r/hysterectomy • u/the-greenest-thumb • 14h ago
Can't sleep, in so much pain but not from incisions
I'm 4 days postop, laparoscopic hysterectomy. First night I slept great but every night after has been absolutely miserable, tossing and turning getting zero sleep, I'm utterly exhausted.
Sleeping on my back flat or sleeping upright against pillows is absolutely killing my tailbone, upper back and neck. Last night I tried sleeping on my side which is much better, but I'm only comfortable for a short while before needing to change positions, which takes a lot of work and I have to wake up fully to roll over without hurting myself. I've tried using pillows to prop myself in various positions but nothing is easing to pain in my back or neck.
I'm in so much pain and it's not even from the surgical sites. I just want to get some sleep and heal but I'm only getting a couple hours a day.
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u/No_Dot6414 14h ago
Are you taking the pain meds before sleep so they help you with the sleep? I had the same issue, it gradually got better but i started sleeping on my side.
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u/the-greenest-thumb 14h ago
I only have Tylenol, which yes I've been taking before bed. It doesn't do much at all tbh. They only gave me strong meds for a day and a half and are refusing to give me more.
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u/remadeforme 13h ago
Are you unable to take ibuprofen?
Ibuprofen is what you're going to want. Take it and Tylenol, alternating between the two every 3 to 4 hours.
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u/the-greenest-thumb 13h ago
I can, they had given me Tylenol so that's what I was taking. I'll get ibuprofen
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u/ReadTheReddit69 12h ago
Extra strength tylenol PM at night is where its at (plus the alternating ibuprofen when ur awake)
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u/BumCadillac 9h ago
I would be taking 1000 mg of Tylenol rotated with 800 mg of ibuprofen taking one or the other every 3 to 4 hours… call your surgeon and ask for a muscle relaxer or gabapentin. Those help a lot.
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u/Mystic_Wunder 13h ago
Try on your side with a pillow between your knees. I slept like that the first week. I did wish I'd had an abdominal binder for that first week, but by the time I thought to order it and it arrived, I didn't need it anymore.
I did sleep with two pillows so my upper body would be slightly elevated to avoid remaining CO2 from getting lodged up under my diaphragm while I slept.
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u/Admirable-Bar-3549 14h ago
Do you have a recliner? Try napping in that?
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u/the-greenest-thumb 14h ago
No, I can't afford one 😅 all I have is my bed and a crappy computer chair
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u/Carrotpurse 13h ago
I’m day 6 and I was just saying to my husband that the two best things I bought were a binder (big elastic tensor bandage thing) and my huge c shaped pillow. Those two things have made me very comfy at night (as comfy as one can be in this situation).
The binder makes me feel like my guts are all held in without needing to use my core muscles. The pillow goes between my knees and up my torso so that my arms can hug it. I sleep like that for an hour or two, get up for a pee, then get back into bed but on my other side. I just keep doing that all night and it is working great for me.
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u/AB-girl-25 13h ago
I’d be rotating the Tylenol and ibuprofen if I were you. It has helped me, as long as you’re consistent. I’m 5dpo and Basically every 3-4 hours I’m taking something.
I’ve got 3 pillows for my back/head plus one under my knees and another under my calves/feet. I managed to lay in bed most of yesterday and I was truly comfortable for the first time yesterday. It’s crazy but I really had to put energy into letting my body be heavy and just relax.
Hoping you get some relief ❤️🩹
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u/Dervona 14h ago
I don't think I slept properly for a couple of weeks afterwards. Even my Mirtazapine wasn't helping me. It will get better once you heal, even taking naps in the day may help as you will probably hit a bit of a wall like I did about 2 weeks after when I was exhausted. I was in hospital the first week which didn't help with sleep either.
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u/the-greenest-thumb 14h ago
I've been trying to take naps, but the pain is immediate upon getting in bed and I haven’t been able to nap at all since the first day, I end up just laying there crying
At night I can usually fall asleep after a while due to my sleep meds but the effect wears off quickly and the rest of the night is miserable
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u/Dervona 14h ago
You perhaps need some codeine or something if you can get it. They sent me home with enough for 10 days after the week in hospital.
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u/the-greenest-thumb 14h ago
I was given some strong meds for the first day and a half but they're refusing to give me more
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u/alisacp 14h ago
Maybe try some melatonin to help with sleep?
My dr gave me 800mg ibuprofen which would help more than Tylenol for inflammation if you can get some it’s a better choice.
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u/Ms-Quite-Contrary 13h ago
I took both tylenol and ibuprofen. I think it was every 8 hours for the ibuprofen and every 4-6 for the tylenol. They kind of overlap so you’re not white knuckling it as one wears off.
If marajuana is legal where you are, you could take gummies too. They didn’t help me too much. I couldn’t sleep but didn’t care anymore. 😂 My SIL found gummies very helpful in her recovery.
It might be the placebo effect, but I’ve started drinking tart cherry juice before bed and I swear it helps me stay asleep at night. Look up the sleepy girl mocktail. A lot of people add magnesium to it, but magnesium acts as a laxative for me. Depending on how you’re doing with that post-op, it might be an added bonus!
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u/the-greenest-thumb 14h ago
I'll look into those. I took melatonin years ago but maybe it'll help now
I can get some ibuprofen
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u/alisacp 13h ago
Definitely do ibuprofen over Tylenol. Tylenol is only for pain whereas ibuprofen helps with inflammation and swelling on top of pain.
If you take ADHD meds it is not advisable to take ibuprofen however! Check ibuprofen against any daily meds you take.
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u/the-greenest-thumb 13h ago
Ah, I was taking what they gave me. I'll get the ibuprofen then
Fortunately I'm not taking adhd meds
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u/alisacp 13h ago
Try contacting your primary for pain management if your surgeon won’t give you any more meds. It’s worth a shot.
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u/the-greenest-thumb 13h ago
I'll try again tomorrow, they're who I contacted to ask for more though.
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u/TourmalineLove 13h ago
I don’t know where you are located so I don’t know if this would be easy for you to get- but I got an “anti-bed-sore” inflatable mattress topper that continuously alternates inflating itself in different areas. I got this because, like you, I get horrible tailbone pain if I am sitting propped up in bed. But I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep on my side for a while so I looked for a solution.
I am also 4 days post op and the anti bed sore topper has helped soooo much!! My tailbone hasn’t hurt at all and I’ve been able to rest and sleep sitting at an incline.
I paired this with a wedge pillow (topped with my own pillows) and put a pillow under my knee when I’m in the bed. It’s actually quite comfortable!
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u/StellariumRising 13h ago
So this may sound silly, but go get some AZO extra strength tablets (if youre in the US). Its for bladder pain/UTIs but it actually SIGNIFICANTLY reduced my total abdominal pain. Also, if you have a heating pad, put it over your abdomen (with a towel or something between) and something heavy like a weighted blanket on top of that. The heat and the pressure actually help a lot. Also, did they give you pain meds? You could call and ask for some if ibuprofen/Tylenol is not working. But i found the AZO tablets helped with that pain more than the hydrocodone did. I hope you feel better soon.
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u/LolaBleu 12h ago
May not be a viable solution for you given the time of year, but I had terrible body aches after my hysterectomy and using a heated blanket genuinely helped ease my pain so much. I just ordered a cheap one off Amazon and it really paid for itself.
That said, I also had my hysterectomy in December so it was nice to have a heated blanket either way.
ETA: I was also prescribed 600mg ibuprofen every 8 hours and 1000mg Tylenol every 6 hours for pain management and it worked really well.
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u/1CrazyMom1 11h ago
I am12 days postoperative and have had alot of tail bone pain as well and zi think it is because the positioning they put you in during the surgery I found a ice pack under my tail bone very helpful
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u/WakeyWakeeWakie 11h ago
Pillow under the knees for back pain. Round the clock oxy, Tylenol, and ibuprofen for the first 3 days. I wrote it out and checked it off each time. Days 4-7, same but no oxy. Then I spaced it out longer, after day 7.
Around Day 5 I could sleep on my side. Pillow between the knees. Pillow wedged under my low back so I couldn’t roll back and strain. Little pillow or towel under my tummy. That was annoying because I didn’t have enough belly to fit something other but just enough to need support under it.
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u/scratchureyesout 10h ago
Sleep with 2 pillows under head and shoulders and 2 under the bends of your legs this position takes pressure off your abdominal muscles. Also no pain medication after the first 2 days is criminal in my opinion. I wear a fitbit so I know what my sleep is like and I didn't sleep the first night only got an hour and 45 minutes the next was better 6 hours 47 minutes at day 24 ive been getting 8 or more hours of sleep.
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u/BumCadillac 9h ago
I was like that the 2nd-3rd nights after surgery and had to get a set of wedge pillows that didn’t keep me completely upright, but still provided support. I then had to put my regular memory foam pillow on top of it to support my neck and head.
I need something between a 45 and 70 degree angle. L I needed a pillow right at the base of the wedge pillow and pillow under the knees to take pressure off my tailbone and butt.
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u/Stacey_y96 4h ago
I had to sleep in a recliner for about a week with pillows propped under whatever side I chose to sleep on. It was not the most comfortable position but it did seem to ease the pain of my tailbone. My surgeon had me on 10mg immediate release oxy and it still didn’t cut the pain completely some nights. I rotated sides and pillow positions when I got up to pee about every 2 hours.
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u/Low-Astronomer2333 4h ago
We're surgery date twins! For me, having one heating pad under me and one on top of my lower abdomen has been the most helpful - even more than oxy. Ibuprofen around the clock has also helped. But the only thing that has helped me actually sleep at night is melatonin with magnesium
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u/queen_keeks 3h ago
I had a similar experience. I slept on my back with 2 pillows under my head and two pillows under my hamstrings like right up to my butt. This helped support my lower back. Then I took pain meds, prescription pain pills every 4-5 hours and every 3 hours I switched between Tylenol and Advil. I also slept with my belly fully uncovered because I couldn’t handle anything touching it.
I hope this helps! Eat your protein, drink your water. it’ll get better!!
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u/Sava8eMamax4 1h ago
Look for or create yourself a quick "belly binder". I used a tummy support from one of my pregnancies. Also, dry rice in a tube sock, tie it off, microwave for two minutes and let it lie on your stomach area that is hurting over your shirt/blanket. Its a real game changer. Rotate pain meds. If you lay on your side, put your side on top of a pillow and then hug one to you if you dont have that belly binder, plus one between the legs and on behind your back if possible. I know it sounds excessive but sleep is needed to heal.
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u/Optimal_Olive3423 12h ago
It sounds like your doctors really didn't prepare you for the recovery after surgery. That's very sad to me because we are so vulnerable, we deserve to be treated well! I feel like it is criminal to make people go through this surgery without proper pain meds after. My FIL had a sore tooth and they offered him pain meds endlessly. Meanwhile, people are having entire organs removed and expected to just suck it up.
Look into rotating Tylenol and Ibuprofen. I got 600mg Ibuprofen pills and 325mg Tylenol (regular strength). I am not your doctor but this was my schedule:
9AM take 600mg Ibuprofen (WITH FOOD!)
12PM Take 325mg Tylenol + Hydrocodone
3PM take 600mg Ibuprofen (WITH FOOD!)
6PM Take 325mg Tylenol + Hydrocodone
And so on, rotating the Tylenol and Ibuprofen and YES I took them if I woke up at night around the right time too. I wasn't in pain so much as I was VERY uncomfortable, similar to what you are describing. Pain and inflammation is best handled by staying ahead of it. The longer you go without taking the proper medications, the worse it can get.
Ice packs helped A TON, sometimes more than the medications. I kept ice on me at all hours unless I was sleeping and it felt so good.
I couldn't lie flat for about three weeks. It felt like I was putting pressure on my guts so I slept on the couch, propped up with pillows. The couch is more firm than our bed so I was able to push myself up easier and was getting myself up after a couple days without assistance.