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Memory Foam Topper after surgery

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  • Memory Foam Topper after surgery

    Hi Everyone,

    I just started looking around online for a memory foam topper for after the surgery. Heck, maybe I'll start using it sooner

    I see there are several thicknesses, 2", 3" and 4". Can you give me your recommendations? Geish told me that she has a 4" and thinks maybe it's a little too thick. What are your opinions?

    My hubby and I picked up 2 memory foam pillows a few weeks ago and love them.
    __________________________________________
    Debbe - 50 yrs old

    Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
    Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

    Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
    Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
    Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

    Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
    Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

  • #2
    memory foam

    I love my memory foam pillow. It is perfect for post-surgery. I brought it with me to St. Louis.

    I did not attempt to bring the mattress topper. Our 4" mattress topper is still in SC and it is among the many things that I am eager to return to. We got it at CostCo. We LOVE it! Of course, you did, I hope put all that together to mean that we loved it pre-surgery and don't have a clue about post-surgery. I'm making a guess, though, that it will be great.

    One note: If yours comes in a condensed package, you must get it in place pre-surgery. It took both of us exerting all our energies to get the blasted thing straightened out.
    Cheryl

    Double major idiopathic scoliosis from 1988; progressed to 53 degree thoracic/65 degree lumbar.
    Corrected (with posterior surgery, fusion from T4 to the sacrum, & instrumentation) on August 4, 2008
    by Lawrence Lenke to within 10 degrees.

    Love this forum! Thanks, all!

    Comment


    • #3
      I have a 4" mattress topper from Costco and just love it, I would not be able to sleep without it.
      Patty 51 years old
      Surgery May 23, 2007(43 Birthday)
      Posterior T3- L4
      Pre surgery curves
      T-53degrees
      L-38degrees
      and a severe side shift to the right.
      Post surgery curves
      Less than 10 degrees
      Surgery April, 2006
      C4 - C6

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi Debbie

        I ended up getting a 2 inch foam topper at 4 weeks post surgery. Sleeping was tough without it, and it helped considerably. I had a wasted shoulder going into my surgery and I cut it off about 2 feet shorter so I could hang my shoulder off the end and support the rib cage.

        If I were to do it again, I would go with a 3 to 4 inch thick topper.

        Also one of the main things with beds is, when they get older, they sag. If you were to take a straight edge to the top of a worn bed, you will see a 1-2 inch dip in the center. The center of the bed is worn and therefore is weaker than the rest of the bed and the result is that one sleeps on an angle. If you roll over to your stomach, than your legs are pushed beyond the flat position. Its like laying in a hollow, or arching your back backwards and thats painful after surgery.

        Ed
        49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
        Pre surgery curves T70,L70
        ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
        Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

        Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
        http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

        My x-rays
        http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

        http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

        Comment


        • #5
          My only complaint with my topper is that it makes the bed warmer. In summer its killer. I can't sleep without it, but it takes me a lot longer to get to sleep because of the heat of the room and the topper really has no 'cool' areas to move to.

          Granted part of my problem is that I'm a Canadian living in a desert in California. 110 degress plus is not my idea of fun. I'm also running a portable swamp cooler in my room and its not helping much.

          But yeah, definately get a topper, and as Cheryl says, put it on before surgery. They are heavy.

          Brad
          Surgeries July 26th & August 3rd 1983 (12 years old)
          Still have 57 degree curve
          2 Harrington rods
          Luque method used
          Dr David Bradford
          Twin Cities Scoliosis Center
          Preop xray (with brace on)
          Postop xray

          Comment


          • #6
            Thanks everyone. Last night I ordered a 3 inch one from Overstock.

            They do have some now that they claim are 'cooler' http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden...5/product.html

            but I went with a regular one anyway, because I'm usually cold to begin with.

            Thanks!
            __________________________________________
            Debbe - 50 yrs old

            Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
            Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

            Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
            Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
            Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

            Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
            Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

            Comment


            • #7
              I'm amazed that everyone sleeps so well on the foam toppers after surgery. It was the greatest thing before surgery but now I'm in pain at night when I sleep on it. I wake up all the time. I should just take it off and try the plain mattress. I hope the topper works well for you Debbe.

              Shell
              Chemist, 30

              1998- 18 degrees
              2003- 33 degrees
              2005- 37 degrees
              2006- 44 degrees
              May 2007- 47 degrees
              December 2007 - 50 degrees X-ray

              Surgery May 27, 2008
              Fused T1 to L2
              Curve corrected to 15 degrees X-ray

              Comment


              • #8
                For those of you who don't like the way the memory foam gets hot, I found an alternative that I like a lot better: latex. It's natural and simply doesn't heat up because there's better circulation. I tried three different memory foam toppers before I converted to latex. For me, it's the best. Especially because it does a better job of distributing my weight evenly.

                This site explains WHY it is better than memory foam . . .

                http://www.latexinternational.com/pd...0Step%20Up.pdf

                Here's where you can purchase one:

                http://www.foamsource.com/shop/product/17

                They come in four levels of firmness. I have the "soft". I PROMISE that I am not a sales person!!! I just want to help anyone else who might be searching.
                Ginger Woolley

                Oct 2018, L3 - S1, Anterior & Posterior, Dr Sigurd Berven, UCSF, San Francisco
                ******
                May 2008, T4 - L3, Dr. Ohenaba Boachie, Hospital for Special Surgery, NYC
                ******
                Sept 1967, T4 - T 11, without instrumentation, Dr Thomas Brown, Stanford

                Comment


                • #9
                  latex allergy

                  Hi Ginger,

                  What about people with a latex allergy. Are the mattress sealed so that they don't cause problems?
                  Sally
                  Diagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
                  Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
                  Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
                  Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
                  New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
                  Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/

                  "In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    They are not exactly sealed. They come with a lovely washable cover that zips on and off. I would think a person with a latex allergy would probably want to avoid My Favorite Mattress Topper.

                    BTW, the company selling these toppers (- link provided in my previous post in this thread-) will make them in ANY size. I wanted to have a version of this incredible topper to take to NYC for my post-surgery recovery. So, I asked them to make one that would be just the size of my body . . . travel size. They not only made one, but also sewed up a cover that fits it perfectly. When I left the hospital and stayed at the hotel, I was SO grateful to have my very soft topper that prevented me from having sore hips and shoulders.
                    Ginger Woolley

                    Oct 2018, L3 - S1, Anterior & Posterior, Dr Sigurd Berven, UCSF, San Francisco
                    ******
                    May 2008, T4 - L3, Dr. Ohenaba Boachie, Hospital for Special Surgery, NYC
                    ******
                    Sept 1967, T4 - T 11, without instrumentation, Dr Thomas Brown, Stanford

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Deb
                      I ordered a topper from Overstock too and so far have LOVED IT! Oh and an added bonus, dh's snoring has been cut down about 75%
                      My One Crooked Momma blog
                      Fused T1-L1 May 21st 2008
                      From 51* to STRAIGHT! Thanks Dr. Shelokov @ Baylor

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        We tried it last night, but I think I didn't air it out long enough. AFter an hour or so, I went to the sofa to sleep because the smell was overpowering me; I felt like it was stuffing me up like an allergy. I had it airing out all day today and we'll try again tonight. It doesn't smell that strong now, but I don't know what will happen when I lay on it. It felt very good, and unfortunately for me, my hubby was still sawing logs with the best of them.
                        __________________________________________
                        Debbe - 50 yrs old

                        Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
                        Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

                        Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
                        Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
                        Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

                        Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
                        Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Debbei, the smell does go away. I also unpackaged mine during the winter and (we were having a cold snap in Houston ... it was a *horrid* 40° outside! - LOL) it took FOREVER to "un-squoosh".,

                          Just like Ginger found the place to custom cut latex, I found one pre-op (thinking of various wedges and blocks for under my knees) who cuts custom latex, memory foam ... all *kinds* of stuff. Now everyone can get exactly what they need .

                          BTW, I have a 2" topper and I LOVE it. And there's a lot of truth in what Ed wrote, and even a thicker topper can't fix a bad mattress. Even laying on my stomach where my hips aren't hyper-extended, I stick a pillow under my hipbones to raise them and it's a lot more comfortable.

                          Regards,
                          Pam
                          Fusion is NOT the end of the world.
                          AIDS Walk Houston 2008 5K @ 33 days post op!


                          41, dx'd JIS & Boston braced @ 10
                          Pre-op ±53°, Post-op < 20°
                          Fused 2/5/08, T4-L1 ... Darrell S. Hanson, Houston


                          VIEW MY X-RAYS
                          EMAIL ME

                          Comment

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