Best sleeping wedge for Emphysema
Hi
I have stage 3 Emphysema and one of the problems I have is with sleeping, I continually find myself waking up in the middle of the night sitting slumped on the side of the bed.
This is doing my neck no favours and I have constant pain.
I've been looking at bed wedges and have seen one that is Wool filled rather than foam as I don't want anything that offgasses right into my face while I'm sleeping.
I just wondered if anyone had, had any experience with these things because I just can't use tons of pillows anymore.
Thanks for looking.
Paul
Welcome Paul, and yes, I had similar issues when sleeping, rib cramps and such made it uncomfortable, and phlegm made it difficult. I have stage 3, and I have used a wedge pillow, foam filled, with about a 15 degree angle for quite a while now. I add my regular pillows in a staggered stack to gain or remove height as needed. I sleep better, at least initially, as I favor my left side down to begin with, but always awake on my back. I have not noted any breathing issues caused by off-gassing'. not sure I really know what it even is, but some of my pillows are down, others foam. I have no preferences.
Off-gassing is what happens when you buy products made with certain types of foam and other materials (not sure of the specifics). The chemicals in the material are released and it takes a few days, sometimes even longer, for them to dissipate. Usually I put these products outside during the day and in a well-ventilated room with a fan until there is no longer any odor. The American Lung Association says they can be harmful. Here's an article that breaks it all down: https://www.lung.org/clean-air/indoor-air/indoor-air-pollutants/volatile-organic-compounds
Of course, people with respiratory issues can be sensitive to all sorts of things so caution is important when trying anything new. Hope that helps! 😀 Appreciate your input here. -Melissa, team member
