Worried about my snoring in hospital

[Lisa52]

Hi,

I'm due to have a hysterectomy in two weeks. I'm terrified I'm going to annoy every other woman on the ward because I snore like a tractor.

I've snored all my life and tried mouth taping, nasal dilators, teeth guards, throat exercises etc but nothing helps. I sleep on my sides and breath through my nose.

I'm pretty anxious about the operation itself, but the thought of keeping eleven post surgical women awake all night is horrifying and I could be there from one to five nights.

I just googled snoring in hospitals and the first thing that came up was a dreadful news report of an elderly woman who was murdered in hospital because of her snoring. 😲 Although, I'm not too worried about being murdered, I am worried about upsetting women in pain.

I have been waiting over a year to have this operation because of Covid cancellations. I've been in pain and bleeding every day so I have to go through with it.

Should I bring ear plugs for other patients? Or chocolates? Or warn them in advance? I don't suppose they'll let me have a private room because of snoring. Does anyone have any advice?

Thank you.

Funnily enough I did have a private room after my hysterectomy. I was thrilled when I arrived because the thing that worried me most was being on a ward. I waited 13 long months for my op so I totally sympathise.

It was hell.

It was next door to the lift and the mechanism did this weird ‘Grate....Squeek’ every 40 seconds. All. Night. Long. Even when the lift wasn’t running. The nurses station was right outside so the bells buzzed and the phone rang all night and the staff conversed in daytime voices about a leaving do, new school, how so and so was getting on in their new job etc etc. The woman in the room next door watched tv loudly with her door open, someone also had to pop in and do her blood sugars every 15 minutes and discuss the results loudly with her. Probably so they could be heard over her tv.

I cried when they said I had to stay in a second night.

No one sleeps much in hospital, don’t worry about it. There also won’t be much chance of someone smothering you with a pillow as everyone will be too sore to move much!

Hope all goes well with your op & wishing you a speedy recovery.

Oh please don't worry. Hospitals are such noisy places day and night that a snoring neighbour won't make much difference. There are far worse ways patients can annoy each other!

I was in a four bed room for one night, and worried about exactly the same thing. I told the other ladies, please come and wake me up if I am disturbing you. As it night wore on I lay awake listening to them snoring!!

Thanks for being so supportive. I'm not sure how happy you'd be if you actually had to share a room with me though. I recorded myself overnight and it was shocking!

I think I will tell people to wake me if I annoy them. Hopefully, I'll be able to leave after one night and run (or, more accurately, hobble) away.

The best tip I was given was on here. Put every item you use a lot -lip balm, mints, tissues, little sanitiser- in a tie handle sandwich bag. That way, instead of having to twist and search in your bedside locker for each item, you can just lift the bag over to you and get what you need.

I also read an interesting website about quick recovery that said as soon as you are home aim to walk 5 minutes a day every day, increase by 5 minutes each new week so that by week 6 you are walking for 30 minutes a day. I was amazed at how great I felt by week 2 tbh.

This is absolutely not your fault but so considerate of you to be thinking about. When I was kept overnight for emergency surgery I ended up doing an all nighter with no sleep due to others snoring, and sadly the lady next to me sobbing. It’s hard to see how shared wards are conducive to getting better and healing. If I’m ever in hospital again I’ll make sure to take earplugs!