Getting out of bed

[David by Philly]

Any sugestions for getting out of a standard twin bed in the morning? After laying on my back all night without turning, my back muscles have no strength in the morning, and any way I seem to turn to try to get up hurts (not to mention all the pain meds have worked they way out of my system overnite)

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Do you have a RECLINER? Many patients find them much more comfortable for the first few weeks post-op and definitely easier to get into and out of.

Here's an idea I used when I broke my collar bone:

Tie a rope around the bottom of the bed. When you want to get up, slip your feet under the rope and do a sit up.

'AL'

 

[Rain]

Lots of pillows.

Lots of pillows.

Dave.... when sleeping in bed, you have to have lots of pillows. If you put them behind your back, between your legs, between your arms, etc... you?ll realize a world of difference in how you feel. When you decide to get up... make sure you have one between your arms.. then roll to your side and sit up from that position. That's what worked for me.

I?m impressed that you can already sleep all night. You lucky dog.

 

[Beverly]

Getting out of bed

Dave,

When I had my aortic valve replaced in 1990 I do remember that this was a painful chore so I slept on a few more pillows than usual so that I didn't lay flat and I sort of turned on my side a bit so that I could ease my way up using my arm to help raise myself. It does get easier!

 

[Rich]

Dave,
I'm surprised you can spend the whole night on your back, that was too painful for me.
Spent a lot of nights in a recliner and slept quite well in it.
As far as getting out of bed I probably couldn't have done it without help from my wife.

 

[Johnny Stephens]

Wow, 6 days out and you're already sleeping in your own bed? It was 2 -3 weeks before I tried it. A couple here have mentioned the recliner, and I second that. I too would have been unable to get in or out of bed at 1 week without a lot of help.

Don't rush it - you'll likely be a bit wobbly first thing in the morning for a couple of weeks.

REALLY happy to hear you're doing so well!

 

[Nancy]

I think Rain mentioned it. If they gave you a heart pillow, clutch that to your chest while maneuvering to get up from sitting or lying down, if you didn't get a heart pillow, just use one of your own.

Also remember to keep a small pillow with you for when you have to cough or sneeze. It will help with the sharp pain in those cases, if you clutch it.

And if you feel a sneeze coming on, press your finger just under your nose on the upper lip. It's an accupressure point. Sneezes are awful.

 

[Georgia]

Oh, you poor thing

Oh, you poor thing

1. Take a baby glass (with the no-spill top) and pain meds to bed with you; take when you first begin to awaken; will be in much better shape in 15 - 20 minutes. I did this every day.

2. Do you have a headboard on your bed? If so, that's how I got out of bed - roll slightly to the side, reach over head and use arm strength to pull yourself up (grabbing the headboard). If you don't have a headboard, have someone put a heavy chair or chest next to your bed to give you something to grab to maneuver this way. Takes all the pull off your chest and puts it in your arm. Has added advantage of stretching your arm and rotating the joint, which is a good thing.

Hope this helps. If not, I vote for the recliner. However, it won't be long before you can sleep slightly on your side so your back muscles don't react so badly. Good luck, and sweet dreams!

 

[Gnusgal]

This worked for me...

This worked for me...

When I needed to get out of bed, I found that the easiest thing to do was to turn on my side and have my legs hang over the side of the bed. Then I'd carfully push myself up to a sitting position. I too was sleeping in my bed shortly after the surgery. I found it helped to slowly flatten the hospital bed each night until I ended up sleeping flat so that when I went home it wouldn't be as difficult a transition. Of course, at the hospital it was nice to be able to use the bed to help sit up, but I tried to stear clear of that as the days progressed, just for practice. I guess it helps to have been through it before and know how to "train" so to speak. I hate sleeping on my back, so I force myself onto my side quicker than most, I think...

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Pillows are key as Rain said. We bought one of those reading pillows with the sides on it. Plus topped it off with another 3. One more to my side. I was not comfortable in the recliner. It works for some folks though.

To this very day I am the biggest pillow hog I sleep on 3-4! Old habits die hard. Also slept with my bed upright in the hospital. Something I read before surgery. Helps keeps your lungs clear. My surgeon commented how remarkable they did look as well. Let him in on my little secret

In a nutshell, the more pillows you can get your hands on the better!

All the best to you for a speedy recovery.

 

[David by Philly]

Solutions

Solutions

Thanks for all the advise...

I tried the hug me pillow idea. I grabbed the pillow, let my legs dangle over the bed and then hugging very tightly, let my stomacach muscles and legs right me up. It took about 10 -15 seconds but was virtually painfree.


BUT, after all this, I woke up at 2:00 AM, and wanted to let my mother get some extra sleep, so tried not to wake her. Went into the den with the quilt. About 4:30, she came walking in the den, sees me reading, tells me not to worry about her. I tell her I am actually more comfortable in sitting on the sofa with my feet propped up, and think I will sleep in here at nite (we have no recliner). She reluctantly agreed (feeling her son shouldn't have to sleep on the sofa). But this is the most comfortable, easiest to get up from, and lends itself to quick naps.

(plus she is telling me I am yelling a bit in my sleep, and less chance of waking each other with snoring). She is taking great care of me and she deserves to get as much quality sleep as possible.

 

[Georgia]

How frustrating

How frustrating

It just shouldn't be so hard to find a comfortable way to sleep!

You must not have been around enough pre-surgery to be convinced you needed to have a recliner! I'm glad you found a way to handle it. Fortunately, the real problems don't last too long. Hang in there, Dave.

 

[Nancy]

Hi David-

Joe spent about a month sleeping sitting upright on the sofa after all of his 3 heart valve surgeries and 2 lung surgeries. It didn't look comfortable to me, but I wasn't the patient. He didn't want a recliner.

Whatever works for you is what you have to do. Sleeping is important to recovery.

It won't always be this way, I promise.

 

[hensylee]

David - there is no easy way to get up - from a twin bed, from a full size bed, from a recliner - from a couch. Believe me, in the last 3 weeks I have tried them all and am still struggling - but it gets easier with time. (I had abdominal surgery this time around). My twin bed turned out to be softer and easier to sleep in than anything else in the house - but it sure is troublesome to get out of. I just kinda fell over on my side and pushed up slowly with my elbow til I was sitting up. Then the problem is pushing on up to a standing position! As Rain and others said, maybe lots of pillows under your shoulders will give you a boost.

 

[David by Philly]

Sofa and stool

Sofa and stool

Well, my Mom can't believe I am comforatable sleeping that way, but I am. I can get 5-6 hours a nite, and then nap in the day as I want. Easy to be watching tv at nite (or in the day) and just let myself nod off for that position.

I i'll try the bed again in a few weeks, when turning to my side does not cause much pain. For now, my make-shift recliner is working just fine.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

As long as it works for you, just do it.
Anything over 3 hours sleep at a time is GREAT.

One more idea would be to get a 'neck pillow' like the ones recommended for traveling on planes or in cars.

You sound pretty positive David. Keep your spirits up and you will do fine.

'Al'

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi david!
i'm so glad to see you are getting some rest. five hours a night is amazing for anyone at your stage.
we did not have a recliner at the time, but we had a chair that leaned back slightly and had a footstool.
we moved it into the bedroom and joey would alternate between that and his "over-flowing with pillows" bed. (by the way, gina, joey now also uses quite a few pillows when he sleeps_ funny!!)
i agree with whatever works is good.
he, too, would slightly roll onto his side and lower his legs to the floor, then pushing himself up into a full seated position and then into a standing postion in the beginning. it does get easier as you recover and get stronger. same with the pain; it diminishes as you start to heal.
please take it easy, keep resting when you can. i remember joey just dozing off every so often and then being awake for awhile, then napping again and so on....
wishing you a continued smooth recovery.
please keep us up to date on how you're doing.
all the best, sylvia

 

[Christine]

Hi David, I was living in Dallas when I had my AVR done.. we had a water bed at that time.. i slept in the spare bed for a month.. but i used the heart pillow I rec'd at the hospital as a prop to slowly roll up and out of bed with..

now that i'm in the philly area.. live in pottstown, work in eddystone - i found the cardio center of philly in crozer chester great..

hope you are doing better by now.. with all my moving stuff, i've been out of circle and didn't realize you're less than 2 weeks post op..

christine

 

[Don]

You might give this a try .....

You might give this a try .....

Hi David,
You might try this approach for getting out of bed after heart surgery:
Gently roll over onto your stomach.
Work your legs over the side of the bed into a kneeling position just as if you were saying your prayers before going to bed.
Rest a moment &/or say a prayer.
Use your arms, shoulder and leg muscles to ease yourself into a standing position.
It worked for me. (I had MI surgery which may or may not have made it a little easier for me.)
Best wishes,
Don
AVR; MI; 4/02; CCF; Cosgrove; Bovine Tissue Valve

 

[cinda575]

I am three weeks out of hospital...heart surg was 12-17-03.. but due to other comp's i got out on the 2nd of jan.. I cannot sleep in my bed yet on my back or side...if i am on my back it feels like my scar is being ripped open and when i wake up my muscles are so sore....so I sleep on the recliner which is better for about three days at a time then that is uncomfy and need to change positions... I wish I could get better, i wanna sleep in my bed....I am a little heavy so trying to sleep on my side feels like i am cruching my ribs...I also agree with the recliner but maybe get a wedge pillow it will raise your torso so it isnt lying flat...good luck!