Good night?

[Pippers]

Can't seem to crack a pillow arrangement to enable my husband to sleep more upright in bed... any tips appreciated as an armchair can't be the same....

[moogle]

not sure it would be the right angle for you ....but I currently have a roughly rolled duvet hit into place with 2 pillows on top.

[Pippers in reply to moogle]

Happy to try anything, and we do have a spare duvet... thank you.

[Inamoment]

You might try one of these. Your shoulders don't get pushed forward like with a pillow. amazon.co.uk/Orthopaedic-Pr...

[Pippers in reply to Inamoment]

Thank you, a good friend arrived with one of these pillows yesterday.

[Inamoment in reply to Pippers]

That's nice. Do tell us how you get on

[Pippers in reply to Inamoment]

Couldn't help laughing to see it in use upside-down, but what the hell, if it works?

[Inamoment in reply to Pippers]

It's pointy bit at the top else it falls over

[Pippers in reply to Inamoment]

YOU knew that and I knew that, Inamoment... now I've stopped laughing, HE knows that..

[Stumpy55]

Hello Pipers, I sleep sitting up in my arm chair, I have a circular pillow which I got from eBay, two ordinary pillows behind it. So sitting up is comfortable to sleep 😴 Zzz

[Shancock]

I have those triangular pillows I got them from amazon the really help I fin the, very comfy.

[Hidden]

I have an electric bed at home and a dunlopillow pillow. These two prop me up and support me. When I was on the ship recently they put a triangular foam wedge under the matress and that worked really well.

[Pippers]

Thanks chaps... having read differing reviews of both V shaped pillows and wedges I'm reluctant to purchase on spec. .. hadn't thought of wedging beneath the mattress tho'. Once gave a V shape away as I didn't find it comfortable myself, but my husband is now a COPD sufferer.

Tried variations of the rolled duvet theme but as I'm afraid his tolerance levels are low the words 'b****y', 'faffing' and 'about' were used. I'll check out the circular pillow, thanks for that info, Stumpy.

Guess it'll be back to the arm chair tonight...

[Magpuss in reply to Pippers]

I have an adjustable back rest that can either go under the mattress on a single bed or be used with pillows, on top of the mattress on a larger bed. I think I bought it from Lloyds chemist online, can't quite remember I've had it a while. It's not perfect but I find it better than the v shaped pillows. I also have a very chunky wedge pillow that's pretty good if you're trying to avoid the #**#! faffing about, This is the one that I use at home on a double bed, the back rest is less bulky to pack when I go to stay at my daughters where I sleep in a single bed. The wedge pillow was from Dunelm, I don't know if they still have them but they only sold them online when I bought mine. Good luck - it took me ages to find any sort of arrangement that was comfortable.

[Pippers in reply to Magpuss]

Thanks Magpuss, something else to check out.

[Burbagegran in reply to Pippers]

Nice to know I'm not the only one married to a grumpy man!

[Pippers in reply to Burbagegran]

I don't doubt there are many of us, Burbagegran...

[Hidden]

I would have said a V pillow on top of 2 normal pillows with a lumber support below the 2 ordinary pillows.

Currently I use 2 normal pillows a lumber support beneath them and a neck hook* on top of the pillows. (*like the travel pillows)

[Pippers in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Bkin; I've tried something similar with no success but will give it another coat of thinking about...

[mrsmummy]

Have you tried tilting the bed by raising the head? completecareshop.co.uk/hous...

[Pippers in reply to mrsmummy]

Not yet, but I'm working on it... my husband fears the bed collapsing in the middle!

[katieoxo60]

Some times raising the mattrees at the head end works better than extra pillows. I have an adjustable bed and was advised to adjust the mattress and use no pillows. So the answer often lies with the person as advice varies even among proffessionals. I used to have a support that pumped up and raised either the mattress or put it under a pillow to raise the pillows, however it often deflated by its self so not a good purchase. Good luck with finding something that works for you .xx

[Pippers in reply to katieoxo60]

I plan to experiment with raising the mattress from beneath; being a double bed I guess it'll need to be on both sides or I might get smothered! Single beds aren't really an option due to lack of space. Heigh ho... thanks a lot all!

[katieoxo60 in reply to Pippers]

your welcome

[greatauntali in reply to katieoxo60]

I had/have one of those self-deflating supports. An expensive waste of money as you say.

[katieoxo60 in reply to greatauntali]

Agreed Wholeheartedly

[Mavary]

Hi Pippers.

I have had pneumonia and have to sleep upright at the moment.

I’ve found if you place two pillows in a V. The V towards the headboard. Then place two pillows sloping a little on top of them. It’s a bit like sleeping in an armchair but much more comfortable. You will sleep between the V. I hope my explanation is clear.

[Pippers in reply to Mavary]

I get the gist Mavary; we'll certainly try that out. Thanks so much.

[MoyB]

I used wedges for about a year until my hip started playing up. I found they worked well under the mattress. If you're anywhere near the Eastbourne area I'd be glad to loan them to you for you to try. xx Moy

[Pippers in reply to MoyB]

That's so kind of you Moy, this really is an amazing forum.Living on the west of the Isle of Wight I pretty much have to shop online as we don't have a car and there's a limit to what can be carried on a bus. I'm currently looking at bolsters hoping to find one firm enough to do the job when placed beneath the mattress.

[MoyB in reply to Pippers]

Sorry you're not near enough to borrow the wedges. They are available on Amazon, but perhaps your idea of bolsters will work better for you. Good luck in finding a solution. xx Moy

[Hidden]

Why don't you try sleeping with one end of the bed raised 6 inches and wrap yourself like swaddling.

[Pippers in reply to Hidden]

Du know what, I'm done for now... my husband's super powers enable him to know in advance that nothing I suggest will make any difference and that he must just continue to huff, puff, coff and complain. Never mind that nobody forced him to smoke the stinky pipe in the first place.... rant over!

[Pippers in reply to Hidden]

'cos with a hinged base my husband fears the bed might collapse in the middle, liberator... as for swaddling, the way things are going I'll be 'swaddling' him...

[lKeith]

Pippers

Hi, I have to do the same thing and sleep as upright as possible or I can't breath. From the Palliative care team locally I was given a hospital bed which adjusts. I don't know where you live but try 01273523021 to see whether they can provide you with a local number to you. Take it from there the adjustment is tremendous and will go into almost any position that suits you, far more effective than only pillows.

IKeith

[Pippers]

Thanks IKeith, efforts suspended for now... in a lot of pain from sciatica I'm afraid patience with the patient is wearing a bit thin.

[strangetimes]

Hi Pippers - this subject is much discussed over on the oesphageal section of Health Unlocked .

OPA have negotiated a discount on a wedge type pillow which I imagine they could extend to ppl like your husband healthunlocked.com/oesophag...

But it's still £+++ and might not suit .It's such an indidual thing ,

I favour a triangle arrangement with pillows placed at angles as Mavary suggests .I also have a little cot pillow ( Ikea ) at the top of the V .

And a firmish pillow under my thighs to stop slipping down .

Thinking of taking out shares in a pillow company .

Good luck ,you made me smile with saying about your husbands super powers ...

[Pippers in reply to strangetimes]

Better laugh than cry, violetqueen...pleased to've raised a smile. Found the OPA section interesting.

[HungryHufflepuff in reply to strangetimes]

Has anyone from here tried asking OPA about getting the discount on the wedge pillow? A while ago I bought an adjustable back rest but I don’t find it comfortable. I’m concerned that I might not get on with the wedge pillow either. At least with the huge discount OPA have negotiated the sum of money becomes more reasonable. I asked occupational health if I can borrow a wedge pillow to try it out but they don’t have that kind of thing. I know I could just ask OPA but I’m too embarrassed! It’s for people with osophagus problems which I don’t have and can’t even spell, not for everyone who might want a discount on a pillow. I just wondered if anyone from this forum has asked about it and if so what did OPA say?

[inhaler1]

Try pillow under mattress, then two pillows making a triangle and one across.

Hope you are more comfortable

[Pippers in reply to inhaler1]

Thanks a lot inhaler1, will try that tonight.

[undine]

A few years ago I invested in an electric bed a single by HSL the chair people was under £700 including the mattress and one of my best buys not only can I adjust it to exactly the position I want for raising my head/back but can raise my legs to help drain overnight some of the fluid that builds up in my legs and feet in the day. If you can afford it that would be my long term solution suggestion - as it will unfortunately get harder and harder to even have the puff left to adjust pillows etc. good luck xxx

[Pippers in reply to undine]

'fraid finances won't run to that undine; my husband's the COPD patient and normally I'm fit enough to do what's necessary, but having been less mobile this last few weeks due to sciatica I realise that things are changing. Apart from anything else, we don't have the space for two beds, but thanks for responding .. I wish you well.

[HAZELBRENNAN]

I had this problem but I contacted my Occupational Therapist as my local council and she got me a hospital bed delivered to my home. There can be a long wait to see a therapist but they have a lot of knowledge and will come to your home and go into each room with you to see what equipment they can provide to make your life easier. I got a perching stool for the kitchen, raised toilet frame, shower seat that moves me from the floor to over the bath and they had wooden blocks made to raise up my sofa so I can use my laptop on my over bed trolley.

[Pippers in reply to HAZELBRENNAN]

Thanks for the heads-up Hazel; at present we're coping ok between us but having been laid up myself for a couple of weeks I realise the need to think ahead a bit. Hope our OT service will be as accomodating as yours should it come to it.

[Hidden]

I sleep mostly upright and I now how to get the pillows into the position I want, but I started off with a child's bean bag At first .

[Pippers in reply to Hidden]

Something else to try, thanks a lot Mariekathleen.

[HungryHufflepuff]

I’ve just been looking at the Completecareshop link, there are so many good things there! I don’t sleep well and I can’t get comfortable in bed. I sleep pretty much upright, I have got an adjustable back rest but don’t always use it as I find it’s uncomfortable even under pillows because the lower metal bar sticks out beyond it (not very well explained there) so I use big square “continental” pillows propped up on rectangular pillows. But in my sleep either I slip down the bed or my head tips forward. I don’t sleep well, I find it really hard to fall asleep even when I’m really tired and then wake up after at best 2 hours. Hence searching this forum at 3a.m looking for solutions to sleep or the lack of it. There are so many helpful ideas here 🙂 I just need to learn some sleeping techniques!

[Grammyluvs in reply to HungryHufflepuff]

I, also have a problem with sleeping upright. I sleep on my sides or stomach most of the time. I am 5’1” and slide down to the foot of the bed. I am going to try and start out at the foot of the bed. Mine has a footboard and use my wedge and another pillow. I’ll have a problem for a few nights learning to sleep on my side but maybe I can adjust to that.

[HungryHufflepuff in reply to Grammyluvs]

Sleeping is so difficult! I think I’m going to buy a wedge pillow, I suppose I can put other pillows on that, I just don’t know how comfortable I’ll be not being so upright. My bed doesn’t have a footboard but I think even if it did, I’d still slide down the bed and just be all bunched up against the footboard. I hope you’re managing to get some sleep.

[Pippers in reply to HungryHufflepuff]

Best I've found so far Hhp, is a rolled up pillow under the mattress, with three pillows on the bed. A friend who tried a pillow wedge but couldn't get on with it now uses pillows as above with the wedge elevating her feet... strange sleeping position, but it seems to work for her.

[HungryHufflepuff in reply to Pippers]

Thanks Pippers I'll try the rolled up pillow under the mattress tonight. I didn't buy a wedge pillow yet but it kind of makes sense to have one under your feet, I'd certainly give that a try to see if it stops me sliding down the bed.

Apart from not sleeping, not getting comfortable, not breathing properly, not resting, and everything else, I also fidget the entire time, when I'm awake trying to get comfortable and when I'm asleep. Therefore pretty much everything, bedding, pillows etc end up on the floor or somewhere else in the bed. I did think of trying just a regular pillow under my feet but I'm sure it will just end up in a knot around my legs!

This is why I'm hoping a wedge pillow, or your idea of the pillow under the mattress, might be better, achieving the sitting up position but with fewer pillows to fall down or be pushing around all night trying to get comfortable on them. I'll see how it goes 👍

[Hidden]

Try raising your bed 5 to 6 inches just at one end, this means your feet are pointing down. This increases blood flow and oxygen. The first people to realise this were the Egyptians,

but you have to ensure that he doesn't slide down the bed hence swaddling clothes that Jesus was wrapped in. By the way, this has been demonstrated in an experiment to increase flow of liquid.

[Pippers in reply to Hidden]

Thank you liberator1947, we're ok at present with a pillow folded in two under the mattress in addition to three on top. The suggestion of raising the head of the bed wasn't met with much enthusiasm, but if push comes to shove I'll suggest it again.