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  • Doing well but trouble sleeping! help!

    Hey everyone,

    I am 7 weeks post op now and really am doing well. I am back moved into my apartment at school and classes start thursday. I feel ready to sit through class, the only thing is, will I be able to stay awake? I am SOO tired during the days because I am having such issues sleeping at night after coming off all my meds. I take tylenol occasionally, and at night have resorted to benadryl (tylenol PM basically), and 1/4 to half of a valium to go to sleep. Problem is obviously it doesn't help that it makes me really tired during the days and I really am not sleeping well even taking that. I am not going back to see Dr. Lenke until September 17th for my follow-up, and I am so sick of being tired!!!

    Anyone have similar issues after getting off their narcotics? I have been off of them for a good three weeks now and I can't imagine I would still be having withdrawl. If you had this problem, how have you dealth with it? Any advice would be appreciated!!!!

    Abbie
    aBbiE
    22 yr old F,KU college student
    Kyphoscoliosis...
    Scoliosis (25T, 23L) diagnosed @ 14 yrs old; curves June 08 were 45T, 32L with 18 degree rotation
    Kyphosis of 65 degrees...
    I am missing a lumbar vertebrae

    Surgery 6/30/2008 with Dr. Lawrence Lenke
    Fused T2-L2


    before/after pics
    all smiles!

  • #2
    I did not sleep well at night for weeks but once I went back to work, I think that improved. I had gotten so used to resting at will during the day. I think once you get back into a routine and you are forced to be awake and upright for most of the day, you will sleep better at night. The hardest thing for me being back to work was holding my head up all day - my neck hurt!. I was so used to lying down alot at home. Computer work didn't help. As soon as I got home from work I would go lay down for 30 mins or so - I would tell me husband "I have to go get flat for awhile".
    Jan Lotherington,
    56* thoracic curve, 50* lumbar curve
    A/P fusion T3-Sacrum, Dec 11&13 2007
    at age 55
    Dr Bridwell

    Comment


    • #3
      I still have trouble sleeping and it's been almost 6 months since I came off the meds. I take Melatonin at night which helps a little. I also stay up very late so I'm more tired, and I get as much exercise as possible. I also use a fan for white noise. Since I started working and getting more mentally tired, I'm doing a bit better, but it's been frustrating.
      Chris
      A/P fusion on June 19, 2007 at age 52; T10-L5
      Pre-op thoracolumbar curve: 70 degrees
      Post-op curve: 12 degrees
      Dr. Boachie-adjei, HSS, New York

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi Abbie,
        I found that using relaxation tapes helped me get to sleep really well, and all the other usual things like not drinking coffee in the afternoon. I'm also a university student, and I think you're doing so well to be feeling ready to get back to class. I found I had difficulties with sitting and concentrating, as well as motivation after my surgery. If you need to take a bit more time, don't be afraid to because you wouldn't want your grades to suffer.

        PS- are you at Kansas State? ( I think that's the name, with all the purple colors!) My friends who live in Kansas both went there.
        Last edited by nzgirl; 08-20-2008, 03:20 AM. Reason: added more stuff!
        1994 curve at age 13, 70 degrees, untreated
        2000 Anterior fusion with instrumentation T9-L2, corrected to 36 degrees, 14 degree angle between fused and un-fused thoracic spine.
        2007 26 degrees junctional scoliosis
        Revision surgery, 6th December 2007 T4 to L3, Posterior approach.
        msandham.blogspot.com

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by nzgirl View Post
          PS- are you at Kansas State? ( I think that's the name, with all the purple colors!) My friends who live in Kansas both went there.
          No, I'm at KU... K-State is our neighbor rival, but I know a lot of people that go there too. If it rings a bell, KU men's basketball won the national championship last april!!!

          As for the sleeping, I don't actually sleep during the day. I am not much of a nap person because I feel like I am missing out. Then I'm wiped out by 10pm which is when college world comes to life. I usually go to sleep around 1-1:30 amd wake up around 9 or 10am (that's going to change here soon, classes start tomorrow again). I wake up like every two hours during the night, so I never get a good night's sleep. Is is unreasonable for me to ask my dr for a sleep aid? Just so I can sleep better and stop taking the 1/2 valium at night?
          aBbiE
          22 yr old F,KU college student
          Kyphoscoliosis...
          Scoliosis (25T, 23L) diagnosed @ 14 yrs old; curves June 08 were 45T, 32L with 18 degree rotation
          Kyphosis of 65 degrees...
          I am missing a lumbar vertebrae

          Surgery 6/30/2008 with Dr. Lawrence Lenke
          Fused T2-L2


          before/after pics
          all smiles!

          Comment


          • #6
            well... i have those nights when i can't sleep... but i will be praying for you, and hopefully you'll be able to sleep. have you asked about lunesta???
            maybe that would help??? my friends mom's take that.
            Valerie

            Age: 18
            Hi, my name is Valerie, but you can call me Val or V.
            I wore a Boston Brace from 2007-2010
            My curves were 30 and 31
            I now have only a single curve which stands at 35 degrees.
            I owe all of my blessings to The Lord!
            I am very thankful with where my spine is at right now.
            I want to meet some new people on this forum!
            Don't be shy...
            Feel free to message me if you would like to chat!

            Comment


            • #7
              Abbie-- just wanted to say I hope you get the sleep issue resolved. Talk to your doctor about it.

              I hope you have a great year-- study hard, but enjoy life too. (It IS possible to do both.)
              71 and plugging along... but having some problems
              2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift)
              5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
              Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago

              Corrected to 15°
              CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
              10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring

              Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

              Comment


              • #8
                I came off all my pain killers only ONE week after surgery and had SO much trouble sleeping. I couldn't find comfortable positions then my leg or butt would be sore/asleep lol. But probably 2 or 2 and a half weeks after my surgery I started sleeping WELL and sleeping in laaaaate hehe.
                17 years old - Female - Canada
                Had fusion surgery June 26th, 2008
                Feel free to ask me ANY questions about my experience!

                Comment

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