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First night sleeping questions
- by Alexander
- 2021-10-04 20:59:47
- Surgery & Recovery
- 1053 views
- 5 comments
Just came back from ICD implant. Had my surgery at 6AM in NYC. Out by 2:30PM. Was relatively quick and was out the whole time. I have some soreness and was wondering if I can sleep on my right side.
5 Comments
Appreciate it!
by Alexander - 2021-10-04 23:36:50
Was having a bit of anxiety but thanks for confirming!
Echoing the others
by atiras - 2021-10-06 12:37:56
TL;DR: What Tracey_E said.
My ICD went in on 16the September. For the first couple of weeks it was uncomfortable to sleep on my left side (my preferred sleeping position) so I didn't -- I slept on my right side with a big pillow behind me to stop me turning over and going ouch! It's comfortable now for short periods, but not for long periods, so I'm doing it occasionally, with care, usually in the morning when I wake up before I want to get up. This probably doesn't apply to you, nor to the brick that now resides in my chest, but I had my first pacemaker shift a couple of weeks after implantation (3 years ago) when I first slept on my left side so I'm probably over-cautions.
takes a while
by dwelch - 2021-10-09 10:03:35
If you can sleep the first night or week, great! I am on number five and the first night is a waste, I assume by now you have been through those few nights. It takes me like a week to sleep through the night and maybe in week two or so sleep on that side. Just part of the process. Life will return to normal in a time period measured in weeks. Some things take days some take weeks, but you get back to normal and doing normal things, just with a better heart.
You know you're wired when...
Muggers want your ICD, not your wallet.
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One week has passed and I must admit that each day I feel a little stronger.
Sleep
by AgentX86 - 2021-10-04 22:19:51
Sleep pretty much any way you can sleep. Just don't sleep with your arm fully extended over your head (not sure how that would be possible, but...). You won't want to be sleeping in any position that would matter. I slept in a recliner for a couple of months. One month would have been enough but I was a little cautious. I tried the bed much too early after my CABG and regretted it for some time. I ended up five months in the chair then.
I recently did a few weeks in the chair for a broken arm and accompying surgery. The advantage of sleeping in a recliner is that you can find some position that's comfortable but won't be tempted to turn over into a rather painful position.
Others have their favorite strategy to a similar purpose; keeping you from ending up in the "wrong" position.