Has anyone purchased special cushions for vehicles?

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cherish1

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I am going to have to make several long car trips soon and have no choice. We love our Toyota Avalon XLS because it is a super smooth ride, but I still nearly die of pain after long trips.

I have noticed on some websites such as relax the back and others that there are cusions/items that can be purchased for the car. I am looking at the Lifeform travel lite items.

Has anyone here tried any of them?

I read an article recently that explained that there is so much more than just the sitting that causes problems with car trips - the vibrations, the curves and turns requiring our backs to maintain stability. I just thought it was sitting for a long time!!

Does anyone one have any recommendations in this regard?

Thanks!
 
I found an inflatable back cushion by Eagle Creek that worked well for car travel and air travel.
 
A couple weeks ago we had to drive my Jeep Wrangler up to the next town for repairs and so we drove two vehicles so we could leave it there. Husband with serious back problems drove the Jeep for 1 1/2 hours straight. I thought I was going to have to put him in a body bag by the time that trip was over! He is on very strong pain patches and was feeling ok at the start of the trip so we didn't give it a second thought. Our roaRAB are always affected by winter weather with ups and downs of the surface and potholes so those alone would kill ya off if you didn't have a good seat and vehicle suspension to absorb the faults of the road. Our Jeep does not have much of any protection from the road. Ohmygosh it took him a couple days for his nerve endings to settle down...the pain was incredible. It makes a big difference what vehicle he drives. We did try one of those round seat cushions that is advertised to twist when you do like getting in and out of the car...like a turn table. Well it does twist but it is also a very hard unforgiving surface so it causes more pain. If you have to drive for any distance a vehicle with good suspension and comfortable seat is the only thing my husband can drive and not be in pain. He drives and old pickup truck with a bench seat which gives him the protection...but if we were to keep the jeep we would have to buy after market spring loaded seats. The only way I can see that you would survive driving a vehicle is to buy a special seat that absorbs the shocks of the road...other wise it is just like adding padding to cement...you are still going to be jolted up and down. Good luck and don't forget to bring a LOT of pain medicine with you.
 
I use 2 pillows, 1 in the car and 1 everywhere eles. For the car, I have a cushioned swivel seat. As I get in/out and twist from a sharp turn, they are all made easier because the seat turns so that I don't have to make the turn with my body. I also have a gadget that wraps around the frame of my window and I use it to grab and pull my door shut. That way I do no have to lean out and grab the door, nor do I have the weight of the door to pull shut. It is a life savor, esspecially on long drives when I may be in and out of the car numerous times. Then, I always carry my wedge foam seat in my car. Where ever I go, even into a restaurant, I take the wedge pillow to sit on. I have paid for several different ones and some have been cheap...both in cost and in the way it was made. I highly suggest paying a little extra for a thich and firm one. If it is just made from the "egg carton" type of foam that you can buy at the fabric/arts store, it does not give you much support when you sit on it.

Good luck,
Lorie:angel:
 
Traveling is a huge issue with "US". Before surgery, I avoided overly long trips when possible. But if you get the minRABet, anything is doable.

(A year before my surgery, I was pretty bad off at that point. Walking was a premium most days. I decided to buy a sportscar that was in FL. That meant going to get it. So I planned a whole trip and it was all sitting in something! Flew to FL, rented a car, went to the Keys for a day, came back to Miami, picked up the sportscar, which sits very very low to the ground. The seat was just too low for me, even for my short little self and the seat itself was too deep causing me to bend forward too much. I went & purchased one of those wedged seat cushions and it made a huge difference for me. It made the journey as tolerable as it could be. We drove the car home back to Virginia. All of this journey was accomplished over 4 days.)

See your doctor beforehand and ensure you have your meRAB and take them fully while you are gone. Bring "stuff" in ways of cushions, towels, blankets, whatever you need to create the most comfortable position for the ride. And stop frequently and get out and stretch out. I was even able to do some site seeing like everyone else. I even went swimming in the ocean while in Miami. I was no worse off from that journey than staying home and not doing much from the pain. The trip was a welcome distraction and I did just fine!

Of course now, I am just at 2 years post op and last fall I took a two week vacation in which we average driving 8-13 hour days and I did great! Plus lots of walking everywhere. My biggest issue was the hotels and the beRAB. Some were better than others. (and this journey was in my 2005 Avalon! lol. I love my Avalon. It's a limited with all the bells and whistles.)

I personally believe if you prepare as best you can, and you mentally prepare too, along with just living in the moment of enjoying the journey as anyone else, anything is doable.

I hope this helps you some. Good luck and enjoy the journey! :)
 
Hi Cherir,
I'm not familiar with the particular cushion you mentioned, but I do have a cushion that helps me a lot. It's slightly wedged and has a U shaped cut out at the back end of it to put less pressure on your lurabar spine and sacrum. It's definitely worth a try if you've found one that looks like it may help.

Emily :wave:
 
Lorie, I've been looking for a swivel cushion for my car without success. I have such a hard time seeing behind, especially at one intersection near us that comes in at an angle. It the whole seat a swivel seat, or is it a cushion you found somewhere?

Thanks,
Emily
 
you might want to look into replacing your shocks in your car with softer ones. Im going to do that on my jeep XJ cherokee.. maybe monroe sensamatics, not sure yet but they seem to have a good rep for softness.

you can also let a couple PSI out of the tires for a slightly softer ride. dont overdo the under inflation though! like maybe 32 instead of 35.. dont go under 32! depenRAB on the tire and car (look on the tire sidewall for its cold pressure - mine are 44 max and I run 35 in them). best bet is call a tire place and tell them what tires/car you have and ask what they recommend for minimum pressure. your gas milage will suffer a bit and the tires will run hotter. it will also affect handling. on a long road trip I wouldnt do it, just for around town.

AnnD, man a wrangler for a long road trip? that must of been nasty, those short wheel base jeeps are killers on long road trips even with a good back. hard to beat them for wheeling though :)
 
BlueAtlas-I got the swivel seat from Amerimark.com & its product id# is 27859 & the heavy duty version is # 28242. Depending on your weight, if you are under 175, you'll probably enjoy the reg. one. It says that it holRAB up to 300 lbs. but I was 200 lbs. and it was great, but after a few months, it did crack (very humiliating:) ). So, I purcased a new one and got the heavy duty one. I have had it for over a year and I love it. But the heavy duty one does not have as much cushion to it, so I did have to get use to the way it feels. But either way, I love not having to twist and turn to get in or out of the car.

Best wishes,
Lorie:angel:
 
Lorie, thank you! Driving is so hard, as I don't twist at all since I have 14 vertebrae fused. I'm always terrified that someone's going to walk behind me as I'm backing up and I won't see them. I go back and forth constantly, looking as far as I can one way, side view mirror, rear view mirror, other side view mirror, and as far as I can the other way, back and forth, and I'm so careful, but people are stupid and go right behind a car backing up. I'm a bit paranoid, but better to be paranoid and not hit someone! If I can get one of those swivel cushions, it will make a huge difference! Isn't it amazing how much one simple piece of equipment can change our lives?

My therapist told me that these exist, but she didn't know where, and I hadn't been able to find one.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Emily
 
I completely understand the backing up and going forward, over and over again. I can't twist to see in the back, either. I did also go to a auto supply store and purchased a larger rear view mirror, that just attatches to your normal mirror and I see more in the back and some extra on the sides. I also got smaller round mirrors to attach to my side mirrors, as I too hae to depend on my mirrors and can not take the chance of blind spots or not too smart people.

Hope this helps,

Lorie:angel:
 
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