Memory Foam for sitting or lying?

[Painful Man]

Hah! Thank you Anne, for prompting me to comment on the Togu. I've gone through two of them. At first I found them impossible to blow up, but finally succeeded. They are good for a while, and are especially helpful for small chairs (especially ones with round seats). However, everytime I have tried to add air or let out air they have broken immediately. They are now as flat as the proverbial pancake. £80 wasted.

I contacted Togu the manufacturer in Germany, and they made sympathetic and helpful noises. Then nothing, despite my emailing them twice. I didn't want a refund just clear bl**dy instructions on how not to break the damn thing! Their instructions and lack of warnings are not helpful.

I believe the Togu can be a help, others have recommended it and I have found it useful while it lasted. I wonder if we are the only ones to have had trouble with it?
Meanwhile I've got my first memory foam cushion, and am trying it out, before doubtless cutting a chunk out. All the best with things, Anne.

P_M

[calluna]

Anne - the Togu cushions come with a little pump for inflating. If the pump was missing or for some reason you were unable to inflate the cushion, I do hope that the seller sorted this out for you?

The pump nozzle has to go in far enough to clear the internal seal, but mustn't hit the other side of the cushion - this can be a little tricky, there is a diagram in the instructions that should have been included in the box, showing how to pinch the cushion to enable this.

[Painful Man]

Dear Calluna and Anne (and All)

Sorry, if my tone suggested that the Togu Air-Go cushion was a poor recommendation. On the contrary, it is a very versatile cushion. It allowed me to sit (for periods) on most chairs and furnishings, especially small round chairs of which there are many in restaurants and cafés. Whilst a bit heavy, it is easy to fold and carry in a small bag.

My frustration resulted after I contacted the manufacturer. I thought I was alerting them to a design and information short-coming, which would be helpful to them. I made clear I was not seeking a free replacement. One telephone call and two emails have brought no result. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, perhaps my emails got junked.

I received, with both cushions, the pump and instructions. Neither my wife nor I could inflate the cushions, until we treated them in a way that made us fear that we might break the valve. As I said before, we managed to inflate the cushion eventually (and it does keep its air), but subsequent attempts at inflating or deflating broke the cushion/valve. Calluna, what you say about inflating is really better guidance than the manufacturer gives.

I think the manufacturer needs to understand that people (in need, so to speak) are helped by their cushion, but that they simply need improved instructions, with warnings about care and handling.

Comfortable sitting to All

P_M

[calluna]

It certainly doesn't seem right that your cushions have worn out so quickly. I've got two of these Togu cushions, I think I first bought them about 18 months ago. They are still both going strong, they get carted around with me everywhere and I have not yet needed to adjust them since I first inflated them to the right level.

Painful Man - did you get your cushions through Amazon or did you buy direct from the manufacturer? Because if you bought through Amazon, then your contract was with them, and it would be up to Amazon to sort out a replacement for you if your cushion turned out to be not 'fit for purpose'.

Also, I have just realised that I did not see your post when I replied to Anne - my apologies, I should have noticed that there was a second page. My fault entirely. And you are absolutely right, the instructions suffer in translation, without a doubt.

[Anne smith]

Hi
I have found memory foam mattress toppers fantastic to sleep on(as long as you have at least three inches depth! But still finding the right cushion for the car ect still eludes me! I find now after many years of trail that give me a firm seat any day than a (squishy) one, as I can cross my legs an balance on my sit bone!( this must be really good for my back) I think not!
All in all I'm a fan of memory foam, but not ( as yet) found it hard enough to sit on!
Anne

[Diana10]

hi,it's Diana again(posted request for sleeping help the other day)'anyway I have a lot of experience using foam. I first got the real Temperpeutic bed then pain broke thru. I went to number bed which worked for a long time,then broke thru.
I found memory foam at SAMs which was about 2" and worked as topper for RV travel. later as it was not working for me
I used it to make several comfort aids,both for me and my 97 yr old mom. if you get one piece you can cut it,I used
Electric knife,and still have a piece big enough to use in middle section of your body when lying down. anyway,you can try doing it this way. mark off into thirds and cut one end off,you may obey need this much depending on what you are making. for driving I used two pillow shams,cut three pieces to fit into three of the sides. allow free movement cutting
The lenth allowing for 2" Then I found a cheap air mattress for beach(2 for 5$ at walgreens)making sure that the pillow
Is separate from bottom end as this is the only part you need. with one of the shams,put a piece of foam on each side thru the opening. take one of the pillow ends of air mattress and fill with about 1/3rd full,you need to be able to fold this over without being hard. adjust the air as you try this ist one on the good side. for me,the pain is on left area,right
Above bone. now do the same with second sham,using one piece if foam and one pillow from Ir mattress. this one should not be fitted to rest your bad side on,just there for when I make a turn or such and hit my side on seat. now that it is all made you just have to get the air right. you are sitting on the foam,well leaning on it and keeping left leg straight and off
Left foam as much as possible. this works for me after trying several configurations. for my mom who sits in recliner all day,I use a round plastic inter tube (live in Fl. So have lots of beach items) which I fill about 3/4th full. I found a single larger sham type cover for this. on top of tube I place the foam piece that fits size of chair. this has kept her from bedsores,stays red but skin in tack! she knows how to get her bottom over space,scooting around!
I am sorry this is long but I hope I explained things ok for those of you who could use the help. I am on my 13th year
At this and it's been an evolving process of "a way to live". Watching all these sites for any help. Godluck to you!DianA

[Diana10]

IForgot something, I found 4" foam at Bed, Bath and Beyond several years ago that worked great. it was beginning to sink in the middle after I was on it for twoish hours. I cut it into thirds and rotated the top and bottom ones in the middle,where I was sinking in. This lasted for another year.(One set on bed and one set on LR daybed. I went back to get more foam. I could get by with one at first. I went later to get another one and after a few weeks realized that this was
Not the same density as my first ones. when Checked out the 3rd one I got saw it was different as well. they gradually got "thinner" or softer as you choose. I was so mad as boxes look the same and no way to tell they were different. now I am trying to find a dense 4" or more. it is hard to tell from the patches they show as samples.
I believe we all have different pain tolerances with the foam,so good luck in finding yours. Diana

[Painful Man]

I thought it was about time I reported back on this one.

I did not find memory foam much use for making a cushion to sit on. Without a cut-out it was only comfortable for a short time, and with a section cut out it tended to collapse.

I had better experience with egg-box type foam, that is when I finally got the right thickness. For male weight it probably needs to be 9/10 cm + thick. I used to buy thinner foam, with factory made cut-outs. No wonder it never helped me much. Having ascertained that thicker cushions existed, I bought plain ones with no cut-outs. I then set about making my own cut-out according to my own anatomy. Basically a narrow rectangular section removed just below the perineum. I tried to cut away no more than was necessary to achieve pain relief (well, partial), otherwise the whole thing would start to collapse inwards towards the hole I’d made. I started with a very narrow cut-out, not too long, then with a sharp pair of scissors gradually cut away bits until I got reasonable relief from pain on sitting. In the UK I have found a very good supplier for plain cushions. They are:

http://www.putnams.co.uk

They are based near Plymouth, but you can order online or by phone. I also found a pressure relief mattress topper from them very good. Their prices are reasonable.

I have long since given up earlier solutions that I made myself from foam I got from foam shops. As my condition got worse such things no longer proved suitable. I would say now, always get the orthopaedic standard products.

Where I did push the boat out a bit, and empty my pocket in the process, was with Tempur memory foam products. I got a Tempur mattress adjustable bed, horribly expensive I’m afraid, but it does allow me, if I get the recline just right, to read a novel or watch TV, whilst being in a safe posture. There are still limits, though. When it comes to sleeping I need the bed completely flat. Then the pressure relief can be incredibly welcome. It’s also quite forgiving for lying face down (males note).

http://uk.tempur.com

Tempur also do a portable travel memory foam mattress, which comes with its own travel case on wheels. Again pricy, and I have only travelled with it once, but really wish I had taken it on my last trip. It would have saved me from the instrument of torture which was the rock hard bed where I stayed. At home it is spread on a hard-ish sofa, which previously I just could not lie on. Now I can lie on this sofa and read or listen to music etc.

Hope my comments are of some help/interest.
P_M

[kathyd]

Hi Painful man and everyone
Thx for posting cushion ideas
Im reading your ideas with much interest as I too have tried various cushions for ex: the typical donut, the expensive Roho, the twin cheeks, and just a plain rubber inflatable cushion from 'relax the back' with(no cut-outs), without much luck.
Also a cushion idea my husband made by using a toilet seat overlay and then elevating it with a wood piece cut in the same shape the idea: so my butt wouldn't touch the car seat.
I can sit on the toilet with no pain... but the car seat he made didn't work as my butt sinks right down through the hole and makes contact ...result pain!
(maybe we just had to make the hole smaller but then my anal areas might rub against the back of it ...again pain!

I have had throbbing anal pain since a surgery of PCFN and inferior cluneal nerves in 2011....prior to that sit bone pain and some perineal pain on right.
Back then some of my cushions worked well enough. The anal pain changed everything. I can't sit at all currently.
I think the sit bone pain is still there a bit, but the anal pain is so much worse so its hard to tell.
The combo of pain areas makes it hard to find a cushion that works. Wasted so much time and $$.

Does anyone have throbbing toothache like pain in the anal area ? If so have you found a cushion idea that lets you sit even for minutes...to drive locally or eat a meal?
If so could u let me know? We have a new comfy mini van and I keep trying to come with ideas so I can drive it.

The closest Ive gotten is the toilet set idea above..I was able to drive to store but it was uncomfortable.. Even worse was the after pain later. I even tried putting thick pads under my thighs to raise up the butt,but as I drive my butt eventually sinks down..I put ice there but it still hurts.

Another idea I may try is putting a regular cylinder shaped bolster cushion on the car seat and kneel on it tucking one leg behind me and the other leg on the pedal. Haven't tried it yet, as I don't have good pain control, so Im afraid of after pain.
For me just the postion I get into I think irritates things.
the thing is that just laying around and not sitting has never helped my pain, but getting and doing things has ( it takes my mind off it!) so it worth the risk.

I need to get my anal area up raise up a bit so it does not make contact. Getting out of the house on my own....without bothering hubby..would mean the world to my morale/and mental outlook.
Any cushion ideas for my type pain would be so appreciated!
My best to you.
Kathy

[blightcp]

Forget sitting, the only thing I can LAY on is memory foam.

My head of my bed is on 3 2X4 that equates to a 4.5" lift.

I bought a new pillow top mattress last year hoping it would help, NOPE.

So I wet back to memory foam on top of it.

I have a 2" of solid memory foam and then a 2" egg crate style memory foam on top of that.

Make sure you rotate the memory foam often, it will wear out over time but mine has lasted 5 years so far.

Spills should be cleaned with hydrogen peroxide and blotted up from both sides and the foam to air dry on both sides.

I hope it is helpful.