Any recommendations for 'upright' sleeping arrangements?

Hello PTP, 

Unfortunately my husband is in a similar situation to your wife. 

We have tried a wedge pillow & are currently using pillows in an armchair shape but it’s not ideal. We haven’t tried elevating the head of the bed yet that might be the answer. 

I’m sorry not to be more help. 

Thanks for the reply! It's not easy, is it? Elevating the head of the bed might be good if you can actually arrange that - but I don't think we can.

We'll keep working on it, and I'll post back if we make any progress.

All the best, and thanks again.

Hi, I was wondering if you tried the V shaped pillows, they use them in hospital to keep patients more upright, you use your ordinary pillows in the normal position then use the V pillow over the top this creates support on either side to help keep upright. My mum has chest problems and swears by this pillow to help her. 

Thanks for the suggestion! We haven't actually got one of those (we have a 'bat wing' pillow - which is similar, but not the same), so I'll investigate the use of a V-shaped pillow.

Our problem seems to be that my wife eventually 'slips down' from any arrangement we make - and that then leads to the problems we have. But we'll persist in trying to improve things.

All the the best, and thanks.

Hi PTP. I just bought a set of furniture risers from Amazon to raise the back of the bed by 4 inches. Pack of 4 cost £17.99 Simple idea. Works perfectly. Made from plastic with a rubber insert to keep it from slipping about. Bed feels stable and you sleep at a comfortable angle without slipping down. I recommend!

Thanks very much - I'll look into those to see if they might help us.

(And I've just been reading your blog on this site: you have a great attitude!)

All the best, and thanks.

HI, I was reading aout this yesterday and someone had suggested if you have the head/upper body raised you also need to raise the legs a little, this helps the body slipping downwards, not sure if it would help but worth a try.

Another person had suggested (tho expensive) one of those beds that you can elevate yourself similar to hospital ones where you can raise the top or the bottom.

I hope you find something to help your wife, my fella just uses normal pillows and if hes bad he also puts the V shape pillow ontop.

Thanks for the reply. We'd also begun to think that raising the legs - or, perhaps, getting something like a triangular wedge, or a hemicylindrical roll, under the knees - might help.

Anyway - we'll do some experimenting! In case this might be helpful to others, I've found that the company Putnams (https://putnams.co.uk) makes a huge range of various pillows, wedges, etc.

By now, my wife is almost having to sleep sitting up. In her case, the problem is not just gastric reflux (which I know affects many people who have had surgery for oesophageal cancer), it's also irritation of the trachea or lungs caused by the secondary tumour - all of which gets much worse if she's lying down at night.

All the best, and thanks.

Hi I was struggling also at night and was advised to sleep propped up tried with pillows also but found a back propped on amazon that allows you to set at different levels like a deck chair effect works a treat definitely recommend good luck  

Thanks for the reply - I'll take a look at that!