Sleep help?

KC Dallas

Hello,

 

I had an esophagectomy a little over three years ago. I'm currently cancer free (YAY!!)

 

Ever since, I've had a hell of a time sleeping.

 

I tried sleeping in a recliner. It was not comfortable.

 

Since I'm unable to lie flat, I alternate between using a wedge pillow or a pile of pillows, built into the same shape as the wedge. The problem is the sheets. I slip down the right triangle, whether it be the wedge or the pillows, seemingly about every fifteen minutes. Of course this causes food/fluids to migrate back up from where it started. This being a sometimes painful and always unacceptable position, I wake up. So, I sleep in 15 to 30-minute increments, all night, every night.

 

My question to those who have experience with this same problem: Has anyone found a decent set of sheets that you do not slide down quite so easily?

My wife suggested maybe trying flannel, but I thought I would ask here first.

 

I know this seems like a trivial question to post here, so I'll apologize to anyone who feels that this may be inappropriate. I'm just trying to get some decent, uninterrupted sleep.

paul61

Flannel sheets would be helpful as would an adjustable bed

Hello KC,

As a fellow esophagectomy survivor, I can sympathize with your issues. For about two years after my esophagectomy I attempted to use a combination of wedge pillows and pillows under my legs to keep me from sliding down the wedge or turning over on my side during my sleep and waking up coughing and chocking. They did not work very well for me.

I have no personal experience with flannel sheets although I have read several posts here where other esophagectomy patients have said it helps with the “sliding down” issues.

I found two things that helped my sleeping immensely. One was to purchase an adjustable bed. An adjustable bed allowed me to raise not only my head but also my legs. That kept me from sliding off the incline that I needed to keep reflux from coming up while I was sleeping.

 The second thing that helped me was to chew a Gaviscon tablet just before going to bed. I do take Omeprazole (a PPI) for acid control but the Gaviscon creates a layer over the contents of my stomphagus and keeps the contents from moving upward while I am sleeping. Many esophagectomy patients have “Bile reflux” that creates that 3 AM wake up with gastric discomfort and that nauseous feeling when first getting up in the morning.

When I travel, I put several pillows under the mattress at both ends to elevate my head and legs and although, not as helpful as an adjustable bed, it works for the few nights I am away from home.

I am now about 10 years out from surgery and I still have a difficult night from time to time. Usually when I break the rules about not eating within three hours of going to bed or sleeping away from home. But I guess it is the cost of still being here.

I know adjustable beds are not inexpensive but the ones at the big box stores like Sam’s and Costco are not too bad. My wife has learned to sleep in the same elevated position that I do and she says she sleeps better that way.

Wishing you the best of luck

Regards

Paul

Lee Christensen

I have noticed that I don't

I have noticed that I don't slide as much with flannel sheets. I'm a side sleeper, I also have a reclinable bed, it seems I do turn from side to side every hour. So, not a very restful sleep either. The Gavascon also seems to help.

KC Dallas

Thanks for the feedback Paul

Thanks for the feedback Paul and Lee.

 

Due to the bile reflux being particularly frequent, I take a prescription that is supposedly much more effective than Gaviscon. So I've got that covered. Unfortunately, laying flat seems to negate the effectiveness of the meds I take to prevent the reflux and associated burning in the throat that goes with it.

 

An adjustable bed was my surgeons' suggestion as well. We've looked into them. WOW, they are expensive. Being a working-class couple, with me expecting to end up on disability probably within the next couple of years (provided I last that long ) and the wife nearing retirement, we have had to pick and choose a bit more carefully how we spend. 

 

All of that being said, I will definitely give the flannel sheets a go.

 

Thanks again for the advice. Best of luck to you folks as well.

 

Dallas

 

annie4145

You may be able to do a "make

You may be able to do a "make do" adjustable bed, but elevating one end with bricks or cement blocks or something.   I did that with my sons crib one time when he was sick and coughing.  I don't know how it would work with a big bed but it might. 

denhamok

You are outstanding that you

You are outstanding that you were able to overcome this disease. I think that's the most you can do in life. And with the choice of pillows, I will help you. I have had a stomach ulcer since childhood, and I had to eat 5 hours before bedtime. Otherwise, all the contents would come out. To avoid reflux, I had to go to bed hungry and quite late. I decided that I could afford some joy and bought a mattress. There are no springs mattresses for me especially considering the peculiarities of our bodies. My esophageal valve doesn't close, and no matter what I eat, no matter how I lay down, it all comes out. Daytime sleep is a problem for me. I only have cotton sheets, and there is a small divider on the bed where I rest my feet. 

sideways

MY tempurpedic bed helped a lot with the bile reflux. If I just elevate the upper body I slide a lot. I slide much less when I also elevate my feet/legs portion of the bed a little bit, too much and it creates reflux issues for some reason.

Also, like most of us, I'm on a daily acid blocker. I took my pill in the AM with the rest of my meds daily. I would get bile reflux every 1-3 weeks, sometimes more, sometimes less. I changed it so I now take my blocker at bedtime. I haven't had a bile reflux issue since and it's been about 4-5 months.