Slipping Down Bed

[bainbrig]

When I got to bed, I have to assume a semi-upright position, otherwise fluid build-up etc. makes it hard to sleep. Fair enough, this isn't hard to achieve (i.e. the upright position).

What IS hard is to stop myself slipping down the bed. I have it raised (electric) a bit at the base, but I still slip down. All compounded by the single leg, so I can't jam two feet into anything to keep me up.

Any tricks of the trade? I'm thinking of tying (roping?) some sort of hard pillow where my foot goes, to give me something to push against.

Ta.

BB

[dannyk13]

Got the same trouble and, so far, haven't found a solution.

[Prudie]

I was going to suggest a hard pillow like Tempur, they are shaped higher on one side and hard enough to prevent you squashing them. In fact we got two when we bought our Tempur mattress and they are so hard they were put in a cupboard after 2 nights!

[anneasquith]

Wolfgang would be of assistance to you both. In the meantime check up *disability sites re the problem * ie limb amputation and copd . Good luck. Maybe age uk .

[anneasquith]

** Woofgang**

[pixie374]

Are you entitled to a nursing bed? If you can get one that raises the knees, that will help prevent you slipping down, or even a bolster under them.

[hc4361]

I have heavy memory foam pillows from Ikea - they really are heavy and very firm.

You could try using one as a wedge under your knees. Possibly take an extra sheet, tuck it in firmly at the head end of your mattress, put the pillow on top in the right position, fold the bottom of the sheet over the pillow and tuck under the head end. Hopefully the weight of the pillow and the 'sheet sling' should keep it in place.

[hc4361]

If you can afford it this would be ideal

https://livewelltoday.co.uk/cornelia-reflexer-adjustable-bed.html

[alavahalf]

A customer once asked me the same question as they too were slipping down the bed, due to using a wedge like pillow to combat reflux. What I came up with was fairly simple.
I measured the width of her bed and cut a length of
2"x 4" timber to match the width. I then drilled 2 holes using a flat spade like drill. These holes were only a quarter of an inch deep to accomodate the castor wheels on the bed. I then sat the bed (the feet end) on the timber raising the bed a couple of inches or so at one end. The following day she phoned in to say how much of an improvement it had been.
Very cheap and made in a few minutes .. might be worth a try ?

[bainbrig]

Thanks all, good ideas - I do have an expensive electric bed, which obviously I haven't been using very well (plus the fact that last week doing some experiments I managed to bust the motor mechanism!) - but the bottom of the bed still rises, so I'll play with that a bit and see if I can get that to lift me enough not to slip.

Bed engineer is coming next week to fit a new motor and charge a fortune (but my fault, so no real complaints).

(No Pixie, not entitled to anything! We have small industrial pensions on top of old-age pensions, which puts us in the 'no way' bracket when it comes to entitlements - not rich, but not poor enough...)

BB

[pixie374]

Often the way, BB! It does seem more effective to raise the knees rather than the feet to prevent sliding, so I would try that, if you are able to x

[Old_Geezer]

Alternatively, do you have some velcro and a pot of glue ?

[MallyJ]

OG....!!!! Brilliant!

[alavahalf]

Hadn't thought of that .. stitch your pyjamas to the mattress and then just climb into them when you go to bed .. problem solved
.. only rember not to go to the loo with your pyjamas on, otherwise you wont get through the door !

[Rosie29]

I agree with hc4361 - a really firm heavy pillow under your knees might help a lot.

[bainbrig]

If I had velcro and a pot of glue and old_geezer in the same room we might have fun...

[Buenchico]

I also like to sleep in a fairly upright position and, like you, I find that I keep slipping down the bed.

My solution, for some nights at least, is not to use my bed at all.

Instead I sleep in a comfy wing armchair, either with my feet on the floor or raised on an improvised footrest. Perhaps it might work for you too?

[bainbrig]

Hello Chris. I do the same. I go to bed for 3 or 4 hours, then switch to the armchair. I’d rather stay in bed, hence the question. Also, chair sleeping comes with its own potential hazards - bedsores I’ve avoided, but I did get a damaged coxxyx which took months to subside.

My old pal Ted used to say “Don’t get old...”

BB

[dannyk13]

BB, last night I raised the foot end of the bed to twice the height I would normally have it and it appears to have cured the slipping down.

[woofgang]

sorry I missed this, have had a busy weekend. Sadly I cannot add anything else to the advice already given. A rolled towel or pillow under the knees and/or raising the foot of the bed are the two most successful soulutions if your magic bed wont configure into a chairlike shape. There are non slip cushions and othe gadgets on the market DO NOT whatever you do be tempted to try one for sleeping. It will either give you a wedgie of epic proportions or cause pressure area skin damage due to the increase in friction on your skin. Putting something against your foot to brace you doesn't tend to work either as when you are asleep, your knee will just bend under the pressure of the top half of you sliding down the bed.

[anneasquith]

Good news Danny .