Tired and not sleeping well after auortic valve replalcerment and by pass
- Thread starter Barum27
- Start date
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"Am I expecting too much at this stage ?"
Maybe yes and maybe no as everyone heals differently, but if you're having problem sleeping see your doctor......you need your sleep to heal.
I too had problems sleeping and got a mild sleeping pill from the doc which made a big difference.
Good luck & take care
Maybe yes and maybe no as everyone heals differently, but if you're having problem sleeping see your doctor......you need your sleep to heal.
I too had problems sleeping and got a mild sleeping pill from the doc which made a big difference.
Good luck & take care
Hi - I think yes that it's only two weeks since you had your op that you probably are expecting too much ! This is one of the most major surgeries a person can have, your sternum has been cut and your heart stopped, your breathing stopped. This will not only affect you obviosuly physically but also your nervous system which explains why you are feeling tired and restless. It's perfectly normal. Be gentle on yourself, give yourself time to heal, do gentle walking but, goodness, even standing at the wash hand basin brushing my teeth sometimes seemed tiring during the first few weeks so I needed a chair in the bathroom to sit on. You will see progress with time - get plenty of rest during the day as well as the normal night time….most of us need sleeping meds the first few weeks. The cardiac hospital I was at said to carry on having a day time nap. You'll get there ! In a few weeks you'll be able to do cardiac rehab !
I would say yes. It's only been a couple of weeks and this recovery can take months. Some of us got through it pretty quickly while some took almost a year. Give you body time; it's been hit by a truck!
At two weeks post-op I was only sleeping about 4 hours at a time! I would go to bed the same time as my husband, watch at least one full-length movie on my tablet, then lay for what seemed like forEVER trying to get to sleep. I then would be wide awake at least an hour before his alarm went off. 15 months later I still sleep several hours less than he does, but I'm getting 5-6 hours of really good sleep finally. Make sure you're eating healthy, being moderate with the caffeine for the time being, and getting plenty of rest especially after walking. At two weeks I found I needed about an hour to rest after a 15-20 minute walk or a shower. And not just "resting", but a real eyes-closed, mild snoring NAP resting! Your circulation is much improved, and your body needs to re-adjust and define a new normal for that.
carolinemc
Well-known member
Barum, you just got home and it has been two weeks. Best to go to doctor, regular doctor and talk about the loss of sleep and see what the doctor suggests. Let us know how it comes out. Good luck and hugs for today! 
T in YVR
Well-known member
It gets better with time and further healing...you're only 2 weeks post op. If you don't want to go the sleeping pill route (which I didn't), try a Gravol. I found they knocked me out and helped me get back into a better sleeping rhythm..,and they're pretty harmless in terms of side effects etc.
Tony
Tony
T in YVR
Well-known member
It gets better with time and further healing...you're only 2 weeks post op. If you don't want to go the sleeping pill route (which I didn't), try a Gravol. I found they knocked me out and helped me get back into a better sleeping rhythm..,and they're pretty harmless in terms of side effects etc.
Tony
Tony
cldlhd
Well-known member
I seemed to have good days and bad in tjisr 1st few weeks home . Sometimes sleep was difficult but 7 days post surgery I was at my sons basketball game.So during waking hours I felt pretty good but I had some restless nights.
I had a lot of odd disturbances to my sleep routine after surgery. At first, all was fine. Then a few weeks after surgery, I found that I would fall asleep OK but wake up at 2 or 3 AM, unable to get back to sleep for hours. At first I found this really unnerving, as I was used to needing my rest at night to get to work the next day. But I was off on medical leave for a while, so I gradually convinced myself that I would sleep when I could, and if I was awake for a while in the middle of the night, so be it. I would have a light snack and maybe read or surf the web for an hour or two, then go back to bed. Usually I was able to get back to sleep.
My doctor prescribed Ambien, but after I filled the prescription and read the potential side-effects, I never took any.
The one thing I did try, and had pretty good results from, was ordinary over-the-counter Benadryl. This is sold as an allergy medication, an antihistamine. My daughter was, at the time, working in the mental health profession, and she told me that they often gave patients Benadryl when they needed just a bit of help sleeping but not enough to warrant prescription meds. The Benadryl was available without prescription and had minimal side effects when used at the recommended dosage. I tried it, taking it at bedtime, and was able to stay asleep for the night. I think I used it for 2 or 3 weeks, until my normal sleep cycle was re-established.
My doctor prescribed Ambien, but after I filled the prescription and read the potential side-effects, I never took any.
The one thing I did try, and had pretty good results from, was ordinary over-the-counter Benadryl. This is sold as an allergy medication, an antihistamine. My daughter was, at the time, working in the mental health profession, and she told me that they often gave patients Benadryl when they needed just a bit of help sleeping but not enough to warrant prescription meds. The Benadryl was available without prescription and had minimal side effects when used at the recommended dosage. I tried it, taking it at bedtime, and was able to stay asleep for the night. I think I used it for 2 or 3 weeks, until my normal sleep cycle was re-established.
