Trust your gut instinct Pillow advice for sleep after shoulder surgery

How do you sleep after shoulder surgery? Also is it true you cannot lie flat for six months? This sounds like such agony it hardly seems worth it. My surgery is scheduled for 05/11.

Have been thinking of your upcoming 5/11 surgery. You will be great. As mentioned I had 2 shoulder surgeries last year. With the first one my arm was in a sling with my arm bent at elbow and pointing directly ahead for 6 weeks, 24 /7. Then with the reverse shoulder replacement a regular sling with a bump holding it about 4 inches from my stomach it felt like nirvana 🙂 . I slept in a recliner with both surgeries, propped up pillows supporting me for about 3 nights.After that I went back to my bed, slept on my back with no problems. You can sleep on your good side, your back, wouldn't suggest your stomach for a while because of the sling. Don't know who told you 6 months with no back sleeping but that certainly wasn't my experience. You may want to double check with your doctor and if that's the answer...get another opinion . Let us all know how it goes on the 11th. Both my surgeries were in the morning and I was home and hungry by late dinner. I could also have stayed in the hospital a night if I'd preferred. Did you talk to your doctor about a Nerve Block Catheter in your neck? Good luck. Sally

Hi @cattanzer, You will notice that I moved your comment along with @katrina123 and @itsally 's comments to a discussion regarding sleeping after shoulder surgery.
I have read that it is recommended to sleep in a recliner for the first couple of weeks. Did your physician suggest that?

What type of shoulder surgery are you having?

How do you sleep after shoulder surgery? Also is it true you cannot lie flat for six months? This sounds like such agony it hardly seems worth it. My surgery is scheduled for 05/11.

@msstoppainnagginme I had surgery to put a spacer at my C4-C5 and C5-C6 and then a titanium plate was used as part of the fusion. Over time the spacers will fill in with bone and be fused, so to speak.They went in through the front of the neck versus the back, which is safer in terms of the spinal cord being avoided. I had bone on bone at the C5-C6 and two herniations C4-C5/C5-C6. Also had two bone spurs removed and a little stenosis causing narrowing of the foramen. My symptoms were primarily on the left side with left shoulder issues, a painful spot in the upper left shoulder blade, left hand and fingers would sometimes tingle. Occasionally the right hand would do so as well. This developed about four years ago and I had several opinions on it. An orthopedic doc wanted to operate on it and my lower lumbar, as it had issues too. I then went to a neurosurgeon and he said no way to the lower lumbar but that he might entertain the idea of the cervical spine if my arm started to have issues functioning. I did some PT which only minimally helped. Eventually, symptoms went away. For whatever reason, they returned this past summer and were worse. Went to another neurosurgeon and he recommended the ACDF. I had already tried two months of prescription anti-inflammatories, an oral steroid pack, two epidural injections and three sessions of traction. He felt surgery was the only option. Oh and my neck did not have it's natural curve. It was more straight with one vertebra shifting almost the other way. He fixed that during surgery and said the way it had been was setting myself up for more herniations. I don't know if you are on Facebook or not but there is a great group of people with cervical spine issues that are very helpful. The Mayo Clinic Connect is also great but if you want additional insight, request to join this group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/CervicalDiscACDFSURGERY/

Hi - I had rotator cuff and biceps tenodesis surgery on both shoulders last year, 6 months apart. I was in a sling for about 7 weeks on each one. My surgeon told me to sleep wherever I could be comfortable and I personally found it way more comfortable to sleep in my recliner for the entire time I was in the sling. I could support my arm on a pillow and could even sleep on my side in my recliner. It was where I could get the most comfortable and the best sleep possible. I think you will find what works for you and every one of us are different- some can learn how to support your arm in bed and others in a recliner. Just try each and see where you can get most comfortable and the best sleep. Advice I was given by a friend was that if I did find my recliner more comfortable, spread a flat bed sheet on your recliner at night. That made it feel more like sleeping in my bed and was really a smart idea! Good luck!

Sleeping after shoulder surgery: I had surgeries on both of my shoulders, separately, several years ago. Bone spurs, torn rotator cuff, frayed biceps tendon. We bought a recliner since that was supposedly the best/only way to sleep after shoulder surgery. Not!!! I found it to be much more comfortable to sleep in my bed, with lots and lots of little pillows strategically placed to elevate/stabilize the shoulder. With chronic back problems, this was a much better solution all around. The one drawback was that I had to re-arrange my pillow fort after turning over and reaching for the Oxycodone and water every 4 hours.

Thanks for great feedback! I'm in my 4th week now, and got my best sleep yet (6 hours with 1 hour restless according to fitbit) in bed last night. Previously I was moving to recliner after about 3 hours and I did use a sheet and small pillow as you suggested. I really look forward to getting this sling off next week when I see ortho doc again.