Sleeping with a Fistula

[Tinah1968]

  I have a fistula in my left (non dominant) Arm. I have gotten in a very bad habit of sleeping on my left side but, I always sleep on top of my left arm. I am not sure why as I used to always sleep on my right side. Now I wake up with a sore left arm. I have tried to change my sleeping positions and still end up on my left side. Will this harm my fistula?

[RichardMEL]

hmm it is definitely best to try to not sleep on your fistula arm. Any weight on it is not good. I myself sleep on my left side too (with a left arm fistula) the thing that stops me sleeping on it is the darn woosh woosh sound/throbbing from it drives me nuts if I lie the "wrong" way I find I seem to sleep OK with my arm out by my side and don't tend to fall onto it which is good, but it has been something I've thought about too. Sorry this isn't much help I know....

[Rerun]

You put nails in you sleeve or whatever you need to do to NOT sleep on your fistula arm.  If you slow the circulation down it may clot off.  I guess when you get a few de-clots that will teach you. 

                                                                           

[willieandwinnie]

Tinah, you shouldn't sleep on the fistula or graph arm. I always put a small pillow behind my husbands back when he is on his right side (graph in left upper arm) so it makes it harder to roll over. He has a transplant but we still protect his graph in everyway we can. Hope this helps.  

[monrein]

You really have to try to change that habit Tinah.  You never want to cut off the circulation in that arm.  Even carrying a purse or shopping bags, don't carry them slung over the fistula arm.  Protect, protect protect.
Good luck.

[kitkatz]

I have a large king size pillow I put the graft arm over at night. Keeps it up off the mattress and me off of it.

[kellyt]

I figured out a way to sleep on my left side (fistula in upper left arm).  I've tried and tried to type out the position, but it doesn't make sense.  It worked for me and made a huge difference in my sleep because I'm a side sleeper.  Basically, I would lie on my left side with my top leg (right) bend and slightly forward (my weight slightly forward) and my left arm (fistula in upper arm) would be down and behind me (my left shoulder pressed to the mattress).  See, it sounds strange.  My fistula stopped working the day after transplant, but I still sleep this way on my left side because it's very comfortable.

It saved my sanity because sleeping only on my right side was causing my right shoulder to ache.  Hopefully, you can figure something out.  But definitely keep your weight off that arm!  Protect it at all costs (just like Rerun said).

Good Luck!

[Tinah1968]

Thank You all very much for the responses. I will try the sleep different sleep positions and I will definately do my best to stay off of it... I they had a rough time with this fistula I do not want to have to try to do another one.