For those with Joint Issues, A mattress question.

My CD affects my joints. Its always a different joint. Sometimes it will be my hip for a few days, then a shoulder or a knee will join the party, but usually only one or two at a time. Of course this makes sleeping fun, NOT. I wake up several times a night, and I am stiff and achy.

At the end of June, we got a new mattress. It felt great in the store. Pretty soft, but not too soft. We have a platform bed, so when it was delivered it was a bit stiffer, but still felt pretty good. Fast forward a few weeks and I am more achy and stiff every morning. The store we bought it from will let us return it ONCE within 60 days, which of course is running out this weekend. Now I'm wondering if I should go with a really soft mattress or a firmer one. There is no refund of money, so if I go cheaper, I have to just forfeit the difference.

My question is, what type of mattress do you all sleep on, soft or firm? what type do you think is the best for achy, stiff joints? Whatever I switch this mattress for I will be stuck with for the next 10 years. My husband can sleep on a floor or a pillow, so he doesn't care what I get, its all my decision.

Definitely firm for me! I had a bilevel spinal fusion a few years ago so I've had a bad back for several years. When this Crohn's nonsense started up a few years ago my joints went haywire, I'm constantly in pain, much worse than my back. Anyway, with I firm mattress I get far more support and don't need to shift around so much in bed. It's just a personal preference thing, it just depends on what works for you. Since we spend 1/3 of our lives sleeping, you owe it to yourself to get a quality, comfortable mattress. Doesn't sound like your new mattress is working though, maybe try different one while you can still exchange it.

I like them firm. But I have a Tempur bed and its one of the best things in my life :)

Tempur-pedic for sure.  I luv my bed.  Helps with all the joint pain to get a good nites rest.  And I can sleep for hours straight and not move one bit. 

rubber covered hospital bed... when i got my hospital bed 7-8 years ago it came with the flimsiest thing you ever seen for a matress. then i had my nurse get me one that is made for long term bed ridden patients. quite a differance. still rubber covered but with a matrees cover and sheet you cant tell. sure helps when the TPN leaks etc.. :0)

My husband has back problems (spinal stenosis) and his doctor recommended that we get an orthopaedic mattress, which just means it has a lot of coils/springs.  My husband wanted a sleep number or tempur pedic, but I didn't want to spend that much and the doctor actually said the higher spring count would be better for him.  I think it's firmer, but has the huge pillow top, so it's pretty soft to lay on, but is very supportive.  But, laying in one position for too long still hurts me, so I have to move around during the night.  I've slept on the couch and have the same problem, so I don't think a different mattress would help me. 

The sleep number has been one of the best investments I have ever made. It is pricier than most but I figure if I'm going to spend 6 hours in it a day ( 1/4th of my life) it's worth it!

I have a temperpedic-and love it.
However, the most comfortable bed I have ever had is a double hight air matress with a temperpedic type pad built into it.

Was the mattress on a platform bed in the store? A mattress sitting atop a box spring is going to feel different than on a platform bed.  

If not, then you might want to try a mattress on the store's platform beds. If they have no platform beds, you can ask them to put it on the floor and then lie on it and test it. (They might have mattresses in plastic in the back of the store - they could also just throw these down on the floor for you to test.)

Too firm or too soft are both probably going to leave you feeling achey. If you try your best and still end up with a lemon, you could try GDen's egg crate foam. My daughter seemed to do OK on the egg crate foam, atop the horrible mattresses at her college.

The following article about mattresses might help. First, she quotes a National Foundation for Spinal Health orthopedic surgeon, but then dismisses his suggestions because she finds out the foundation accepts money from mattress companies. However, his suggestions seem to make sense to me.  

http://www.slate.com/id/93956