How did you manage your incontinence before current products

[fiacs]

Many of us take for granted how great the existing diapers are. They are both super absorbent and very discreet. Existing diapers have enabled us to continue living without demanding too much from us i.e. worries, leaks, etc.
I think we forget how our lives have been greatly improved by them.
I admit that I take these products for granted.
I also can't imagine managing my incontinence with poor quality diapers. I would not be as confident. I would be changing much more often. I would not be living life to the fullest.
For those who managed your incontinence with diapers from the past, how different is it now compared to before

[Wetters]

I didn't have daytime issues prior to my stroke a few years ago, and my night wettings were intermittent, with light to moderate volumes. I managed okay with a rubber sheet and sanitary napkins until the high-quality protection we know today came into being. The Depend brand (the first disposable adult absorbent underwear) didn't come on the market until 1984. If back in the day I'd had the severe bladder incontinence and occasional bowel incontinence that I have today, my quality of life would be @zero - I'd not only be homebound - I'd rarely be able to get off the toilet.

W.

[johnstone]

I became incontinent (IC) in the summer of 1986. Very few disposable products were available in those days. Attends was the best thing going back then and soon after I recall using Depends for a while before switching back to Attends. I don't recall any grocery stores selling any adult size diapers. The only place I recall buying IC supplies was from Sears and Walgreens. Years ago, Sears had an entire catalog devoted to sickroom supplies. You could buy things from an electric hospital bed, shower chairs, IC supplies, etc. People did things the old fashion way of doing business back in the mid to late 80's before the days of Internet shopping. I remember buying a resource book that described products available from different companies and a very brief description of each of the products that company sold providing a phone number and address to the company so you had a place to start if you were interested in any of the products sold by that company. That was about as close to internet shopping as you could get back in those days.

The internet really was/is the information highway to the future so besides having the internet, we also have several IC quality products available to us now via a "click" of a button.

[Patrick]

In the not-so-good old days, the Sears home health catalogs were about as good as anything else available. However, the quality of the products led to lots of unnecessary anxiety and frequent, expensive changes.

[Wetters]

I remember the Sears "sickroom supplies". That was the term they used for the durable medical equipment and rubber sheets, etc.

[Inconinmiss]

Until disposable diapers became good enough to rely upon, I wore cloth diapers and plastic pants. I bought a sewing machine and learned to make my own.

[hugh]

Ah Yes, the old Sears Home Health Care catalog. From 1988

OK, call me a pack rat

Attachments

[Ellyn]

I was 9 yrs old but I remember my mom buying plastic pants for me from Sears. I also remember her sewing diapers with a center soaker panel when toddler diapers became too small.

[realworldic]

I started wearing Adult sized products in roughly 88' so I had access to Attends, Depend and I believe some Tranquility products. they mostly worked ok for me without issues but I was young, as I aged I started to "double diaper" to increase times between changes but certainly, the newer products are so much better for keeping the skin dryer as well as fewer leaks, less padding breaking down better odor control and fewer changes.

[Patrick0212]

Prior to going back to diapers nightly last year, I just dealt with it by using a mattress protector and hoping I stayed dry. Then in the AM, washing sheets and clothes. The diapers definitely save so much hassle