www.incontinentsupport.org

Hi all,
I have an ineffective sphincter and urethral stricture due to medical negligence. I am using an adhesive external catheter and leg bag to get out and about. At home and at night I use pads to allow the skin to rest and breath.
I am due to go on holiday soon and was wondering if anyone has experience of flying while using a leg bag. Specifically what happens when the cabin air pressure drops, I am worried that the leg bag may leak or worse would it burst?
Any advice would be a great help to me.

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Leakyvalve

Hi Leakyvalve,

You should not encounter any problems flying and using a leg bag. I have used them in flight several times in the past. While they may be convenient for specific situations like air travel, I personally do not find them comfortable, but I guess it takes getting used to, much like using other methods of coping. I have had them break or fail but not because of flying. Mostly kinking, or if the plastic tubing or connection is brittle. If you are mostly sitting or not mobile much then the obstacles are minimized. With the advent of tightened airport security, I likely would consider using the leg bag rather than get in to an embarrasing situation.

Good luck, and let us know how you make out.

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HarperLee

Hi harperlee

I’m working on how I can minimize the air in the system. As you will know it’s the air that will expand when the plane gets to cruising height. When the catheter and leg bag are first put in place there will residue air in the system. The idea that I will try out before I fly is, when the leg bag starts to collect water, instead of opening the valve in the usual manner to empty the bag, I will turn the bag upside down and gently open the valve to purge the residue air out of the bag. If this proves to be successful, I intend to do the same immediately prior to boarding.

I have persevered with the adhesive catheter and leg bag and now I’ve solved all the little problems they don’t tell you about, (or they don’t know because they have never had to use it), I’m quite happy with the results.

I will let you know how I’m getting on.

Regards Bj

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Leakyvalve

How much the air in the system is going to expand or contract depends largely on where you are going. Modern airliners hold cabin pressure at 5000 - 7000ft. So if you are taking off from a location equal to or higher than that not much is going to change in the plane itself. If you are going to somewhere with a lower altitude then pressure will increase as the aircraft descends... the opposite is true if you are going somewhere that is higher.

The average elevation here in SLC is 4500ft. So going to 5000 or 7000 isn't that big of a deal. I regularly drive up to Park City, which is around 7000ft and there's not much of a difference. It's all relative.

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~~PuddleGuy

I use this system all the time for long days out, and travelling, but rarely fly so I really can't elaborate on that but would think it would not be anything to worry about.. I do the flip the bag trick and purge out the air, one it eliminates any 'sloshing' inside the bag and makes it silent when walking, and two it allows you to use the entire limit of the bag if need arises, but I always drain it when it around 1/2- to 2/3 full anyhow, gets too heavy. I did find that Urocare makes a cotton holder style sock to eliminate the need for straps as they get uncomfortable in a hurry! Worth looking into, but hard to find in Canada. A bit pricey at $20+ but worth it. If you could sew well, I imagine you could make something yourself that would do the same job. A lifesaver for me when I figured out just what works the best for my needs/lifestyle, Puffy

Well, I have been flying a few time using leg bags and have had no problem at all. As a wheelchair user I am not really able to use the on plane. I there fore take a 2 litre night bag on the plane in hand luggage in a cloth bag and put it on the floor in front of me. I connect the leg bag to the night bag, open the tap and sit and wait to get there! I get over 2 litres of output - enough to fly to Canada from the UK anyway.

Hi everyone, the holiday was excellent and accommodation first class, out and about every day and entertainment every night, and most importantly no flying “accidents”.

Let me explain, a few weeks ago I was watching a movie at home and did not realize that the leg bag had become full. When I stood up, and gravity takes over, the extra rush of water was enough to pressurize everything and the adhesive catheter “blew off”, fortunately this happened at home so I did not have the embarrassment of wetting myself in public.

Hence my concern that when the plane gets to cruising height and the cabin pressure decreases, would the adhesive catheter “blow off” if the leg bag became pressurized. As a result of some good advice, I realized that its air that expands not water, so when the leg bag starts to collect water, instead of opening the valve in the usual manner to empty the bag, I turned the bag upside down and gently opened the valve to purge the residue air out of the bag and most of the water and then closed the valve not allowing any air to re-enter the bag. I tried this out for a few days before traveling to make sure of the logistics, and I did this immediately prior to boarding the plane. Thankfully I did not experience anything pressurizing and to make sure I checked everything out once the seat belt light went off.

Another experience and another hurdle overcome, although I admit I may have amplified the problem in my mind. I don’t know if things would have been ok had I not done any preparation, but evacuating the air out of the bag was easy to do and gave me reassurance that the catheter would not blow off.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond to my request for advice and I send my best wishes to you all.

Regards Bj.

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Leakyvalve

Thank you for this valuable update! My Botox has worn off, and I'm back in diapers, and if I'm considering travel this will be helpful.

Gimwet

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Gimwet

As above, I have flown a few times with the leg bad - night bag combination and everything flowed properly and no leaks. It is certainly safer than diapers over a longer journey. In my case, I got my wife to empty the night bag before we got off the plane as I am stuck without a wheelchair.

go for it and you'll see how easy.