Pain when laying down? - Cancer: Breast Message Board

crosss · 03-16-2008, 09:38 AM

I have had a bilateral mastectomy and now that the expanders are fully inflated I am unable to sleep. I have 540cc's in each side and I find it impossible to sleep. I get a maximum of 5 hours of sleep each night, and that is with me waking up every 40 to 45 minutes. Not completely awake just awake enough to know that I am in pain. I have elevated to head of my bed because doc says the the pain is from the muscles stretching when I lay flat and that has helped some but not enough. I can not sleep sitting straight up. The pain disappears the minute I get up. It sometimes is so severe that it takes my breath and it is a real struggle to get up. Does anyone have any suggestions for me?

marmar2007 · 03-26-2008, 09:18 PM

My sister in law had the same problem and ended up sleeping in a recliner with lots of pillows til the expanders were removed. Hope this can help you too.

sydney51 · 03-29-2008, 07:08 AM

Hi Crosss; I am having a double mastectomy next week and having expanders with saline put in. Can you tell me what it was like when you woke up from surgery and what the expanders feel like. Are you in pain after fills? Any details of what to expect would be grately appreciated. Thanks Sydney

tomatojuice · 04-01-2008, 09:01 AM

Hi cross-I just read your post. Hoping of course that by now you have resolved this problem. Was just thinking that maybe you needed some medication for sleeping , that it would maybe help. So hope you are feeling better.