OT: wedge pillow for gerd... which did you buy?

[snuginarug]

I am getting a wedge pillow for a friend. There are so many out there. I do not know what dimension and what angle to get, nor what brand. Help!

[mars]

Hi Snug

This is what I used to use before my fundoplication, and am thinking of using it again.

Possibly not available where you are, but it does give dimensions and all the other info you need.

http://www.the-pillow.com.au/more/bed_wedge_more.php

cheers

Mars

[Mr Bill]

Forget about wedges they are not as effective as this... Just stack three planks, each two inchs thick, under the legs of the head of your bed, for a total of 6 inches. Try to sleep on you back or your left side. After a few days you will not even notice the slope. And, you will be too busy realizing how much better your GERD feels.

[mars]

Forget about wedges they are not as effective as this... Just stack three planks, each two inchs thick, under the legs of the head of your bed, for a total of 6 inches. Try to sleep on you back or your left side. After a few days you will not even notice the slope. And, you will be too busy realizing how much better your GERD feels.

Hi Mr Bill

I would be interested why you say bed elevation is better than a wedge. It might be more convenient in making the bed, but I cannot see why it would be better.

And I have never heard of back sleeping being good for GERD, only left side sleeping, except perhaps when sleeping sitting upright.

cheers

Mars

[Mr Bill]

I'll quote from my very first post...
viewtopic.php?p=568572#p568572

The tech was puzzled about why I should be developing sleep apnea so suddenly in my 50's and asked if I had made any lifestyle changes. Well, as it happens, I suffered from this little cough all the time and worse when I was tired for at least 25 years and even back when my 5'11" frame only had 170 pounds on it. I got diagnosed with asthma in 1994 and nothing seemed to be able to stop this coughing when I was tired. Now, I was not particularly a snorer and preferred to sleep on my stomach. In May of 2008 my nephew had been getting migraines and crazy asthma like symptoms and he was not at all chubby. When they did an allergy panel on him, he was not allergic to anything! The Dr said it was GERD. I ticked off the symptoms and in a blinding Mentat moment realized these were mine. That same day, I bought three 2"x6"x4' boards and stacked them under the head of my bed to elevate just the head of my bed by 6 inches and I made myself sleep on my back instead of my stomach. After three days my heartburn and my asthma symptoms nearly disappeared!. I no longer have a sinus drainage problem. Apparently the vagus nerve gets stimulated by GERD and in turn it switches on your sinuses which give you allergy symptoms or make mild asthma worse.

If I recall correctly, it was my nephews doctor that said it was best to sleep on my back if possible. It was also that doctor who said that wedge pillows or piles of pillows were less effective than sloping the bed. I quickly found that sleeping on my back gave me the maximum relief. If I turned to either side, the symptoms return quite quickly.

[mars]

If I recall correctly, it was my nephews doctor that said it was best to sleep on my back if possible. It was also that doctor who said that wedge pillows or piles of pillows were less effective than sloping the bed. I quickly found that sleeping on my back gave me the maximum relief. If I turned to either side, the symptoms return quite quickly.

Thanks.

It may well be the best for you to sleep on your back, but for most GERD patients, sleeping on your left side is best. Which, if you examine the anatomy of the lower esophegal sphincter, makes sense.

http://www.medicalgeek.com/mcqs/15215-s ... eflux.html

As for the sloping bed v a wedge, if you respect the Doctor's opinion - fair enough. But it just sounds like an opinion, nothing else.

cheers

Mars

[Mr Bill]

Sure, and I read the Wiki entry for GERD and it says the same thing; that sleeping on the left side is best. Maybe I have something else wrong. All I know is that either side eventually brings the heartburn pain but on my back is always relief. GERD seems to come and go in intensity. When its pretty good and since this is now a year of ASV therapy, I sometimes roll over on my right or left side and miracle of miracles, I can still breath. I speculate that my respiratory muscles have gotten stronger under therapy or conversely they got weaker when my sleep apnea was untreated. Sleeping on either side a year ago was not only painful but also induced central events.

[gailandartie]

I have the top of my bed raised on blocks. It is much better than using a wedge beccause when you are on the wedge, your spine is bent to accommodate the rise at the level of your waist. However, when the entire bed is raised, you can sleep in a straight or neutral position.

I know because I tried both and had back issues on the wedge.

Regards,
Gail

[snuginarug]

Thank you all so much for your input. For some reason my friend won't raise his bed. I don't know why, but he ruled that out. Hence the pillow. Mars, your link was really helpful and I now know what dimensions others have used. If he doesn't like the pillow, I am going to harass him into raising his bed. It's good ton know others have derived benefit from it, and good to know how high you raised the bed. Thanks again to all.

[Kody]

Hi Snug

This is what I used to use before my fundoplication, and am thinking of using it again.

Possibly not available where you are, but it does give dimensions and all the other info you need.

http://www.the-pillow.com.au/more/bed_wedge_more.php

cheers

Mars

Mars I like your links they are informative and seem like some useful products. On a observational side note though, I'm noticing how they advertise a lot of these sleep products more and more. They always seem to have a nice looking smiling Woman in a nightgown demonstrating the products. Not that I would expect to see a chimpanzee stretched out with a glass of wine next to him. However you also notice you never see a hairy 280 pound Linebacker demonstrating this stuff either. I guess most people, (me included) wouldn't want anything that some big Football player has been sleeping on.

[mars]

.
I presume that you are not complaining



On the other hand the opposite might just work for some, and it might look like this -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mdk-4fBGmww

cheers

Mars

[Kody]

.
I presume that you are not complaining



On the other hand the opposite might just work for some, and it might look like this -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mdk-4fBGmww

cheers

Mars

......... .......

[SleepingUgly]

Snug, I got the $$$ Mediwedge for my hypothetical GERD (no evidence I have GERD, just aerophagia). It goes under the mattress so it effects everyone on the mattress. It has done nothing for my hypothetical GERD, which I'm treating with a PPI as well, but I guess we can't expect symptoms that I don't have to diminish to less than zero. It hasn't done anything for my aerophagia either. On the other hand, it probably can't hurt my apnea to sleep inclined.