Sleep Patterns After AVR Surgery

[Rush20]

I'm curious if anyone has noticed a change in sleep patterns after have AVR or heart surgery.

Prior to surgery, I averaged about 6-6.5 hours of sleep per night. I knew I needed more and I tried to "make-up" sleep on the weekends. I know that strategy was not the best, however that was my life as I had been a night owl most of my life.

Post-surgery and especially during the 6 weeks of recovery prior to returning to work, I enjoyed the luxery of getting a 8 hours of sleep every night on the average. I now notice (15 months post-op) that my body does not tolerate lack of sleep like it used to. If I don't make a strong effort of getting 7-8 hours every night, I literally shut-down around 3 PM each afternoon. If I eat a heavy lunch, it's even worse.

Has anyone else noticed similar patters after surgery? I'm wondering if my new valve/heart repair has anything to do with it? Maybe I'm just getting
old(er) - 41?!

Thoughts?

 

[Ross]

Sleep? What is this sleep your talking about? Yes, my patterns changed alright, I cannot sleep more then 3 hours at a time. Needless to say, I'm tired most all of the day.

 

[PapaHappyStar]

I'm up too, but I have always been a night person, I am hoping the AVR dosent change this much -- I like the peace of being able to work at night.

I dont see any reason why it should though, if you are basically recovered from the surgery ( cant be worse than recovering from many other wounds -- and I am sure there has been research done on how to control and minimize the impact of a surgical wound compared to something more uncontrolled ).

I would go to my doctor and get a thorough check up ( maybe blood work etc ). Since I found out about the heart condition I have been more willing to listen to the signals from my body and more open with people associated with my medical care to try and ascertain if anything unusual could be causing what I feel ( I have felt somewhat elevated levels of fatigue and asked them to do an analysis of the endocrine system to try eliminate causes other than the valve problem )

 

[tobagotwo]

At seven months out, I've noticed a tendency similar to yours. I really think that at some level, my body is fighting to keep that seven-plus hours of sleep.

There is no question that my body misses "nap time" somewhere in the early afternoon.

When I take the time to think about it, it's actually much more normal than my old sleep habits, which would be considered somewhere in the deprivation range. I used to make up for lack of time to do things by stealing from my nightly ZZZs.

I can still abuse my sleep patterns, but am much less often motivated to do so.

Best wishes,

 

[Rush20]

Thanks for the feedback. The first 6-12 months post-op I had to consider the medications such as Toprol XL and other calcium/beta blockers had something to do with drowsiness, etc. due to the effort of slowing my heart rate.

Now that I am off all meds except for Coumadin, I'm trying to gauge my overall level of energy. I plan to try for a "perfect week" whereas I go to bed at the target time and wake at the target time. Combined with maintaining the target diet and exercise schedule, I'm hoping to turn it into more of a life habit.

I don't think my body has ever fully recovered from the college years when I went to classes full time and bartended at night. My first 9-5 job was a killer because it took so long to adjust my body clock.

As to bloodwork, etc. I just had all the tests run 1-year post-op and everything came back fine. I just don't think I can abuse my body the way I used to and I now have a ticking reminder for the rest of my life.

 

[Rush20]

Sleep? What is this sleep your talking about? Yes, my patterns changed alright, I cannot sleep more then 3 hours at a time. Needless to say, I'm tired most all of the day.

Sorry to hear Ross! That's gotta be rough. Any REM during those brief periods? If not, I'm sure you body's is taking a hit for it.

 

[Bryan B]

I'm 8 months post-op and my sleeping patterns have still not returned to normal. Before I got sick last year I used to get by on 6hrs a night no problem and could function on 4hrs if I had to. Now if I don't get 8hrs I am wiped out by the middle of the day. I'll go 3-4 days in a row where I can't get more than 4 hours (due to insomnia), then I'll have a night where I sleep for 12 hours straight to catch up. I'm not working right now so that may have something to do with it. I'm not a morning person at all, and I can't tell you how many sunrise walks I've taken recently because I wake up at 3 or 4 in the morning and can't get back to sleep. I was taking Ambien while I had my PICC line in and after OHS and it helped alot, but I decided to stop taking them before I became dependant on them.

 

[Harrybaby666]

Speaking Of Sleep Patterns.....

Speaking Of Sleep Patterns.....

I was just wondering if any of you had any periods before your surgeries where all you wanted to do was sleep. I am finding that I can go say, maybe 8 hours at the most without wanting to lay down and go to sleep...this was alot worse before I started my Sleep Apnea (CPAP) machine...although I still want to go to bed early (6 pm-7 pm) more and more frequently, when in fact I too am a night person...I was just wondering if this happened to any of you, and how you handled it with the cardio's and such. Harrybaby666

 

[Guest]

Prior to surgery, I averaged about 6-6.5 hours of sleep per night. I knew I needed more and I tried to "make-up" sleep on the weekends. I know that strategy was not the best, however that was my life as I had been a night owl most of my life.

Heh...this about describes my sleep patterns to a T. My problem is that I'm both a morning person (once I'm up and about, that is) and a night owl. I love staying up late and reading my message boards at the late hour...not sure why, though.

Has anyone else noticed similar patters after surgery? I'm wondering if my new valve/heart repair has anything to do with it?

From my experience, no. Right after the surgery, during my recovery at home, I slept just about whenever I wanted and could "sleep in" to keep 7-8 hours per night. But, once I returned to work and didn't have the "sleep in" ability...and, of course, less hours to do the things I wanted to do, I reverted back to my "old ways". Not exactly a good thing.

*shrugs*

But, that's been my experience....


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