Inclined Bed Therapy

[wymtime]

Hi Andrew and all,

Just wanted to give an update on my mom and myself. My mom started on Dec. 15th. She has had a hard time getting out of bed in the mornings because she has been sleeping so deeply. She is still not snoring. She is only up once a night to go to the bathroom. She has started dreaming again. This is important because she has not dreamed in years. She has had a sore neck and back but I know this should subside soon. She does have more energy throughout the day. As for her more severe MS symptoms she has not noticed a difference but we hope in time those problems will get better also.

I have benefited as much if not more so than my mom. My leg pain from back problems is gone all night and much of the day. My brain fog is not nearly as bad as it was before starting IT. I am able to fall asleep faster and feel more rested in the morning. The strangest benefit that I didn't expect is my arthritis in my shoulder is much less painful. Not only when I sleep but also throughout the day. Three days ago I fell asleep on my couch laying flat. I slept for 4 hours. When I woke up I felt terrible. My head was pounding and I felt dizzy for hours. NO more sleeping flat for me.
Thanks everyone for continuing to update your progress! I am so glad this is helping so many of you!
Happy Holidays,
Wyman

[AndrewKFletcher]

Congrats KC,

This little experiment is also telling you that you won't need any expensive and risky surgery

Varicose veins cannot be permanently repaired using surgery, without first addressing the cause of the pressure changes (Flat Bedrest) So why should we expect surgery to repair a vein that has become stretched and twisted without first addressing the cause? Why would these veins not be influenced by the same pressure changes shown with people who have varicose veins? Also known as Chronic Venous Insufficiency (believed to be valve problems)

How can valves suddenly begin to function correctly and the veins return to normal looking veins? A damaged vein is a damaged vein, so perhaps it was not a damaged valve that was causing the venous anomaly?

[Johnson]

I really like this line of thought. Sometimes complicated things have the "simplest" of answers.

I did my 3 year old's bed 4" (easy) and he likes it. I am still trying to find the resources and strength to do my own.

[AndrewKFletcher]

Hi Wyman

This indeed good news for both of you, Your mum is probably overdoing things with her new found energy and paying the price by getting good sleep, she probably has muscles aching too?

Thanks for posting your updates.


From past experience there are many people who have tilted their beds and are reading these posts that refelct their own observations, but are airing on the side of caution before informing us, (just incase they might be imagining that they feel so much better on an inclined bed)

Read carefully what has happend to Foreverspring right here on this forum.
Read also about Terri Harrison who feels she no longer has any ms problems for 12 years after tilting her bed during the second pilot study.

[Vhoenecke]

My husband has GERD so our bed was on about a 1.5 inch incline already. We decided to raise it the whole way last night. We took the legs off the frame at the bottom and this made the top of the mattress 5.5 inches higher than the bottom. I have taken the last while reading all of the posts. What a lot of work you put into this Andrew and I thank you so much for your patient answers to the repeated questions. Let me know if you think that 5.5 inches should be raised to the 6 inches. We could just put a half inch board under the legs at the top of the frame.

I woke feeling less foggy today. I did notice my hands feel a little like lead and may be a bit swollen. My physio therapist had noticed a vein in my leg but I can't see it because it is high and at the back. I will go back to her and see if it is improved soon.

Again thanks so much for the patience you show us.

[AndrewKFletcher]

Vhoenecke

Measure the length of your bed, if it 6 feet 3 inches then a six inch rise is advisable if it is much longer add another half inch.

Stay with the angle at 5.5 inches for a few weeks then raise it to the correct angle when you feel comfortable to do so.

The swelling on your hands suggests you may have edema problem? If you do then there will be an initial shift of fluids towards the hands and feet during the night, this should improve considerably over 2 weeks. Inevitably if a person is carrying excess fluid then the frequency of urination will increase, but later reduce when the fluid is excreted in the urine.

Waking up clearer headed is a start though

Andrew

[happy_canuck]

Andrew,

I cannot avoid sleeping on a non-inclined bed from time to time because of travel. I read about taking plastic pipes or books to raise these temporary beds, but, to be honest, it's all I can do just to get me and my scooter to a destination without bringing even more stuff along (I travel alone much of the time).

That being said, your comments that even one night "flat" can reverse weeks of being on an incline are disappointing. Do we go all the way back to zero or just for a few nights?

I did notice my husband started snoring when we were at a relative's for Christmas, but is sleeping peacefully once more now that we are back home.

Thanks for your advice and happy new year!

~ Sandra

[AndrewKFletcher]

Sandra

Only you will be able to determine how much sleeping flat steps your progress back. From my perspective, it’s great that people are prepared to revert back to flat bedrest from a purely scientific point of view that is, without this we cannot determine the differences.

Erika reverted back to flat bedrest for 7 days to help us determine what was helping her to recover from her headaches and fatigue. When there are several variables it is better to remove some to find out what is helping.

I think you will find some more convenient risers that are cone shape and fit inside each other, ideal for space saving in luggage. These are available at chemists and even on ebay.

Here are some from ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-heavy-BLACK-P ... 3356e3c610

[happy_canuck]

I think you will find some more convenient risers that are cone shape and fit inside each other, ideal for space saving in luggage. These are available at chemists and even on ebay.

Here are some from ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-heavy-BLACK-P ... 3356e3c610

Thanks, Andrew! I will think about whether I should throw these in my vehicle for at least my driving trips out of town.

In terms of change, after almost 5 weeks inclined, my observations of three days flat:
- woke feeling not refreshed very early in the morning
- restless sleep
- husband snoring

Once home, I slept soundly and woke with a headache on the second day back. My blood pressure was also high this morning (174/90). I didn't measure it while away, but it was consistently 115/78 or lower before we went away.

I'll keep you posted.

~ Sandra

[ErikaSlovakia]

Erika reverted back to flat bedrest for 7 days to help us determine what was helping her to recover from her headaches and fatigue. When there are several variables it is better to remove some to find out what is helping.

My morning headache and nausea were/are much better on inclined bed.

The fatigue was better the first day after the procedure, as well as heat tolerance as well as more energy as well as little bit better brain fog. My bed in hospital was flat. My bed in the hotel was flat as well. I spent 3 nights flat after the procedure and I was getting better.

It is true that my nausea and headache after waking up is better only when I sleep inclined.

I have feeling both things are helping me. Of course, I can not proof it.
I still take LDN but I never had these kind of improvements only after LDN.
Regarding Clexane - I do not feel anything.
I plan to start with Teavigo - 90% EGCG 300 mg a day on January the 3rd.
I do not plan to sleep flat that soon.
Erika

[AndrewKFletcher]

I think you will find some more convenient risers that are cone shape and fit inside each other, ideal for space saving in luggage. These are available at chemists and even on ebay.

Here are some from ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-heavy-BLACK-P ... 3356e3c610

Thanks, Andrew! I will think about whether I should throw these in my vehicle for at least my driving trips out of town.

In terms of change, after almost 5 weeks inclined, my observations of three days flat:
- woke feeling not refreshed very early in the morning
- restless sleep
- husband snoring

Once home, I slept soundly and woke with a headache on the second day back. My blood pressure was also high this morning (174/90). I didn't measure it while away, but it was consistently 115/78 or lower before we went away.

I'll keep you posted.

~ Sandra

Hi Sandra, Your blood pressure is very high, not sure if this was normal prior to tilting your bed or whether it has increased since tilting your bed, can you clarify this?

Andrew

[happy_canuck]

[quote="AndrewKFletcherHi Sandra, Your blood pressure is very high, not sure if this was normal prior to tilting your bed or whether it has increased since tilting your bed, can you clarify this?

Andrew[/quote]

Andrew,

This reading is high for me, but I have been on BP meds since 2003 when it suddenly spiked to 220/120. I was getting morning readings in the 105-118 / 68-82 range upon waking when the bed was inclined (I didn't monitor it for the first 2 weeks). So it has increased suddenly. Maybe due to the holidays (haha), higher salt diet? I also think I am coming down with a bladder infection and have an elevated temperature. I plan to get antibiotics tonight when I can get a ride to a clinic.

~ Sandra

[Algis]

Those 2 days were not that good; but I catch a cold and we all know what it means when we have MS. Much stiffness and lots of spasms. We'll see when it's finished.

[AndrewKFletcher]

Algis

First two weeks can be very uncomfortable for some people, I.T. is giving the nervous system a kick start, while causing the stored salts, minerals and sugars to move in response to the direction of gravity so you should notice a change in your urine output, colour, and odour in the morning and during the night.

[Vhoenecke]

We have to go away for a few days. My husband is taking some boards to raise the beds in the hotels. We both really believe in this therapy and we will be raising our daughters' beds when we return. We will do those gradually.