Sleeping flat or normally??!

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#1 Post by **HokieTay** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 2:20 pm

I have been forgetting to ask my surgeon this. I had my surgery a week ago Monday. I have been sleeping at an elevated level on my back since then. I am getting so sick of it! Any idea when it's okay to sleep normally... flat on my back or even on my side??

#2 Post by **Folk Ballad** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 2:49 pm

I was never specifically told by my oral surgeon to sleep with my head elevated or not sleep with it elevated. Sleeping with my head elevated was just most comfortable for me the first week or so post op and I knew it would help reduce the swelling.
I'm nearly a month post op now and I sleep on my side/sleep flat because it feels more comfortable and the swelling's pretty much gone down. So... maybe just sleep however you're comfortable? (Though just to make sure, probably ask your surgeon...)

#3 Post by **aas55** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 6:42 pm

Hey, from your sig it sounds like we had the same procedure, mine on 6/8. Because of pretty bad congestion (there was a good amount of blood in my nasopharynx because of the LeForte), my surgeon recommended that I sleep sitting up until the congestion cleared. By less than a week post-op my congestion was totally gone and I was sleeping flat pretty comfortably. So I guess my recommendation for you would be to sleep flat once your congestion allows you to. Hope this helps!

#4 Post by **blindboarder2008** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 8:39 pm

I was told to see how my congestion was and once it got better i could start decreasing the elevation and see how things felt. the thing is you just have to make sure you don't lay on your stomach cause that really hurts and I accidentlly did that and the swelling went up for a few hours. have some pillows near by just in case but I'm pretty comfy laying flat now and i'm 3 weeks post op. I use a pillow when i lay on either side just to have something to rest my jaw on so it doesn't feel like its in thin air as that really can be uncomfortable.

#5 Post by **Thathrill** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 1:29 pm

I would say it depends on your surgery and what your oral surgeon says. My OS did not give me specifications to sleeping but said do what is comfortable. I am a side sleeper but did not sleep comfortably in my bed probably about 3 weeks post. All the swelling was in my lower jaw and neck and this made it uncomfortable.

#6 Post by **avy** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:15 pm

I had SARME done just over 2 weeks ago and I slept slightly elevated for about 10 days (until the swelling had gone down alot). On about day 5 I accidently slept flat and woke up more swollen that ever and had some serious congestion so I would suggest sleeping elevated until the swelling has gone down a considerable amount.

#7 Post by **Lacrosse Mom** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 4:47 pm

I had a Lefort 1 done on July 1. The swelling was really going down until today!!

My OS said I could resume my normal sleeping habits. Well, I guess that didn't work! I slept on my right side. I woke up and my face was very sore and very swollen!

I started icing it all over again. It is very frustrating because it was looking so much better.

I'm going to stay elevated, sleep on my back for a while. I don't want to go through this again.

#8 Post by **nomadic myth** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 6:24 pm

I had upper and lower jaw plus genio on Aug 4, and have been sleeping on my back for the past 10 days. I was worried about putting pressure on my jaw by sleeping on my side, but I did so last night and woke up pain free. I kind of made sure I rested my head's weight on my non-jaw area, though. I hope/guess it's OK.

#9 Post by **iBorg** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 10:39 am

I had surgery June 1 and went back to my recliner after a week of sleeping flat six weeks after my surgery. I found sleeping flat caused my congestion to be worse as well as my swelling. I normally have sinus issues and they are still far from recovered.

Mike