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How long until you can sleep on your side?

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Posted 11/2/2011 2:47 AM (GMT 0)
I'm having a total colectomy w/ileorectal anastomosis in one week. I am not a back-sleeper in general. I usually sleep on my side or on my stomach with lots of pillows. I have had surgery before (not GI related), I had to sleep propped up and could not sleep on my stomach or side for quite a while and I recall that I could not get comfortable, and had a LOT of back and joint pain, almost worst than the pain from the actual surgery I had!

So now I am wondering, after this particular surgery, do you have to sleep propped up or can you lie flat? And how long after did you feel comfortable enough to sleep on your side, or stomach even? Would everything in my belly shift over to one side since there is going to be some extra room in there?

Post Edited (Alibee) : 11/1/2011 8:50:39 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 11/2/2011 3:39 AM (GMT 0)
I slept on my side immediately after surgery as it is the way I sleep the best... I am not a back or a stomach sleeper. The nurse had to help me roll over the first few nights after surgery because it hurt a lot... but other than that there were no issues. For a while I definitely felt a slosh as I rolled from one side to the other. It was the weirdest thing but didn't hurt anything. My surgeon said it was normal and that, yes, there was some extra space in there. He did say it would eventually go away and it did... by three months post-op I didn't feel things moving around anymore:)

Since surgery, I do like sleeping with a pillow between my knees. It helped my back out post-op and I loved it so much I have kept doing it.
Posted 11/2/2011 4:01 AM (GMT 0)
After my step one surgery it took a few weeks to be able to sleep on my side. With this surgery, I was able to sleep on my left the first night home but still can't sleep on my right. Things are just too tender around the stoma that way I guess. I use a body pillow between my knees and against my stomach to help support me. I can't give advice about stomach sleeping as it's never been something I liked.
Posted 11/2/2011 11:43 AM (GMT 0)
I also slept on my side right away and needed help rolling over the first night (I had an epidural in that pretty much paralyzed one of my legs). I had some extra pillows behind me at first, and then I had a waffle cushion under me for a bit, but that was for the butt wound during the day, when I was often on my back, but you won't have that wound.

Not a stomach sleeper either....

It is nice at first to have the hospital bed where you can adjust the angles....
Posted 11/2/2011 1:35 PM (GMT 0)
In hospital I slept on my back of course with a little elevation to bed, but around 2 weeks out (and still unfortunately in hospital) I was able to lay more flat. When I came home about 3 week out I could sleep on side still propped up. about 5 weeks I could lay flat if needed just wasn't most comfortable. I never lay on stomach with ostomy..but that's me.
Posted 11/2/2011 8:51 PM (GMT 0)
Never slept on my stomach with stoma as don't find it comfortable on my neck and back. I had open procedures wih all my surgeries and didn't sleep on my side for about 5 weeks properly as it was sore and could feel it pulling on stomach wound but the adjustable beds in hospital meant I could fiddle around to find a comfortable position. Mind you couldn't sleep in hospital as our local hospital has wards and they are all open and have blazing lights around nurse station and they all sit there chatting at top of their voices and stomp around not even trying to walk and do things quietly.
Posted 11/2/2011 10:16 PM (GMT 0)
Forgot about lapro vs open...... I had lapro, probably what let me sleep on my side right away.
Posted 11/2/2011 11:16 PM (GMT 0)
When it is summer and hot I sleep on my back (no a/c. don't want it). Always have. Other than that I always sleep on either side........never on my stomach/stoma. Even right after surgery from peritonitis. Oh, and we have a waterbed.

Dan
Posted 11/3/2011 12:59 AM (GMT 0)
I had open and slept on both sides. I asked the nurses what side I should sleep on and they said whatever side feels best to you. When my ileo was new and I slept on that side, I would wake with a slight pulling pain far from the ileo on that right side. BUt after awhile that went away. Don't know what it was but it left. Good luck. Go with what feels good to you. We are all so different. Rosemary
Posted 11/3/2011 1:03 AM (GMT 0)
i slept on my back with a pillow all the way behind my body that i kind of leaned against, if that makes sense. I couldn't lay on my side for a few weeks because the incision hurt, then it was about 2 months before i could sleep on my stomach.
Posted 11/3/2011 1:55 AM (GMT 0)
I had my colon removed/end ileo created two weeks ago, and last night was the first time I was able to comfortably sleep on my left side. Before it felt like everything inside was sliding around inside or my incision was being pulled on or whatever. Last night I used a body pillow behind my back and between my knees for support.

I agree that the adjustable hospital beds are so nice those first few days. I have been sleeping with lots of pillows propping my up at night- even when I am on my side, like last night. It's too difficult for me to lie flat, so far.
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