GERD: wedge pillow or bed riser?

[CathyA]

Was wondering if any of you with GERD have tried raising the head of your bed with risers, or if you found a good wedge pillow that works, (and doesn't end up crunching you up in the middle).
Thanks.

[Alan]

I suffer from that condition occasionally, such as last night, and find that a wedge pillow works well for me. The one I use is similar to this, (http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/store/jump/productDetail/Home_Accessories/Corduroy_Wedge_Pillow/45950?searchid=7MP1NTAG&feedid=nextag&jt=1&js=100&jsid=20929&jcp=Nextag&utm_source=Nextag.com&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Nextag.com&gdftrk=gdfV21961_a_7c336_a_7c1189_a_7c45950_d_BLU) in conjunction with a few regular pillows.

I've been reluctant to attempt raising the head of the bed since it's not a common occurance, usually only affecting me several times a month.

[CathyA]

Hi Alan,
I've been reading the reviews on the risers, and most of them are plastic and it sounds like they break easily. If I raise it, I think I'll just use some wood.
But I think I'll try a wedge pillow first. Sounds like the 7" high pillows are a good height (with your own pillow on top of that). One place sold them that were 12" high and it sounds like that's just too high.
If I did raise the head of the bed with wood, do you think that would stress the wooden frame of the bed?

[Alan]

I think that depends on how high you raise it. You could probably raise the head a few inches without putting too much stress on the legs, but I'm not sure a few inches will help the GERD that much. I find that I really need to get into an almost sitting position in order to get relief, and that would certainly be too high to raise the bed.

[CathyA]

Thanks Alan. They say that 6" is all you need to raise it, but you're right......if you really have reflux bad, that's not enough.
Thanks for your input. (and good luck with your reflux!)

[Sad Eyed Lady]

My DH has GERDs and we tried the bed rising several years ago, but once we found the wedge pillow it was so much better. He has gone through about 3 or 4 by now, and would never go back to trying to raise the bed or sleeping with ordinary pillows. It helps greatly, and a plus that we didn't know about was it also help his snoring!

[CathyA]

Thanks Shalom Poet. How tall is the one your DH uses? I've been reading the reviews online and it sounds like the 12" one is too high for some. Just curious how high the one is that your DH uses. I'm glad it worked for him!

[Sad Eyed Lady]

Thanks Shalom Poet. How tall is the one your DH uses? I've been reading the reviews online and it sounds like the 12" one is too high for some. Just curious how high the one is that your DH uses. I'm glad it worked for him!
Sorry, I've had out of town visitors and have been away from the forums for a couple of days. The pillow he uses is about 9 inches at the high end, and tapers down to almost nothing.

[CathyA]

Thanks!

[Sissy]

I have tried it both ways and prefer a tiered pile of pillows. Putting the bed on risers makes it look goofy, is hard to make and I kept finding myself sliding to the foot of the bed! But, I am a side sleeper, so I am sure that the curve is not doing my back any favors.

I take generic Prilosec and it has put a stop to most of the problem.

[domestic goddess]

I use a wedge and pillow, too, and it works well for me. I had a patient, once, who had GERD, from the time he was born. He kept sliding down off pillows, and, of course, we were concerned about using pillows with a baby (though we actually put the pillows under the crib mattress to raise the head of the mattress), so the dad, one day, put some 2 x 4's under the head of the bed, and that worked beautifully. I think those plastic risers they sell look too flimsy for this, but I would use planks of wood if I had to, and if the bed shifted a bit, it wouldn't fall off the risers. He used 2- 2 x 4"s to elevate a toddler bed.

[CathyA]

I have the same problem Sissy......side sleeper, and elevating the head much on your side isn't very comfortable and probably isn't very good on the neck.

[steve s]

I use the big pile of pillows just like Sissy.

[FedFan]

I have GERD and a hiatal hernia, asthma, and am recovering from three cases of pneumonia. I'm getting treated at National Jewish Health in Denver, which is the top respiratory health care center in the country. They found the hernia and confirmed I have GERD (luckily I'm asymptomatic). The specialist for the GERD to me that I need to to use bed risers and raise the head of the bed 6-8 inches. He said it's important that I don't sleep in a position that is remotely an "L" shape as it would defeat the purpose because the GERD triggers asthma problems. My husband is an extremely light sleeper, so I tried a wedge and it was super uncomfortable.

I hope this answers any questions re how high to raise the bed or how high the top of a wedge pillow should be. The specialist I saw was brilliant (even more so than his incredibly impressive CV) and spent 1-1/2 hours with me.

Here's my question: I've been looking into a body length pillow and so far the only pillow I've found looks cheap and got terrible reviews for poor quality. I'd appreciate suggestions or links to any websites.

THANKS and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

[Tammy]

What do you mean by L shape?

I have gerd and sleep with a wedge. At first it was uncomfortable but I got used to it. Ideally I would have a bed like this:

http://www.craftmatic.com/

Pricey.

If I don't follow my gerd diet, I sleep best (reflux controlled and comfy) in my lazyboy recliner.

[Tammy]

Fyi - this is what my ENT told me, in addition to taking protonix -


GERD diet: avoid Tomato based food, Chocolate, Citrus, Fruit juice, Spicy food, Alcohol, Caffeine

Eat moderate amounts of food

Stop eating and drinking 3 hours before bed

Elevate head of bed

Drink 80 oz water daily

[Wildflower]

I use the big pile of pillows just like Sissy.

Me too. It works for me. I watch my diet too, never eat after dinner, and as instructed by my doctor I take two chewable Maalox tablets, except I use the generic version from CVS, much cheaper and has the same ingredients, calcium carbonate and simethecone. This approach has worked better for me than taking protonix, which gave me nausea and diarrhea for some reason...

[Rosemary]

There is a newer book about reflux by Jorge Rodriguez, M.D., title something like The Acid Reflux Solution. I recommend it. He gives a list of 10 or so lifestyle changes that have the greatest impact on reflux and I have found it to truly help mine more than any medication.

[Tammy]

I'm reading the free sample now on Google play ... I like what I'm reading ....

[nswef]

We did put the risers on the bed...as well as half sitting up to go to sleep, on my back. I also take 2 Tbsp of Braggs apple cider vineger in a glass of water in the evening. Generally I am ok. My triggers seem to be breads and sugar, chocolate. I wonder if the wedge does as much as the risers?

[FedFan]

What do you mean by L shape?

I meant that your whole body should be slanted and your stomach shouldn't be crunched at all. I hope that makes sense. This is all new to me and I'm still learning. My doctor was insistent about bed risers instead of a pillow, but I'm going to double check because of the hassle and also it will cause problems for my husband. Also, I don't have all the awful symptoms that most of you have. I feel really badly for you; it must be terrible.

[Rosemary]

Based on my personal experience, risers are better than pillows or a wedge pillow.

[Tammy]

With risers, don't you slide to the bottom of the bed?

[Sad Eyed Lady]

With risers, don't you slide to the bottom of the bed?

When we tried raising the head of the bed, the complaint I had was the mattress kept slipping down. We only use a bed frame, not headboard/footboard thing, so the mattress would start to slip being on a slope.

[Rosemary]

Try a piece of rug liner between the mattress and boxspring to stop the slipping.

[Tammy]

But doesn't your body slide down? Just using the wedge I deal with this, waking up at the bottom of it. I couldn't imagine a tilt on the entire mattress.

[Rosemary]

I find that I slide less with the bed tilted than with a wedge pillow.