Ok, I have been sleeping on the same 2" memory foam topper by Sleep Innovations for over 10 years…no problems at all. Back story–I am 5’10" 250lb woman. I have gained significant weight in the last 9 years due to medications. When I started on the topper I was around 150-160lbs. I gained the last 50 over the last three years.
ok, two years ago I purchased a cheap mattress and box spring set over the Internet. What I got was an oddly shaky, springy mattress that basically moves like Jello would…super bouncy. It hasn’t got much padding on top or that much in the way of filling though. The top is only slightly padded. I put my topper on it and life was good. I am a believer that a good topper will make a poorly made bed good.
Within the last month I have woken up in the middle of the night to a completely numb hand. Then recently my lower back started hurting as well as my hips and upper thighs. Basically the whole pelvic and lower back area has been hurting. It’s odd but I have muscle pain in the exact spot on my leg if I were sitting down, placed my hand on top of my thighs (not along the side, but the top front that faces the sky when you sit down in an upright chair) only a hands length and width from exactly the bend in my legs at the pelvis. Both sides. I also am a side sleeper and curl up rather than straight. Oh, and terrible hip pain while laying on my side in an unsupported couch or bed.
Ok enough… I decided that a new topper was in order so I got the one at Costco that is 3". First night 5 minutes in, I sunk all the way down to compress it to about half an inch. My hips were screaming. It was the hardest pain. I may as well have been laying on concrete. My weight is mostly in stomach, boobs, hips and thighs. I am built tall and now with the weight, I am a Big guuuurl! . My hips really don’t have a lot of padding over the pressure spot, so they are sensitive. Last night, I threw my 2" over the new 3" and it’s ok just until I get something more permanent.
Can I just purchase a topper or two or do I need a whole new bed. The current one has no dips or anything, it’s only two years old. I was thinking latex because of my size. Would a solid latex mattress topper , topped with a latex squishy tube inner fill “featherbed” (i read the four pages posed on that topic, so im up to speed on that)be the best route? i only discovered latex today, and don’t know Some specific suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Please take my info in to consideration, and point me in the right direction…
I’m not interested in being cheap, but if what is best works, I’m game. Some links to specific sites or items would. Be appreciated. I live in Orange County California! Sorry this was so long!
These could all be symptoms of the topper and/or the upper layers of your mattress softening and degrading (and this wouldn’t be unusual at all after 2 years with the combination of higher weight and low density topper topper and probably comfort layers softening as well). You are probably “going through” the softer layers into firmer layers below them.
While it’s not possible to know without knowing the actual density of the topper you bought (Costco has several toppers and they don’t list the density for some of them) and knowing the details of the layers in the mattress you have … if I had to I would guess that both your topper and the top layers of your mattress have softened … not just the topper. If this is the case then a topper may only have a limited or temporary benefit because it will just “follow” the soft spots in your mattress. Post #4 here and post #4 here may give you some insights into what may be happening.
With your weight … lower density memory foam (under 5 lbs) will not last very long. If the top layers of your mattress have also softened as well under the heavier parts of your body then a topper won’t be the best solution anyway and you may need to replace your mattress (again depending on what is in it and the condition of the top layers) but if you did want to experiment with toppers then a thicker topper (in the range of 3" or so) using higher density memory foam may give you the best odds of providing better pressure relief but you would also be taking a risk that the thickness of the topper and the softer top layers of your mattress combined could create support and alignment issues.
I’m not sure what you mean by a “latex squishy tube innerfill featherbed” but it’s not really possible for me to guess without knowing what is in your mattress although its very likely that the foam in your bed has softened even if it doesn’t have any permanent dips when you are not on the mattress (it has just enough resilience left to “come back”). If your mattress has softened then latex would also follow the soft spots in your mattress and “bend” into them although like the higher density memory foam it may also provide better pressure relief.
While I don’t have enough information to know anything for certain (and even with more detailed information about your mattress it would generally take a more detailed phone conversation to even guess at the type of topper someone may need) … you can see some topper guidelines in post #8 here which may help you assess whether a topper may be helpful and if it would the thickness and type that may be best. A topper though is really most appropriate for softening a mattress that is too firm and if yours was soft enough at one point and now you are feeling more of the deeper firmer layers (or sleeping out of alignment which can also cause pain in the joints) … then it’s quite likely that the top layers of your mattress have become too soft as well which would mean that a topper may only provide a limited or temporary benefit at best.
If you haven’t tried it you could try rotating your mattress 180 degrees so that your heavier areas may be on slightly firmer foam layers (which may isolate you more from the firmer layers below them similar to when your mattress was newer) and then sleep on that for a few nights (or as long as you could if a few nights were too long) to get a sense of how much more thickness and softness you may need and then based on the guidelines choose either a higher density memory foam (5lbs or higher) or a latex topper (if you prefer a faster response sleeping surface) on top of that.
I bought the 3" Novaform Gel Memory foam topper at Costco. The mattress is only two years old and I have never slept on it w/o the original two inch topper by sleep innovations. I have rotated the bed a couple of times already. The mattress is a queen Milano made by Miracle Bedding Corp. in Jan 2011. It weighs 54lbs and is intended to be used with or without a foundation( but it came with one) it has 35%" Polyurethan" foam pad,35% Polyester fiber Pad, and 30% “Blended Fiber Wasted of Unknown Kind”. It has innerspring construction. The latex topper that is “squishy tubes” is the one you bought - I didn’t check the date, but you got it from Amazon after another poster said that they got one and loved it. I think it was made by Cocomat? You compared it to noodle love? I’m not sure, but it was a 4 page dialogue listed under general mattress.
I wanted to know about latex toppers as a choice other than a memory foam. I wanted to know how to combine a solid firmer topper, and put a softer topper on top. The matress is still in good condition. It just has hardly any padding. Never did. It hasn’t got much individual movement. Thankfully my topper kept me from feeling it or even really sinking down. Now I want to just find a reasonable combination of toppers that will last and be good support and keep the reassure off my joints…
I can’t tell what is in your mattress from the specs you gave me (there is only generic information) but if your mattress is still in good condition and hasn’t softened and all you need is some extra pressure relief then a topper can be a good idea. Post #8 here has some guidelines you can use to help you decide which may be best. Post #4 here has links to some of the best sources for toppers that I’m aware of.
The choice between latex and memory foam is a matter of personal preference and if you prefer a more “in the mattress” feeling, less resilient, and more “movement restricting” material then memory foam is the way to go and if you prefer a more “on the mattress” feeling and a more resilient and movement friendly sleeping surface then latex would be the way to go. Latex is generally cooler than menory foam as well. It’s usually a good idea to do some local testing on a material you’re not familiar with if you are considering using it as a topper because your own preferences are the most important factor. Both can be very pressure relieving.
OK … now this makes sense. It’s called the Seven Comforts. It’s not available on Amazon at the moment and you can only get it in King size on their own site.
Edit: see post #52 here if you are considering ordering this topper.
So back to this …
While I don’t give specific suggestions based on “theory at a distance” … I can help you with how to choose and help you connect with people who are more knowledgeable and with a more detailed phone conversation can help you make good choices. I would first make sure that you like the “feel” of latex by testing it locally and if you do then a latex topper could certainly be a good choice or even two (one solid and one shredded). Latex is more durable than memory foam but 5 lb memory foam is also a very durable material. I would tend to buy one topper at a time and then buy a second one if it was necessary based on your experience with the first. One variable at a time is much easier to deal with.
My only “concern” is that for a couple of years it seems you were reasonably happy with a 2" low density memory foam topper and I don’t know what is in the top of your mattress (the list was off the law tag which only has generic information) so I would tend to stay with 3" or less so you would have less risk for alignment issues.
With your heavier weight you would be 'safer" going a little thicker than people who were lighter so for you a good 'average" suggestion would probably be in the range of 3".
