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Posted on Dec 11, 2019, 8:38 pm
#1

Just wondering how many of you guys would recommend renting a hospital bed during recovery to help with leg pains at night? I'm about 5 weeks post op (stryde femur) and I haven't had a proper nights sleep since I started lengthening, the night pains are just crazy right now. I've tried everything from adjusting pillows under my knees to buying a special memory foam elevation pillow but nothing works. My doctor prescribed Bromazepam to help induce sleep but I still woke up around 3am and couldn't get back to sleep. My only thinking is maybe the way a hospital bed can adjust your body might at least ease the legs pains?

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Posted on Dec 11, 2019, 9:23 pm
#2

Thanks Medium. It's difficult to say for sure but the pain seems to subside a little when I sit upright in bed with lots of pillows behind my torso. I'm wondering if my leg position was adjusted like it was while in hospital if this would help any. I'd love to hear from anyone who's actually tried this, as you say I could end up spending a lot of money on something that might not even work.

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Posted on Dec 12, 2019, 4:11 pm
#3

@great321  it's difficult to describe, it feels sort of like nerve pain that aches all the way down my legs. During the day it's fine, it only comes on at night when I'm in bed

@Ghostfish  thanks for the positive words! Yup it ain't no walk in the park that's for sure. The sleeping pattern you had sounds a lot like me, just a few broken up hours during the night then naps during the day to compensate which sucks coz it's time I'd rather be spending on stretching. That's one of the worst parts of it your days are taken away from you because you feel so groggy and tired and lack any real energy for doing exercises on your own. I have PT four times a week but  I feel it's not enough.

I use a hair dryer and blanket to keep my legs warm  Hospital bed at home I don't use any sleeping pills just Bromazepam which helps a little but only lasts a few hours. Man I can't wait till the lengthening is done!

@Js  Do you get any night pains at all or have you been lucky enough to dodge that bullet? The only painkillers I'm taking are Tramal and Lyrica for nerve pain, they don't seem very strong tbh. What position do you normally sleep in? Do you think the hospital bed helps?

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Posted on Dec 13, 2019, 5:39 pm
#4

@Js  I'd love to increase the dose but my doc has a strict schedule for taking the meds. If I feel pain during the night I just have to tough it out and wait till the next day until it's time to pop the pills. Does your doc allow you to take a pill whenever you feel pain? Man that would make my life so much easier 😆

It might just be my imagination but I find if I'm propped up in bed almost at a 90;degree angle the pain isn't quite as intense, that's why I was wondering about the hospital bed. Have you tried sleeping in a normal bed to see if there's any difference? Wanna be my guinea pig? Lol

@Temaki  Tramal is a type of opioid as far as I'm aware, I think it has less side effects apparently

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Posted on Dec 15, 2019, 4:47 pm
#5

@Temaki Thanks for the info! I must go buy some vitamin B supplements. Yeah shots before PT sessions would be awesome, there's a few stretches I find excruciating  Hospital bed at home

@ Lalbad Yeah I agree, I just think it's not possible to get the same positions in a regular bed no matter how many pillows you use

@Great The mattress I have is very soft, not sure if that's a good or bad thing for this condition. The night pains started about 5 days after I started lengthening and haven't stopped since.

@Js I've spoken with my doctor and he advised to take a painkiller if I wake up during the night, I've done that the past two nights but hasn't made any difference, not sure if the painkillers are too weak or if my system has just gotten used to them that they don't have the same effect. I think you're right my PT has gotten a lot more difficult lately mainly due to lack of sleep, I actually fell asleep one day with the physio I was so tired  Hospital bed at home

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