Side-Sleeping Immediately after Unilateral Mastectomy?

jamiebeth

I'm having a unilateral mastectomy, but I have a neurological issue that causes a lot of pain if I sleep on my back, even elevated with pillows and a wedge under my knees. I'm talking a LOT of pain. For those of you who have had unilateral mastectomies, did any of you sleep on your unaffected side immediately after surgery? I'm not sure how I'm supposed to sleep if I can't sleep on my back. Thanks!

Spookiesmom

I had bmx I only sleep on my left side, that’s where the drain was. A body pillow, was good to sleep. Some ladies sleep in a recliner or on the couch.

star2017

Honestly I slept in a chair for a while.

Lille

I had issues sleeping on my back as well. If I didn't wake up with a headache, I was as likely to wake up feeling like I had been punched in the kidneys. I had a BMX and eventually I learned that I could stuff a nice fluffy pillow under one side of my back to sleep on a 45 degree angle, tilted towards my side without directly laying on my side. I wasn't laying on my incisions, I checked each night and it didn't shift the weight of my TE's that was noticeable. I could also wake up and move my pillow to stuff under the other side of my back. It helped alleviate a fair amount of pressure. A thought to try.

mightlybird01

I had right side UMX and slept on my left side right after surgery with no problems whatsoever. I did not have any special pillows or such things. I usually sleep mostly on my left side anyway, so that was lucky. I think you should be ok sleeping on your unaffected side. I can't sleep on my back either. Not because I have pains I just simply can't fall and stay asleep when laying on my back.

mightlybird01

Adding to say that the first night in the hospital I really can't remember what I did because I did not sleep at all, or not much. It was a very uncomfortable plastic feeling bed, very thin blankest and overall just very uncomfortable setting. But as soon as I was home I slept on my unaffected side without an issue.

jamiebeth

Thanks, everyone!

Elizabett

My back hurts if I lay on my back too long. I sleep on my good side - had a right mastectomy aug 6. I prop and lean toward my right side ok but I don't stay there long. If it doesn't hurt I would try it.

Fairchild

I had a bilateral mastectomy and went back to side sleeping (either side) right away.

jamiebeth

Thanks, everyone. I'm able to find a relatively comfortable sleeping position, but I'm not getting much sleep at night at all since my mastectomy on Sept. 2nd. I guess it's from all of the anxiety.