As somebody else mentioned, a different sleeping place might help. When I had my neck fused, I slept in a recliner so that I did not have to worry about tossing & turning. Took a percoset first & usually managed 4 hours of continuous sleep. It wasn't my preferred way of sleeping but it beat hanging upside down like a bat.

I'd be cautious about Ambien, given that it has made people do weird stuff. You may wake up doing the rumba. An elderly gentleman friend of mine (80 years old) wandered outside in his underwear in the middle of the night. He woke up when the cops got there. A tad embarrassing.

Sounds like your doc is a jerk. Fatigue can exacerbate pain. I agree with the Possegal - maybe a muscle relaxant would help?