I think that both Maverick and John had some great things to contribute and covered quite a bit, but let me also add some info that might be helpful as a Doctor of Chiropractic and mattress designer for the last 20 plus years. First, It sounds like you’re looking for a mattress that can provide really good pressure relief for side sleeping, while also supporting your weight and keeping your spines in good alignment – especially after those fusions.
Based on what you’ve described, I think either of the two mattresses I helped develop called the Tempflow and Back Science bed could be a great fit. Tempflow uses that classic 5lb. high-density memory foam that Tempur-Pedic was known for, so it’ll really contour to your bodies and cushion those pressure points like hips and shoulders. That’s super important for side sleepers. Plus, with a 40-year warranty, you can be confident it’ll last much longer than the 5 years you got out of your old Tempur-Pedic.
Back Science is a hybrid, and I know you mentioned some bad experiences with those in the past and that it may have been weight related, but either way, Back Science uses really high-quality materials, and the combination of supportive, yet comfortable over 1000 count pocketed individually wrapped coils and pressure-relieving Hypergel foam that reduced pressure points, while working with our patented pending Lumbar-Flex zoned support, which basically means that it will prevent any hammocking of the mid-section and give you spine the necessary support needed to maintain a proper alignment.
One amazing benefit with Back Science is that you can actually customize it, should it not suit your needs perfectly. If you get it and decide it’s not quite right, you can swap out the comfort or support layers until you find what works perfectly for both of you. That’s a huge advantage, especially since you may both have different needs.
The best mattress for your needs would be the Back Science Series 3. The zoned support and customizable layers seem like they’d be a great fit for your specific needs, and the hybrid design will give you that balance of comfort and support. But if you really love that classic memory foam feel and want the extra-long warranty, Tempflow is definitely worth considering too and in which case, you may want to go with the Tempflow Elite Conforma medium.
The best thing to do is check out both brands online and keep in mind that they both have amazing trial periods, so you won’t have to worry about getting stuck with a mattress that does not properly suit your needs.
I hope that helps explain things, but feel free to write back if you have any questions, You can reach me back at this forum or email us direct. Also, if you do purchase a Back Science mattress, be sure to use the 10% off TMU10 discount code we give to The Mattress Underground members.