In hospital, the bed is a lovely monster! when I arrived, I threw myself on the bed in a bundle. At around midnight, the staff nurse came and woke me:"Come on! sit up! You must breathe to get better and not in a bundle!" she pushed this button and I was lifted up in a sitting position. She proceeded to ask me to "lie" on my back to make it easier to breathe. This was the position that I adopted throughout my stay. At the end, I asked the physiotherapist to help me to find a back rest, because I don't have a bed that you can fold up in all sorts of directions! She was extremely kind and gave me a back rest.
I have tried it for a few days now. The muscles on my neck get really painful and I feel my head rolling to the side during the night. It's not easy to adjust to this position.
Does anyone use a back rest and finds a position that is not too painful?
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helingmic
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I had the self same problem Mike and contacted my community matron who arranged for me to have a hospital bed on long-term loan. So now I can just push a button to raise myself up. It works very well.
Gosh! That's a huge change Toci. I don't know if I could swap my double bed for one of these. I don't even know what I would do with my double latex mattress and all! Huge change, but you are lucky.
I wonder if one of those triangle shaped pillows would help, someone posted about them a few weeks ago...sell them in tesco. Or you could try your pillows stacked in a upside down v shape against the back rest, that would be cheaper.
Thank you. I searched Amazon and found a new J-Pillow which supports neck and chin to prevent the head from rolling on the side. I don't know yet. I like your idea of the bat wing very much. You're flying to my help thanks
I have that, but it's my head rolling off to the side which is the problem. I have to have something to prevent this. I get awful neck aches trying to recuperate my head in my sleep!
I also have a back rest,to be honest it's not that comfy at all,I spend a lot of time in my recliner chair,far more comfy than trying to sleep sitting up in bed.
Thank you Jambo. I tried, more or less successfully, to add a side pillow to prevent my head lolling about. I had a better night than before the new cushion addition. I couldn't afford a recliner and don't have the space in my tiny flat. The bed is a double bed. I bought a special Latex mattress because me wife suffers from bad back. But she is now in hospital long term!
Morning Mike, I believe you can get a giant wedge to place on or under your mattress.
I've seen these curved neck supports in petrol garages for sale.
I think if I were you or in charge of your care (which used to be my job) I would make a plan for the future.
Gradually let go emotionally, of your lovely double bed. It's a huge step but you can get wonderful ergo metric beds now to have at home. It could improve the quality of your life in giving you a better nights sleep, is safer. They aren't that narrow nowadays or the monstrosities of yester year.
There are agencies who'd be grateful to pass on your double bed to a needy family or you could sell it on eBay and put the money towards a new all singing all dancing one.
I don't know if there's a 4 foot wide divan style but they are very expensive so you may as well go straight to the hospital style.
Look up ergonomic beds on t'net. .... Another advantage is you'd have more space in the bed room!
Take care and get well soon xxx
ps I would be very sad to get rid of my kingsize bed, the one all of my children piled into every morning for many years
I really would have to think a lot about it. I had bought a Latex mattress for my wife who suffered from a bad back. I don't know, now that she is in hospital long term, if she ever will come back.
I probably could do with a little more space in the bedroom which is essentially occupied with the bed! But I so enjoy this latex mattress - which cost me as much as the bed itself!
Thanks for throwing ideas to my side. I'll have to think long and hard and indeed emotionally, as I get attached to good things. It's like about my wife. I made vows to cherish in health and illness. We are both ill - we decided, for this reason, not to have children. My wife tells me she miss having children. I'm too, but in our state this is far better. I can imagine little Johnny saying: "Come on Dad, run after me"! "Sorry son, I'm out of breath and I'm about to cough!!!" yeah, there are deep emotional stuff embracing me and my lovely wife, so near and so distant now!
I'm so sorry to hear this about your wife Mike. I cannot say I know how you feel (no one can) but I do understand how heart wrenching it must be. My heart goes out to you xxxxxxxx
I have a back rest from the hospital, same as you after a stay there. I find I vary, sometimes I'm comfy and others toss and turn all night. On the whole I find a lower pillow and an upper thicker pillow on the rest does the trick for me, having said that I only use it when I'm really bad because it tends to make my hips/pelvis ache! Trial and error for each of us.
quite right, emmo.I am also trying different pillows. I just found that one on the side of the head prevents it from rolling. I also noticed that my pelvis becomes painful, have to move it in different places. The advantage is that my chest keeps clear!
So true helingmic, funny enough I don't fall off to the side but often find I have slid down the bed anyway which rather defeats the object of keeping my upright - just can't win, can we?
emmo. I received the J-pillow. It's difficult to wear it in bed. The J-part supports the chin from falling forward.I suppose it's well conceived, but I took it off during my siesta. A couple of soft cushions are best! Keep tucked in in bed!
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Have we all gone back to the playground 
Back after long absence 
Afraid to go back to work.
COPD and upper back pain between shoulder blades and shoulders
Follow up -back to Fostair - hooray.
