sleeping soundly

What a great resource this site is for those of us just joining the pacemaker ranks. I am a 49 year old with a medtronic dual lead pacemaker. I am one week past implant. I am a quick healer and pretty healthy and am feeling pretty good now except for being sleep deprived. I am a side and belly sleeper and just cannot get comfortable on my back. I've tried to sleep on my right side but feel like the incision is being stretched. I've tried wedge pillows behind my shoulders and knees and Ambien as a last resort. Any suggestions to get me through the recovery period?

7 Comments

sleeping soundly....

by maryanne - 2008-04-26 02:04:58

I would have to echo Rob's comments....I am on my fourth pacemaker...I can remember my first ....it did take awhile to adjust.....I find the one I have now I have more difficulties than my first....but that was because of where they repositioned it....I guess in short we all find our comfort spot....I have to do a side/belly with a pillow support under my right shoulder...sounds a tad odd but it works for me...as Rob said you are very new to this...your body is adjusting to this change as well....give yourself time....it does get better.....Best of luck!!! :) Mary Anne

sound sleep

by bastuart - 2008-04-26 03:04:40

I have to agree and I'm on my 4th pacemaker as well. But this last surgery, they palce it on my right side and you guess, I sleep on my right side. I still sleep with a pillow between my head/shoulder on some night. But we also have comfort bed now, that adjust. Wow what a difference these beds make.

Barbara Stuart

Pretty normal

by auntiesamm - 2008-04-26 10:04:24

I think most of us experienced some sleep disturbances following PM implant. Just a matter for me to find a comfortable position. When I could not sleep I was up and on the computer. In this club, for instance, we have friends all over the world and you are likely to find someone else online. I don't recall ever logging on and there being no one else there! You will resume normal sleep patterns pretty quickly. Good luck and God bless you and your PM.

Sharon (So Calif)

pillow

by ngabe - 2008-04-26 10:04:57

I am a side sleeper too and after my surgery a nurse suggested I sleep on my right side and put a pillow in front of me that I could rest my left arm on. That did help.

Norma

Sound Sleep

by radiebold - 2008-04-26 11:04:33

You are very new to your pacer but, believe me, it won't take long before you are hardly aware of it. I'm a side sleeper and initially found it sort of in the way when I was on my left side (the side it's on). I'm nearly two years into my second pacer and it's just a part of me. My advice is just to give it time. Good luck with it.
--Rob

Took me awhile... to sleep

by Swedeheart - 2008-04-27 02:04:34

Hello,

I am on day 62 since implant. I had to force myself to sleep on my back for at least the first month. Finally I was able to lay on my right side and prop up my left shoulder with pillows. That really helped me get some decent sleep. I didn't have a good night's sleep until week 5... I still can't sleep on my left side, but I imagine in a few months I might be able to do accomplish that.

You might try different positions with pillows, I even tried sleeping in a recliner chair to see if that would work. Do whatever you can until you heal enough so your Pm won't hurt you.

Good luck. Eventually it will get better.

Swedeheart

Thanks for the Encouragement

by lweiser - 2008-05-09 07:05:32

Well, it's week three and I can finally sleep on my right side-heaven. When I try to sleep on my left side I feel these extra "thumps" This also happens when I bend over. Anybody else experience this???

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In fact after the final "tweaks" of my pacemaker programming at the one year check up it is working so well that I forget I have it.