Sleeping Position

[readytoswim]

I have read on here about sleeping on your back after surgery.  Is this just a comfort thing, or can it screw up your results if you sleep on your side or stomach?  I am 12 days post op and am curious if it would be ok to resume side sleeping.

[Bradley07]

if you have excision and then u are wearing a compression vest you simply won't want/be able to sleep on your side. i thought it would be a problem for me but it hasn't been, surprisingly. even if i try to sleep on my side now, i wake up on my back. you'll be sore and swollen and it will hurt if you try to sleep on your side...and of course on your side you are probably putting more pressure on one side than the other and may be able to hurt the stitches/incision area.  

[readytoswim]

Last night, I slept on my side for several hours and it didn't bother me a bit.  Although I did wake up in the middle of the night and went back to my back just because I was worried about any long term effects.  My stitches have been out for a week now and the soreness around my chest is pretty much gone.  My main concern was putting more pressure on one side or the other which may have long term effects.

[The Real Deal]

My Doctor never told me if I could or not. I always sleep on my stomach but I thought “Do everything I could to make sure my results work out best”. I slept on my back for the first two months along with wearing my compression vest or an ace bandage wrapped tightly and evenly. It was very uncomfortable for me, but there is only one healing process, I figure why take chances. The opinions of Doctors may vary but common sense told me I would be best off doing what I can to keep my chest compressed and flat during those crucial weeks of healing. Good Luck