sleeping
 

Does anyone find that sleeping for any length of time is next to impossible?

I can't lay in the bed for more than a few hours without waking up from pain. Here's the thing...if I could sleep for eight hours, or even less, I wouldn't. Because at those times the pain can be so much worse that it's really not worth it. That's why I won't take sleeping pills. I'd rather let my body wake me up when it should to avoid really bad.

I've tried about everything. I simply can't be in one position for long times, especially a lying position.

Can anyone relate? Has anything helped?

Thanks!

Hi forevernana4;

Yes since and before neck surgery and after ---Im a side sleeper use to be more on the right side but --since surgery I cant sleep on the right side or If i do I will have flare ups that take months to calm down. I sleep on the left but wake up every few hrs. Now im going thru a very bad flare up and cant find a good postion to get comfortable in. I just been considering buying one of those sleep numbers beds but I want the one that also goes up like a hospital bed inclines....its the price we pay for spinal problems. I know sleep is a big problem for me too anymore.

Same here. I cannot lay in any position other than my back. My hips are extremely painful -- and everyone knows that a spinal patient cannot lie on the tummy.

And since i've had a few spinal surgeries, laying on the back isn't any too great either. Plus i just found out I have some broken vertebrae too -- so that doesn't make things very pleasant. I "get" to prop myself up with pillows, and "sleep" sitting up! :rolleyes:

Such is the life in the day(s) of spinal patients. Right? :( Hugs, Lee

thanks to both of you for responses, though I'm sorry you're dealing as well.

It can be tough. night before last I only slept a few hours so it wasn't so bad. However, last night I literally passed out in my clothes because I was so tired and managed to sleep for seven hours almost. I had to sit up in phases, let alone get up slowly. Lol woke hubby up with the groans...

Do you find that you can't do any one thing for long, and I mean anything...including sitting and watching a movie?

Yep, such is the life as you said...

Good luck to you both.

No, I can't sit for long, nor can I stand for long. Unfortunately I don't have a dishwasher, so even doing the dishes is hard. I have to do them in "shifts." I do a few, and then sit down. Then do a few more, and sit down. etc. Everything is impossible.

Remember that spinal patients are NOT supposed to vacuum either! So NO VACUUMING -- EVER!!! That's one of the worst things we can do, according to 2 neurosurgeons i've seen. They say the back & forth motion is horrible for us. We can't rake leaves either.

So with that note, I'd better go lay down. LOL I hate this. :mad: Take care all. Hugs, Lee ;)

Sleep number...
 

Hey, MG, saw in your post that you are thinking about the sleep number. Last year I had to buy a new bed and did a lot of looking. If you haven't done a lot of looking yet, you might want to look at the tempurpedic as well. I looked at the sleep number, but determined that it has hard sides that for me made getting in and out of it harder, plus you have to sleep in the middle to get the full benefit of the mattress. I have a tendency to move all over the bed and some times sleep cross ways, so this was a big deal for me.

I ended up buying the tempurpedic cloud deluxe (softer than their regular mattress) with the adjustable base and love it. It was a hefty investment, but I decided that a good night's sleep is more important than some of the other things I buy, so I adjusted my spending to compensate and went for it. Although I still don't sleep through the night (I never have), I don't wake up as often because I'm in pain. With my recent lumbar and thoracic surgeries I find I'm sleeping on my back more (not what I would have expected) and being able to "sit up" and raise my legs is wonderful. I still sleep primarily on my side though and find that slightly raising the legs and upper body help me align things better than trying to use pillows to do it. I also sleep with 4 large dogs and am able to sleep on the side of the bed when needed.

Promise I'm not an infomercial for tempurpedic :winky:, but just wanted to share what I've found out from my own experience.

Hope you all find ways to sleep better than you are. The importance of a good night's sleep is often underestimated and having spent several years not getting a good night's sleep, I know how much if can affect your life. All the best!

Has anyone had insurance pay for part of the price of the medically necessary bed?

I have bought over $10,000.00 in beds, toppers, pillows etc in the past 5 years in an effort to be able to lie down for more than an hour at a time and depending on insurance it looks like I might be able to get Medicare to pay for part of price of a bed for my condition.

I haven't tried it yet but I know I need a bed that adjusts and I don't have the hefty amount of money anymore to pay for it.

Under "durable medical equipment" in the medicare rules it states that if a doctor deems it medically necessary Medicare pays for "hospital beds".

Just wondering if anyone has ever had their insurance cover the cost of a bed? I know they cover the cost of wheelchairs or part of the cost at least.

Thank you.