Hi ComeAlongDoctor.
I am sorry to hear that you are experiencing a great deal of discomfort and lower back pain while sleeping.
Your current mattress has the same specifications the Heirloom Tuft Top mattress from Beloit Mattress company (our Trusted Member of the site.) which uses good quality materials and would generally be quite suitable for a back sleeper in a normal weight range. Of course, there are many other factors that come into play … such as your present 33 BMI or there are also different types of firmness and softness that different people may be more or less sensitive to (see post #15 here ) and a mattress that is a “perfect” match for one person in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, or Personal preferences) may be completely unsuitable for someone else to sleep on … even if they are in similar weight ranges.
From your description you seem to be primarily a back sleeper which would usually need a slightly shallower cradle for in the top/comfort layer but also your higher BMIs presents special challenges and usually you’d need more comfort layer thickness that will compress from softer to firmer more gradually which means that there is more “range” of compression without the mattress becoming too firm for heavier weights (or parts of the body)… Generally, you seem to be on the right track but I’d make sure that before you jump in purchasing the topper you do a bit more legwork and understand the exact cause of your discomfort and pain. As far as I remember you lost significant weight and this is another variable that needs to be put into the mix.
While it’s not possible to “diagnose” mattress comfort issues on a forum with any certainty because they can be very complex and there are too many unique unknowns, variables, and complexities involved that can affect how each person sleeps on a mattress in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP or any “symptoms” they experience … I’d first experimentally confirm that the pain you are experiencing subsides when you place a wedge under your knees which would indicate you’d probably need a bit more thickness/plushness of your comfort layer and a topper would be a good solution. If the pain does not subside when you place the wedge under your knees try to determine if the pain is postural related, pressure point related or both, and I’d recommend that you peruse some postings about the most common symptoms that people may experience when they sleep on a mattress and the most likely (although not the only) reasons for them in post #2 here .
Post #2 here and post #10 here also include a list with links to many of the forum posts that talk about different symptoms and fine-tuning a mattress that may also provide more insights and be helpful in identifying some of the underlying causes behind different type of discomfort or pain in a sleeping system
[quote]1. My question is, in your opinion would a 1,2, or 3 inch make the most difference (I’ve been told 2 is the best bet but I’m not sure based on my body weights)
2. Do you think a soft Talalay is a good idea?[/quote]
As from your description, your pains seem quite extreme and the wedge did not seem to solve/improve the issue … depending on the ILD of the layer you chose, a 1" thick extra layer would probably not be sufficient enough to help with your back pain. I am not sure if the NanoCoil is too soft for you and allows you to “bottom out” onto the 44 ILD Talalay layer below or if it is too firm for you and you have just 1" of real comfort. (The nanocoils are slightly compressed when placed into the fabric encasement) Then depending on ILD a 3" layer might compromise your alignment especially if you are planning to lose some more weight … so I’d definitely follow the advice you’d been given by Flexus Comfort and make sure that you make them aware of your history.
You are correct … NR Talalay is more expensive than (SBR) or Blended Talalay. Blended Talalay is most often used because it can create a more durable foam … especially in the softer versions or ILD’s. Talalay that uses 100% natural rubber is also available and is more elastic than a blend but may not be as durable as the blend in softer versions (lower ILD’s). There is more about 100% natural and blended Talalay in post #2 here. It is also more difficult to work with to make a consistent firmness so the natural Talalay can be made softer than most Dunlop (except continuous pour Dunlop) but not as soft as blended Talalay. The two different versions of Talalay are very similar in feel and are lighter and more “lively” than Dunlop.
As you may be aware Flexus Comfort is one of the manufacturing Trusted Members of this site and like all the members here I think very highly of and consider them to compete well with “the best” in the industry.
I hope this information helps you fact check some of your findings and I’d be interested to find out about your progress.
Phoenix