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  • Sleeping on your stomach

    I always preferred to sleep on my stomach but couldn't do it for long because it'd hurt too much. Now since the surgery, I love to sleep on my stomach because its so comfortable and it doesn't hurt anymore. Of course, it takes me a minute to get there, I can't just flop over like before lol...but once I get there, I can sleep that way for a couple hours.

    My surgeon says its fine for my back, but not for my neck, but I told him when i slept on my stomach, I pushed my pillow up and slept flat on the bed, so he said that was fine.

    Just wondering if anyone else preferred sleeping this way, although its awkward to get in that position (for me anyways haha)

    Also, for anyone who's been post-op for a while, can you eventually like lay on your stomach and watch tv or color with your kids or is that just not possible? I know I can't lift my head while laying on my stomach or prop myself up on my arms while on my stomach like before.
    .: St@ci :.
    28 years old
    Mama to two daughters
    Diagnosed at 12 with double curves.
    No treatment.
    Decided on surgery 16 years later.
    Thoracic curve - 65
    Lumbar curve- 63
    Surgery was on January 15, 2009.
    Fused T2-L3
    No more curves now!

    Happier now than ever!
    http://www.lifeiscrooked.blogspot.com

  • #2
    I had always been a stomach sleeper, until I had my surgery in March. It's just not comfortable anymore, and it takes too much effort to get into that position. It just doesn't feel "right." I sleep on my side these days...

    Where were you fused? I am fused T2-L1, so maybe my long fusion has something to do with my lying on my stomach is just so uncomfortable. I feel that lying on my stomach also inhibits my breathing quite a bit!

    Comment


    • #3
      I used to LOVE sleeping on my stomach before my surgery. That is how I slept every night. I never slept any other way. And then after my surgery it was always too difficult to get to that position and get out of it that I stopped. I miss it! I have such a hard time sleeping because I'm so used to sleeping on my stomach. Right now I'm a side sleeper and have been since my surgery in May.

      Comment


      • #4
        I am fused from T2-L3. At first, I felt like I was being being pinned down haha...but now I just wriggle onto my stomach and stay that way for a while
        Last edited by twistedmama81; 07-30-2009, 03:23 PM.
        .: St@ci :.
        28 years old
        Mama to two daughters
        Diagnosed at 12 with double curves.
        No treatment.
        Decided on surgery 16 years later.
        Thoracic curve - 65
        Lumbar curve- 63
        Surgery was on January 15, 2009.
        Fused T2-L3
        No more curves now!

        Happier now than ever!
        http://www.lifeiscrooked.blogspot.com

        Comment


        • #5
          I haven't slept on my stomach since my surgery... it just doesn't work! I figured it's because my fusion is long and goes up pretty high, as do yours. When I've had to be on my stomach, there's no way I could have a pillow... my head won't bend up like that. It is SO uncomfortable! I also have a tough time on my side although it's gotten better with time. At over 2 years post-op, I am now used to sleeping on my back with an occasional change to my side.
          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


          • #6
            About 2 months post op I woke up on morning lying on my stomach, I had done it in my sleep! Then until about month 3 it was a big effort to get there but I loved it and felt no pain. I can sleep in any position but no matter how I fall asleep I tend to wake up on my stomach.

            As for your other question:

            Originally posted by twistedmama81 View Post

            Also, for anyone who's been post-op for a while, can you eventually like lay on your stomach and watch tv or color with your kids or is that just not possible? I know I can't lift my head while laying on my stomach or prop myself up on my arms while on my stomach like before.
            I can't do this yet, you'll probably be able to do so before me as you're a little ahead of me surgery wise.
            Age 25 at time of correction
            Sergery March 6th, 2009
            T4 to L4

            Comment


            • #7
              I too, used to be an occasional stomach sleeper. But always with a pillow under one side, which made it more comfortable. So far since surgery, I haven't been able to lie on my stomach because when I turn over onto my stomach I feel a bit of pressure in the centre of my back. But I do prop myself halfway between my side and my stomach and that's reasonably comfortable.


              Mainly I'm a side sleeper these days. I can sleep on my back but for some reason I feel imaginary lumps in the bed. When I put my hand there, there isn't any lump but I can feel it in my back, not sure why. I hope this will change in time.
              Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
              Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
              T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
              Osteotomies and Laminectomies
              Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free

              Comment


              • #8
                Well Heck! That's why my neck has been trashed. I was wondering what was going on.
                Thx Stacy.

                Duh.

                It took quite some time for me to graduate to stomach sleeping after my scoli surgery. About a year. My broken shoulder didn't help with that at all.
                It sure is nice to have that extra position to sleep in after sleeping on my left side and back for a year.

                Sleeping and having a long fusion is similar to the way a dachshund sleeps. They don't bend all that much in the middle and have a short neck.

                See if you agree if sleeping positions are similar.

                Woof
                Ed
                49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
                Pre surgery curves T70,L70
                ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
                Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

                Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
                http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

                My x-rays
                http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

                http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

                Comment


                • #9
                  Yesterday I tried for the first time to get on my stomach for a nap and to read which was always a favorite of mine. No way. It felt like my head weighed a ton and wouldn't come up to put a small pillow under it. Today I actually had a half hour massage and she had the face thing to put my head in. That was OK since it was lower than the table. Getting up I did feel something strange in the middle of my back so I think I will go back to my back. I always slept on my stomach before.
                  The massage felt really nice at the time but already feeling pains I didn't have before. And, yes, I did drink water. I've never had a massage pre-surgery where this didn't happen. It's great for such a short time. Did anyone else find this? Janet
                  Janet

                  61 years old--57 for surgery

                  Diagnosed in 1965 at age of 13--no brace
                  Thoracic Curve: 96 degrees to 35 degrees
                  Lumbar Curve: 63 degrees to 5 degrees
                  Surgery with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis--March 30, 2009
                  T-2 to Pelvis, and hopefully all posterior procedure.

                  All was posterior along with 2 cages and 6 osteotomies.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I never had surgery but I do have a lot of pain, sleeping on my stomach is like the only way I sleep now, it seems to be the most comfortable. i sued to be a side sleeper but it's too painful to sleep that way now and probably not the best for Scoliosis.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Hi...

                      I also used to sleep on my tummy, and had a horrible time breaking the habit. I'm still not completely over it. I stopped sleeping on my tummy years ago, when my chiropractor said it was bad for my neck. Mama, my chiropractor felt that tummy sleeping was bad for your neck, no matter whether one uses a pillow or not.

                      Regards,
                      Linda
                      Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                      ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                      Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I used to sleep on my stomach, however, three weeks before my surgery, I started putting a pillow on one side for comfort. I so wish I could return to sleeping on my stomach, I have had enough of the side, back, side thing.

                        Jennifer, I too have those lumpy feelings in bed. At first i thought it was my pjs all crumpled, but when i go to smooth them, there is nothing there.
                        The other day atmy 8week post-op appt, they made me lay down for my x-rays and it felt as though i was lying with two bricks under my lower back!
                        Vali
                        44 years young! now 45
                        Surgery - June 1st, 2009
                        Dr David Hall - Adelaide Spine Clinic
                        St. Andrews Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia
                        Pre-op curve - 58 degree lumbar
                        Post -op - 5 degrees
                        T11 - S1 Posterior
                        L4/5 - L5/S1 Anterior Fusion

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I am 3 yrs post op & due for a check up in September. I always slept on my tummy prior to surgery. Now I always sleep on my back as I can roll over but then it is hard to roll back! I am fused T11 to L5...I guess we all have to adapt in some way!

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Vali, I'm glad I'm not alone! I am forever pulling my clothing down, straightening the sheet but still the lumps are there. Even stranger, is the fact that when I first lie on my back, I'm perfect comfortable. It's only minutes later, I start to feel the lumps! I really do hope this feeling passes. It's the reason I mainly sleep on my sides. Imaginary lump syndrome.
                            Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
                            Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
                            T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
                            Osteotomies and Laminectomies
                            Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I used to love stomach sleeping, especially before I had kids. AFter the kids, my fav position switched to my left side, but I'd still like my stomach once in a while. I really miss it now, although I tried a few months ago and it just didn't feel RIGHT. I think I even had a DREAM I was sleeping on my stomach, that's how much I miss it.
                              __________________________________________
                              Debbe - 50 yrs old

                              Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
                              Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

                              Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
                              Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
                              Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

                              Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
                              Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

                              Comment

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