sleep problem

Posted by spadgera @spadgera, Jun 21, 2023

I just had heart by-pass surgery it has been almost two weeks since the surgery. Since the surgery I have not been able to sleep. I don't have any real pain I just unable to sleep. Any suggestions?

Jerry

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Hi and congratulations on your surgery. I found your question fascinating so did a bit of research:
"The total time a person experiences insomnia symptoms after a surgery can vary. Typically, symptoms last a few days to a few weeks. Major surgeries tend to disrupt sleep more than minor procedures. A procedure that requires spending one or more nights in the hospital is also more likely to result in poor sleep".
I imagine others will post about their experiences and probably the best thing you can do is not to worry about it. Your body will decide when it needs more sleep.

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I had a first catheter ablation last July, but in the workup to be eligible for the ablation procedure I had to have an angiogram four months earlier. In both instances, sleep in the weeks afterward was poor, often as little as 4.5 hours. I asked my GP about it and he prescribed Zopiclone, albeit reluctantly. My pharmacist asked me, when he filled the prescription, if my GP know about my severe sleep apnea. I replied in the affirmative, but the kind gentleman advised me to use only half a pill, and not the prescribed single dose tablet, of which I was issued four in total.
Happily, the half tablet did the trick, but I know from experience that using a 'crutch' too much brings on a whole nuther set of problems. So, after that first half tablet, I cut each half in half again, and then only took 1/4 tablet every three or four nights for the next few weeks. I won't lie, some nights were long and trying, but the few nights I resorted to the Zopiclone worked quite a bit better. And this is my message: get help if you need it, but continue to endure the rough sleepless nights in between. Try for at least two days between tablets. Don't come to rely on the sleep aid. Fight! And learn to relax. Practice good (great) sleep hygiene, and get out and walk at least 30 minutes each day. Walking is very good for stress busting, as is running or cycling.

One other tip: if you don't already use it, try 3 mg of melatonin. This is important.....3 mg, not the larger doses that are on the shelves. Take it, like the Zopiclone, every other or every third night and endure the odd poor sleep in between. If you use sleep aids sparingly, they'll retain their potency. If you have it every day, they become 'familiar', and your body and mind will come to rely on them.

Living ain't fer sissies.

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