Posted by Harry Kruger on February 08, 2004 at 14:42:15:
In Reply to: Any Afibbers out there who have trouble sleeping on their left sides? posted by Pete on February 06, 2004 at 21:30:27:
Hi Pete-
I had a single bypass, major mitral valve repair and the MAZE procedure performed on this aging dude a year ago this coming February 21st, at the University of Florida Shands hospital. I was discharged a week after the surgery and made the 5-hour trip back to south Florida.The very first night home I noticed I felt quite uncomfortable sleeping on my left side. My heart seemed to be in NSR at that time. So I would just turn over and sleep on my back or on my right side. But I had to elevate my pillow when I slept on my back or I would get into some other kind of "this-doesn't-feel-good" situation. No problems sleeping on my right side.
A few weeks later I questioned my cardiologist about the strange feeling I was having sleeping on my left side. He nodded his head indicating he was familiar with this reaction I was having after going thru the type of surgery I noted above. He told me not to be concerned about it....
Now, almost one year after the surgery, I still go to sleep on my right side. And if I awake for some reason at 3:00am, I invariably find myself sleeping on my left side. So I just turn over and attempt to go back to sleep on my right side. If this won't work, I get up, read until 4:00am and then go back to sleep......of course on my right side!
But compared to the life-threatening A-fib attacks I was having before the open-heart mitral valve and MAZE surgery, a small disturbance during the night brought on by me sleeping on the "it-ain't-good-to-sleep-here" side is considered acceptable at this time in my life.
I think about this minor "left-side-right-side" sleep thing that wakes me up now and then, but I also tend to think (want to believe?) the MAZE procedure is keeping me in NSR. And this thinking keeps me happy and feeling good each morning when I wake up to another day. And then I usually fire up this old computer and see what A-fib news has just been posted on this very special (life-saving?) site.
Hang in there, Pete....and don't sweat the small stuff. Harry
- Re: Any Afibbers out there who have trouble sleeping on their left sides? Pete 15:27:08 2/08/2004 (0)