I have a soft mattress, was looking most at cost when I got it as it was used. Advertised some type of fumigation for the used mattress....i've had it over 10 years never got any bed bugs or anything. Must have worked.

At times i am able to sleep very comfortable in it & at times i sleep more comfortably on the floor. I'm thinking I want to get some sort of a gymn matt because my hips hurt from the floor but other than that i really sleep best on the floor. it could be that by the time i lay on the floor i am frustrated that i couldn't get to sleep in the bed, then go out like a light bulb once i move myself,pillow & blanket to the carpeted floor?

I often sleep with with one leg bent over a pillow and resting on it. I worked as a nursing assistant in a nursing home in my late teens...so i understand the importance of positioning people as they sleep----and hey i don't look down on anything that improves comfort regardless of which age group uses it. I like comfort & I'm adverse to discomfort.

I am tempted to get one of those full body length pillows to sleep with. Its probably as waste of money because a few standard size pillows will do the same--one to rest leg over and one to rest arm & hand on.

but those full body length pillows look interesting & they don't sweat. but i suspect are just a waste of money..

Hi oleblue!
It's me, SharonMom. I read your post, and want to say that, shortly after I was diagnosed with M.S. we bought an egg crate mattress, that has deep "fingers" from a medical supply store. This is because I also have 3 bulging discs in my lower back. The regular mattress was causing me so much pain, that I would have to get up and take a vicodin after lying down. The egg crate is WONDERFUL! It's like sleeping on a cloud!
And since I like to sleep on my side, I also bought a body pillow. The pillow was only $15.00 at Wal-Mart. And they sold me a pillow case that fits on it. I use it to keep my spine in alignment when I sleep. Hope these suggestions help!

We have a pillow top mattress. But, I personally sleep on "pillow mountain"!!! LOL I have to have a pillow under my feet, cause it hurts now for my ankles to tough the mattress(weird), one under my knees, one under my left arm(weakest side), conture pillow under my head. I also, have a rail that slides under the mattress, so that I can pull myself up....and to protect me from falling....I put a pillow next to that too, along with an ice pack....just in case I wake up with a back cramp, cause ice is the only thing that helps....or if I wake up hot. Then I have severe sleep apnea, so I wear a full face mask to bed. Oh, husband on the side, dog between us and a cat at my feet!! Glad we have a king size bed!! Love, love my pillows!!!! I think the egg crate mattress pad sound good an they aren't very expensive. Thought about getting one of those myself too.

For me it is always a pillow top bed or one with egg crate foam over the mattress. Always much better.

I cannot stand a hard bed. Also having a pillow under the knees helps too as one gets older. Don't have a pillow between the knees, just under the knees helps a lot!!

Re a number bed: I don't have that kind of money to waste.

I can't stand a soft mattress. If I sleep on anything soft, I get tremendous back and neck pain the next day. I have a firm bed from Ikea, that I can live on.

I have a pillow top that lately hasn't caused much problem. Made by air sprung. I don't like soft matresses because they hurt my back and this was supposed to conform to help prevent that. And it does on most nights.
Now in the spare room I have a futon. I love it!!! If I can't get comfortable in one place I go to the other.
Whe I stay at my daughters I sleep on a memory foam mattress. That really is comfortable. I look forward to staying there sometimes. lol

I prefer a firm mattress, with a thick pillow top on it. It's firm enough to support my back, and the pillow top adds to the comfort.

I'm not sure, but don't many stores run sales on mattresses around Labor Day?

I have a Sleep Number bed. They are quite expensive, but I have to say it was the best purchase I ever made. You can select the softness or firmness you need. You can change it as often as you need or want with a remote control. I still wake up with some aches & pains, but nothing like I used to! It molds to your body so there are no pressure points.

I finally got an all foam mattress--you know the comercial---the glass of wine does not move when your spouse gets in bed. I have found them to be the best for getting rid of the pressure you feel.

It does not lose it's shape. I did not get the box spring--cause I never believed in them in the first place.

Good luck.

Lorrie

Definitely not a hard mattress. Hard mattresses are very bad for your back and any other tender spots.

I would recommend either a Temperpedic mattress or a latex mattress, medium firmness. It all depends upon your weight. You want your body to naturally mold into the mattress.

The latex mattress is made from rubber, a natural organic material, and therefore is the least "toxic" if you have any type of allergy problems.

I've had both, but I currently sleep on a Temperpedic and I'm quite content with it.

For me, a soft mattress, one with a lot of give seems to work the best. I've had chronic rather severe back pain for about 25 years, hence I had more than one bed (gets pricey after awhile!). Right now I have a Simmons Beautyrest Mattresses full size and it seems to be better than the last one I had.
I understand that the Tempur-pedic mattresses help a lot of people but the one thing I don't like about them is that they tend to make you sweat a lot.
I hope this helps.

i have a thin tempurpedic foam on my bed. and then i have a down comforter, i have never had on before and i like to fold it in half and just plop down on it, i also have quite the assortment of pillows, cuz i have to prop body parts so they don't fall asleep, hurt, spasm etc.. little tiny pillows, great huge pillows(mostly used for reading) foam pillows, hard and sofffff pillows. whatever you have to do to get comfy is worth the good rest, but i bought the thin top, cuz i am poor, i know, big shocker. take care and be nice to yourself. leslie joan in idaho

Thank all of you for your replies and lesterjoan you did bring up one of the more overlooked symtom of MS that we don't talk about and that is being POOR, I know I suffer from it.
But anyways it looks like a pillow top or a bed on the softer side is quite common, I will have to look into it and I will also look into a a script from the doc and see if there is any help there for us.
My left side breast bones-ribs are rolled out a bit got checked for enlarged spleen but that was good so I have to have a pillow under my stomach there also. I also can see almost everyone is a fan of pillows also. Thanks again to all that replied

I have a brand new pillow top. It is soo tall I have to use a step ladder to get up onto it, and I'm 5'7"!. I find myself sleeping on the couch more and more. I'm awake most of the night, so I sleep downstairs on the couch so as not to bother the rest of the family.

I think sleeping with a pillow between your knees is suppose to alleviate back strain. I do it. It feel right.

oldblue: I know what you mean re: price. Having had to buy several beds in the past 20 years adds up! The Simmons Beautyrest pillow-top (this is what I have, the plush one) cost about $800.00 delivered and they took the old bed away. It was the best deal I could find.
The Tempur-pedic beds (queen sized) cost upward of $8,000.00! I definitely cannot afford that!
Best of luck finding the right bed. Would suggest going to a store and trying several out to see which one feels the best -- sounds like you need a soft mattress given your pain issues.