybe the crown is keeping us awake

Hugs and sweet dream wishes

Harley

I have been trying not to take any pain meds lately. It may have some to do with it, I was taking them at night before bed for the fact that I would roll over on my stomache and it would hurt like crazy. I now put a pillow there so I don't. Thank you for your input, hope things are going well for you.

Hey lizajane38! We are both right at the same place in our recovery... I had mine just 3 days before you... and we are having the SAME problem! It was a problem in the very beginning and then went away; but now my days and nights are completely upside down! I'm up every night until at least 5 a.m.!! Thank goodness for the games forum and the sisters in Australia who are there to keep me occupied until I can finally sleep! I don't know what I would do with them and this site! Its been a godsend!
I finally broke down and called my doc today. They are going to call in some Ambien for me. I don't like to take it either, but my MIL (who is an RN) told me that its not uncommon for this to happen after a major surgery like we had and that all it takes sometimes is just a couple of days of something like Ambien to "reset our clocks". Unfortunately, I didn't hear back from the doc today.... so looks like I'll be on the games forum playing for one more night! Come check it out if you can't sleep... or anytime! It' s lots of fun and of course, every one is super nice!
Hope you get some sleep!
Karen

	Quote:
Originally Posted by lizajane38 I am currently 3 weeks post op and can not sleep. I can fall asleep easily but can not stay that way. I wake up about every 15 to 30 minutes. I can't go right back to sleep. I have tried to take xanax to help but just makes me wobbely when I get up, doesn't help with staying asleep. I also have tried a few other over the counter drugs. Is anyone else having this problem. It seems to be getting worse the longer it goes on. I am averagine about 1 to 2 hours of sleep a night and it is really starting to take its toll on me. I am exhausted!!! any suggestions would be welcome!

I too cannot sleep. My surgery was on 06/27/06 today purchased some estroven pm in hopes to get some rest so I dont go crazy.Ijust wish that men could see what this is like so maybe they could have some empathy.