Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Sleeping!

Urgh!

I didn't need pain meds and been up and around and even out in the snow going to and from the shops today (surgery was on the 17th).  I expected this to be worse and been shocked at how easy and relatively pain free this has been, but I just can't sleep!

I never sleep on my back.  Never been able to do it and now I'm literally going crazy and wanting to punch something (something else I can't do right now! Lol) because I can't sleep now.

If I try sleeping on my back, I manage about an hour before I have to get up and stretch my back.  My lower and mid back just hate it and then stretching isn't as effective because I obviously can't pull too much on it back the way as that stretches my chest.  I tried sleeping in a chair but then my lower back hates that and my butt gets numb and sore because with everything I'm not moving around as much and it protests.  I don't have a chair that stays reclined, only one I can lean back in and in doing that my legs get numb from where whatever I'm using to stay back digs in.

Did anyone have as big a problem as me and have a way around this.  I'm desperate.  To put this in perspective I'm more of a stomach sleeper than side so this is a 180 for me and didn't expect it to be this bad!  I've honestly had maybe 5 hours sleep since surgery and I wish I was kidding!  I didn't sleep for the first time after surgery until almost 26 hours later, for all of 50 minutes! :-/

100% agree with you, I miss sleeping ;___;

I have an old back injury that I have been managing really well without pain meds for a while, doing certain exercises every day that I can no longer do for the time being; and sleeping on it is a nightmare - though it sounds like I'm getting way more sleep than you, you must be exhausted D=

I keep waking up on my side, my subconscious is totally not ok with back sleeping xD it feels ok for my chest when I wake up like that, I hope I'm not damaging anything.

It sounds like you're gonna have to get some sleeping pills of some sort. I got stronger pain meds today that have the added bonus of causing drowsiness so I'm hoping a good nights sleep is on the cards tonight.

Can you sleep at an angle rather than flat on your back?  Maybe try propping some pillows up around you so that you're half on your back and half on your side?

Was thinking of trying a half and half thing.  I'm assuming you mean like a pillow on each side to stop turning too far while providing back support, yeah? However, I think it's maybe best to wait until the drains are out (should be on Monday) just in case it causes pulling or any issues there.  I did think about sleeping pills but what puts me off is that I may wake up in a LOT of pain.  I'm waking up now because my back is sore, if I knock myself out then I'll sleep on past the pain and it may amplify.  I worry about waking up and being unable to move and in horrendous pain :-/.

True about the sleeping pills.  But you also need sleep for your body to heal properly, so it's a bit of a Catch-22 in a way.  I think you'll probably fare better once the drains are out.  Until then, maybe you could try a mild sedative - perhaps Valerian.  I use them and they don't "knock me out", just help me fall asleep.  And yeah, re: the sleeping position - that's what I meant. :)

Quote from: Jack_M on December 20, 2013, 04:06:08 PM
Sleeping!

Urgh!

I didn't need pain meds and been up and around and even out in the snow going to and from the shops today (surgery was on the 17th).  I expected this to be worse and been shocked at how easy and relatively pain free this has been, but I just can't sleep!

I never sleep on my back.  Never been able to do it and now I'm literally going crazy and wanting to punch something (something else I can't do right now! Lol) because I can't sleep now.

If I try sleeping on my back, I manage about an hour before I have to get up and stretch my back.  My lower and mid back just hate it and then stretching isn't as effective because I obviously can't pull too much on it back the way as that stretches my chest.  I tried sleeping in a chair but then my lower back hates that and my butt gets numb and sore because with everything I'm not moving around as much and it protests.  I don't have a chair that stays reclined, only one I can lean back in and in doing that my legs get numb from where whatever I'm using to stay back digs in.

Did anyone have as big a problem as me and have a way around this.  I'm desperate.  To put this in perspective I'm more of a stomach sleeper than side so this is a 180 for me and didn't expect it to be this bad!  I've honestly had maybe 5 hours sleep since surgery and I wish I was kidding!  I didn't sleep for the first time after surgery until almost 26 hours later, for all of 50 minutes! :-/

This is what I'm afraid of. I'm getting surgery in a month and I'm scared not to sleep. I sleep on my stomach too. Congrats on surgery btw. I didn't know you got it.

Cool.  I'm going to head to the pharmacy now and see if they have something like that or have any other suggestions.  I'll probably head to bed with every cushion I have until I find a comfortable way to sleep!  Right after I empty drains, it's sleep attempt time with nothing to get up for!  Lol.

Quote from: Darrin Scott on December 20, 2013, 04:39:37 PM

This is what I'm afraid of. I'm getting surgery in a month and I'm scared not to sleep. I sleep on my stomach too. Congrats on surgery btw. I didn't know you got it.

I'm sure it's not universal and that others will deal better than me.  I think I was at a distinct disadvantage being used to surgeries.  I was getting dressed 30 mins after surgery was over, I felt 100% fine.  Most people tend to crash hard after surgery and sleep for a long time and I never got that.  I felt tired but not sleepy, just didn't really want to do much - that was my "crash".  I wouldn't overly worry about it and tbh, even though I'm frustrated right now I still wouldn't go back and not do it!

However, I didn't put a lot of effort into trying to adjust to sleeping on back before surgery, more relishing in ability to sleep "properly" prior to surgery.  If I could go back, I'd maybe try more positions on my back or at least side, maybe aiming for half side/back.  I think that would have helped me adjust better than going from sleeping on my stomach on Dec 16th to trying to sleep on my back hours later.

To me it was the itching. I didn't feel it was very painful. It took me a few days to sleep, but I was able to sleep on a recliner, which I think made it easier. For some reason though a couple times I ended up on the floor as I scooted down too much. :)

--Jay

Sorry to hear you are having such a hard time.  For the first week (at least), I slept sitting up.  Two pills against the back of the frame with most of my top half straight up. 

I started having the back problems when I started laying right on my back.

I would be really careful about taking any kind of sleeping pills while you still have the drains in.  My concern is that you will be so groggy you won't feel any pain that may result due to a sleeping position (rolling on the drain, on your side, etc).  You won't feel the pain that would typically wake you up...pain that would be good to wake you up so you shift positions (if that makes any sense).

Just my thoughts.

You could try using heat therapy during the day on your back to help the aching. All you need is a heating pad. Here is a link that may be helpful:
http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/heat-therapy-cold-therapy/how-apply-heat-therapy

I used to be a stomach sleeper but through a manful effort was able to transition to sleeping on my side. Can't fall sleep when lying on my back. Going into surgery, I was worried about this, and my fears were justified. I very often had to prop myself up into a halfway sitting position and just doze off that way; for some reason, that was easier than falling asleep on my back. Other times, I took a pain pill just so I could sleep, but I would lie there and lie there before succumbing to exhaustion. It was a long time before I was able to sleep even partway on my side.

Maybe try the pillow trick and see if it works.

Oh how lucky I am to always sleep on my back. Can't really sleep on my side as it feels like I'm falling over.

Quote from: Arch on December 20, 2013, 10:53:47 PM
I used to be a stomach sleeper but through a manful effort was able to transition to sleeping on my side. Can't fall sleep when lying on my back. Going into surgery, I was worried about this, and my fears were justified. I very often had to prop myself up into a halfway sitting position and just doze off that way; for some reason, that was easier than falling asleep on my back. Other times, I took a pain pill just so I could sleep, but I would lie there and lie there before succumbing to exhaustion. It was a long time before I was able to sleep even partway on my side.

Maybe try the pillow trick and see if it works.

"Halfway sitting position", yes that is what I meant (couldn't think of the wording).

Getting nowhere fast but going to keep trying to sitting up stuff.  I still feel that sitting too upright is too much pressure on lower back but reclining makes my back arch and then my middle back hurts.  To be honest, I fear that until I can sleep on my side, I'm destined to have a complete lack of sleep which isn't going to fare too well when I go back to work a week on Monday :-/.

Quote from: Jack_M on December 21, 2013, 09:53:47 PM
Getting nowhere fast but going to keep trying to sitting up stuff.  I still feel that sitting too upright is too much pressure on lower back but reclining makes my back arch and then my middle back hurts.  To be honest, I fear that until I can sleep on my side, I'm destined to have a complete lack of sleep which isn't going to fare too well when I go back to work a week on Monday :-/.

Man, that really sucks.  I have minimal back problems, so my half way sitting up worked.  Hopefully, you will fall asleep from sheer exhaustion, so your Monday will be ok.  Did your doc give you a timeframe as to when you could start to sleep on your side (assuming you have no pain and actually can)?

YMMV of course but I slept on my side for the whole night last night and it was glorious, I slept for 10 uninterrupted hours. Only very mildly uncomfortable for my chest (more on the side I wasn't laying on, where my arm was resting on it...weird) so you may be able to get a decent nights sleep sooner than you think.

I didn't sleep really well up to a couple days after surgery. I decided it was all right to sleep a few hours and get up and go back to sleep. Since I decided that was okay it worked out okay for me. By the third day or so, I sleep pretty well. I had some Ambien (sleeping pill prescribed by a doctor). Dr G didn't see anything wrong with me taking this, so I did. I don't think it would affect the drains as they work by suction. I am not totally out dead the world on them, so...
Anyway i slept on a recliner which helped, I think it was easier sleeping that way than on my back. OTOH, I am sleeping on my back now and have come to like it. Go figure.

--Jay

Hey man, just wanted to say congrats on getting your surgery. I haven't had top yet but from kidney surgeries I've had to sleep on my back. I've always taken about 15 pillows and made an incline against the headboard of the bed to lay against (I'm a side/stomach sleeper usually). It's not perfect but it's pretty comfy compared to having to sleep in a chair. Happy healing!

I've been fighting exactly the same battle for the last 2 weeks since my surgery. I hadn't thought about it but it's a nightmare. Last night was the first night I was able to sleep on my side with plenty of pillow support and it was bliss, so at least you have that to look forward to! I even found actually that sleeping on my front was more comfortable (less pull on my incisions) you just have to be really careful to get yourself there in the first place and if it hurts at all admit defeat. I didn't have drains so I can imagine that makes it all even worse :/
The only solace I found really was either waiting till I was really tired and then sleeping upright with plenty of really comfy pillows around me (for some reason having them under my knee's like a hospital bed lifts your knee's helped my back and butt pain) and then as soon as it's comfortable just try a sort of half side thing, just twist your abdomen to gently lay your chest down but make sure you have pillows at an angle to stop your incisions pulling on the mattress.
Best of luck man, all I can say is it will be over soon! Good luck getting your drains out and hope you recover well!

I found a way to sleep!!!!  I actually got really nerdy and used my VFX artist skills by using a 3D program (Maya) to build very quick models for what I have in terms of cushions and pillows and determined every way to arrange them that I could possibly see (I thought that a more painless way to approach it than actually push and pull with attempts on the bed).  I finally found a way to slot 4 cushions together with 2 pillows that actually works for me and doesn't fall apart.  It's far from perfect.  I manage about 6 hours interrupted until I give up and get up but 6 hours is way better than 1-2 hours!  I'll keep adding on ideas that I've seen here in hopes it gets better.  I eventually found that a 45 degree angle worked for me, but I had to modify it so that my neck was supported but that my head actually goes down a bit after.  Hard to explain and odd to know why but I found with my head raised or straight on the 45 degrees that my neck was feeling the strain.  Once I had it so that my head went back and down a little bit, stretching the neck, it was a lot more comfortable.  I think the reason for this is because I'm a stomach sleeper who uses a pillow.  On your back your head is brought forward at the neck but on your stomach your head is moved back the way from the pillow.  So just in case others are in the same boat at some point and noticing neck pain, this could very well be the reason!  It was for me.

I also take a nighttime dose of benadryl which helps knock me out.  The only problem with benadryl is that the drowsiness effects wear off very quickly, so it helps me get off to sleep but if I  wake up an hour or two later, I'm stuck until I'm actually able to take another dose or maybe one day luckily just get tired enough again.  Hoping I can stick with using them for now and try not to get addicted using something stronger.  Relying on benadryl would be bad enough!

Good news though: I got my drains out today - YAS!!!!  Also got stitches off the nipples that doctor thought would need to wait until Friday, and everything is looking fantastic.  I can also finally shower now!  WOOT WOOT!  Sleeping on back is still advised for best results, especially with swelling.  Obviously getting a good night sleep is important but in the interest of not messing up which looks like great results thus far, I'm gonna at least try to tough it out until at least 6 weeks.  Maybe by then I'll be used to it...HA!

It also seems that I have Gilbert's Syndrome which makes me jaundiced.  So I look a little banana like right now.  My chest is almost florescent!  Lol.  I talked to my brother and turns out he was diagnosed with it not too long back after an appendectomy and never thought letting me know about that GENETIC problem was important :P.  It doesn't make much difference though, it's just a chemical issue making me jaundiced and not being ill so it doesn't affect anything other than making me look a little weird :P.

Well happy to hear about your brand new chest, though sorry you are temporarily yellow.
A bunch of pillows arranged strategically works very well. It sounds like Jack has an engineering degree to figure this all out. :)

--Jay

LMFAO nail on the head there Jay...well almost.  I quit Engineering for trans related issues and it angers me to this day.  I just couldn't deal with it at the time.  I loved what I did but when we started work placements and the pant suits and make-up expectations started I freaked out and ended up finding ways to hate what I was doing.  It's my intention to save and go back to school and finish that degree.  For now, I use my nerdy side to bring epic visual effects to the screen.  Everyone has 'Elysium' on their Xmas wish list, right?  ;)

Or at least 'Fast & Furious 6'?  Not as proud of that one but heh, work is work! :P

Quote from: Jack_M on December 23, 2013, 11:51:30 PMEveryone has 'Elysium' on their Xmas wish list, right?  ;)

Looks pretty bad to me. I'll be renting that one. If the library didn't have such a long waiting list, I'd watch it for nothing.

Do you have a timeline for school?

It's actually a really good movie, no bias here (I've worked on a lot of movies and there's precious few I've been proud to work on - it's only 'Elysium', 'Zero Dark Thirty' and 'Lone Survivor' thus far), and while I don't think I'd put it ahead of 'District 9' - that movie was just phenomenal - it's definitely not a sophomore slump for Neill Blomkamp.  Just ignore Jodie Foster's HORRENDOUS accent!  Urgh!  Sharlto Copley will blow you away though!

Timeline: thinking maybe 2 years.  It kinda depends on my career right now.  If it improves I might stick it a bit longer, if not, I'll go but I would like to achieve some things in VFX that I haven't quite achieved yet so I'd want to get them under my belt first and then change career if that makes sense.  It's not a way to put it off, more just timing it for hopeful win/win.  I don't want to go back to school too late that I'm super old by time I start the career, but don't want to leave VFX without at least reaching closer to my potential.  The issue is that VFX is a struggling industry which may sound like madness because VFX are the most profitable movies out there, but they screw over studios to the point they often lose money on projects.  For example, the company that made 'Life of Pi' and won an Oscar for the visual effects actually went bankrupt because of the movie.  Scary industry!!!! :-/

hahahah I love how you figured this out so nerdily (probably not a word) and very happy that you can get some sleep ;D having your drains out will help too as I'm sure you've noticed.

Jack, I've heard it said that the thing now is multiple careers. Glad the engineering abilities can still be useful. :)

--Jay

Hey, Jack.  Congrats on the good looking chest AND on the sleep!