Many swear by sleeping in a recliner or many many pillows to prop /support the areas.

Extreme discomfort is pretty normal for a week or 2, but a call to the dr asking about better pain relief for this time wouldn't hurt.

Pain makes you tense up and that is not a good thing during recovery, or ever really..
when a muscle/s is/are constantly tensed up blood flow is restricted - blood flow carries in the good stuff as well as carries out the bad stuff.
So you want to have the flow moving.

What does he rate his pain level at? 0 none -10 highest - dr will want to know that most likely. daily avg + highest /lowest
http://www.tipna.org/info/documents/...ePainScale.htm