sleeping after jaw surgery is a nightmare

"I remember stacking pillows like a Jenga tower just to get comfy."

Haha, totally relate to the pillow Jenga struggle... I ended up getting one of those wedge pillows, which helped a bit. Did anyone else find sleeping upright weirdly exhausting, or was that just me?

I ended up getting one of those wedge pillows, which helped a bit. Did anyone else find sleeping upright weirdly exhausting, or was that just me?

I totally get what you mean about it being exhausting. Even though you're technically resting, your body's constantly adjusting to stay upright, so you never fully relax. Hang in there - it does gradually get easier, promise!

"Did anyone else find sleeping upright weirdly exhausting, or was that just me?"

Definitely not just you. I remember after my surgery, even with the wedge pillow, I'd wake up feeling like I'd run a marathon overnight. Your body's basically working overtime to keep you propped up, so it's no wonder you're tired. One thing that helped me was adding extra pillows on either side to stop me from sliding down or tipping sideways...sounds silly, but it made a difference. It does get better though, hang in there!

Definitely not just you. I remember after my surgery, even with the wedge pillow, I'd wake up feeling like I'd run a marathon overnight.

Sleeping upright definitely felt unnatural to me as well. Even though I was prepared for discomfort, I underestimated how physically draining it would be to maintain that position. Your point about adding pillows on the sides is interesting - I wish I'd thought of that earlier. I ended up using a travel neck pillow in combination with my wedge pillow, which helped somewhat, but comfort remained elusive for quite some time. It's reassuring to hear it eventually improves.

I feel you on the wedge pillow struggle. Did anyone else find those things ridiculously overpriced? I ended up stacking regular pillows and a rolled-up towel to save some cash - worked okay-ish, but definitely not ideal. Wish I'd thought of the travel neck pillow trick earlier, sounds like a smart move. How long did it take before you could finally sleep normally again? I'm counting down the days...

Totally agree on those wedge pillows being overpriced - I ended up borrowing one from a friend who'd had surgery before me, but honestly, it wasn't much better than your towel trick. Took me about 4-5 weeks before I could sleep somewhat normally again...hang in there, it gets better.

"Took me about 4-5 weeks before I could sleep somewhat normally again...hang in there, it gets better."

4-5 weeks sounds about right, unfortunately. My daughter had jaw surgery a couple months ago, and honestly, I think I slept worse than she did worrying about her positioning and breathing at night. We tried the wedge pillow too, and yeah, total waste of money. Ended up stacking couch cushions and blankets into some kind of DIY ramp - looked ridiculous, but it worked better than anything we bought. The anxiety about accidentally rolling over or messing something up was the hardest part for me. But like you said, it does slowly get better, and eventually you'll both start sleeping again. Hang tight, you're definitely not alone in this struggle...

Yeah, those wedge pillows never seem to do the trick... ended up using a recliner chair myself. Took forever to get comfortable, but it gradually improved. Hang in there, you're past the worst now.

I feel you on the wedge pillows... we tried one for my son after his surgery, and it was pretty much useless. Ended up stacking a bunch of regular pillows instead, which wasn't perfect either, but at least he got some rest. It's tough seeing someone you care about struggle to sleep comfortably. Glad you're noticing gradual improvement though - sounds like you're heading in the right direction. Hang in there, it really does get better bit by bit.

Yeah, wedge pillows are hit or miss for sure. I've seen a lot of patients struggle with them after jaw surgery - either they're too firm or the angle just doesn't work out. Regular pillows stacked up can help, but then you get that annoying shifting around in the middle of the night. One thing I've noticed is that sometimes a rolled-up towel under the neck can give a bit more stability. Still, it's trial and error... glad things are slowly improving for you though.

I get what you're saying about wedge pillows, but honestly, I think memory foam travel pillows are underrated here. After my jaw surgery, wedge pillows felt like sleeping on a brick, and regular pillows were just too unstable. But those U-shaped travel pillows gave me just enough neck support without feeling too restrictive. Obviously not perfect for everyone, but might be worth a shot if towels aren't cutting it...worked surprisingly well for me anyway.

Interesting, hadn't thought about travel pillows. I ended up stacking a couple cheap memory foam bath mats under my regular pillow - sounds weird, but it gave just enough lift without feeling rock-hard. Might be worth a try too if you have some lying around...

Haha, bath mats under the pillow - that's a new one. But hey, whatever works, right? I ended up using a rolled-up towel under my neck after surgery. Cheap, adjustable, and surprisingly comfy once you get the hang of it. Tried one of those fancy wedge pillows first but honestly felt like sleeping on a ramp...not great. The towel trick was way easier to tweak for comfort and didn't cost me anything extra. Might be worth experimenting with if the bath mats lose their charm!

The towel idea sounds pretty smart actually, but did you find it supportive enough for your neck through the whole night? I'm scheduled for jaw surgery next month and honestly kinda worried about the sleeping situation. I've read about wedge pillows too, but like you said, the angle seems awkward. Bath mats though...interesting! Guess I'll have to experiment a bit myself. Glad to hear you found something cheap and effective - I need all the reassurance I can get right now, haha.

I tried the towel trick too, and honestly it wasn't bad...but I kept waking up to readjust it. Ended up stacking two thinner pillows instead - gave me just enough support without that weird wedge angle. Might be worth a shot if towels don't cut it. Good luck!

Did the two-pillow thing actually feel stable though? I tried stacking pillows, but every time I moved slightly, they'd slide apart and I'd wake up panicking I'd ruined something. Honestly, the only thing that's worked for me so far is one of those travel neck pillows - it looks ridiculous, but at least it stays put. Maybe it's just me being paranoid...but I'm terrified of messing up the healing process in my sleep.

"Maybe it's just me being paranoid...but I'm terrified of messing up the healing process in my sleep."

You're definitely not alone in feeling that way - I was exactly the same when my daughter had her surgery. Honestly, pillows were a nightmare for us too. We ended up using one of those wedge-shaped foam pillows designed for reflux; it was firm enough to stay put and kept her head elevated without slipping around. Might be worth trying if the neck pillow gets uncomfortable after a while. Hang in there, it does get easier!

We ended up using one of those wedge-shaped foam pillows designed for reflux; it was firm enough to stay put and kept her head elevated without slipping around.

I felt exactly the same after my surgery - kept waking up paranoid I'd rolled onto my side or something. The wedge pillow helped a bit, but honestly, I ended up building a weird pillow fortress around myself...looked ridiculous but hey, it worked.

The wedge pillows are decent, but honestly, I found a memory foam travel pillow - the kind you use on flights - way better. It cradled my neck and kept me from rolling sideways without needing a pillow fortress...might be worth a shot next time.