Recovering From Surgery: Why are the nights so much worse?

General
1

I was just wondering why at night ( I am 5 weeks post op) does the pain in the back of my head around the incision feel so much worse?

Is CSF flow affected by movement that much?

I am feeling pretty good as the days go on Chiari wise anyway and stayed awake all day today.

I usually take a nap.

But, I dread the night.

I toss and turn and pain is so much worse when I wake up in the middle of the night and in the morning.

Is that just the way it is and no one knows why?

Or, is there a reason for that?

I know colds are always worse at night etc...maybe all pain is worse at night I don't know.

Just curious.

I hate nights cuz of that.

And I am not getting good sleep.

I finally bit the bullet and took some benadryl yesterday and though I slept some I still woke up from pain in the night.

2

Ophelia, I didn’t have that issue. Has been this way since your surgery? For me new symptoms/specific areas of pain would come and go. Can you take a pain med before you go to bed - you need to sleep that’s how you heal!

3

I have been using magnesium with some success.

I will try 400 mg tonight of mag. glycinate.

I tried benadryl but it just makes me cranky and zombie-like the next day.

If I can't get sleep I will talk to my dr.

I am very sensitive to meds. and side effects always occur with me.

Yes, I had trouble sleeping before surgery.

I fall asleep but wake up periodically throughout the night.

I will keep investigating just wondering if others had this after surgery. Some days it is worse or better. Hmmm....