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John Davis

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Posts posted by John Davis

  1. Inconinmiss hit the nail on the head.  One day I was being examined by three highly qualified urologists who kept insisting that I stop using diapers and use a catheter.  I explained to them that I had successfully used five different catheter systems but preferred diapers.  I explained that when one has a failure with a catheter system it often is a catastrophic failure with urine on the floor (possibly on your host's expensive oriental rug).  With a diaper I usually can hide a failure and that a failure for me is very infrequent.  They refused to listen and I left.

    Plus, consider that I am double incontinent.  The bowel incontinence would keep me in a diaper anyway.

    --John

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  2. I once had a group of three urologists coercing me to change from diapers to condom catheters.  They refused to listen when I told them that I actually had tried more condom catheters than they knew about and that they were not a good choice for me.  I have made them work but, when they fail, it can be a catastrophic failure with urine running onto the floor or your friend's expensive oriental rug.  I usually can hide a diaper failure.

    I am not against condom catheters as they work well for many.  I respect users as there is a learning curve that goes along with that choice.

    --John

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  3. No, I am not looking for diapers for the cat.  I am getting a new cat for the first time since I began wearing diapers many years ago.  What can I expect?  Will I find shredded diapers with SAP scattered everywhere?  Seriously, are cats attracted to diapers (either fresh or used)?

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  4. Zombie, IMHO fit is the most important factor and all others, including absorbency, are secondary.  If the diaper fits you well, stay with it.

    One of my reasons for loving Better Dry is that it is the best fit for me that I have found.

    --John

  5. Slomo, excellent review and great annotated picture!  I fully agree re the lower tape problem.  

    My go-to diaper is BetterDry for both days and nights and, when my size is out of stock (such as right now), it's twin Crinklz.  A primary reason for my choice is the absence of a landing zone and the tapes "where they should be."

    Unfortunately, once we get above around 6 liters of maximum absorbency, gel block and damming seems to limit the practical use of much of the diaper's SAP due to the lack of wicking.

    The adhesion of the tapes on the BeDry diaper would not be a problem for me as I almost never refasten tapes.  I tape my diaper and, once on, it remains on until 6-7 hours later.  Yesterday (Christmas Day) I wore a Crinklz for 10 hours.  Admittedly, I did not drink as much water as usual as we were at our son's house with family and I preferred to avoid a diaper change there, if possible.

    Does anyone see any possibility of reversing the trend toward landing zones on most quality diapers?

    --John

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  6. No, I don't mean the stockings you hang from the chimney for Santa Claus - I mean stocking up on diapers and incontinence supplies before the Christmas rush slows down the delivery channels.   I worry about running out of essential items and not being able to restock while delivery is severely delayed.

    About this time every year I make an inventory of my essential incontinence supplies - diapers, wipes, underpads, powder, rash cream, etc., and estimate how long that supply will last.  I figure I need enough to last until about the 6th of January (the twelfth day of Christmas).  By then most shipping will be close to normal.  Of course, that means I will have a temporary overstock of diapers and not enough space to put all of them out of sight.

    Just in case, I also keep a small supply of flat cloth diapers - the kind you have to use diaper pins to fasten, and cloth boosters.  As they say, "If you wear cloth, you never run out of diapers."

    How about the rest of you?  How do you handle incontinence supplies during the holidays?

    --John

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  7. CrochetGirl, I think you already have found the solution to living with bowel incontinence - prior planning and preparation.  Regrettably, it takes good planning and preparation - and that requires a significant amount of time, as you already have learned. Unfortunately, we tend to lose spontaneity.

    You are impressively well organized and I agree with everything you are doing.

    Like you, I have a formal daily bowel program.  I have neurogenic bowel due to an old accident and am seen by a SCI Rehab clinic in addition to gastroenterologists, etc.

    Unlike you, I have very few accidents as I self-administer old fashioned enemas every morning.  These are traditional soapsuds or saline enemas from a hanging rubber enema bag, not the chemical Fleets enemas.  I will emphasize that an empty bowel cannot have an accident.  Once done I can (almost) forget about bowel problems until the following morning.  I would rather do this at home than risk a bowel accident in public.  I also will note that this is by prescription by my SCI docs and with the approval of my gastroenterologists.

    Be good to yourself.  By that I mean consciously managing your emotional health.  Perhaps half the battle to manage incontinence is emotional.  Incontinence (and particularly bowel incontinence) causes stress and the stress can increase the incontinence.  It is a vicious cycle.  Give yourself a break, ie., pamper yourself with something relaxing or enjoyable.

    It does get better.  With time we adapt better to the necessities of living with bowel incontinence.  Many things just become "normal" like my diapers just becoming my underwear - not a big deal.

    Please continue to talk with us.  Just talking can be helpful.  I am sure you will hear from others here with similar issues.

    Best wishes,

    --John

    • Thanks 3
  8. Welcome CrochetGirl!  I have both bladder and bowel incontinence.  My bowel incontinence is the greater problem.  I am old enough to be your grandfather and have worn diapers and coped with bowel incontinence for many years.   Please feel free to ask anything or even to vent, as we all do from time to time.  Please don't be embarrassed to ask about diapers, medications, rash prevention, odor control, etc. if they apply to you.  I, and others here, have gone through the same issues

    I will note that you are commendably active in spite of having bowel incontinence.  Keep it up.

    --John

     

     

  9. Many of us have tried "special underwear" and found that for nighttime wetting they just are not adequate.🙁   Medication often has unpleasant side-effects.  

    You deserve both peace of mind and a decent night's sleep.  It is obvious that this has been very stressful for you.  I truly can sympathize, having been there.

    You need to make the decision to change from "special underwear" to a real tabbed diaper.   Many of us would recommend a middle-grade or premium diaper with a diaper cover.  At night the diaper cover is important, particularly for side-sleepers.  At night my diaper is a Better-Dry.  Another great diaper is the Northshore Care MegaMax.

    Read through some of the discussions here about how we have approached the same problem.  I am sure you will receive many different recommendations as we have found solutions that worked best for us.

    Best wishes and please keep us informed.

    --John

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  10. My OAB and level of hydration cause me to suddenly empty a full bladder rather than Brian's "short bursts."  The Megamax diaper has extremely tall internal standing leak guards.  We tend to associate those with containing bowel incontinence.  However, they also keep pee in the main channel of the diaper (over the absorbent mat and away from the leg gathers) until it can be absorbed.  As I am double incontinent, this feature is very important to me.

    Another diaper with very high internal standing leak guards is the BetterDry.  It is substantially less expensive than the Megamax.  Order it from XP Medical or LL Medico for very good prices.

    I also wear the Northshore Care Trifecta diaper cover that Brian mentioned.  The diaper is made of PUL and is breathable.  Although it is a bit more expensive, it lasts for a very long time.

    --John 

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  11. David, for those occasions when you need extra absorption such as when you are away from home, use the North Shore Care Megamax diaper.  It has a maximum absorbency of 6,500ml and a useable capacity of 48 oz.  That should be more than enough.  Of course, just to be safe, on top wear a diaper cover.  I like Garywear or the North Shore Care Trifecta.

    --John

     

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  12. I have been very satisfied with Duluth Trading Company trousers.  They have a large gusset in the crotch to provide more space for movement.  That gusset  provides the perfect amount of space for my premium diapers with booster pads.  It also helps to hide the diaper.

    Iken, do an online search for "adaptive clothing."

    --John

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  13. As I continue to experiment, I now am checking out the Abena Premium Slip Premium and the Incontrol Active Air.  Previously I checked out the Semi Super Quatro and found it to be acceptable.

    The Incontrol Active Air has an ISO of 4350 (size XL) and lists a "capacity" of 4200 ml in size Medium ( am wearing size L.  The Abena. lists a "total absorbency" of 4320 ml.  So, the two are reasonably similar in terms of capacity.  

    The Abena has a very thin breathable shell - so thin that it feels 'flimsy" to me (recall that I am used to the MegaMax Air) but it has performed adequately so far.  The Incontrol Active Air does have a front taping panel, but it seems softer to me than that used on the MegaMax Airlock and did not cause irritation at the top of the diaper after I folded the excess inside.

    I should note that I am evaluating these diapers for daytime wear.  At night I will continue to wear my BetterDry plastic-shell diapers (with a booster pad).

    --John

  14. After a rash developed under a skin fold, I have included a breathable diaper in my daily "ensemble."  A major factor in my search for a breathable diaper has been to find one that does NOT have a front plastic taping panel.  If it has such a plastic panel, it causes irritation after I fold the unused plastic back inside the waist.  After some experimentation I have been using the Northshore Care Megamax Air that I regard as possibly the best breathable diaper on the market.🙂

    However, following the general trend of diaper manufacturers of premium diapers to add a landing zone panel, Northshore Care now offers the Megamax AirLock with the plastic panel and has dropped the Megamax Air completely.😱

    To replace the Megamax Air, I currently am trying the Seni Super Quatro.  Is there another quality breathable without the plastic panel?  It needs to have a respectable absorbent capacity.

    --John

  15. This has been interesting.  Once I tape on my diaper it stays on - period.  I do not untape and retape the diaper.  Back when I tried to pee in the toilet, I would pull my penis under a leg gather rather than untaping the diaper.   When I started this topic I underestimated the percentage of incontinents who untape and retape their diapers in order to use the toilet.

    --John

  16. I have been incontinent for about 10 years.  I am fully accepting of my incontinence and not ashamed of it.  I'm not a "diaper lover" per se, but I fully appreciate and value what a good diaper does for me.  I like to say think how difficult life would be without them.

    If being a DL helps anyone to better cope with their incontinence then I support that.

    --John

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