Wedge pillow

Had the same problem - made worse by the fact that I can't sleep well on my back (never have). Took me 7 weeks before I could sleep without the wedge (following Nissen wrap). Ended up getting most of my rest in a recliner.

Hi Jenagade,
I ordered the 10"wedge with a memory foam on top. It was a little high for me but did help. Yes, it messed up my back and had some pain. So like Peabs I purchased another adjustable bed few weeks ago. Just be careful as my first adjustable bed, mattress was too thick that it did not recline as what I needed. This new one from Legett and platt is better. The mattress is around 10" thick only. I count it a big blessing to be able to sleep at least 7 hrs. straight now. I'm sleeping on my left side most of the night and towards the morning can turn to my right side for few minutes and feel comfortable. I also started taking magnesium with Vit D. I had this back situation when I was on PPI. I'm still putting some hot compress on my back as the middle part of my back have that dull pain sometimes.

Before, I had crappy sleep too waking up every 2 hrs and then I get hungry. Then when I eat, I have to wait for 3 hrs to digest. Most of the time ended up on a recliner chair. I had problems taking naps.
Feel better soon.
God bless.

Post Edited (Tu Wang) : 9/25/2015 4:33:24 PM (GMT-6)

Thanks all.

Peabs, I mentioned in my post that 1. it is a theraputic wedge specifically for reflux meaning that it angles my whole upper body and 2. that my bed isn't suitable for risers. Recliners and adjustable beds are not even an option no way could we afford it.

I'm wishing now that I hadn't bothered because it was reasonably expensive and it doesn't appear to be doing anything except hurting my back and making me sleep lighter

I found I had to sleep on my back with the wedge, and I had to put extra pillows under my knees as well, that really helped with the back problems for some reason

Yeah I think sleeping on my back is the only way I can manage it. I am a habitual foetal position sleeper and its soooooo hard to fight the urge to roll over and curl up.

I have seen a lot of people saying that sleeping on their left side helps, but I find it makes the regurgitation worse, I always assumed it was because there would be more pressure on my stomach when lying on that side.

I'm not sure what to do now, I've had severe sleep problems for a while now and the strange position seems to be making it worse, plus I'm not noticing any benefit from being raised up, granted it hasn't been long, but I have still had just as many instances of liquid regurgitation while using it, and until that stops my symptoms aren't going to improve.

If it helps, I've gotten used to the wedge now, only problem is the sheets slip down and make me cold (its just coming out of a very cold winter here) but apart from that my back seems to have morphed to fit to the shape! Surprisingly it didn't take long to adjust to sleeping on my left side either, and I found out why the left side is better, lying on the right puts your stomach at an angle where stomach contents will be lying against your LES, making reflux much more likely.

HOWEVER still no improvements noticed from it.

Nope they haven't. I only feel heartburn when things have gotten really bad though. My pH test showed heaps of acid reflux throughout the night, and my biggest problem is from the damage it is doing to my airways. I have however just changed the type of Gaviscon I was taking, and I have managed to sleep through the night for the first time in over a year, two nights in a row, so hopefully its not a fluke.

A wedge squishmallow pillow can be placed beneath the upper body, with the thinnest part of the incline resting near the middle of the back. The incline will open up the airway to make breathing easier and ensure the tongue falls forward rather than backward to prevent obstruction.

Post Edited (DianeBurm) : 9/4/2022 2:23:52 PM (GMT-7)