29 replies to this topic

[krshirk]

im interested in what people sleep on to prevent pressure sores? i use a air mattress overlay with a pump that has worked for my 8 years being injured but want to kow what else is out there. im trying to start transferring which is tough when my mattress gives too much!

what alternatives are there?

thanks

Keith

[Dancingdolphin]

Hi Keith
I use a memory foam mattress and never mark.(I never turn during the night either!) Interestly though, I was in hospital recently and they put me on a bed which sounds similar to yours and I kept marking, had to get rid of it after 2 days.

All the best
Karen

[mitch]

i have a sealy posturepedic i sleep in the same position all night, no problems at all.

[TheDreamSeeker]

We us a sleep number! Steve also sleeps on a sheep hide which has done great wonders for his pressure points. Whats your number?

[quadc5]

i use a pillow top mattress. I have alot of nerve pain and i toss and turn all night. Dont know if diferent mattress would help or not.

[wheelywendy]

i use a tempurmed (memory foam mattress and its great no red marks very comfortable and works well on my adjustable bed, works great for me

[BillS]

I use a standard very firm mattress, the firmer the better. I realize that firm mattresses may cause some of you to get pressure sores but I toss and turn all night anyway so the firmer mattress makes it very easy to turn over in my sleep using just my arms. I have a headboard with posts on it and between that and the firm mattress I just roll back and forth all night long.

I hate soft mattresses. They're terrible for getting dressed or even just moving around on the bed.

[krshirk]

thanks for the replies!

seems like most of you like that memory foam!

can you get a memory foam mattress for a adjustable bed? iof so does it take the structurl integrity away when you have te head up or feet up or both?/

does it give too much when dressing or transferring?

what do you all do when traveling?

Keith

[MxDisasterGrl]

I know i probably can move around easier, but i have severe nerve pain on my right side....and my bed had been killing me for over a year, until i thought it was time to see if most of my pain was coming from the bed itself. It was!!! So i also chose to try the "tempurpedic mattress top"...i got mine from walmart for 118.00 dollars US....It's 4 inches total. 2 Inches of the tempurpedic top and then 2 inches of foam on the bottom side. It's worked miracles for myself. I might have more balance than you, but i usually just get into my wheelchair to change. But i think it's worth a shot for you. Mine was a queen size, and they come from very small to large!

worth a shot man! good luck

[wheelywendy]

krshirk, on Nov 22 2009, 08:17 PM, said:

thanks for the replies!

seems like most of you like that memory foam!

can you get a memory foam mattress for a adjustable bed? iof so does it take the structurl integrity away when you have te head up or feet up or both?/

does it give too much when dressing or transferring?

what do you all do when traveling?

Keith

hi keith i use my tempur med on an adjustable as it works better than the origional matress with the diffrent settings, i find mine fine for balance and dressing etc, but might be worth checking with others with similar level of injury to yourself as i'm a L1 with reasonable balance
wendy

[wheelywendy]

hi keith heres a couple of previous posting with someone of similar level to you that has memory foam mattress, maybe you could pm them to ask more wendy
http://www.apparelyz...rt=#entry132799 http://www.apparelyz...;hl=memory foam

Edited by wheelywendy, 23 November 2009 - 10:04 AM.

[Lucydog]

Memory foam for me too!!! I couldnt believe how wonderful it was when we first got it. We have a very thick one which seems to give maximum support as well.

When we are away I sleep very badly as I cant get used to hotel beds, never mind thats not too often these days.

[wheelywendy]

Lucydog, on Nov 23 2009, 11:56 AM, said:

When we are away I sleep very badly as I cant get used to hotel beds, never mind thats not too often these days.

yes i find the same when i'm away the memort foam is so comfortable other beds are so hard to use after that, mind you spent several mins in the early hours once in a hotel trying to raise the bed couldnt work out why it wasnt working until i realised i wasnt at home but in an unajustable hotel bed and that i was busy trying to adjust the bed using the tv remote!!! DOH!

[Lucky]

I used to use a Tempur memory foam mattress but it made me sweat in the summer.... at over a grand too..... not cheap.

Just use a topper now.

[dangerousdave]

Indoors .. I use a firm mattress .. brain wakes me up .. I move and go to sleep .. brain gets angry and wakes me up again to move again
Outdoors .. sleeping bag on 20mm foam ground matress .. brain wakes me up ..etc

Has anybody got a spare brain switch .. I've tried alchohol and it turns the brain off nicely
Trouble is .. bladder wakes me up ..etc

Seriously dreading a pressure sore .. but a guys gotta live

[MDK]

Normal matress with latex top up & regular pressure area care.

[Notwheels]

I just bought a Serta pillowtop mattress. It will be delivered next week so we'll see.

Carolyn

[dsindc]

sleep number! Adjustable: soft for sleeping, firm for dressing.

But I sleep better on a tempurpedic..

[Cheshire]

I'm using a futon mattress, got talked into one step down from the firmest by an ex-gf. The next one's going to be softer, but I love that there's not the extra height of a box spring! Letting my feet dangle hurts. I had a pillowtop my first few years post-injury, but I sank into it deep enough that I would overheat from lack of airflow.

[airart1]

i use a waterbed, love it, just had to purchase a new one, cant wait to try it out 100% waveless with pillow top and lumbar support 8-12-8 is the baffle system.......but i can turn over easy and i do move all the time at night.........

[FROG]

I use a sleep number set at 35 with a soft 4 inch cover pad. pump it to 100 for transfers in and out. Never a problem .

[Illinois Boy]

Sealy posturpedic 11 inch 3 type memory foam.......

Tried Tempurpedic, hurt my ass and back after only 30 minutes......

Jim

[airart1]

the sleep number i would think would be a good bed for us, can adjust it for transfer and for soften it for sleeping and being in it awhile......i thought about the temperpedic, but i have a few friends that didnt like theres or took along time to get used to them.........so i didnt want to go that way when i needed a new bed, had my waterbed, its a posterpedic for 18 years and its starting to spring leaks so i had to order a new one.......they didnt make one from posterpedic anymore so i had to order a different brand, but it was half the price and suppose to be the best they had, hope i have as good of luck as i've had with this one...........

[mcferguson]

I use a pillow-top mattress. I've stayed in bed up to 12 hours without turning and no redness on my backside.

[Emilyn5]

Illinois Boy, on 09 July 2010 - 08:27 PM, said:

Sealy posturpedic 11 inch 3 type memory foam.......

Tried Tempurpedic, hurt my ass and back after only 30 minutes......

Jim

Hey Jim,

Is posturpedic memory foam? If you have had the memory foam, did you get hot at night? How's the posturpedic with your tempature control? Good airflow?

[chrisarnold6]

Hi Keith,

I know what you mean about the transfer bit. To start with I used another board/sheet of wood the spread the load for push off. The mattress is a Premier glide, which not being air filled, does help - I can get out now without the secondary board. It is possible to get transfer handles also.

Good luck with your efforts,

Chris

[yazwack]

Regular mattress with a gel mattress overlay by Action Products. I used to use a foam overlay but it kept grabbing my skin and was a pain in the butt to move and transfer off the mattress. Gel overlay keeps my skin cool, reduces pressure and shear. Moving and transferring in bed is much easier now.

[khoac6]

does anyone think it might be a problem if i put my new twin size TEMPURPEDIC inside this cover? i bought the cover not only for the protection, but so as its easier for my caregivers to pull me and turn me over and such. just wondered if my body heat will be able to penetrate and get the most out of the mattress still..

[wheelinmom]

i have a firm mattress with a gel overlay mattress on top, easy to turn, easy to transfer, easy to dress, no pressure marks or shears, its worked so far.

[ConcernedNiece]

Hello All

My user name describes me, I am a concerned niece. My uncle is an absolutely amazing man who changes the lives of everyone he meets : ) He really doesn't like the computer, although he's starting to use it more. He also isn't a big fan of any change to his routine. Although he is always open to new ideas he is obviously (with good reason) reluctant to change, because if it doesn't work it really impedes every aspect of his life.

Uncle Bob is 67 years old, born with Spina Bifida. I have been searching adaptive technologies and could really use some help from the experts (which I consider the real experts to be everyone here on this site)

What I have been researching is what technology/ products are the best for preventing pressure sores/ ulcers. My uncle spends all of his time in two places, his bed and his wheelchair. He transfers well now and likes to get out and socialize but his weight has caused further pressure and he keeps getting sores. As you may have experienced, once he gets a sore (even a small one) he is then further restricted for several weeks until it heals. The care he has received includes dressing changes and a inflatable donut to keep the pressure off his bottom. I have read mixed things about using a donut as it can restrict blood flow and make things worse.

After reading a lot it is obvious to me that he needs a better wheelchair pad and a better mattress. Before reading this and other peer websites, we upgraded his wheelchair pad to gel based pad, it's thick and works well. We also tried changing his mattress to a high grade memory foam but when it arrived encased in a soil proof casing, the smell of the memory foam was awful. We returned that and got another mattress - soft as he likes it - but he sunk in and transferring was very difficult. Although he really prefers not to have a "hospital bed look" after everything I have read so far, a zero pressure bed sounds like the answer. I don't for-see his weight going down and he is very petite man. So his proportions are very challenging when considering technology. The two products I have found so far are:

Wheelchair - The Airpulse PK or the Custom Air for his power wheelchair and manual wheelchair. http://www.planetmob...uila/index.html

Mattress - I have read that the best are the Hill Rom beds. http://www.hill-rom....usa/MedSurg.htm - Although these a definitely hospital beds which he will resist.

Can anyone please help guide me? Do you know anything good/bad about these products? Do you have any other suggestions?

I GREATLY APPRECIATE and and all input

Thank you to all and my Best Regards,

Denise the concerned niece