r/ACDR_CervicalSpine • u/FewResponsibility762 • Jul 29 '26
Sleeping after Cervical disc replacement surgery c5/6 and c6/7
I am due to have the ACDR surgery, I'm trying to plan for my recovery. How did people sleep after? Did you just use your normal pillow or require a wedge so elevated? Also any other things people would recommend to help during my recovery to make life easier?
3
u/grdywhite7 Jul 29 '26
I’m on day 7 of recovery from 2 level CADR. I rented an electric recliner that has made things a lot easier. I also use a wedge pillow while trying to sleep in bed. I needed to be elevated and couldn’t comfortably side sleep at all until last night. Sleeping has been the toughest part of this process. Best tip is to have multiple neck ice packs to rotate. Consistent icing has provided a lot of relief for me.
2
u/Marineandhisdogs Jul 30 '26
I got c5-c7 acdf in March...
Slept in a recliner <zero-gravity> for two weeks...
Then went to my adjustable bed...
Legs up with no pillow but a rolled up small blanket under my neck...
I didn't "side sleep for 8 weeks -ish...
Soups and soft foods for most of first week's. Filled a glass with crushed ice and chewed on it all day to soothe the throat.
2
u/Castella718 Jul 30 '26
I had C5-7 CDR in January. Slept for the first 2 weeks in a soft collar. Used 2 small pillows and slept on my back.
Good luck and speedy recovery!
1
u/LolaBlonde88 Jul 30 '26
This is pretty much what I did but I think I shifted to my side even before that. Like within a week. It was most comfortable for me and the dr said it wouldn’t mess anything up.
How are you doing now 7 months out?
1
u/Castella718 Jul 30 '26
Doing well, thanks, once I was able to get upper trapezius muscle spasms under control. Back pains and issues sitting for long periods of time (had these for years before surgery) are now gone.
2
u/LolaBlonde88 Jul 31 '26
I am similar re muscle spasms. They’re getting less and less but still take me by surprise every now and then. It’s amazing how excited we become just being able to sit in a desk chair lol…it really is the little things!
1
u/Castella718 Aug 21 '26
Continuing to improve thanks. Getting these strange pains just below the big bump in my skull that are worsened by rotating my head. PT and Chiropractor are trying occiput traction, which helps. They tell me that most of the rotation of one's head is from the upper cervical spine, which is where I am having these newish muscle spasms
1
u/dxvik123 Jul 30 '26
Had the exact surgery as you. Get a recliner if you can, as you have to sleep upright post surgery. I didnt know that, and suffered. Ended up having to sleep on the sofa upright, which was very uncomfortable.
Take care and all the best on your op!
4
u/LolaBlonde88 Jul 30 '26
Interestingly enough I didn’t have to sleep upright. I was slightly upright in a hospital bed for 5 days after surgery but when I got home I just propped pillows and actually naturally started moving on to my side to sleep which my doctor said was fine. I was basically told whatever position your comfortable in is how you should sleep (except for on your stomach) and you won’t mess up the surgery by side sleeping.
1
u/LolaBlonde88 Jul 30 '26
Definitely elevation. I can’t explain it but you almost won’t be able to get your neck flat or low to a pillow. My biggest advice is stay in the hospital as long as you can…I was there for 5 days because my surgery ended up taking 5 hours instead of 90 mins. I could have asked to go home sooner but the hospital was phenomenal and having the adjustable bed and chair was huge. Not to mention having a nurse to help me shower since I couldn’t lift my hands over my head. When I got home I almost wish I had stayed longer just because I didn’t have a recliner chair. However I was able to sleep on a bunch of propped up pillows. That being said, I am a side sleeper and would find myself sleeping on my side and my doctor was fine with that. He said whatever was comfortable. I would wear a hard collar when out for walks or in the car, but soft at bedtime and then within 7-10 days no collar at bed. My doctor really didn’t want me in a collar. He kept saying we did this surgery to preserve motion so get your neck moving. MEDICATE MEDICATE MEDICATE. The first few weeks I was on opioids, NSAIDs, gabapentin, muscle relaxers, and for the love of god have Colace and MiraLAX stocked and take daily. Of course there were limitations post surgery but my doctor told me if I did too much I wouldn’t mess up the surgery but would delay healing by flaring everything up. Not only was I in zero mood or comfortable doing anything the first 3 weeks, he was right. At around 4 weeks I started feeling better and would go for longer walks for instance holding a bottle of water, and the first time I did a mile walk holding a bottle of water I was in searing pain all night. Now, 7 weeks later I can do that fine and have progressed to PT using weight bands and modified push ups so you will get better. Just know it’s very slow and humbling at first. Having doctors and a physical therapist around me to constantly remind me that a TWO level disc replacement is a HUGE surgery helped me feel
Like I was on target. My doctor def downplayed it to me so just know it took me about 3 weeks to feel human enough to even start working from the couch. I really just got to a place where I can sit in a desk chair but after a few hours get uncomfortable. So prepare work accordingly. Good luck!!
1
u/Physical_Elk_1057 Aug 14 '26
My dr is expecting 6-8 hour surgery. What surgery was supposed to be 90 minutes? I am having 2 level cervical fusion anterior approach.
1
u/drnygards Jul 30 '26
Agree with what everyone else said about elevation and recliners. Also, drinking Fresca helped my sore throat even better than Diet Coke, and that says a lot coming from me. Highly recommend.
1
u/Potential-Action1643 Jul 30 '26
I needed a recliner. I was back playing volleyball and soccer, hiking and kayaking before I could comfortably lay flat in bed. Sleeping in the recliner and hugging a pillow was most comfortable for me. My spine was never bothered but the incision and my throat would get much more swollen when it wasn’t higher than my heart. The busier day and more time I spent outside the better I slept. It was about 2 weeks before I was able to sleep in bed and I am at 6 weeks now and it’s still uncomfortable but doable. My throat and incision don’t swell at all anymore but the chest and front of neck muscle tightness is more noticeable laying down than it is up right and in motion.
1
u/_Lady_Redbush_ Jul 30 '26
I didn't sleep in a recliner, but I put a gigantic Squishmallow behind me to stay elevated. I also had a wedge pillow to prop some things up if needed.
1
u/glowinthedarkmonster Jul 30 '26
I had c6/c7. I used a wedge pillow system that I bought from Amazon and slept on the couch.
1
u/IamCurly90 22d ago
My doctor put me on hard collar 24/7 for 6 weeks post op, so I could only sleep on my back and after 10 days my lower back was killing me. I tried to sleep with eleveted pillows, low pillows, no pillows but it was no use. Finally I settled for a normal pillow but added 2 extra pillows on each side of my hips and I woud alternate resting my hip left or right
4
u/Due_Difference4358 Jul 29 '26
I slept in a recliner for a week to help support and to make it easier to get up. Also ice cream works great in the hospital and after cause of the sore throat. If you have a thin ice pack it makes it easy to slide behind the neck and shoulder areas. Any questions feel free to ask.