I have internal RSD...so most of my pain is in the middle of me and i have this huge swelling on my abdomen that is mostly on my right side. because of all the swelling on me, i have a herniated disc in my L4 disc.

i am mostly bedridden. 9 times out of 10 i fall asleep sitting up cross legged on my bed with the tv playing. i also have sleep apnea and use a cpap machine.
it drives my hubby nuts because i get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom, i get back in bed and forget to put my mask on and then i fall asleep sitting up and start snoring very loudly he says..then he wakes me up, tells me to put the mask on and i quietly go back to sleep!

whats your most comfortable position to sleep in and do you have sleep apnea too?
sweet dreams....lol
Lori

Hi Lori,

My RSD is in my neck, shoulder, right arm and hand. So for me laying flat on my back with a pillow under my shoulder and arm works best.
I do not have sleep apnea...but wanted to comment on your post as my husband does have it. I know for him sitting up on the sofa helps him a lot. I never understood how he can sleep sitting up...but I sure hear a difference in his snoring when he does. He tells me he gets his best sleep that way as he is not constantly being woken up by the apnea.

Take care,
Karen

I got a temperpedic memory foam 4-5 inch thing to put on my mattress that made the biggest difference in the world. I sleep on my back. FOr comfort, i sleep on my sides, but my arms and legs HATE me when i do. I tend to wake up crying not being able to move if i do turn over in the middle of the night. I have had to train myself to sleep on my back. I got a blanket at bed bath and beyond that finally is good for me. I have gone through probably 10 different blankets and 500 dollars finding the right one for me. It is so important and it is soft and makes the biggest difference for me. If I dont have my blanket, pillow, or bed, I dont sleep well and I wake up stiff and horrible. Staying at peoples houses is a struggle but I have made my own bedroom extremely comfortable. The biggest thing was the memory foam topper... here is the link to it

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/pr...Id=prod1110597

I hope this helps! I finally after 3 years have found something that works for me!

good question, i have rsd in my right hand/arm, and feels like its spreading up to my shoulder... i have had this for 9 months now, and for the first 3-4 months i could not sleep for anything...the most i would sleep is 4 hours a night, and taking ultram i was a walking zombie all day long...as soon as i switched medicines, i started getting a little more comfort..now i sleep on my back, but i am most comfortable on my stomach, although i cant fall asleep like that :/

This really a great question. For years, I have always slept with my head covered with my feet and legs sticking out....now I can't stand my left leg uncovered at. My mom bought me a great set of 300 ct sheets and I love them. Really it depends on which body parts are the worst,but I always have to have my legs propped up.

I have severe insomnia. I don't sleep at night anymore and basically take very short nap during the day. I have tried everything from meds to self help. Such a battle.
Anyhow I sleep on my back. Before I slept on my side or stomach. Sometimes I do know I lean a certain way where I get sore in other areas. I try to be mindful because I know relying on other areas because of the rsd areas can cause issues too.
Sheets and blankets make a difference too. I have tried multiple matresses and foam toppers. When I was at the pain clinic they suggested a special pillow but I have not got that.
I also have the tv on and a fan. I have tried other things too from quiet room,music,etc. I used to wear ear plugs but now with possible rsd in my ear I can't
I think we are all different in what works and a lot is trial and error and may change along the way.

Lying on the back of my head has been a nightmare for me since the summer of 2008. That is when I began having severe head pain and trouble with my neck. I was diagnosed with RSD in June of 2008 after a right shoulder injury in Nov 2006 and 2rotator cuff repairs.

If I take Skelaxin and Ambien I can sleep, but only on my side. I need to sleep on my affected side so that my neck doesn't get stretched out. That causes horrible pain pain.

I use a foam memory pillow and hug another pillow. It works....

Every morning I wake up with a headache, sometimes a little one and sometimes not so little. I get up and take a Fiorcet have some coffee and walk my dog. By then the headache fades somewhat...

Does anyone else have this problem with their head? MRI's of my neck and head don't show anything wrong.

Thanks, Sandy

Hello Dear Lori,
I sleep in a recliner with an electric blanket as the liner because I'm always so cold, but probably will put it away soon. Laying flat in bed causes me to bump my feet, ankles, knees, and... together while sleeping and painfully wakes me up. Sleeping in the recliner forces me to stay on my back so I have less issues with them touching, but they still do.
But a couple of months ago after 2 of my grandsons had spent the night and brought a special pillow with them, I found me a new comfort zone. The pillow is a Sqiish. I now have 5 of them. One goes around your neck because I have the problem with pain when my head is against something for a long period. But the pillows are so soft my feet just nestle down into them and feel like they are floating.
Sqiish, I got mine at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Half price too because they were the wrong color, but my feet don't know that!
I even put one behind my back sometimes when sitting up because it is so cushy and soft.
gentle hugs,
pat

Dear Sandy,

I wake up with nasty headaches also....I must get right up and I drink coffee and take two excedrin migraine tablets....these began just as I detected something was wrong not knowing it was RSD....the are mean ugly throw up headaches!!!

I sleep, least start off on my back with two pillows under my head and another under my bad leg....warm blanket, summer thru winter and two ambien CR to help me sleep...Off I go...hopefully for the whole night!!!! not always but I never give up hoping!!!!


Hugz for a good rest all!!!

Kathy

Daniella,
My neurosurgeon doesn't like the "stomach sleeping' but it has always been my favorite, until Jan 13, 2010. Whenever I was pregnant, my first desire after delivery was to turn on to my stomach. T'is but a sweet memory now. Best I can do is half side/half back. But so much other stuff is going on I hadn't thought about stomach sleeping for a long while. I'd sleep on my head if it would help some nights!

Now I have some how injured my right rotator cuff, I'm right handed, but I have to be careful how I place my arm or it is not happy in the morning and the movie "Happy Feet" is far from a description of my feet on the morning. The addition of an unhappy shoulder makes me more like the movie "Grumpy Old (wo)Men".

Thanks to all our veterans who've given the ultimate sacrifice for freedom around the world.

pat