www.incontinentsupport.org

Hello jms. Initially it can be rough, but it does get better over time. Gradually the initial feelings of embarrassment, or shame that most of us have experienced evolve into a realization that our medical condition is not under our control and that we are not responsible for it. Perhaps it is a combination of becoming more "hardened" about such matters, plus learning more about how to live with it with less fuss and bother.

It is likely that, slowly, you will come to a more positive acceptance of the fact that you had to cope with your incontinence and have done so effectively. From what you said, it sounds like you are doing fairly well.

I can say that I have reached a stage where I no longer feel ashamed or embarrassed about the fact that I am incontinent. However, my incontinence, and how I choose to deal with it, is a very personal and private matter that I do not wish to publicize. I would not discuss my underwear or bodily functions in a public forum either.

Although I have accepted my incontinence, I still would be very embarrassed if I had an accident in a public social situation.

--John

Even this (accidents in public places) I have gotten used to. It is my experience that sooner or later your protection will fail (you have a large or a small or an in-between leak). I wear dark trousers that do not show moisture. I wear cotton knee length (cotton bloomers if you wish) pants over top of my pads and plastic briefs (overpants) that absorb leaks to a great degree unless it is an absolute flood. Even then the liquid runs down the inside of your legs. Of course wearing the knee length plastic bloomers that I prefer over the pads with the cotton bloomers under the overpants absolutely STOPS leaks above the knees IF I am wearing them. Best Wishes to you all.

Tewi, unfortunately, you are so correct that our protection will fail. Hopefully, however, it will fail gracefully in such a manner that we can make a reasonable recovery from the situation.

We all have learned that planning and a last-minute check helps. Barrier cream? Check! Diaper? Check! Plastic pants? Check! Compression shorts? Check! Black pants? Check! Know where the nearest family/disabled bathrooms are? Check! Emergency kit in car with change of clothes? Double Check!

Your bloomers sound very effective. One problem with some styles of plastic pants is that they do not come down the leg past the leg gathers of the diaper and so do not lend any extra protection there. Where do you buy your plastic bloomers? Fetware?

--John

In addition to the urinary sphincterotomy which is responsible for my bladder incontinence, I have gastroparesis, (paralyzed stomach). The gastroparesis diet is low residue, low fiber, which gives me a colon blockage. Behind the blockage is diarrhea, which seeps past the blockage and always leaks out onto my diaper. The medications for this are ranitidine plus erythromycin, or metoclopramide. Although the erythromycin is an antibiotic, I take it because, along with the ranitidine, it makes my stomach do its job. When my system becomes accustomed to this combination and ceases to work, I switch to metoclopramide, which does its duty. However, the metoclopramide has a weird influence on the brain chemistry of the folks who use it. Some patients on it report thoughts of suicide; in my case, I get hallucinations that make me think I'm having an out-of-body experience. This really complicates my efforts to deal appropriately with the folks around me, and the situations in which I must function. Ahh, for the good old days when all I had to worry about was soiled diapers. Fortunately, my Meniere's did not kick up its heels when I was on this medication. Diapers have indeed been positive things in my life. Now, if I could only make my ears and GI system behave themselves, I would suddenly become a happy camper.

Patrick, I had no idea that you had to suffer through such terrible side effects! Wow.

--John

JD,

Thanks for your support. I'm not in any pain. I just needed to vent. I try to spare my family and friends the details of my situation, which makes this site so valuable for me.

This is for JDinVirgina .. I don't know how to reply directly to you John .. several posts up you asked me about my sources for the knee length (bloomers) plastic pants ..

Driwear is an arm of Fetware but I order from Driwear .. they have exceptional plastic bloomers. So to does KINS in Vancouver who have them in several materials .. plastic and rubber and poly I think. KINS are simply outstanding to deal with and all of their products are good and priced fairly. AC Med in Canada are another source but since they moved I have not done business with them. LL Medco have them from Gary as do other suppliers. Also on eBay there are some good sources.

The real trick to leak protection is the knee length cotton pants (cotton bloomers) that I used to get from JC Penny who no longer sell them .. The cotton bloomer keeps your legs from the knees up comfortable as wearing just the plastic bloomers would be much warmer.

Hope this helps. The bloomers are the trick .. absolutely the best solution.

That is great information, Tewi. Thanks!

--John

The bloomer and cotton bloomers are effectively just a diaper with longer legs.

The trick to any effective diaper to prevent leaks is the absorption/capacity balance. If there is enough of both then leaks will not happen if unless someone attempts to use 100% of the capacity. Even the best diapers will leak then.

_________________
When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade.

With out diapers I wouldn't have much of a life. It took some time to figure out what works and what don't. I am using tranquility ATN 24/7 with micro fiber boxers over the top, it work well but always looking for more coverage. I am still new at this and any info of better diapers is welcome. I have been in diaper for only a year now and still getting use to it. A surgery gone bad and had to have five more after, so with out diapers I wouldn't be able to go or do anything. Yes very positive.