Elevated wedge pillow - use one??

I've been trying to sleep on my side to be best for my apnea, however, I always wake up on my back and spend most of my time on my back (I think).

So, I figured if that is what my body wants to do, I might as well try to work with it.

I'm curious how many apnea sufferers here have tried sleeping on a wedge pillow? Did it improve your quality of sleep and number of episodes?

Here is what I am thinking of buying:

http://www.amazon.com/InteVision-Wedge- ... roduct_top

I started sleeping on a wedge pillow to help with aerophagia. It seems to help.

Why don't you get a long wedge pillow (they have them) to keep behind you so you don't sleep on your back?

Tigerlily wrote:I've been trying to sleep on my side to be best for my apnea, however, I always wake up on my back and spend most of my time on my back (I think).

So, I figured if that is what my body wants to do, I might as well try to work with it.

I'm curious how many apnea sufferers here have tried sleeping on a wedge pillow? Did it improve your quality of sleep and number of episodes?

Here is what I am thinking of buying:

http://www.amazon.com/InteVision-Wedge- ... roduct_top

Hi Tigerlily,

I purchased this particular product several months ago and didn't find it very comfortable. But I am pretty hypersensitive so perhaps I am not the best person to be basing your opinion of this product on.

49er

Drowsy Dancer wrote:I started sleeping on a wedge pillow to help with aerophagia. It seems to help.

I forgot to mention that since I bumped my pressure up, I've suffered from that too. Glad to hear that elevation will help with that.

Julie wrote:Why don't you get a long wedge pillow (they have them) to keep behind you so you don't sleep on your back?

That's a good idea, but I also have frequent heartburn, so elevation is recommended for that too.

49er wrote:

Tigerlily wrote:I've been trying to sleep on my side to be best for my apnea, however, I always wake up on my back and spend most of my time on my back (I think).

So, I figured if that is what my body wants to do, I might as well try to work with it.

I'm curious how many apnea sufferers here have tried sleeping on a wedge pillow? Did it improve your quality of sleep and number of episodes?

Here is what I am thinking of buying:

http://www.amazon.com/InteVision-Wedge- ... roduct_top

Hi Tigerlily,

I purchased this particular product several months ago and didn't find it very comfortable. But I am pretty hypersensitive so perhaps I am not the best person to be basing your opinion of this product on.

49er

Hi 49er, thanks for your feedback. Is there a different wedge pillow you tried instead and found more comfortable?

Tigerlily wrote:

49er wrote:

Tigerlily wrote:I've been trying to sleep on my side to be best for my apnea, however, I always wake up on my back and spend most of my time on my back (I think).

So, I figured if that is what my body wants to do, I might as well try to work with it.

I'm curious how many apnea sufferers here have tried sleeping on a wedge pillow? Did it improve your quality of sleep and number of episodes?

Here is what I am thinking of buying:

http://www.amazon.com/InteVision-Wedge- ... roduct_top

Hi Tigerlily,

I purchased this particular product several months ago and didn't find it very comfortable. But I am pretty hypersensitive so perhaps I am not the best person to be basing your opinion of this product on.

49er

Hi 49er, thanks for your feedback. Is there a different wedge pillow you tried instead and found more comfortable?

Unfortunately no. I did try another wedge pillow that was longer than the one you provided a link to. But it still was uncomfortable. So far, I haven't seen any wedge pillow where I feel like when I lay on it, I would be able to have the feeling of sinking my body into it as I do when I lay down.

I hope you find something that works.

49er

I would recommend a wedge pillow that folds for easier storage. I use a wedge pillow for an entirely different reason, my neck. I do not sleep on the pillow, I use it while I'm hooked up to my tens unit. This is usually in the evening, I know that is not good sleep hygiene, but I've been suffering with neck issues since last August & I found I can't sleep with the wedge & tens, so I use them in the evening & sometimes in the early morning hours if the pain is real bad.

I chimed in here because I've bought 3 different wedges in my desperation to find the relief my physical therapist wanted for me. Trust me, the wedge that folds for storage can be positioned several different ways & this could be helpful for you. You will probably find you lay completely still, but I was unable to sleep on mine, felt to me too much like sitting up. Also I cannot sleep with the tens. At my worst point I tried & the PAP interfered somehow with the tens. My choice was obviously to use my CPAP & use tens only while I'm awake.

Good luck with the wedge & let us know how it works for you.

I took one of those optional big wedge pillows (available at most drug stores or Kmart etc) which you can prop at the head of your bed and then put your pillow on top of, you know, so you can read in bed or watch TV. Eventually, I decided to put it between my mattress and my box spring and just leave it there permanently. It hasn't harmed the mattress so far. Sometimes I just like to lay on my back (supine position) and sleep like that for awhile. Since the wedgy thingy is off to my left hand side of my bed, I just orient my body across the bed so the upper half of my body is supported at about a 15 degree angle created by the pillow wedge under the mattress. After a few hours I get tired of that supine position and move my whole body to the right side of the bed which is flat. It seems like the best of both worlds and I don't have to move/adjust any pillows or wedges around during the night. I got the one below at CVS but most drug stores have a version of this.

Here's something similar that's not too expensive OR Google 'readin pillows':
http://www.amazon.com/Lalabe-Microsuede ... 950&sr=1-8

Here is what I meant by "folding bed wedge':

http://goldviolin.blair.com/p/53695.uts ... Mgodmz8AdA

I have tried every wedge made, including the one you linked, tempurpedic with the motor base, this one: http://www.overstock.com/Bedding-Bath/C ... oduct.html. PERSONALLY, I did not like them. Other than the tempurpedic, they shifted and if they didn't shift, I did and never got comfortable. The tempurpedic clearly didn't shift, but I never could get comfortable. My friend tried something that goes between the mattress and sheets and she said that it slid out from under her.

I think this item is a very personal preference so you almost need to try it and see if you like it or not. If there were a way to manage the hygenic issues, this would be a great business - rent a wedge. If you can't borrow from friends/family, if you buy, recognize that you are taking a risk because it might work for 10 others and not work for you.

I tried one for a night, and it was too uncomfortable for me, so I returned it - if you were to try some out, I recommend making sure you know what the return policy is - I purchased from a store where they will take a return at anytime. I have had others that say they will return only if not taken out of the sealed plastic packaging. . . And some will not take returns . . .