Mattress Forum

My momma - who has cheated the undertaker way too long - now has a $1900 Simmons BeautyRest "Dressler [spelling?] LF (Luxury Firm)" full-size mattress set, w. 10-year quality guarantee. This is a coil-based mattress, not latex. We live 800 miles apart, and when she has an issue, I get her UNRELIABLE descriptions of it. Since I don't live near her and it is difficult for me to get there, I appreciate your patience sorting out the below details and you kind folks giving me your best estimate of TRUE problem and possible solution(s).

1. First, she got two Extra Firm latex mattresses - paid $1600- $1800, top-name brand (I forget which) and sent them both back to store, within two weeks each. She tried them out in-store for 30 mins.; they were fine. Starting w. first night after delivery, she found them uncomfortable. She tried to do the get-used-to-it over two weeks break-in period, but continued to hate the mattress. Then, she got the current Simmons BeautyRest, mentioned above. For 4.5 MONTHS IT WAS GREAT! - she loved going to sleep on it.

2. Then, she started to complain that the bed was sagging a bit. Okay, either Simmons quality-control messed up (and her description is accurate) - I'm open-minded - or momma has spinal problems, like a spinal disc tipping out of place slightly, irritating a nerve or nerves. ALSO, the mattress could be very naturally doing a little "break-in" give of say 1/4 or 3/8 of an inch, which is only natural; yet, because momma may have spinal issues, this tiny amount of give allows her spine itself to sag ever so slightly, but that may be enough to cause her nerve irritation.

3. The store sent along a free but chintsy (weak/thin) bed frame. It works, at least to hold mattress and boxspring in place. Being a FULL size bed, it only has 4 legs. I.e., it does NOT have a "middle bar" (horizontal - that is, parallel w. bed width, or vertical - that is, parallel w. bed length) w. a 5th or even 6th set of legs. Could THIS make a difference for her?? Please note: if there is a tiny sag in the mattress, due to compression of material, AND that compression only goes down to the top 2/3 of the mattress - i.e., if the "sag" doesn't show through on the underside of the mattress when she lies on it, clearly no change-of-frame is going to make any difference whatsoever.

4. JUST SO YOU KNOW, about momma's unreliable descriptions: she claims mattress sags more when lying on her BACK than when on her side. This is BULL, clearly: mattress deflection is based on PRESSURE, which is force divided by surface-contact area. Her force or weight is same, no matter how she lies. On her side surface-contact area is LESS than when on her back; so, on her SIDE is when pressure is greatest, hence sag/deflection should be greatest then, too, NOT on back. What momma obviously REALLY MEANS is: she FEELS less comfortable on her back now, after using mattress for 6 months, than when on her side.

So, kind folks:

(a) What do you think is going on?

(b) Do such upper-line (it's probably not top-of-line) Simmons mattresses REALLY give greatly after 4.5 months??? Has anyone else had problems with "early-give" on Simmons BeautyRest "Dressler Luxury Firm" bedding?

(c) Could a new frame w. "horizontal" or "vertical" (parallel w. bed length) bar for an extra leg or two make a difference? If so, WHICH one is better, horizontal or vertical, and WHY?

(d) You doctors among the community: if this sounds like spinal stuff (disc, osteophytes, etc.) irritating nerves, any solutions regarding BEDDING, not just seeing a spinal surgeon? Any solutions other than, 'If super-super firm is what you need, just sleep on the floor'?

Thank you all greatly for any help, insights, and ideas!

Justin