New Tempur-Flex mattress making me miserable

[phoenix]

Hi Lackofzzz,

I received the new mattress 2-1/2 weeks ago. The first few nights were so painful it brought me to tears. The lower back is fine, but I got a sharp shooting pain right between my shoulder blades and horrible neck pain. I have tried at least 6 different pillows (fiber, memory foam, cervical) to try and alleviate the head/neck/shoulder pain. I figure the memory foam will take a little while to break in, and I am trying to be patient, but I am miserable and exhausted. It has softened a little bit, so not quite as hard on the shoulders, but now my ribs & mid-back are sore. Oh, and I notice when I sleep on my side, my ankle does not touch the bed?!

You can see some comments about the Tempur-Flex mattresses in post #2 here. They use good quality materials so durability wouldn’t be an issue but it sounds like your mattress isn’t a good match for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) and the most important part of the “value” of a mattress purchase is how well you sleep on it regardless of the quality of the materials or the price of the mattress.

There is more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here that can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses but for most people Tempurpedic wouldn’t be the best value choice compared to many other mattresses that use the same or higher quality materials that would be just as suitable (and in your case hopefully more suitable for you), just as durable, and are in lower budget ranges.

Will this ever get to the point that it doesn’t hurt, or is this mattress a lost cause? I have to stick it out 30 days before I can return.

As you know there will be a break in and adjustment period with any new mattress (see post #2 here and post #3 here) but if after 30 days you still aren’t sleeping well on the mattress and things aren’t showing clear signs of improvement then I would probably return it for a refund so you can start over again and choose a mattress that is more suitable for you and will hopefully be a better “value” choice as well.

If you do end up returning the mattress then I would start with the mattress shopping tutorial here which has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that you will need to make the best possible choices … and know how and why to avoid the worst ones.

When you are dealing with more challenging situations that make it more difficult to find the most suitable mattress then I would do as much research on the retailer or manufacturer you are dealing with as you do for the mattress because the knowledge, experience, and service of the retailer or manufacturer you deal with and their ability to provide you with reliable guidance about the mattresses they have available can be one of the most important parts of a successful mattress purchase.

To add insult to injury, despite the cool gel, it does sleep a little warm. I am always cold, so it isn’t a big problem for me, but my boyfriend hates it, and we can’t really cuddle or it gets sweltering hot. I do have a mattress protector (that claims it does not get hot) per the warranty.

While memory foam (gel or otherwise) tends to sleep warmer than other types of foam materials (polyfoam, memory foam, and latex foam) … there are also many other variables that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress besides just the type of foam that is used inside it including the type of cover and quilting in a mattress, the firmness of the mattress, the mattress protector or any mattress pad you use, your sheets and bedding and bedclothes, and where you are in the “oven to iceberg” range that can all have a significant effect on sleeping temperature. There is more about the many variables that can affect sleeping temperature in post #2 here that can help you choose the combination of materials and components that will have the best chance of keeping you in a temperature range that you are comfortable with.

The mattress protector you choose can also affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress and protectors that are waterproof also have less airflow which can also result in a mattress sleeping warmer as well. There is more about the pros and cons of different types of mattress protectors in post #89 here.

If you let me know your city or zip code I’'d be happy to let you know about the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in your area.

Phoenix