What I already did--get a memory foam mattress topper from overstock.com. Any size is same price. We love it on our bed, and when I had to sleep on our guest bed, I really missed it, so I turned around and ordered a topper for it. I got the king-size for it too, and cut it down to full-size, saving the extra to make neck "rolls" and pet beds! I then ordered one for my 89-yr-old mom who had purchased a cheap mattress when buying a daybed for her assisted living apartment; she's much happier now.

I got the 2", 4-lb density Serta for about $80. They have 1", 2", 3", and 4" to choose from. I decided what to buy based on reading many of the reviews on the 2" and 3" toppers. I know I'll have a hard time sleeping now when we go anywhere away from home! My arm doesn't hurt anymore at night (I'm a side-sleeper).

No, I don't work for Serta or Overstock--I'm just a happy topper owner....who's headed to mine right now :-)

Tracey

I haven't slept on memory foam -- was scared away when I heard it slept "hot". So I bought latex instead. Overstock used to have Sealy latex 1" toppers, but they don't anymore. I'm sure one of the resourceful types here will have a source for latex toppers: if not, and you're interested, I'll look around and see what I can unearth.

Like Tracey, I *love* my bed now. We have a cheap, very firm Sealy queen mattress, and I used to hate it. Post-topper, I find it tough to get out of bed! I don't think I'll ever buy a padded/pillowtop mattress from here on out -- I'll just go on putting toppers over a firm mattress.

nextag has a bunch listed for $200-300 range. Didn't know they were so pricey, but worth it if they really work. The heat thing scares me from the memory foam, too.

These toppers made it softer, right? I'm on a latex foam mattress with a not-very-thick memory foam topper, but am having real problems with sleeping through the night because of hip pain from a low back ruptured disk. The most comfy nights I've ever had anywhere were on softer mattresses.

Did you find you had problems with your bottom sheet fitting -- if you added 2", 3", or 4"?

Oceanna, I'm sorry for your pain. We just went through a mattress debacle with replacing a pillowtop with a firmer plush top, and DH was in so much pain after the switch he could barely move in the morning! We did solve it with a latex foam topper; 2", and now DH loves the bed. It is on the firm side though, not as soft as the memory foam toppers. We got it because we heard they were cooler and would last forever, and after seeing it, I agree. It came with a ten year warranty and I can see why. I don't see how it will ever compress the way our pillow top did. So our story has a happy ending, but it took a lot of trial and error. I'd go to costco if you can or Penney's. They have lots of memory foam toppers, and you can look at them in person. If you decide you want latex, I got ours from a place in Michigan that I found on the web. I think it was called Factory Foam Direct. If you google that it should come up. If not, I'll find it for you. I also remember you have a place near you that makes foam mattresses, so you may do better with them. FYI, I think we paid about $150 for our 2" topper for a King mattress. The good news for you is that your mattress is latex; it will last forever. Replacing the topper is a whole lot cheaper than a new mattress!! Good Luck.

I bought eggcrate foam (cannot recall if that was from Target or JCP) and a fiberfill topper (faux featherbed) from SmartBargains-dot-com for our previous bed, and it was very soft and comfortable for me. Our current mattresses (2 twin XL) are not as hard, so we now have only a fiberfill topper from Overstock.

Some of our old sheets were not deep enough to fit with the added thickness. I ended up using two fitted sheets. One went over the mattress and eggcrate foam, then the other covered the fiberfill topper on top. Even though our new sheets are deep enough to fit, I like the other way better because it makes it easy to shake and fluff the topper.

I just had a new sleeper sofa delivered; it's very uncomfortable to say the least!! I am looking for a topper, do you think any of the above offered suggestions would work for a sofa bed?

In my search this week, I know there are specific toppers of sofa beds but they are pricey.

You can not beat the prices at overstock.com and it does not sleep hot, it actually adjust to your body temp. and it equalizes your weight so no pressure points, I did a lot of research before buying my first, now it's on all our beds even in the RV and we have the memory foam pillows would not ever sleep any other way, they are Awesome!!!! make sure you get dense enough, especially if you are no light weight. Also bought the larger sz. cut to fit with elec. kit. knife, cut's like butter...

WE bought a mattress from Mattress Giant a couple of yrs ago, paid almost $3000 for the darned thing.

It's got memory foam inside it and a pillow top on top of the memory foam.

This sucker is HOT. Feels like a heating pad is under me. And I'm a menopausal woman so this is not good, not good at all.

We both wake up with lower back pain every single morning but since we paid so much for this and it's only 2 yrs old, the ol hubster will not hear of getting rid of it.

I want to get the Numbers Bed. I think that would be our best bet at this point.

I should put our mattress up for sale on CraigsList and see how much I could get for it. But I would need at least $2000 so I could get the Numbers Bed.

Oye my aching back!

But let me say, when I first get into this bed, it literally hugs you and it's SO comfy. It's the heat and the backaches that make me hate it.

Okay, I found my answer (I think) about sleeper sofa toppers:

Can You Use a Memory Foam Mattress Topper on a Sofa Bed?

Here's a recent question we got on using a memory foam mattress topper pad on a sofa bed:

"I have a new sofa bed with a 5 inch mattress. But it still is uncomfortable. Will a mattress topper work in a sofa bed and will it close if I leave it on?"

This questions brings up a bigger issue - which is whether a memory foam mattress topper pad can help make a sofa bed more comfortable.

In general, the answer is probably no. The problem with a sofa bed is that it is usually too soft (because the bed sits on a metal spring type surface) and our topper pad will just make it even softer. A memory foam topper pad will help with the issue of feeling the metal rods that support the sofa bed, but there is a better answer that will help with both the rod issue and make the sofa bed feel firmer. It is a Sofa Bed Support, and it basically is a solid surface (plywood I'm guessing) that you put over the bars and metal mesh and under the sofa bed. This solution gives you a firmer surface for the sofa bed to lay on and also gets rid of the whole bar problem.

If you still wanted to get a memory foam mattress topper for a sofa bed - you just like the cushy feel - you would need to store it when you aren't using it separately from the sofa bed. The topper is just too thick to allow you to fold it into the bed.

I haven't experienced being hot from the memory foam, but it's not summertime yet (I've only had my toppers a few months). However, I'd read to get a really thick, quilted mattress pad to go over it and that it would take care of it, so that's what I did. I'm usually a "hot" sleeper, but haven't noticed any difference other than comfort.

My sheets and mattress pad all fit over a 2" topper, but it is a snug fit. I think what helps is that the topper is usually a couple of inches shorter than the length of the bed, otherwise it would be hard to get the sheets on. My sister has a 3" and she gets her sheets and pad on top of it.

I also got a topper for my sleeper sofa in the basement. It did make it a bit more comfortable, but I haven't slept on it all night. I wouldn't feel AS guilty having someone sleep on it for a night or two as I did before the topper. For any length of sleeping time on it, I think I'd put a plywood piece under the mattress as support from the "squishiness" of the whole sofa-mattress feel. The 2" topper WILL close up with the sofa, but it is a tight fit.

For $80, it saved me from researching and spending $1000s on a new mattress. Heck, even if I have to replace this thing a few times over the years, I'd rather do this for now.....

Tracey

Jjam, you're right... my mattress, such as it is, came from the foam place near me. Maybe I should call them first and they'll make a deal for me since I'm already a customer. It can't hurt to ask. Otherwise, yes it would be nice to be able to feel/test something in person before buying if that's possible. I'd wondered about that.

Tracey, you make good points and this is why I'd never buy a pillow top. It's much cheaper/easier to just add or subtract toppers.

Everyone -- thanksso much for your input!

I'm surprised nobody recommended a feather bed.

I tend to go to bed cold and wake up hot. Am I the only one? I really don't know if that's my mattress, my mattress pad, or me?

I think the memory foam is about the best that I can do. I will never again own a plush pillow top mattress because all that padding eventually smooshes in to a concave shape that can't be changed. The eggcrate foam eventually wears out too.

Oh, this is a sore subject with me-- literally. I have one of those Select Comfort Number beds. I swear-- every time I check the firmness on my little hand held devicey thing it is NEVER where it's supposed to be. I now have one of those memory foam toppers on my side of the bed. Long story short (sort of) I sleep half the night on the couch because it's more comfortable than my bed.
Not exactly a ringing endorsement of any option, I suppose.

Redlodger, I'm sad to read what you wrote. It must be no fun at all to have to sleep half the night in one place and half the night in another. I hope you can find a bed that suits you!

Oceanna, if you are having back pain from a ruptured disc, you might want to check with your dr...because having gone through this recently, a softer bed does not help. Firmer does! The problem is that with a softer bed, there is not as much support for your spine, and that puts more stress on the already bulging disc.

As you know if you have a latex bed, latex comes in different firmnesses. When I was having major lower back and hip pain 6 months ago, we got rid of our old king size coil mattress and bought a king size latex mattress that can be flipped. One side has a 2" layer of 22 ILD latex (softer) while the other side is 44 ILD latex (quite firm). I needed the firm side up for my back and yet my husband wanted a little softer, so I bought a good egg crate type foam topper in a twin size for his side. He's happy and... my back (and hip) is pain-free, finally.

It can take anywhere from 6-12 months for a ruptured disc to heal itself. There is a series of 3 epidural shots that you can get to help reduce the pain & inflammation while the healing process takes places. Having the firm latex bed was and is still heavenly.

Side note - the other thing that really helped was using a kneeling chair while working on the computer. That took alot of stress off my lower back from sitting. I'm still using it because I've found it to be more comfortable and it forces me to sit up straight.

You might want to check with the store where you bought your foam mattress - if it is latex - to see what the ILD is. It might be that you need a firmer topper for a while.

No problem with sheets fitting with an additional topper. Most sheets these days are made for thicker mattresses so that hasn't been an issue.

Good luck - you have my heartfelt, total sympathy on the back issue. I hope it starts feeling better for you soon!!

Sippimom,

I'm so glad you're finally pain-free! It can really be un-fun, huh?

My symptoms apparently aren't typical (doc expects pain to just be down one leg/side, but it's equal), though the MRI reveals the herniated disc (and a whole lot of dessicated ones). I'm a side sleeper and my hips ache, which makes me toss and turn and wake up a lot, wishing I could lay somewhere softer. If I'm wrong I guess I could opt for a firmer one later but I'm pretty sure I'm right.

Thanks about the kneeling chair. Funny enough but sitting at my computer seems to be the most comfy I get. Standing and working are hard on my back. I just don't seem to fit the descriptions like I "should."

It's good to know the disc will heal in 6-12 months. That's more than my doctor told me -- which is nothing. I get pretty depressed about it at times, feeling like it will never end and will just get worse and worse with no hope. Sometimes just walking down the hallway in my home is a major challenge. All I know now is I've got to get a softer pad on this bed very soon. Thanks very much for your kind words.

We bought our 2" memory foam mattress topper several years ago and love it. We bought the 2" because we'd heard that everyone was having problems with their fitted sheets not fitting with the 4" . We don't have that problem with the 2". I have shoulder and lower back problems and find I sleep much, much better now that we have the MFMT on our bed. We got ours at Costco, but last year I ordered my parents each one for their Mother's & Father's Day gifts. They love them and tell me they sleep much better and wake up with less aches and pains since getting them.

Oceanna, has your doc referred you to a physical therapist? Many people with back pain benefit from training the core muscles (carefully! not on your own!). As they get stronger, they can support your spine and body better.

Another suggestion below!

Here is a link that might be useful: looks goofy, but I bet it feels good!

Lynn, thanks for sharing your experience. This might prompt a trip to Costco. I'm sure glad you and your parents are sleeping better.

Walkin, yes, I went to a PT for a bit. Didn't seem to make any difference. Then they threatened to bill me for an appointment I missed. I talked my way out of that. They said don't let it happen again, so I didn't -- I didn't make any more appointments. No appointments = no chance of having my grocery money chipped into.

The ball chair looks interesting. I wonder if anyone here has tried one?

We have an older Sealy Posturepedic "firm" mattress which was fine for my herniated disk for about 10 years and now that I am older, lol, it didn't cut the mustard as I have been waking in the morning feeling almost broken in half.

Before shopping for a new mattress I bought a memory foam topper from Overstock for about $79,which looks like an eggcrate on one side, and for fear of sleeping hot at this hot age I bought a zoned latex mattress pad from JCP at 50% off and put on top of that. Those two foams are actually what new mattresses have on top if you get a cushion firm or plush.
DH who sleeps on his back thinks it is too soft by my back stopped aching. But more problems started as we started rolling to the center on this older mattress with pads so started mattress shopping again. Not a fun experience at all.

Many mattress threads here and most of us looking for some sort of solution. Our new bed comes on Tuesday and bought another Sealy Posturepedic which is supposedly "zoned" for firm support but has a nice padded top without being a pillow top. (I was advised against this for lower back pain and when trying them out lay on your side and make sure you are aligned straight across and don't "hammock".)

Tinker, I hope your new bed is just what you need.

You know it dawned on me that for the cost of some of these fancy-dancy mattresses they sell nowadays, we could have some hunky young cutie pie come in and massage us right before we go to sleep every night quite a number of times. Maybe we're looking at this all wrong? ;)

Oceanna I have experience with 2 of your issues.

#1 We have a featherbed topper and love it. Don't know if you can consider that but for us it's wonderfully comfortable.

#2 I had back surgery for a herniated disc 6/05. I literally could not walk, was carried to the car then a gurney when I went into the hospital and had been determined to do anything (with the exception of cortisone shots) to avoid surgery. Physical therapy, chiropractic, accupuncture all had limited benefit and did not address the problem, only the pain. The problem is a mechanical one - there is a disc out of place and pressing on a nerve or nerves. The solution is also mechanical and that's why I had the surgery. I went into surger at 5:30 and was getting out of bed and walking to the bathroom unassisted at 8. I've never looked back and have no limitations. I work out hard on most days and make sure that I do a lot of work to keep those stabilizing muscles in my back and core strong so this doesn't happen again. Hopefully you can find a doctor you trust.

Dlm, I'm so glad you got relief, and thank you for sharing your story. What kind of doctor did you see? My insurance allows me to go to any I want.

Dlm, did you have a microdiscectomy? That's what I had about 10 years ago. I could still walk, but was pretty crippled. My whole body was crooked. I was practically living on Percocet, couldn't sleep in my bed, etc. I had no pain at all after my surgery. I occasionally still get a sore or stiff back, but nothing that can't be cured by Advil. My original pain wasn't in my back at all, but in my hip/buttock area. It eventually started going down my leg, and I do have some residual numbness in my foot. I did have an episode a couple of years ago when I started getting the pain in my hip again, and was worried that they wouldn't be able to fix it again. Fortunately it resolved itself before it got too bad.

Oceanna I saw a neurosurgeon at the insistence of my general doctor - she didn't want me going to an orthopedist.

Terriks that's just what I had - so sorry you didn't have the same quality of results. Mine came on very fast - I didn't live with bouts of pain or immobility for years the way many people do. I had sudden onset in May that dramatically limited my mobility. I started with chiropractic and accupuncture immediately and did get relief and improvement that continued for close to a month but I never got to 100% better. Then one month after my first 'attack' I was walking to the gym and literally dropped to my knees on the sidewalk - horrendous pain, left leg couldn't support my weight at all. My DH happened to be driving by and he picked me up - literally. That was a Monday. My doctor put me on prednisone and a muscle relaxer but by Thurs I was no better, in so much pain I had to be carried to the toilet from bed and I'd been that way for 4 days. My DH took me to my doctor and she wanted to admit me immediately but I wouldn't go becaue I was determined to beat it without surgery and knew if I was hospitalized it would mean surgery. Less than 24 hours later I gave in and was admitted Friday afternoon, had an MRI and met with the neuro on Sat. He scheduled surgery for Monday and the rest is history. I still feel at times like there is a string or piece of hair caught around my middle toes - nerve damage that may never totally go away. And that's after a very short period of damage. From what I understand, the longer between onset and surgery, the more nerve damage and the less likely complete relief will happen. I got lucky. My DH is an engineer and he understood the problem from a mechanical standpoint and really pushed me to get the surgery - I would have waited if not for him.

Dlm, that last part you said is really scary. My dr just wants me to have PT and that's all. I'm very unhappy and need to see another doctor. What kind should I see? At this point I want to have my back removed, and my front removed too just to be thorough!

I think that my results were actually quite good. I did go for quite a bit longer before my surgery than you did though. Mostly because the doctor didn't realize that the problem was in my back. They thought maybe I had bursitis in my hip. I had cortisone shots that didn't help and physical therapy, which also didn't help. Before this happened I had suffered with back problems for years. Starting in my mid-twenties my back would "go out", and I'd have the awful spasms that would have me out of commission for days. Regular exercise helped and I didn't have much trouble for a few years when I started having the hip pain. Unfortunately my husband has the same problem, and had the same surgery as me about a year later. I always tell him that he was just jealous of my really cool scar.

Terri, my pain often centers in my hips. Which disc did they operate on?

Oceanna I'd go see a neurosurgeon - get the appropriate diagnostic test they recommend, then they have way to tell you what's needed. Here's a strange analogy but it's kinda the way my mind works!..... if you have a pipe leaking behind a wall, you can caulk the heck out of any seams and probably keep the water from showing in your living space - for a while. But that doesn't mean the pipe is repaired, it's still leaking, only you can't see it and eventually it's going to break through that caulk and then it's going to be a bigger mess to clean up then if you'd fixed the pipe to begin with. I'm not a doctor but I play one on decorating forums ;-)

Terriks one of the reasons I didn't have cortisone shots is because of how they impact future surgery if it's needed. Cortisone is very destructive to muscle tissue - that's one of the reasons the FDA regulates the use and limits injections to 3 in a year. But even when used within those parameters, it still changes the tissue to such an extent that it gets a 'shredded' texture and that can limit the effectiveness (or even the possibility) of surgery. As I said, I got really lucky because it was my chiropractor who gave me the heads up on cortisone - then I started doing research on my own and knew I'd never go down that road. It may be part of the reason my surgery was as successful as it was. So what's this about your scar??? Mine has all but disappeared - just a 3" tiny line now!

The disc they operated on was L5.
I only had one cortisone shot, and it was a couple of months before the surgery. I hadn't heard about the impact it could have on future surgery. And my surgery was very successful, but I have always had back "problems" and know that I will always need to exercise to keep strong. My scar has all but disappeared now too, it's only about an inch. I just teased my husband that he wanted us to have matching scars.

I'm with Sippimom: you're supposed to have a firmer mattress if you have a herniated disk or back problems. The firmer provides you the support so your back doesn't "sway".

DH has herniated L-4, L-5 (the most common) and we had to get the new firm mattress which really helps him. It's a Simmons BackCare "Wilmington"---love it! It does have a pillowtop, which is "soft" enough for me for bony prominences. We've had it for a couple of years now. DH's back hurts whenever we visit someone else who has an unsupportive mattress---drives home the fact how awesome our mattress is and worth every penny.

Lots of people have herniated disks and don't know it---it's when the disk is compressed against the nerve that you feel the pain, numbness, and tingling.

Studies say that the herniated disk will heal the best it going to heal in 6-12 months from the initial injury---but that doesn't mean it's going to be pain-free or completely repair itself!

It's really important to build your core tummy muscles!

I was having some hip pain when sleeping (not *very* bad, just uncomfortable) and it totally went away when we got our featherbed. We got one that's about 4" thick and has down on top so the feathers don't poke through. I love it! We keep a separate fitted sheet over it so that I can fluff it up in the morning if I want to.

I hope you find a good solution, Oceanna! If you know it's a ruptured disc, I wouldn't mess around!

Oceanna, you would want to see a neurosurgeon and that's pretty much the MO with back issues because of the spinal cord. The disc can compress in any number of ways which manifests itself with pain in different locations for everyone-depending on how it's pinching the nerves. I actually went to PT first unfortunately that made it worse! Stopped that after 4 sessions and the morning that I could barely get out of bed headed to the neuro. I was willing to do whatever it took to avoid the knife ;)

I silently thanked my neuro today ~ I slipped on some wet leaves and did a little jig to catch my fall. Thought about how glad I was that my back wasn't still in turmoil or that would have been a disaster!

Thanks everyone. Sippi, you're right. I had a neurosurgeon remove my C4-5 disc a number of years back. This is my L3-4. I'm glad you werent hurt when you slipped!