A BIG but wonderful gadget

Kathy,

I totally agree with the results from sleeping on a mattress topper.  I have a air mattress, but I was still having problems then I put the topper on the bed with a really good mattress pad and do feel so much better in the mornings on the nights that I can sleep.  I still have a lot of problems getting to sleep, but when I can it is a real help.

Take care,
Judy

Hey Kathy,

I have a mattress top also and I love mine too. Mine is the kind that those not hold heat either; since been on Methadone like you, I am a constant hot flash! LOL! Thanks for posting.

Take care,

Millie

I use an airbed for a mattress and i find it great..it seems to alternate my body weight more than a solid mattress and get a better sleep..I live in united kingdom and paid £20,00 for a double airbed..I also find you are in control as too how much air you fill in them so its easier to get it either firmer or softer..I certainly recommend one. Not tried the topper as they are expensive but my daughter talking about trying one out so may give her,s a test and see if its as good ..In the long run if we get a good sleep with chronic pain its a bonus no matter what we may sleep on..

Liz,

I've found I have to switch around from the topper to a magnetic mattress (I think more for a harder bed sometimes when my muscles are tighter/ vs nerve flare-ups).  You know, when Judy (IamChunks) was here, I borrowed my parent's King size air mattress and she slept awesome on it! I was surprised when she chose it over the guest bed since I sleep on the guest bed a lot with the magnetic mattress, but the first night we all passed out, the second night her son and I were outside drinking coffee for quite awhile before she got out of bed as she slept so well! SO yep, I think air mattresses are a great idea too!

Thanks for posting this!
Kat

Roni,

Hi! It makes the bed softer, and I think mine is 4 inches thick of foam.  Mine's from Coscto and it's not supposed to hold much heat which is a problem with many toppers.  There's shorter ones too, I think I'd have gone with a shorter one since I started with it after fusion and before hardware removal so it was hard to scoot around! I tend to use it most when I have nerve pain, since it doesn't "squish" as much.  The biggest relief was the hip pain and joint pains which a normal bed would irritate (like sleeping on my side with my hip problems, my hip would be twice as bad). 

I definitely have learned since I was 17 that just because I have a bad back, the hardest bed in the store is NOT the answer, at least for me! HTHs!

Kat

Roni,

A memory foam bed would be the same thing, as a topper is basically a few inches of the foam.  Yep, it tries to keep you in one spot, I'd sleep on the edge of the bed after surgery! REALLY hard to scoot around in!

I never would have thought of the air mattress, but Judy said she'll sometimes try it on those nights where it's hard to get comfy. 

Good luck!
Kat

Roni,

So sorry to hear the memory foam bed isn't working out well.  It's so tough for us to know WHAT kind of bed to get, and trying it at the store w/ people watching doesn't help! I think they should put plastic over mattresses and let us try them out in-store, like a slumber party! My mattress isn't the best, so with all the hip pain I was having it helped a lot- still does in that respect.  My bedroom stays pretty warm so I sleep in the guest bedroom a lot on the magnetic mattress and don't know if it's because it's a hard surface on a medium-(not really hard or soft) bed, or if the magnets are helping my back or not.  Flare-ups are usually better on the memory foam, so it could be the magnets are increasing nerve pain or I just need a more gentle bed, tough to say. 

I think I was 3 months post-fusion (around the time I started lurking here!) and would get stuck in bed! I also had constant muscle spasming and nerve pain was horrible from it, so it was tough to scoot into the center of the bed.  I fell out of my parent's guest bed with a memory foam, but luckily I ended up part way on the end table and didn't fall too hard!!! I guess it may be worth the extra scooting just in case!