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I reported no back pain with my Costco Latex, and I think that the pain I am having isnt related to the bed, it is just a reality I have to live with.
If I were to do the exercise I know would help, probably would not be the major issue it is.
The firmness of my bed is probably helping it not be any worse than it is...I want to win the lottery so I can have 3 bedrooms all with different beds, then maybe I can find the right one This message was modified Mar 29, 2010 by randys
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After trying a wool topper for the first time, I have to say without the XXXX stitching lines to irritate me, it has helped me. I will maybe upgrade to a thicker version sometime. Maybe you could try that over the latex. Just a thought. There seems to be no 100% solution for me either. But I made it almost 5 hours three nights in a row, and that is a record for me. This message was modified Mar 29, 2010 by Leo3
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Well . . . my Flobed latex mattress has almost 100% eliminated what used to be excruciating back pain all night. It isn't the fact that it's a Flobed in particular, it's that it's a latex mattress and I seem to have gotten the right firmness configuration. It didn't happen overnight, but I did notice a marked lessening of my back troubles within a night or two. I'd say 95% of my nights are totally pain free and I wake up without pain. About 5% of the time I feel a slight twinge now and again. That's a remarkable improvement over my pre-latex days when I used to dread going to bed, then toss and turn in agony, it was relief to finally get up in the morning. As time has gone on, I feel better and better. I still don't have any kind of mattress pad on the bed, which bothers me a little, as I do want to preserve the life of the mattress and cover. But the best feel comes from having just the sheet on the bed. |
That is great Kimberly, that your mattress is being good to you. If it is better to sleep on the mattress without the pad for you, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Your comfort is more important.  |
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Leo3 wrote: That is great Kimberly, that your mattress is being good to you. If it is better to sleep on the mattress without the pad for you, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Your comfort is more important. I think I'm at about 70% improvement over where I was a year ago, mattress-wise and pain-wise. That is, both my shoulder has improved (less pain) and my mattress has improved (mostly latex + springs instead of mostly-HR foam + springs). Leo, glad the wool is helping. I go back and forth on mine because I think mine's a little too thick for me, but I do love the feel of soft wool under my sheets. These days my m.o. is that I sleep really well for about 5 hours then I wake up to use the bathroom or whatever, and after that I feel a little more pain in my shoulder. I seem to wake up about the time my back starts to hurt from laying in bed. I don't necessarlily notice that is why I am waking up, I may be waking up for something else, but the fact is, I usually start to hurt some after about 5 hours. However, the difference between now and a year ago is that a year ago, those next 2-4 hours of sleep would really be painful and nearly impossible. Now I have some pain those last few hours, but I can still mostly sleep through it. I'm hoping if our personal financial situation doesn't get worse, like I am thinking it might, then I'll buy one of those soft latex toppers - 18ILD or the softest one I can get - to put on top. A mattress expert recommended this to me a couple years ago and I just haven't gotten one yet. Right now I am actually using a 1/2" piece of memory foam again, after sayng I woudl not use any memory foam. But I felt I needed just a little more softness and it does seem to be helping. But the problem is it will break down quickly and I'll have to re-configure again. |
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KimberlyH wrote: Well . . . my Flobed latex mattress has almost 100% eliminated what used to be excruciating back pain all night. It isn't the fact that it's a Flobed in particular, it's that it's a latex mattress and I seem to have gotten the right firmness configuration.
It didn't happen overnight, but I did notice a marked lessening of my back troubles within a night or two. I'd say 95% of my nights are totally pain free and I wake up without pain. About 5% of the time I feel a slight twinge now and again. That's a remarkable improvement over my pre-latex days when I used to dread going to bed, then toss and turn in agony, it was relief to finally get up in the morning. As time has gone on, I feel better and better. I still don't have any kind of mattress pad on the bed, which bothers me a little, as I do want to preserve the life of the mattress and cover. But the best feel comes from having just the sheet on the bed. |
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TJ12 wrote: And once you Do get out of bed you will be more productive because you are rested! I am lucky if I get 6 hours before I start to hurt a bit, and after 8 hours - or occasionally 9 - I am almost forced to get out of bed because I just don't feel comfortable any longer. I am not sure this is due to the bed, it may be due to my body's problems. But in any case, count your blessings, and congrats on finding a comfortable configuration. My advice: Don't worry too much about chasing that last 5-10% of comfort, at least not until you sleep on it as is, for a month or so. |
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jimsocal wrote:
And once you Do get out of bed you will be more productive because you are rested! I am lucky if I get 6 hours before I start to hurt a bit, and after 8 hours - or occasionally 9 - I am almost forced to get out of bed because I just don't feel comfortable any longer. I am not sure this is due to the bed, it may be due to my body's problems. But in any case, count your blessings, and congrats on finding a comfortable configuration. My advice: Don't worry too much about chasing that last 5-10% of comfort, at least not until you sleep on it as is, for a month or so. |
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TJ12 wrote:
TJ, I am in the same boat as you: I need to do more exercise but hate exercising. I like doing fun outdoor activities rather than exercise but I can't seem to find the right fun, finding the people to do it with, etc.. so I am working on finding the right thing to do alone, that will inspire me to exercise. I am, however, beginning to do more, and with summer coming I will work toward developing some good exercise habits. I'll only caution you, though, not to OVER-do it! A couple years ago after my 2nd-to-last car accident I went through quite a while of no exercise due to my neck and shoulder injury (whiplash). So then I bought a book with a VERY easy (I thought) exercise plan designed for people who want to lose weight and build muscle in just 20 min. or so a day. Well, some of those exercises weren't as gentle as they seemed to be, and I really screwed myself up due to my already screwed-up neck and shoulders. I made my neck and shoulder and back worse and so I had to quit exercising again, and that set me back many more months and worsened my pain (and caused me to put on weight). So just be very aware of any stress on your problem areas and know that it's better to do too little than too much exercise, especially when you haven't done a lot for awhile. My pain isn't as bad as many other people's, nor is it as bad as it was a year ago and for the few years before that. Now it is quite bearable, in fact it's almost to the level of "discomfort" more than pain, so that's good! Since I re-built my mattress a year ago it has generally been much better, and last night, for example, I slept a good 8 hours and though I felt a bit stiff and sore when I woke up, I slept very well. Sometimes I do suffer discomfort at night, and wake up after 5-6 hours but in general it seems to be getting better. Maybe (?) I have found a good configuration now, finally. But I'm always expecting my mattress to change - or me, or whatever it is - and then have to go through re-configuring again. I can't understand why that is, but I just know that is how it has been going. I keep hoping things will "settle" and I can stop messing with my mattress! Can you give me a link to your adjustable frame? If and when I can afford it, maybe I'll try it. Good luck with the exercising! |
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jimsocal wrote
TJ, I am in the same boat as you: I need to do more exercise but hate exercising. I like doing fun outdoor activities rather than exercise but I can't seem to find the right fun, finding the people to do it with, etc.. so I am working on finding the right thing to do alone, that will inspire me to exercise. I am, however, beginning to do more, and with summer coming I will work toward developing some good exercise habits. I'll only caution you, though, not to OVER-do it! A couple years ago after my 2nd-to-last car accident I went through quite a while of no exercise due to my neck and shoulder injury (whiplash). So then I bought a book with a VERY easy (I thought) exercise plan designed for people who want to lose weight and build muscle in just 20 min. or so a day. Well, some of those exercises weren't as gentle as they seemed to be, and I really screwed myself up due to my already screwed-up neck and shoulders. I made my neck and shoulder and back worse and so I had to quit exercising again, and that set me back many more months and worsened my pain (and caused me to put on weight). So just be very aware of any stress on your problem areas and know that it's better to do too little than too much exercise, especially when you haven't done a lot for awhile. My pain isn't as bad as many other people's, nor is it as bad as it was a year ago and for the few years before that. Now it is quite bearable, in fact it's almost to the level of "discomfort" more than pain, so that's good! Since I re-built my mattress a year ago it has generally been much better, and last night, for example, I slept a good 8 hours and though I felt a bit stiff and sore when I woke up, I slept very well. Sometimes I do suffer discomfort at night, and wake up after 5-6 hours but in general it seems to be getting better. Maybe (?) I have found a good configuration now, finally. But I'm always expecting my mattress to change - or me, or whatever it is - and then have to go through re-configuring again. I can't understand why that is, but I just know that is how it has been going. I keep hoping things will "settle" and I can stop messing with my mattress! Can you give me a link to your adjustable frame? If and when I can afford it, maybe I'll try it. Good luck with the exercising! Either way, I would rather do the outdoor thing as well, but it seems as if by the time you figure it all out and get out there, it takes a big time commitment to do on a regular basis which is hard to do if you have to work as well. Here is a link to the Leggett & Platt adjustable frames http://www.lpadjustablebeds.com/. I bought mine at Electrosonic in Burbank ..they also have a store in Orange County. But they are not returnable. Might be at other stores, not sure. There are others out there....but these guys make solid frames. FloBeds and SleepEZ buy their adjustable bed frames and "re-package" them. You can always try them though, they do have LI blended latex mattresses on top of them (simple ones with just two layers and about 8") but it might give you an idea. P.S. I know FloBeds didn't work for you, but you never tried the VZone, did you? I believe I read that you once said it wasn't around when you tried your mattress...I really do think it's the best thing since sliced bread! You can switch layers around a lot (i.e. hips and feet, etc.) to customize. In my case, I have ended up with a custom VZone though...and that is what finally made me happy! I'll keep you posted!
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But each day gets worse in the beginning, right? So, check with me tomorrow! LOL However, I have only 1 word for you...YOGA!!! I used to do it years ago, and of course, got lazy but went back to an Iyengar Yoga class today (focuses on spine alignment)...I must say, I almost cried from the spinal discomfort (no I didn't push it, it was a first level class but any stretching is torture to my spine which is not flexible whatsover! ) but when I got out of there...the bulge in the back of my neck actually got smaller (two people confirmed this so no, I am not imagining it!) and I felt much more energetic and stronger. I can only think that this bulge which has been building up from too many hours at my desk in front of the computer was the result of my discs compressing and that the stretching pulled them apart. So, I intend to drag my husband, who has 3 herniated discs in his cervical spine in to try it...if it helps him, my case will be made and I will let you know. (And he is a real outdoorsman at heart!) The thing about therapeutic yoga is that they teach you to adapt the poses to your injuries with tools (i.e. I couldn't reach the floor leaning forward in what is called the "down dog" position, but the instructor gave me a chair to use instead so I did not have to go so far which helped with my spine issues.)|
TJ12, Didn't you say Electropedic, not Electrosonic? How did you get your Vzone adjusted? What did Dave do to change it? |