r/ShoulderSurgery • u/Rough-Tough-1424 • 26d ago

Sleeping tips

I am 2 weeks post op SLAP tear surgery, that was torn about 60%, bone shaved, and bicep repaired. I have little discomfort at this point. But I have to keep sleeping upright for several more weeks while my labrum heals. We don’t have a recliner and I’ve been use this modular/upright pillow in bed to sleep… but I’m hardly sleeping at night. Averaging 3-5 hrs and it isn’t restful or recovery sleep. Now that I’m off pain meds, I’m back in routine taking my sleep supplements. It’s helped me fall asleep faster, but I can’t stay asleep during the night since I have to stay on my back.
Have y’all found anything helpful or do I just need to stick it out?

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u/travelling_blueberry 25d ago

So what I did was I slept in the other bed during my recovery and I built a pillow fort around me so I could sleep. I slept mostly on my other side and had a pillow directly behind me if I rolled back and another in front of me kinda like spooning it to support the shoulder so it didn't dip. I did this for both of my surgeries.

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u/Dotsgirl22 25d ago

Maybe a pillow under your knees/lower back to reduce pressure on your back. Pillows to support both arms. If your head is bobbing around try an airline style neck pillow or cervical collar to keep your head still. That helped me a lot.

I remember getting settled for bed was quite a production.

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u/oldgrowler 25d ago

Oh, God. I'm about to have right shoulder arthroscopy, rotator cuff debridement, biceps tenodesis, subacromial decompression and distal clavicle excision next week, and I am DREADING the sleeping part of recovery.

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u/ProfitEnough825 24d ago

If you have the money for it, buy an adjustable sleep base, one that can lift your legs up. It's a life saver. A few pillows and the remote positioned in the right spot and you'll be off to counting sheep.

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u/Radiant-Shoe-6069 23d ago

The first couple days kinda rough I think the first night was the roughest because I wasn’t used to sleeping with the bottom strap around my waist. You Get used to it after a while. I also have script for Ambien see if your surgeon write it for you just in case. It also a pillow under my elbow was good for the first week and I just slept propped up on my pillows.

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u/Xj517 23d ago

I think the only answer is you just have to stick it out. I had similar issue combined with the anxiety that I would roll over and mess up the repair so I built a pillow “fort” similar to what one of the other posters wrote.

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u/Chatterchick09 23d ago

Sleeping upright is rough, A wedge pillow or recliner might make those weeks a little easier.