Trouble sleeping on my back - Tips?

BritinPas
BritinPas Member Posts: 4
edited December 2020 in Pain

Looking for wisdom on how to find comfort sleeping on my back. I’m a side sleeper, but have been sleeping on my back since my first surgery on 10/20 and likely have to until my exchange surgery recovery next Feb. My back can’t take it anymore and I wake in discomfort/achey every night for a couple of hours. I stretch, use a wedge and lots of other pillows to prop me up. I sometimes try to sleep in my recliner. Any tips on how to find comfort and sleep through the night? Thanks to you all and wishing you a restorative Thanksgiving.

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  • MelissaDallas
    MelissaDallas Member Posts: 7,268
    edited November 2020

    Wedge pillow! I am a side sleeper. My parents bought me one (Bed, Bath and Beyond I think) when I had ovarian cancer surgery and my incision was from pubis to sternum. Not only do they make it more comfortable to back sleep (propped up), but they make it much easier to get yourself up and down out of bedand make it much harder to roll over when you are not supposed to side-sleep.

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  • MelissaDallas
    MelissaDallas Member Posts: 7,268
    edited November 2020

    Wedge pillows

    https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/s/pillow-wedges


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  • Spookiesmom
    Spookiesmom Member Posts: 9,568
    edited November 2020

    Full length body pillow.

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  • Sunshine99
    Sunshine99 Member Posts: 1,680
    edited November 2020

    That sounds like a good idea, MelissaDallas. I know that whenever I have a scan or radiation and I'm on my back, they always give me a wedge pillow or a square block to rest to lower legs on. Now that I think of it, it was the same when I was getting PT for my neck (non-cancer related). I'm often uncomfortable in bed, and I'm thinking that I might try a wedge pillow/cushion and see if that helps.

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  • WC3
    WC3 Member Posts: 1,540
    edited November 2020

    Due to the ports causing pressure in my neck and the surgeries, I had to sleep on my back through most of my treatment. But I managed to kind of orient myself to the side when I really had to. It was a matter of figuring out how far I could go and maintaining that position.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited November 2020

    I actually use a foam roller under my knees. Pillows kept getting too flat.

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  • Lille
    Lille Member Posts: 34
    edited November 2020

    For myself I found that a wedge pillow isn't all that comfortable, mine at least is too firm. I placed a pillow at the top and at the bottom to help cradle my back. If you try this, play around with pillow placement. Most of the time, however, I sleep in a zero gravity chair which I'm sure is probably more unusual but I didn't have space for a recliner. I would recommend that you get a small rectangular pillow to place behind your lower back for lumbar support. It will help shift the pressure off of your lower back and you'll find you will be far more comfortable. Although my PS said I could sleep on my side after the first month from my first surgery it's simply been too painful with TE's so I've been sleeping on my back since mid-July. I hope you find something that helps, I feel your pain. Literally. :)

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  • BritinPas
    BritinPas Member Posts: 4
    edited December 2020

    In case it helps anyone else, I found a good solution for back sleeping. Its more expensive than I would have preferred ($200 on sale), but I needed to go back to work and needed to get back to sleeping well at night. And after a full week, I can tell you that this really works! From the first night on, it eliminated my back aches and I was sleeping through the night again instead of waking up in pain. It's adjustable to help with any angle - laying or sitting up.

    Store - Relax The Back

    Product - Purefit Adjustable Wedge

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