sleeping on my side

When can I sleep on the left side or do I always now have to sleep on my right side?

12 Comments

waking up

by mike z - 2010-12-29 06:12:07

The first 3 weeks I tried to sleep on my right side.
If a rolled over to my left side it would hurt bad enough that I would wake up. I ended up taking some pain killer before going to sleep. Now after a month I can sleep through the night without painkiller and not waking up when rolling over to the wrong (left side)

Oh, to sleep on my left side again!

by Daffy - 2010-12-29 06:12:36

I'm glad to know you slept on your left side a week after insertion. I am now at 6 days past insertion, and I so want to roll over on my left side. That is where I always slept before. Tommorow night I am going to do it!

It depends on which side your spouse occupies

by Edouard - 2010-12-29 07:12:48

Seriously
I started shifting sides about a week after insertion. Mind you, I was hurting from a bruised / cracked rib I suffered when I had my syncope. I wasn't given any instructions about that at the hospital. I guess it's really a question of common sense and listening to your body.
Definitely, I think that "always" is too long a wait.
In any event once you're asleep, your body will shift wherever it wants to shift.
Regards
Edouard

Thanks.

by jennk - 2010-12-29 10:12:45

Thanks, everyone.

Position

by jvaltos - 2010-12-29 11:12:03

Jenn

I typically advise patients to avoid sleeping on the affected side for 2 weeks as the wound needs to have most of the healing without pressure.

After that, should be no problem. If however, the device was implanted in an uncomfortable position, you may find sleeping n the side of the implant difficult.

Good luck-
Dr Valtos

These are general rules and in no way construes professional medical advice. Please only act in concert with you personal physician. Thanks.

Sleeping on left side.

by ElectricFrank - 2010-12-29 11:12:04

The best indicator of when to return to sleeping on the left side is how it feels. In this regard the pacemaker is no different that most other surgical incisions. By the time it is no longer painful should be OK. Just avoid putting that left arm over your head for a few weeks. The problem here is the wide range of times that seem to be recommended. I've seen anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months.

I would modify the disclaimer to: "Please only act in concert with your personal physician, but only if his/her instructions make sense."

frank

Good to have you back

by ElectricFrank - 2010-12-30 02:12:24

That sounds pretty reasonable. The problem is that most people don't pay enough attention to what they are doing. The cardio here didn't say much about it. The hospital discharge instructions just say "Don't raise arm above shoulder until you see him in 10 days". I just gradually increased the motion, but avoided sudden extensions.

Glad the new practice is going well.

frank

Can't sleep on left side

by dtread - 2010-12-30 08:12:50

I can't sleep on the left side simply because the shoulder area presses against the pacemaker, and it hurts enough that I cannot do it. And I've had my pacemaker over three years.

Left side sleeper

by kathyfletchall - 2010-12-30 10:12:40

I can sleep on my left side most of the time, but sometimes I wake up with a completely asleep arm. I think the pacer pushes the nerve and makes it fall asleep when there is pressure on it. But as soon as I move, it wakes up almost instantly. good luck with the new device and happy pacing!

@frank

by jvaltos - 2010-12-30 12:12:51

Its been a year or so but I came back as the new practice is going well and I have some free time.

I concur with the range of recommends for the time but typically it's two weeks and then no arm above the head for six weeks.
:)

Sleeping position

by NineLives18046 - 2012-03-26 09:03:19

I was told that I should favor the side with the ICD implanted (my left side). Which made no sense to me whatsoever. The upshot is that I have lain on my BACK during sleep since the op. (Five days ago) I know our subconscious does its own thing at night so I am pleased when I wake up in the same position. The first night I did not sleep by choice. I have often been up all night with a computer problem so it was no big deal. I have told my wife to nudge me if I roll onto either side. She is a light-sleeper and has, on many occasion, nudged me when snoring. (At my suggestion). Reading the members comments re their sleeping positions has given me a light at the end of the tunnel. I will give it six weeks, as the common choice, then sleep on my right.
I have had three major heart attacks in the past 14 years and been clinically dead 6 times. The ICD has given me hope for the future.

miserable

by Prescottjo - 2015-10-19 02:10:19

I'm almost 2 weeks into recovery. it's been hell. I had incision reopened next day to repair a lead. The people who have said this is nothing to worry about, ya right ! I have had so much pain ,it's horrible. Can't sleep. Also because I already had disc problems in lower back, I now have bad nerve pain shooting down left leg. Guess that's what happens after laying on a table for a total of 16 hours in 2 days. I still can't handle laying on either side, can't wait to feel normal again !

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