Hi aero1,
I think the first step is to identify as much as possible the underlying causes of your “symptoms” and then to see what may have the best odds of relieving it. Without first knowing what is causing them … adding layers more randomly can lead to ever more difficult, costly, … and frustrating … choices. This may involve some experimentation because each person may respond differently to different materials and layering because of all the variables involved that can’t be “predicted” with height /weight/ and sleeping position information (although it can be helpful in more generic terms).
The first step I would take is to sleep for at least a week on the mattress without any toppers (if you haven’t done this already) and then try to identify as accurately as possible what you are experiencing on the “bare” mattress.
It would also help to know the details of all the other layers or components you are using including the base the mattress is on and any mattress protector you are using.
Once you have a reference point of the mattress by itself, have identified any specific symptoms from sleeping on this (as specifically as possible), then this may help point to what the next step may be. It’s also important to make sure that you make any changes incrementally and slowly so that your body has time to adjust to each change and you can see a pattern in how it feels before making the next change.
Your upper layers are quite thick/soft for your body weights and rather than the hips being “pressure” problems the possibility exists that your hip issues could be a result of hyperextending the hip joint (it’s sinking in too far) which can also cause pain that may seem to be pressure issues because they are in the same area. In other words your challenge may be alignment related in your hips as much as pressure related (or how far you are sinking in) in your shoulders.
Have you already slept on the mattress by itself for long enough to identify any specific issues with it without any toppers?
Phoenix
PS: I should also mention that the FBM layer should be treated as a complete unknown which is “unpredictable” except through random trial and error because the odds are good that it isn’t “soft” and probably isn’t Talalay (see post #2 here and post #2 here for more of my thoughts about dealing with FBM for any purchase where getting what you order is important).