Nightmares...

I have already since post op been having a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep. But the last several weeks I have been having horrible dreams. What can be causing them? I want to have a good nights sleep and not be interrupted.

Could it be hormone related, I don't know????

I had insomnia even before my surgery and yes, my hormones have always been a mess. I began to wear Earplugs because I am such a light sleeper. I also have a small Fan blowing on my head at night to keep the sweats away and it also blocks out background noise..it helps a lot! Many of my friends who have had this surgery and myself included, have had bad dreams from taking painkillers.

I also get crazy, realistic dreams if I take the natural sleep-aid, Melatonin. I think our bodies somehow "remember" the trauma from the surgery and may be reliving it in our unconscious minds...I had a dream, 4 days after my surgery that I was awake during my hysterectomy and could see everything they were doing, felt the blood running down my legs, it was awful and I woke up hyperventilating and crying!

I am sorry you are so restless. Have you tried any Herbal Remedies? There are Celestial Seasonings teas with relaxing herbs in them, like valerian, peppermint, chamomile...one tea called "Sleepytime" may help. A Hot Bath before bed helps too.

Our minds race after this too, thinking about bills, feeling better...we need to find ways to block all that out and relax. I really need to go get a Professional Massage - that helps too! A good spa day... Things will get better as time passes and I hope you get to feeling better and can find ways to relax and get the rest you need.

Hey there Hope,

Yes...it may be related to hormones. I have been reading a lot of posts regarding sleep and it definately is connected to hormones, etc. I can always get to sleep, but am waking up many times during the night and can't always get back to sleep. I agree with above, earplugs and fans help...since it seems like the slightest little noise does wake me. My dreams...when I can sleep deep enough to have them....are just weird...a few are scary, not reliving surg or anything, but most are just VERY vivid and Very weird .....but I have...well Or I remember very few. I've been trying for 2 weeks to handle the sleep thing on my own...I've been taking Tylenol or Advil PM occasionally when I get just waaaaaaaay too exhausted, especially close to the middle/end of the week when I have to make it through the school day. I've tried melatonin years ago and did not like it...but I'm too old to remember why exactly. Anyway...I have just today given up the fight. I called and they will be upping my hormone dosage. I figured with the sleep thing and then the wonderful cystic acne that has appeared in the last two weeks....WELL CRAPOLA.... I give up...so I'm taken the easy way out....Hopefully at least.

I also got a bonus foam/type matress pad for on top of my already expensive pillow top bed...and that has helped a lot also....I just could feel everything...I felt like the stupid "Princess and the pea". I also find that if I listen to audiobooks at night or listen to really quiet music...I will often go to sleep sooner and sleep better...and have a tendency to have better dreams.

I'm so sorry your having to deal with this stuff. I have always been the worlds best sleeper...and it is so frustrating and freaky to all of a sudden having something so important going so very wrong. Well...I'm sending support...and maybe some others can offer better advice. Good Luck, Buddy....I'm hoping all else is going well on this rocky road we call "recovery" hehehe

Much Love,
Tank

I used to be the best sleeper as well. I tried tylenol PM but that was the quickest nights sleep ever so I felt more tired when I got up. My dreams aren't related to surgery either. They are more people trying to get me or kill me or something horrible happening to one of my children.

Now I still have both ovaries so should my hormones be effected??? I mean do you think the surgery could of put them on pause and now they are coming out of it and my body is whacked out???

I am just happy to know I am not the only one. The nurse told me to try unisom so we shall see.

Thanks guys.

It can take some women who still have their ovaries awhile for them to "wake up" and begin to function normally. I have read of several sisters who had some hormone issues for a few months after surgery. My Dr. also warned me that there is a very slim chance for some women's ovaries to stop functioning well after...but I doubt that that is it since you are not having any other menopause type issues.

My best guess would that maybe your ovaries and thus your hormones are still getting back to normal...and ....or maybe mixed in....I hate to bring it up....but it might be stress. I think this whole ordeal takes a huge emotional toll, no matter how good or bad recovery is. You could be just shedding some unconcious stress leftover from the whole surgery/recovery thing. Just even the smallest stress can really mess with your dreams and your sleep.

I do agree about the Tylenol PM. I have to take it like 10 - 12 hours before I plan to get up, because it definately leaves me a bit groggy. I don't love it...but it's all I've got until I get my new patches. You might try the Melatonin....a friend at work said it has totally helped her sleeping issues. It's worth a shot...but if you try it and it works...let me know.

Good Luck and Pleasant Dreams!!
Tank

Tank

I have been doing some research into the meaning of dreams and I believe it all makes perfect sense. My dreams interrupt into my inability to take care of my family in the way that I usually do. But it sucks that it has to come out in such scary dreams that wake me up terrified in the middle of the night, lol. I am hoping once recovery is done that they all go away. I have to say I am doing quite a bit more. I am cleaning more, still not vaccuming or doing heavy cleaning and they cleaning I am doing I am doing it slow. I have started to cook but nothing too elaborate. I am still not lifting. I am loading and unloading my dishwasher, I have done a couple loads of laundry start to finish on my own. I sweep, but don't mop. And I am still sticking to my lifting restrictions.

I also have horrible dreams and nightmares. Right after my surgery I tried to blame them on the pain meds but I only took them for 2 days because I got such bad migraines, however the nightmares continue and my sleep is so restless. I too have envisioned or dreamed that I was awake during my surgery as well. It's very traumatic. I know way too many details that I should not have been aware of. I'm also reliving all sorts of other trauma from my past over and over again. It's exhausting. I don't know if anyone else has experienced this but it's like the hysterectomy triggered the memories from my past to come up. I think I will give the melatonin a try and maybe a therapist.

So you all are saying that our Hormones are causing us to have crazy dreams?? I am no longer taking any narcotics and haven't since I came home on 08/28...... But right away - I started having the most bizzarr dreams. Some have been very frightening which cause me to wake up out of breath, sweating and panting. As soon as I fall back to sleep - I continue to dream more crazy and scary dreams. Some nights I dream 3 or 4 dreams through the night (like a mini-series). I am not having problems sleeping, but I really don't like dreaming all these bad dreams and wish they would stop.

I am at 5 1/2 weeks post op & I have also had weird dreams. I had a
SAH, so I still have my ovaries and cervix, so there has not been any hot flashes, night sweats etc., but I definitely can cry even easier than I already did and am having trouble with weird dreams and staying asleep all night through. So probably some sort of hormonal adjustment must be going on. The whole dream thing is very annoying. The weirdest one was when I thought I was awake and asking my DH to close the window( which is right over our heads) Then the next thing I know it's happening again. This happened like seriously at least 15 times. Finally I was able to actually wake up and really get him to close it. When dreams are so vivid or disturbing it's just about impossible to get a good nights sleep which is very important to our recovery. It is good to know though that this is common and I'm not crazy.

I already had the sleep problems and crazy dreams before surgery. I'm still having the weird/scary dreams but my sleep in general is better.