I am new to the forum, although I have been utilizing The Mattress Underground for a few months now in my search for the “perfect mattress”.
I’m writing today because I am in desperate need of some help!! A little background about me: I’m a 36 year old female with a slew of medical/health issues (including, but not limited to: Circadian Rhythm Disorder- Delayed Sleep Phase Type) and I don’t know where to begin.?.?. I have been to a few local (Monroe, LA 71203) stores & have realized more of what I DO NOT like rather than what I DO prefer… Latex - NOT FOR ME!! I only weigh about 110 pounds, and the Latex mattresses that I’ve tried feel way too buoyant- like I am on a trampoline. I think I need something more plush that contours to my small frame for pressure relief and spinal alignment due to my medical issues.(I also have a compression at the Thoracic Outlet / Brachial Plexus which causes me excruciating pain while lying flat - along with “bilateral double crush phenomenon” in my arms). NOTE: I will be having surgery to release the compressed nerves on both arms (one at a time) some time this year…ugh!
REALITY: I have been sleeping upright in an Adirondack style chair (with some sort of ottoman) for over 4 months now, in order to get at least 4-5 hrs of sleep without excruciating pain in my arms that makes me want to literally, “cut them off”! The only relief to that pain is to stand up, and standing up during a “heavily medicated sleep” led to a few bumps & minor injuries to my head … so Yeah, I would say that it has gotten pretty BAD. Oh My! I am in desperate need of a mattress AND Soon!
QUESTION: Do you have any information on insurance coverage; specifically “Durable Medical Equipment” (DME) coverage, for an adjustable base foundation and/or mattress? I have a great policy with BCBS of Louisiana which includes a hefty amount of DME coverage but unfortunately, I do not know the first thing about getting that whole process started, much less, completed. Any ideas or info about THAT would be greatly appreciated!!
On a side note, I spoke with a rep for “SelectFoam” (Elaine) yesterday who seemed rather friendly & eager to help. I told her that I have tested a few different mattresses in my area, and thus far, I tend to lean toward the Tempurpedic models because I do notice a HUGE difference in the “feel / quality” of these mattresses vs. other brands/manufacturers that I’ve tested. Sorry - I JUST do!! And - NO, I am not skewed by advertising & BRAND name only … I just know quality when I see it (or feel it, in this case). Trust me, I do my research before buying, and I am most definitely not an impulse buyer (I don’t think I would be all over this Amazing & Resourceful Website if I were) !!
PROBLEM … I can NOT afford a Tempurpedic unless of course, my Insurance would be willing to pay for a portion or ALL of the cost (hence, my question above)! Now, since SelectFoam compares their models directly to the Tempurpedic models (through what they refer to as, “reverse-engineering”), I would like to know your honest opinion on how accurate these comparisons may be.?.?.?
Any suggestions on stores in my area to shop? Where to begin? Zip codes: (71203 / 71201 / 71291)
Please note: I would be willing to drive 2hrs max in any direction which would include Jackson, MS - Shreveport, LA - Lower Arkansas - Alexandria, LA - etc. - to name a few.
Again … ANY and ALL suggestions or help will be VERY much appreciated. Please PLEASE advise
You certainly have some challenging issues to deal with that can make your choice of your perfect mattress much more difficult and while I can’t help with the specifics of what to choose … I can certainly help with how to choose a mattress that is the best “match” for you.
I’m assuming that you’ve already read the mattress shopping tutorial here which has most of the information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice (although there may be no “perfect” choice if you have difficult health challenges) but there are two links to posts that I would make sure you have read in particular which are …
post #2 here which has more about the most effective ways to choose a mattress that is the most suitable “match” for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) either locally or online and help you identify and minimize the risks involved in making a choice that turns out not to be as suitable as you hoped for once you actually have a chance to sleep on it.
Post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful comparisons between mattresses.
The choice of different materials is always a preference choice and not a “better worse” choice because different people will tend to prefer different types of mattresses and materials although it’s also possible that the specific latex mattresses you tried weren’t soft enough for you. Some of the Pure Latex Bliss latex mattresses are very soft and with one of their soft toppers are even softer yet (and very contouring) so it may be worth trying them but these are likely to be the softest latex mattresses you will find and if they also don’t work well for you then it would probably be a good idea to consider other materials or types of mattresses.
This certainly isn’t an area of expertise for me but there is some information in post #6 here that may be helpful.
They put a lot of effort in trying to closely approximate the Tempurpedic lineup in terms of the quality/density of the materials, firmness levels, and “feel” and they have a store in Florida (Brickell Mattress) where they have both of them on their floor so they can use the feedback from their customers in side by side comparisons help confirm that they are closely comparable for most people but having said that … comparing two mattresses that are “equivalent” but that don’t use exactly the same materials or design also has many subjective elements and perceptions involved that can vary from person to person so different people may have different opinions about how closely one mattress compares to another one. The most important part of these types of comparisons is how closely they compare for you regardless of how they may compare for someone else (and even more important how well they match your specific needs and preferences in terms of PPP because you may prefer one of their mattresses over the “equivalent” Tempurpedic) and the only way to know this for certain will be based on your own personal testing or sleeping experience and in these cases the exchange/return policies can be one of the most important parts of the “value” of a purchase so if it doesn’t compare as well as you hoped for (or at least isn’t a suitable “match” for you) in your actual experience that you can exchange or return it with little risk.
NOTE ADDED: Because of ongoing customer service issues and delays Select Foam’s membership has been terminated and I would read the warning here before considering them.
There is more about the different ways that one mattress can “match” or “approximate” another one in post #9 here and the tutorial also includes a link to a list of some of the better online memory foam sources I’m aware of (in the optional online step) and several of these make mattresses that are also reasonable approximations some of the Tempurpedic lineup as well at least in terms of firmness levels and “feel”.
The better options or possibilities I’m aware of in the Monroe area (always subject to the “value” guidelines I linked earlier) are listed in post #8 here but I don’t know of any that specifically compare their mattresses to Tempurpedic so you will need to test them in person to see how they compare to the Tempurpedic lineup in terms of PPP based on your actual testing and experience. You will also need to make sure they are transparent about the quality/density of the foams in their mattresses (see this article) to make sure that they also use comparable quality materials to Tempurpedic.
Unlike many major brands … Tempurpedic for the most part does use good quality materials in their mattresses (typically 4 and 5 and 7 lb memory foams) but their biggest issue is that for most people they aren’t in the best “value” range compared to other mattresses that also use similar quality materials and have much lower prices.
It may be more difficult or need some extra research to find something close to a Tempurpedic locally (because it will involve your own personal testing and getting the information you need to make sure that the quality of the materials is also “good enough” rather than an online description) so if you are looking for something that is more closely comparable to a Tempurpedic then an online choice may be a better option although I would at least do some local research just to confirm that a “Tempurpedic style mattress” is your best choice in the first place.
!!