Trouble sleeping post op

[lauralynn]

Hello Everyone,
I was sleeping fine post op til last week's episode happened.  I ended up going to the ER coz I was in so much pain.  Apparently my nerves to my eye and around my eye are regenerating.  Anyways....now I have problems sleeping.  I think it's my eye that keeps me up.  I feel constant tingling 24/7.  When I do sleep, it's for an hour then up for 2. Has anyone else experience this?

Laura

[tenai98]

After I got home from hospital, I slept like fot 2 -3 hrs at a time...up for 1-2 hrs and then back to bed for another 2-3 hrs of sleep...It went on for about 2 weeks.
JO

[nancyann]

Hi Laura,  I've always had trouble sleeping.  

I take Trazodone 50 mg every night (except Friday & Saturday when I don't have to get up for work the next day).
It helps me fall asleep,  & if I wake up during the night,  I'm able to fall back to sleep.

Always good thoughts,  Nancy

[AthenasMom]

I had a terrible time sleeping post op.  I too slept for just a couple of hours at a time and then was wide awake.  I actually found it easier to sleep on my sofa than in my bed so that is what I did.  It lasted only for a couple of weeks so hang in there.

[Keri]

Hi Laura,
I'm so sorry this is happening to you. It's kind of a drag to have some things get better in recovery then get a new pain or some other set back.
I have no idea, but is what you're describing that nerve pain (trigimineal.... something or other)? I just looked up the word and forgot it. If that's it, I have seen two people post about that. Adrienne and Clarice (CHD63).  I don't know if that helps.
Anyway, I hope you get relief very soon so you can sleep again.

Keri

[msmaggie]

Hi Laura,

My chief complaint when I went back in for my very first check-up after surgery was that I was not sleeping well at night.  I was maybe getting 4 hours of sleep, but was reluctant to take anything because I was finally off all medication.  The dr. told me he would give me a prescription for Ambien and it was my choice to take it or not, but that it was silly to be miserable if there was something that could be done about it!  So, I cautiously took it and found that after about 3 or 4 nights, I was back into the sleeping groove again and did not need the Ambien.  Now I take it only if I am having a bad night.  It didn't leave me w/any kind of chemical hangover the next morning.

Moral of the story?  Don't be afraid of taking something (or asking for it) that will help you! 

Priscilla

[CHD63]

Hi Laura .....

Sorry you are having problems with eye/face pain in the night!  It is possible you are experiencing some trigeminal nerve irritation.  Is it only on the AN surgery side?  True trigeminal neuralgia results in excruciating (electric shock-type) pain in one or more of the 3 branches of the trigeminal nerve.  If you are experiencing a tingling-type sensation on your AN side, it could be irritation caused from temporary swelling.  If it continues I would certainly ask your doctor about it.

There might be other threads on inability to sleep post-op (I did not check.) but I have had very erratic sleep patterns since surgery ..... much dreaming and feeling like my brain is processing information all night ..... and close to being awake most of the night.  Like Priscilla I was (and still am) reluctant to take medication to sleep ..... mainly because I am afraid it could result in dependence ..... but that is my hang-up.     Priscilla has had a good result.

Let us know how you are doing.

Clarice

[Syl]

It's been a couple of months since I've been sleeping straight thru the night. I couldn't even take naps during the day. I'd wake up in the middle of the night with a headache or neck pain. Now that I'm getting treatment for headaches, I sleep better and I can now take naps during the day.

I hope that soon you'll be back to sleeping better.

Syl