My husband and I spent a fortune on a tempurpedic mattress months ago, and its turned out to be a nightmare.
We would normally NEVER spend so much money on a mattress, but I'm stuck in bed about 23 hours a day, and my pain is so severe that I was really desperate.
However, I have been unable to sleep on the bed because it causes me extreme heart palpatations... and by the time I realized it was the bed, it was too late to get a refund.
It turns out that my experience isn't that uncommon at all, and memory foam is known to cause heart attack like symptoms, as well as many other health problems.
I recently found out (with the help of this board) that memory foam is made out of 61 different toxic chemicals, including several carcenogens.
We still owe $1800 on the bed, which makes me wanna puke, because we are stuck making payments on a bed we have to get rid of for the sake of my health.
Our living quarters are very small, and I don't feel safe breathing in all the chemicals knowing they are affecting my heart.
Anyway, we've now discovered that the bottom of the mattress is COVERED in mold.
After doing more research, I also found that these beds are notorious for mold problems.
My heart problems from the chemicals in the bed started long before the mold... the mold is just icing on the cake.
I swear, these mattresses give new meaning to the term "death bed"
The chemicals are making so many people sick, yet tempurpedic is brushing it under the carpet and marketing these beds for sick painstricken people like us!
And I bet there's a lot of sick people out there whose doctors can't figure out what is wrong with them, and they have no clue that their tempurpedic mattress could be to blame.
Most beds have some toxic chemicals, but memory foam seems to be far more toxic than regular mattresses when you compare the two.
Aside from just comparing the amount of chemicals in both, my body can sure tell the difference as well.
I've done lots of travelling, and probably slept on 100 different non memory foam mattresses in hotel rooms. I've never had a problem.
Until now, I've never suffered side effects from chemicals... so I feel like this bed could be fatal for people who actually are sensitive to chemicals.
I am just so scared for all the people out there who are a lot more chemically sensitive than me!
I never dreamed a bed could be dangerous. Now I'm not only having heart problems from a toxic bed, but I also have a serious mold problem to deal with.
I know many people here desperate for pain relief like me, so if you're thinking about trying memory foam, beware!
We are all so sick here to begin with, and many of us live in our beds...
So I Just wanted to share my story in the hope that I can prevent this from happening to anyone else.
My advice - Avoid this stuff like the plague!!!
(Of course, this is all MY opinion based on MY personal experience and the articles I've recently read)
Posted by nonna05 (Member # 33557) on :
Sorry you're so sick and for so long...
This is mean stuff
I get real tired of my 4 purple wall's also...
Do you think it applies to pillows that kinda feel like the mattress ,but are harder ,A BIT DIFFERENT THAN BED..
WHAT ABOUT THOSE 2 INCH PADS YOU CAN PUT ON YOUR BED TO BE MORE COMFORTABLE.
I mean the $100-$200 pads with the whole cover that keeps it on bed??
Then there's the $25 version like egg cartons..
Even though I'm sleeping/trying to any way , on a pretty cheap/hard mattress... we had the $200 dollar version and I had husband take it off my bed..
Something about what sixgoofykids wrote, had me do it..
That was @ 4 plus LD/brain fog months ago.
I'm less comfortable , but think there might be something to it..
Lord, I hope the $25 version isn't terrible, it's on the triplets , triple bunk 4 feet away from me............Maybe just in the drawer bed, I think the others get taken of when they go back to Rep. of Georgia....bet that made sense to most.
Posted by nonna05 (Member # 33557) on :
Are there any safe beds out there? Don't they put fire-proof chemicals on at least?
Do foreign countries do all the bad stuff on their's? Posted by ukcarry (Member # 18147) on :
So sorry for this, Katie: what a horrible fix to be in and I share your disgust at having to continue to make payments on something that is harming your health.
Many thanks for giving us all the warning about memory foam.
All the best,
Carry
Posted by riverspirit (Member # 19435) on :
So sorry about your experience. It is very kind of you to post this and let others know.
Hope that you are able to find a safe sleeping surface.
Posted by katiebobatie (Member # 28753) on :
Aw thanks, I'm sorry you are in the same boat and can't be comfortable in bed either!
I think you did the right thing by getting rid of your mattress pad. I bet laying on a plush blanket would be a safer alternative.
From what I read, all mattress have chemicals on them to make them fireproof...
However, you can order one that hasn't been fireproofed with a doctors prescription.
The problem with memory foam though, is that they put so many EXTRA chemicals in it on top of fireproofing chemicals.
I have been sleeping with memory foam pillows until recently, and I haven't noticed a problem with just the pillows.
I'm getting rid of them anyway though to be safe.
I think the more memory foam you have, the more dangerous.
A thin layer probably is less dangerous than a huge dense mattress, ya know?
I'm staying away from all of it from now on though!
I'm glad most of yours is gone too now
I slept on those egg carton thin mattresses as a kid, and I think those are different than the memory foam stuff they make these days.
I think the memory foam that gives off a strong smell is generally more dangerous. Most people who complained of health problems from it also complained of how strong it smelled!
Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
I hate memory foam. It is harder for me to sleep on than a firm mattress, because it compresses down and does not spring back like regular foam. I don't see anything beneficial to memory foam, don't get all the "hype" about it.
Glad to know mold is an issue with memory foam...I may be getting a new mattress soon (my current one is shot, and is contributing to making my left hip hurt), and so it is good to know about this issue.
As for mattresses that don't have chemicals, there are some made for those with severe chemical sensitivities. Check out allergybuyersclub.com or google cotton mattresses for MCS...
Posted by sillia (Member # 23994) on :
We have had a foam pad 2" thick on top of the mattress, for some years. I have it encased in an allergy-proof cover, because my concern was dust mites. I didn't think about the chemicals in it, sigh. What a dummy. Although I don't seem to have MCS or mold issues, it might be a factor--thanks for the warning!
Posted by glm1111 (Member # 16556) on :
With all of the toxic chemicals in this mattress and the mold issues, I would not pay the balance and get myself a good lawyer.
There must be a LOT of other people with the same issues. It's ridiculous that these companys sell this garbage and get away with it. Sorry you are going through this.
Gael
Posted by sickofsick (Member # 29258) on :
Are you sure there isn't something that can be done legally? This needs to go on 60 minutes or a similar local news program to get some attention! We have a local one that goes to similar businesses and harasses them, bringing bad publicity, and often ends up being resolved.
Since mold is prevalent in the NW, maybe would be harder to fight. But this is not right and I would do something about it. I do realize this is energy you don't have, but can someone advocate for you?
Posted by hopingandpraying (Member # 9256) on :
Yes, there are safe beds out there (I have been researching myself for a while). We spend so much time in our beds, that we need to invest in one - if we are able to - which will not ruin our health for the sake of comfort!
Here are some website I found which will be helpful (these beds are not cheap, but worth the investment if one can afford them):
Note: I am in no way affiliated with these products, just looking for healthy, non-toxic things also.
Two good books on the subject written by Walter Bader are:
"Sleep Safe in a Toxic World" (2011); and
"Toxic Bedrooms: Your Guide to a Safe Night's Sleep" (2007)
You can probably find these in your local library or buy them for a few dollars on Amazon.
Posted by KWS731 (Member # 17786) on :
thanks, hopingandpraying. those seem like great resources!
having slept on a memory foam bed for the past two years, this is somewhat troubling..
Posted by atheana58 (Member # 33429) on :
Wow! You guys are amazing.
Thanks for all the knowledge!
Posted by daynise (Member # 39609) on :
Woah. I am so sorry for what you're dealing with! That is awful! I hope you feel much better without the bed in your space and can figure something out about the payment.
DId you take any photos of the mold? Maybe you could contact the corporate office and see what can be done?
Thank you for sharing the warning on memory foam and sleep number beds.
And thanks hopingandpraying for those links! Great that there are some natural options out there!
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I had no idea that Tempurpedic's had issues with mold, too.
Last time I laid on a tempurpedic was in the store and it burned my eyes in a matter of seconds. It had obviously not been out on the floor for very long. SO TOXIC.
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