United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Well I tried to stop taking my fentanyl patch for pain I made it two weeks. I haven't slept a good night since.I just put a new one on, I kinda feel like a wimp, but it was going to drive me nuts.I thought I could maybe just use the lyrica but it was not enough.Has anybody have problems sleeping on their side or laying flat 7 months after surgery.I seem to go from my bed to the recliner more often. dose anybody know of a good way to sleep?I'll take any kind of suggestions Thanks and God bless Denny

Man learning to sleep is so hard. I had a physical therapist show me different ways to prop myself up on pillows. At the time I was single so four or five pillows in the bed were not that big of a deal! I only use three bed pillows and a small shaped pillow now. I use one pillow under my head. The other two go under each shoulder. It offers the support I need to take pressure off my shoulder. The small shaped pillow I put in the crock of my arm (elbow) and rest my hand on it. I have not been able to sleep on the injured side for any length of time since the accident. Early on if I rolled over on it, it would wake me up. Now there are times apply some pressure (by laying on it) actually helps. Of course I am one of those that feels like their arm is going to fall out of the socket!

The kind of bed you have is also VERY important. For me a water bed was a God send. It formed to my body and offered the support I needed. About two years ago we invested in a Sleep Number Bed. Worth every dime! I can adjust the bed every night to how I feel. It is great.

Don't feel like a wimp! There are many of us that require maintenance medication. I have been injured for 16 years. I have maintenance med's as well as "emergency" (stronger) pain pills. Actually having a rough time tonight and will most likely require some of the emergency med's before I will be able to sleep.

Sleeping IS hard!! 20+ years for me and I still wake several times a night to reposition. I haven't found a comfortable way to sleep. I use to sleep on my bad side, only for a tiny while but now I have an implant in my arm so its too painful to lay on it. I can sleep on my stomach, I lay on my arm at the same time but thats also for a short time. Sleeping is always been tough. Plus now my injury is starting to effect my neck. I find I'm in more pain sleeping than I am during the day. But it comes and goes.........it is not always painful. I use to take allergy medication to sleep through the night but it now makes me hyper. I don't take anything for pain and I do have a ton of pain but I still don't take anything. The pain wasn't too bad when I was first injured and I was young. Then I was either pregnant, nursing or trying for another baby. (4 children later........) There are times when I want to try pain meds but I don't do well with all kinds of medication. I'm sure as I get older and the pain increases I will have no choice.
Good luck with the sleeping-I hope you get some good ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ's soon. Its will get better!
Kath

I had my TBPI in 1994 and tried different drug based pain relief, some worked, most didn't, but I hated the side effects with all of them. About 4 years ago I found out my local NHS hospital offered Acupuncture so I gave it a go. After about a year of trying differing frequencies I've settled down to a three week cycle and have found this has given me a good level of drug free pain relief. The underlying discomfort is always present, but in general the acute spasms have been limited and I get a better sleep pattern. I certainly have a better quality of life on Acupuncture

Sleeping can be a real pain in the *rse with this injury. I slept semi-sitting up for about 18 months before I could lay down (sort of...still propped up on pillows for a while after) but I put that down a lot to having the phrenic nerve problem resulting in moderate breathing problems.

My way of getting over it was to gradually train myself to sleep on the TBPI side...unfortunately for me, this is the best side to lay on to reduce the breathing probs. but to be honest, it was only when I did get to do this that I regained the knack of getting a good nights sleep. I've always been an insomniac anyway, so my advice might not work for others, but sleeping on the TBPI side I find is now a lot easier.

If you do try this, make sure the arm doesn't hang out of bed or it will freeze up, no matter how warm the room is. I usually tuck mine under the v-pillow. A V-shaped pillow helps me a lot as I find it supports the neck and shoulder much better.

A good mattress is ESSENTIAL...the Tempur ones are brilliant, even just using a tempur topper will make all the difference (try Costco for reasonable prices on these) Also, if you live in a cold climate, I find that a good electric blanket can help get me to sleep, or failing that, a good old fashioned hot water bottle! All my friends have one for me ready for when I go to stay overnight...!

My other way of getting to sleep is having a TV on. I know many people will disagree with me on this, but for me, it works. Something dead boring like some soppy film or other does it every time. I put it on a timr so it goes off after a couple of hours, otherwise the da*n thing could wake me up again!

I don't take any so-called pain killers or other meds and haven't done for years. I do admit tho, that it did take a while to work out what was best for me to be able to get a good sleep. Good luck guys...let us know what works for you.

Hey bud,
There is nothing like Temazepam for me. It's been over 1 1/2 years and I take the same nite meds at bedtime. 45mg Temazepam, 100mg amitriptyline,350mg Carisoprodol, 5mg Hydrocodone and I couldn't count backwards 100 to 50 before I am out cold for 8 to 10 hours. You could set a glass of wine on my chest and it'll still be there when I wake. All the while flat on my back. I suffer no 'after affects' like some sleep meds have.
That's what works for me.
Hope you find your 'chemical sandman' soon.
Scott

Hey buster,
im with scott on this one, after his recommendations. . Temazepam is a god send for me at the moment. i hate having to sleep on my back, and my LBPI is a bummer too...


Message was edited by: shaunnb

Guys,
Just beware, the meds can save your ass,
and put it in the grave as well.

I was adamant about how necessary they were in saving my skin,
and I still am grateful for them.
But... if you continue to feel as if your life is twisted and destitute because of your injury,
even in the slightest, question the meds first!

I feel like I lost a couple of years of the struggle,
and in truly regaining my fight, due to being in the "fog" of medication.
This may have been my own issue, but I'd be an ass not to share,
just in case someone might be in a similar place.

Medication really helped me cope and adjust,
but in the end they kind of swallowed me up.
The worst part of it all, was that I thought my struggle
and lack of ability to jump back into it was all me,
until I was med free for at least 6 months.

It's been night and day difference... for me.

I say this very reluctantly, because I fully understand how nasty the pain is.
It's just that losing my gumption to persevere was the worst in my book.

Keep up the good fight!


Chris


PS - Let yourself heal, and make sure it's healing that you're doing.

In no way do I want anyone to think anything less of their situation because they are getting assistance with medication.
I just wish there was better medication out there that had no effect on one's mental well being.
When on meds I slept (for the first time in my life) flat on my back, still as a rock, for 3 years, and I wish I'd recognized how unlike me that was.


BTW...
I use 4-5 pillows to sleep now.
Prior I could sleep in the middle of traffic on wet cement, those days are gone... for now.