“Problems Sleeping After Heart Valve Surgery?” Asks Jenny
I just received a great question from Jenny about sleep after heart valve surgery.
Jenny writes, “Adam, I had mitral valve replacement seven days ago for regurgitation. I’m struggling a bit as I deal with the some of the post-operative challenges you address in your book. I’m really having an issue getting a good night of sleep. Sleeping at the hospital was tough enough. But, it’s gotten worse since I came home. I feel like a Zombie. And, the night sweats continue. Is this common? Thanks, Jenny”
Over the years, I have spoke many patients - especially tummy sleepers - that have expressed several sleep problems following heart valve surgery. Some of those problems include:
- Inconsistent sleep, waking up often
- Insomnia
- Night sweats
- Discomfort getting in and out of bed
- Heart pounding noises
- Mechanical valve replacement clicking
Finally, some patients may have an adverse reaction to medication intended to enhance sleep. Personally, I had a very, very, very strange reaction to Ambien. One night, after taking a 10mg Ambien pill, Robyn (my wife) found me sleepwalking through our house. When Robyn approached me, I responded to her as if I was a character in a book that I was reading. When I woke up the next morning, I had no memory of the episode. Needless to say, that was the last time I took Ambien.
As many former patients read this blog, maybe they can share their thoughts on this topic. Did you experience any problems sleeping after heart valve surgery? If so, please click here to leave a comment.
I hope this helps Jenny (and perhaps you) learn more about sleep after heart surgery.
Keep on tickin!
About The Author: Adam Pick is a double, heart valve surgery patient and author of The Patient’s Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. This unique book integrates the clinical facts of heart valve surgery with the personal experiences of 78 former valve surgery patients to help patients and caregivers better understand the problems, the opportunities and the realities of heart valve surgery. To learn more about Adam and his heart valve surgery book, click here.
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September 30th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
I have had two aortic valve replacements and the issue of sleeping arose in both cases. I elected not to take sleeping medication the first weeks I was home from the hospital. I continued to take my pain medication and found after about 1 month at home I began to have more regular sleeping patterns. I did not suffer from night sweats. I would advise patience.
Stephen Waxman
September 30th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
For the first 3 weeks I woke up every 2 hours to the minute, so I developed a routine. I would get up, walk around the house, go to the bathroom if I needed to, get back in bed, read for a few minutes, then go back to sleep. I found that going with it and accepting it, helped me relax rather than fighting it and getting upset which only prolonged the sleeplessness. Since you are not going anywhere the next day, it doesn’t really make any difference what time you wake up. Also, avoid taking too many naps. I would take one in the early afternoon for about 10 minutes. Eventually, your normal sleep schedule will reassert itself. Let nature work, avoid sleeping pills if you can.
Robin
September 30th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Hi Jenny,
I had mitral valve replacement due to regurgitation in April of this year. I had quite a bit of discomfort getting in and out of the bed, especially during the first week home from the hospital. I used pillows not only for coughing but also to help me achieve a comfortable position. Once I found a comfortable position, I was usually able to sleep for at least 6 hours without waking. I had had a bad experience with the strong medications at the hospital (I hallucinated-saw an orange pig eye looking at me through a window…3 times!) and wanted no more of that, so the strongest thing I took at home for pain and as a sleep aid was Tylenol PM. I am a back sleeper so usually I propped my upper torso and head up slightly to get comfortable.
Take it one day (and night) at a time. You will gradually get better, and the sleep you long for will become more routine. Congratulations on your progress so far. You are well on your way to full recovery!
Best wishes and good fortune!
Don
September 30th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
My husband had his mitral valve repaired almost 8 weeks ago. Based on his experience you sound “normal”. He was so looking forward to coming home from the hospital where he could finally get a good night’s rest only to not have that be. It took about a full week for him to have his mind turn off at night as well as his body to get comfortable enough in bed for him to sleep well. I will add that after three nights of not sleeping I called the cardiac surgery department and they suggested he take Bendryl to help him fall asleep. We tried that about an hour before he went to bed and that really helped settle him down to be able to “turn his brain off”.
Not to worry, your restful sleep will return, just give it time.
September 30th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
I had one heart valve replaced with mechanical valve , I had aortic valve repaired, also I had huge blood clot removed.
All happened 3 months ago.
Sometimes I can hear my mechanical valve clicking. If some young people are around me, they can hear this clicking too - even when I am not hearing it, hehe.
Very strange. When I comeback home after the hospital, I had a problem, fell asleep. I didn’t want to take any sleep aid medication, but I did try Tylenol PM for a few days and it helped me, and now I am fine. When I sleep on the left side , I can hear my heart is pounding very hard.
Also, I have night sweats almost nightly.
September 30th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
7 days? You are doing well.
I didn’t sleep for 3 days, but a mild sleeping pill sorted it all out.
But give it time. At day 7 I was low on potassium and high on just about everything else, including being alive. 3 months later life is great.
But during the first seven days I had severe episodes of confusion, but only when they moved me from ICU to observation hub to a room on my own.
Having had endocarditis on my mitral valve, I am terrified of night sweats. They were one of the main symptoms that alerted me to the endocarditis. Might be worth mentioning it to the registrars on the ward.
Andrew
September 30th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Hi Jenny,
I heard lots of stories about sleeplessness prior to having Mitral Valve Repair. I decided to develop a plan. I downloaded a very relaxing CD on progressive relaxation, into my MP3 player, and if I woke up I got out of bed, went out and laid on the couch, looked out the window at the night sky, and played that CD. I was never awake more than 30 minutes, and the relaxation helped tremendously. I also knew that sleeping during the day produced restlessness at night, so I cut back on the day time naps. After about 2 or 3 weeks, the pattern of waking up disappeared.
Take care, and be gentle with yourself,
Anita
September 30th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Hi Jenny,
This is how I explained it to my friends and family.
“It takes me 12 hours to get 6 hours of sleep”
Good luck with your recovery.
September 30th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Hi jenny,
I hope you’re feeling well. I had an aortic valve replaced on May 18 of 2009 and I too could not sleep. This lasted for about 6 to 8 weeks. In that time i was only getting aout 3 to 4 hours of sleep per night. After a couple of weeks I resorted to sleeping on the couch. I found it much more comfortable than my bed, and if I could not fall asleep I could watch TV and not disturb my wife. Also a bowl of cereal seemed to help (figure that one out?). The good news is that you’ll be getting better each day and you’ll be getting a full nights rest in no time.
Best Regards, Neil
September 30th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Hello Jenny,
I had mitral valve repair on the 24th of August and I am experiencing the same problem, I cannot sleep.
I end up taking a sleeping tablet but it does not always work as I am taking so much medication at the moment. Also when I wake up the sleeping tablet leaves me with a very bitter taste in my mouth which lasts for hours.
The taste is so bad that I have the need to throw up and it stops me from being able to eat.
September 30th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
I agreed to double vessel bypass and a mitral valve replacement on August 6 here in England. The waiting list is 3 months, so it won’t be until November. However the intense night sweats from the head that I have had all year are increasing. Is this a common feature of my condition? I have searched high & low and got no answers from doctors. Information from anywhere would be a great step forward. (I have not had a consulation with my cardiologist since last December - as is the way in England……….)
September 30th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
I too had some issues with sleeping and night sweats.. in fact one night, I was sweating AND it was cold, so I was shivering.. its been 3 months, and I still have the issues sleeping.. I have settled on 1mg Melatonin (lowest dose available) about a 1/2 hour before I want to go to sleep. carries me through the entire night, but doesn’t leave me haggared in the morning. melatonin is the natural breakdown of seratonin that the body produces during daylight hours.. it is meant to help you sleep.
September 30th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
I had a terrible time sleeping. I had aortic valve surgery and physically did fine.
Sleeping and psychiatric issues were the biggest problems I had. Part of it was pain but most of it was emotional. I thought being at home would help but it didn’t. I spent about six weeks pretty miserable and finally sought help. I could exercise like a nut but couldn’t sleep much at all. Counseling, medication, guided imagery and yoga helped me a great deal. Don’t give up as it will get better. Don’t wait as long as I did to deal with the problem and seek help. Six months later I am really good, but initially I was a wreck. After all you are alive and that in itself is a miracle. Be good to yourself and keep going.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
I had my aorta valve replaced in 2000 with a bovine tissue valve and yes, insomnia was a big issue for me and still is. I need a sleep aid today. I have never been depressed in my life until this surgery and this too was a big problem for me. This lasted about 6 months , which is normal after undergoing open heart surgery. I was 55 and now 65 and will need another surgery within a year, so this tissue valve only last about 10 years. The hardest decision I think one has to make is which valve to get , mechanical or tissue. I would love to receive info on the best mechanical out now. I certainly do not want to go through 3 surgeries.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
I had a mitral valve replacement 7/20/2001. When I was home from the hospital following, I could not sleep through the night. I might sleep for 4 hours maximum. After 1 year, my cardiologist suggested a pacemaker was needed. This gave me more energy; however, I still could not rest during the night. It seemed I only half-slept. I also was like a zombie, with no energy to walk as needed. I finally asked for aid in sleeping and was prescribed Restoril (15 mg) as needed. This has been a Godsend. I sleep a full 6 hours, or maybe up to 8 hours. I am rested and ready to start my day. The majority of the time I am awake by 6:30 a.m. I know it is not what the doctors prefer. However, I feel really good. I also have stenosis of the aortic valve and feel my rest is also very important. I have wondered if other valve recipients have suffered this insomnia. I have made many attempts to break this need for sleep aid, and have always ended up completely worn out.
September 30th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Jenny, I’m a number of months after aortic valve replacement. Didn’t have problems sleeping but found a simple trick to help me fall asleep. I have a clock with second hand close to my bed and have found if I lay in a comfortable position and take my pulse at my wrist, counting the beats as the second hand goes around, I fall asleep pretty quickly. Hardly ever make it for a full two minutes. Sometimes I start to nod off but make myself wake up enough to keep counting until I fall fully asleep. Corny but it works.
To Don Henry, I got my St. Judes Mechanical Valve in Feb. 09 at age 67 for the same reason you state….I didn’t want to face another surgery in 10-20 years. The St. Jude Mechanical is the “gold standard” of mechanical valves and I have yet to hear one click from it. I did have some louder than normal sounding heartbeats for the first 4-6 weeks after surgery but they went away after things got a little more settled internally.
Midge
October 1st, 2009 at 8:06 am
Had the same problems with sleep and was given Ambien which helped me sleep all day and night and better during the day the Ambien hangover was too much so I switched to Calms Forte it works better for me than the Ambien did and no hangover
October 1st, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Hi all, 11 months after mitral valve replacement, I am still sleeping 2/3 of the time on the sofa. My ribs have never completely healed from the open heart surgery, and getting comfortable in bed is extremely hard. Being propped up at the end of the sofa, and sort of wrapping myself like a mummy helps. I only get 6 to 7 hours of sleep nightly and work full time, so I get really tired. I too had the hallucinations on the meds when home from the hospital. I will try the tylenol PM more frequently to see if that helps. My doctor said it could take up to 2 years for the ribs to completelty heal. I keep extremely busy, and am not depressed, just tired !!
October 4th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
hi,
exptecting my surgery in Nov. meet my Mayo team on the 23rd. I am a side sleeper, how long will it be before I can do this? As far a sleep time, I am a toss and turner and don’t really remember ever getting a solid 8 hrs sleep. so whatever sleep I get shouldn,t be much different. Trying to sleep for periods of time on my back will be the challenge.
October 6th, 2009 at 11:56 am
To respond to Don Henry’s questions, I just had my aortic valve replaced on July 16, 2009 with the On-X mechanical valve by Dr. Ray Singer at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown PA. I chose this valve over tissue valves because of 1) its longevity (forever) and 2) the clinical trial now underway which may prove that On-X valve recipients can look forward to reduced anticoagulant therapy in the near future. I a 50 year old male in good health. I usually don’t hear my valve during the day but I do hear it at night in bed. At first it was a little annoying but have gotten used to it. I too have had night sweats and disturbed sleep in the form of dramatic, fantastic dreaming. I also have not been able to sleep on my sides until this week (11 weeks post surgery). The dreams have calmed down and the night sweats seem to be going away. I determined not to take any sleep aids as I wanted to be drug independent.
Last weekend I participated in a 3+ mile hike with an elevation rise of 700 feet at a church men’s retreat. This is just a warm up to better things ahead. I am very happy with the On-X valve.
October 6th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
I just had aortic aneurysm repair in May. Sleeping was the most difficult thing to accept. It is uncomfortable, and just face it, it HURTS! If you can sleep in a sitting position for part of the night, it may help. It will get better and I know that seems so far away, but just be positive.
As for the night sweats….I had them at the hospital and after I got home. My surgeon told me it was completely normal. Your body just went through a lot of trauma and is trying to adjust back to its “normal” way of working. It takes a little time, but these quick changes in temperature will also go away!
You are doing awesome and just remember to take it day by day….actually minute by minute! =)
October 10th, 2009 at 5:44 am
Hi all,
I’m now 16 days and ticking from having a St Jude valve used to replace my congenital bicuspid valve. Since I only needed the valve I had a mini incision and the chest pain and incision are doing just fine.
I’m sitting here writing this after getting only 45 minutes sleep last night. I’ve had two nights like this. The rest I’ve mananged to sleep pretty well in a big soft reclining rocker I have for 4 to 6 hours. I think the reason I’m not sleeping now is that the Vicodin is now off my list because the resultant constipation almost killed me! I have taken low doses of Vicodin for years because of chronic arthritis pain but having this side effect while still weak is not worth the pain killing. Beware!
So far, the noise of this thing is driving me mad. I’m hoping it will get better as the earlier posts suggest. I’ve slept on my sides for years and NEVER could sleep on my back. Now, the only quiet spot is on my back and semi-inclined. I’ll consider the Tylendol-PM or Benedryl tricks. Thanks for those ideas.
If you try to use MP3 music or audiobooks to cover it up for a while, I suggest full over the ear headphones. For some reason earbuds just don’t do it.
Another oddity I’ve seen. If I am on my side, I can either grab my neck with a hand and squeeze just a little or jam a pillow there and the noise almost stops! I guess I still need blood to my brain but I find this sort of amusing.
My naturual bed time the last few months before the surgery was 1:30 am so I guess I don’t worry much if it gets to 2 or 2:30 and I don’t sleep…. but when it gets to 4 am one of two things happens. I either fall asleep and don’t wake up until 9:30 or I just stay up.
Keep up the great posts. Sharing information really helps deal with this.
goose