Sleeping after surgery

Good Morning VSGers,

I've noticed that some sleevers have mentioned that they find it difficult to initially get a comfortable sleeping position after surgery. So my question...would you suggest that I purchase a recliner for my recuperation?

Thanks for your input

Im 8 days out, and HONESTLY, for me.. if I didnt have my recliner for the first 4days, I woulda been miserable. I'm only 5'2ish, and my beds rather tall.. I'm just now getting a comfortable position in bed.

I slept in my bed right away, but ahead of time, I did buy those wedge pillows for behind my head to bring it to 45 degree angle and a pillow designed for under the legs to elevate them...This helped a lot and since I am normally a side sleeper, I was not very comfortable, but at least it kept it bearable and me in a good position to not hurt the incisions & stay on my back. The worst part of sleeping is the getting in and out of the bed....the only thing that helps is holding a pillow tightly to your abdomen as you do it....

I slept in the recliner for the first 2-3 weeks. My bed is tall and I had a hard time getting in/out of it. Also, I didn't have anything nearby to grab on that would help me pull myself up. One day I decided to take a nap in the bed...well, I got stuck in the middle and floundered around trying to get out. I ended up sideways on the bed...it was quite comical.

Lol thats exactly what happened to me!

We have a very comfy couch that I probably could have slept on, but honestly, I don't know what I would have done without my recliner.  I couldn't easily get in or out of bed, and since I am a side sleeper, I just could get comfortable, even with pillows propped up everywhere.  The best thing about the recliner is that sitting and standing were much easier than rolling up to a sitting position, so I could get up and down easily.  The first time I tried the bed, I flailed around until the gf helped me up.

I'd hate to see anybody buy a piece of furniture for a 2-3 week need - maybe friends or family could lend you one?  Make sure you're comfortable in a recliner - it would be bad to buy one and find you couldn't sleep in it!!

I don't own a recliner, and didn't have any problems sleeping after surgery.  I'm usually a side or back sleeper, and I do have a body pillow that I use for under knees (back) or between knees (side). 

Question:  do you want a recliner for the long term?  If yes, go get one!!!!!

If not, maybe check out renting one.

Good luck! 

 Have been sleeping in bed post op with no problems.  Have a stool by the bed to make it easier to get in and out and use extra pillows. No prob sleeping on back or right side - but still uncomfortable sleeping on left side b/c of incision there. Good luck.

I thought about renting one, but ended up propping my side of the bed up with some couch cushions (under the first couple layers of mattress (we have a latex foam franken-bed) so that kept me in a comfy position for the first week I needed to sleep somewhat upright.

It was uncomfortable for me to lay out flat, both incision wise, and too much fat around my upper chest/neck-wise too. I'm a side sleeper, so that prevented me from slipping into that position in the middle of the night. I think it was a week or 10 days I propped, and then another few before I slept on my side, with a flattish pillow stuffed under my belly to keep my incisions comfy as my belly would pull on them.

I slept in the hospital on my side.  Slept at home in my bed on my side.  It took a few weeks before I was comfortable on my stomach.  I didn't have any problems getting up and down.

Truth is, you won't know until after surgery what you can and can't tolerate.  I don't think I'd buy a recliner "just in case," but, if you want one anyway, go for it.