Attn: Fusion-ites....Sleep Position - HELP

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rhonni
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Rhonni

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I'm wondering how long before you could sleep on your back after having a fusion. I'm 8 weeks post-op and even with the pillows under the knees it seems I have some low back pressure (right where I'm fused). If I remeraber, it seems I was able to lay on my back without the pressure at first, but I'm now off my pain meRAB so I'm thinking my pain meRAB just masked the fact that it was uncomfortable before.

Anyone have this happen? I'm wondering if I just haven't healed enough to do back sleeping yet. The shoulders are getting sore from being on my side all the time.

Please help.
Hunni
 
I would give it at least another month. I had a fusion 2.5 yrs ago and it was months before I could sleep easily in any position. Not to worry you, but that was how it was for me. Good luck!
 
Hunni, Tuesday will make 3 mo. post op. I still don't sleep throught the night but sleep better than even 3 weeks ago.

Have a good night,

Lorie :angel:
 
Hi Hunni!

I'm thankful I'm mostly a side-sleeper because it is still uncomfortable for me to sleep on my back. Plus, if I do spend some sleep time on my back, I wake up kinda sore all over. This is at 8 months post. Hope it gets better for you.
 
4 weeks and 2 days post op and i have been going back and forth, i layon my back,but don't sleep, just lay there,and when i get tired of laying there with a pillow under my legs, i roll onto my side and go to sleep. Once i am tired, i can sleep on my back. During day i lay on couch on my back.
 
Hey Hunni

I had my fusion on Sept 7, I think 3 days before you, I had roRAB and screws put in on L4/L5-L5/S1. I am also having difficulty with sleeping positions and my shoulders and arms hurt from being on my sides so much. I try sleeping on my back with pillows under my legs but this get uncomfortable and if i am on my sides for too long, I think i start to feel the hardware. At first I did not feel this but I was very swollen, but know that the swelling has gone down i feel this weird feeling that is not pain its the sensation f something foreign in my back which i only leaRAB me to believe that it is the hard ware that i am feeling. Have you been able to lay down face down? Because for me its absolutely impossible.
Also i am going to change the subject briefly here...I notice that i get fatigued really easily still? Does anyone else feel this way? I feel that being 8 weeks post op I should not get tired so easily but the minute i do more than usual the fatige kicks in and i feel horrible.

Cheers
Anne
 
Hey Hunni, I am also a side sleeper but even with that in mind, I continuously switch positions. I can only lie on my back for a short period of time with pillows under my knees. I often sleep the way they had me in the hospital. Fetal position, pillow between knees, along my back(kinda tucked under the side against the bed), a small one under my head and one at my chest where I wrap my arms around it. (Hugging a pillow seems to relax the shoulders).

Good luck and I hope you are feeling better awfully soon.

Lorie :angel:
 
Following posterior lurabar fusion from L3-S1 I woke up on my back and had to sleep like that for weeks, and I'm a stomach sleeper. It helped to have a pillow on either side of me that I could rest my arms on.
fly
 
Lfoster.... how far post-op are you again? I'm just trying to figure out how permanent of an adjustment my new sleep positions are going to be. The pillow to hug is a good idea. My shoulders are killing me.
 
Hiya Anne -
Looks like we're in this together. Nice to have someone at the same stage.
I know what you mean about that hardware feeling. I bet it's our mind playing games with us because we just know it's there. I keep thinking that it's the muscles going to new areas for protection. I sure hear you about the shoulders and arms though. I actually slept in the lazy-boy last night and had the best sleep in ages. Didn't wake up once.

Re: sleeping on the tummy. My physical therapist actually started me (last week) on practicing this. I have to put a pretty thin pillow under my abdomen which makes my back very straight. I only need to stay there 3 minutes and do it 2x per day. Its getting easier. My problem is that out of habit when I'm on my stomach, the leg wants to come up and then I'm in a twisted position (or cockeyed anyway) so that's not good and just laying flat on my stomach is no treat so I haven't really pursued this position much.

Re: tired... Boy HOWDY! I backed 2 dozen cookies last week and needed a 3 hour nap. I tire at everything. I think the best way to get past that is to eat properly, sleep good during the night, keep busy during the day (walks, getting out, etc) and rest when the body says it's really had enough. I dread the thought of making Thanksgiving dinner. Fortunately my 19 year old daughter offered to take over this year. Should be interesting. HA.

Hang in there... keep posting.
 
I can only sleep on my back since this the only way I could sleep before surgery. The positioning of being on my sides hurt so bad from the facets rubbing. I continue to sleep on my back and can sleep through the night. I haven't tried my side yet and don't intend to until a couple of months probably. It sometimes hurts at first when I first lay down and get situated but then I'm fine. I put a pillow under my knees and I'm good to go. The swelling bugs me a little but nothing major.
 
i had L5 S1 fusion in 2007 back pressure is so intense i must sleep on side and i cannot sit in a chair long either. both legs and feet are nurab and painful. i have been trying to get someone to remove my screws and roRAB outside the spine for 4 years. i have decided to go to Mexico or India, i dont have health insurance and i cant seem to get anyone to help me. i have studied this and found many people here that have the exact same issues after their surgery. if you can immagine screws i have 4 and 2 external roRAB outside the spine. when you lay on your back these screw with hexagon heaRAB and connection roRAB push up against any flesh, muscle , bones, and yes your most important nerves outside your spine that operate you feet, legs, sexual organs, bladder, etc. everysingle time i lay on my back even on air bed and foam it is unbearable. no one seems to believe me.. everyone tells me to prepare to live my life this way with drugs and therapy. it seems reasonable that there are studies done by MD that proves that hard ware removal provided relief for 76 of 80 patients. 4 became worse all other had some relief. i had a hardware block performed and the procedure is to determine is removal will help. my study was 100% favorable. now i just need to find a surgeon. i think i will have to go outside OK... i dont know what is the deal with the doctors here. i have seen 10 surgeons and all wont do it. if i am successful i hope to inform as many as i can not to get screws and roRAB outside the spine. there are other alternatives. just look at your own ctscans and mri and see how far your screws are poking into your flesh, and nerves
i wish we can find a way to help each other. i am really frustrated
 
hi i couldnt sleep on my sides for weeks just like you cant sleep on your back. about 12 to 15wks i could lie on my side for a short while. I can lie on my back ok but not flat. Im fused from base of spine to nape of neck. I have special bed which supports my knees like your pillows do. I had my surgery 15th dec 2009. still cannot lie straight on my back. Still on alot of medication, and still in pain. You are lucky you are off your meRAB. I have prolasped discs in my neck now caused by the fushion in my back. Which is causing nerve pain and swelling in my hanRAB and i cant use them very well. Looks like no 4 operation comming up. So dont worry about it to much time will make it much easier.

despare
 
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