Veterans Administration (Va) Spinal Cord Injury Clinic

[johnstone0822]

i'm not saying anything about Quality of the brand's products i'm speaking only on its ability to keep mr dry When i tried those products, i will only put down a product that i have tried and only talk of its ability to keep me dry because quality is a very gray area everyones opinion on quality is different based on numerous socio economic factors

I hate to be the one to tell you this,..... the quality of a product is NOT based on numerous socic economic factors.

[billydydy]

Your congress critter might possibly be useful in settling eligibility problems. Unfortunately now, some seem to be too busy fund raising to service their district. Some still respond to constituents. Many years ago Jack Brooks helped constituents deal with the VA. He got my mom $200/mo more in her SS back in the 70's.

[diaperedcaniac]

Hey guys,

I'm actually getting out of the army today and submitted my va claim yesterday. I didn't realize I could get free diapers from the va. I actually use molicares too... I have to use the for sever crohn's desiese and I also have a nerve condition that makes me wet the bed and also if my bladder is full I can't really hold it. The thing is I've told the va about the crohns but not bed wetting and the daytime incon. The positive thing is I can bring it up with the dr when I go in for my disability exam. How would yall suggest I do it. I've only told my wife because I've been to embarrassed about it.

[Dougie]

Relax and tell them as openly as you can. Most of the VA doctors will handle it very professionally. Be prepared for many, many tests.

[johnstone0822]

I agree with Doug's reply. Once you have a prescription for diapers from your doc, the pharmacy will most likely NOT tell you that you have a selection of brands. From what I've been told, many of the VA pharmacy's offer Depends unless you ask if there are any other brand that are available. The Molicare Super Plus IS available from the VA but this diaper will most likely NOT be offered to you unless you request it. Once the pharmacy offers you a diaper brand that's when you want to be specific and ask for the Molicare Super Plus.

From what I've been able to put together, the VA has about 5 different companies they buy diapers from, but and they usually like to stay with those brands that are easy to provide you with. However, you can get any brand if you are willing to do an up hill battle with the VA plus have the support of your doc that your medical needs require a different type of diaper for protection. A good example of this would be the Abena XPlus diaper. There are some vets that get this diaper from the VA, but this is NOT one of the brands the VA can provide without a hassle.

If you like the Molicare Super Plus,....easy diaper to get from ANY VA pharmacy but you WILL need to ask for it.

You can get anything from the VA as long as you have a prescription for it. I save about $150 per month with the diapers the VA provide me with. There is a LOT to be said about having a VA medical benefit. Nothing is cheaper than free. However, things don't happen over night so be patient but stay the course and you'll get whatever you need as long as you have a ligitimate medical need.

[diaperedcaniac]

that would make sence ive had fun with tri care for the past few years..... why should the va be any different

[diaperkevin]

I would like to know how you get the Molicare Super Plus. I just sent for a refill of my script and they send me Depend Guards! I had been getting Attends Breathable Briefs and before that Kendall Wings. I went to my local clinic and complained and they are going to ship out the Attends I think. I asked about the Molicare but they said they didn't know anything about them. The pharmacy that sends them is in a Hospital in the next large city. The nurse called the pharmacy and they said they never heard of them. Can anyone help me?

[Johnstone]

I just thought I would make an update to my previous postings. I recently returned from a 10 day stay in a VA Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) center hospital, and to my surprise, the food, and medical staff was GREAT and made my stay that much easier.

While in the hospital, I underwent several tests and evaluations with urology being one of them. I didn't know it until my hospital stay, but from what I understand, most SCI patients use a cath because they retain urine so using a cath is the only thing that works to empty the bladder and prevent infections.

My situation is a bit different because I have a problem storing, or keeping urine in my bladder, and being doulbe incontinent (bowel & bladder) means wear diapers 24/7. Like most people that are incontinent, I also have skin issues (diaper rash), so while I was in the hospital they used a power called Nyamyc that works very well. However, this power is only available by prescription, but this med, along with cleansing cloths, and diapers (Abena XPlus) are all provided by the VA at no cost.

All of these products are availabe to any vet with a prescription. Just ask.

John

[kd4tgc]

Anybody have an item number that I can give to my pharmacist here. With so many getting molicaires I tried to get my doc to order them but he said he could get the crappy diapers.

[Johnstone]

Anybody have an item number that I can give to my pharmacist here. With so many getting molicaires I tried to get my doc to order them but he said he could get the crappy diapers.

I sent you a rather long message explaining what needed to be done before the VA would provide you with "quality" diapers. It's a hassle, but well worth the hassle unless you just want to keep buying your own diapers in lieu accepting the poor quality diapers that the VA would like everyone to use. In some ways, I kinda understand why they don't make obtaining "quality" diapers easy. I've been told by more than one person that doing business the way they do now saves the VA millions of dollars every year. Most ppl don't want to go through all the hassles and either accept what they are given, or buy their own. Either way, this saves the VA a ton of money, and for those of us that don't give up because of all the hassle......I think it was worth it.

[Angelica]

OK some great advise here. For those of you not knowing me I am a 100% rated disabled veteran. I have Multiple Sclerosis with chronic fecal & urinary incontinence. My condition began about six months after returning from the Persian Gulf in 1991. Yes I wore diapers while in the military until my medical condition was such that I was in front of a military medical board. Believe me as a military member once you develop incontinence they will first think its all in your head. Its only when you are referred to the specially clinics and they finally do all the tests getting abnormal results that they move from the mental to the physical. Urology should request Cystometry tests (suggest you look it up online versus me explaining) and the Gastroenterologist request an Rectal Manometry test (you really have to look this one up it very hard to explain - hope you like balloons ) ) I had the tests done at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and again at the National Naval Medical Center each time test result were well above abnormal. It was only after all the test results that they finally admitted I had a physical problem.

By Now believe me in most cases they put you through biofeedback training and Kiegel Exercises to see what they can do to help you. They of course also prescribe almost every medicine know to modern and medieval science. Finally they have you start using a catheter until you get too many urinary tract infections. Then its onto diapers !! Or at least what they call diapers.

Well to get down to it!! Your doctor writes a prescription and you either pickup or get mailed these cheap low bid diapers (right now its Medline). As said your doctor only writes a prescription with you size on it. The Pharmacy simply issues "diapers". It only when you can prove that current diaper does not provide adequate protection do they finally take notice.

As for me I did I tell them that leaky diaper not only left ring around the butt on my clothes but that they also damaged clothing, furniture, car seats, as well as making your house smell like a daycare center nursery. Well telling them didn't work but when I brought in some washed clean clothing that smelled bad. showed them stained furniture/car that it finally got their attention (as well as their noses). A friend in the VA contracts section told me that they can certainly get better products (aka diapers). And he sent me this:

http://www1.va.gov/nac/index.cfm?action=printer&template=Search_MedSurg_Catalog

This link takes you to the Veteran's Administration internet site, MedSurg Catalog (Non Pharmaceutical) catalog which lists all the Non Pharmaceutical contracts that the VA has. Go to the Item Name/Catalog Number Block, then to Term 1, type in diapers. What will come up is Sixty (60)pages of contracts for particular diapers and various other diaper related items such as plastic pants, protection items for furniture.

So if your doctor or most likely the folks in the walk up pharmacy try telling you that only Medline or some other equally low bid diaper is available THEY ARE WRONG. I suggest that you wander through the pages at the link and see what is available. Pick out the item you are interested in then click on the contract number! What then comes up is a page full of info the pharmacy can use to order that item. Granted some items may require the approval of the head of the Pharmacy or the Prosthesis dept! But armed with a print out of that page or pages from the VA's very only home internet site they will have a much harder time denying your request. And yes there is a head of Outpatient Pharmacy Program Manager and head of the Prosthesis dept. All else fails put your request in writing to them and hand it to them when making your initial request. It will show you mean business as well as having done your research.

Good Luck

[Johnstone]

The VA can provide you with any brand diaper you want, but you have to understand they have what I call "standard issue", and there is special order diapers. It took me 9 months to get the Abena XPlus diapers. In the beginning I was given Depends, and a few other brands. First, you have to understand that the pharmacy people that you take to in pharmacy have nerve received any training in incon products. These people know about meds, pills, etc., and nothing about pads, or diapers. My experience is that they want to help, but they can only tell you what they are reading off a computer screen.

I know that each product the VA carries as "standard issue" has an item description because the person assisting you will read it to you if you ask. I've been told the ONLY diapers available are those listed in inventory and nothing else is available. This might be the same info as the link provided in the above posting.

In my experience with the VA pharmacy, Depends are the highest quality "standard issue" diaper the VA provides without special approval. However, I have been told by one vet that he was able to get the Molicare diapers upon request with no special approval. I don't know if this is true, but before I started receiving the Abena XPus diapers, I was offered the Molicare Super Plus which I knew was far better than the diaper I had been receiving which was the Depends. If your being told the ONLY diaper available is the Kindall Wings, Medline, or any other brand,..... that information is incorrect. I know for fact, there are at least 2, or 3 different brand diaper available as "standard issue". Getting high quality diapers from the VA is NOT impossible, but it does take a little time (in my case it took 9 months), and you will need to the support of at least one doc, (preferably a VA Urologist). Having a prescription for "diapers" is not enough to get the high quality diapers from the VA. I took a sample of one of the Abena XPlus diapers with me to an appt I had with the Urologist along with a print out of the product info from the website that gave all the product info on the diaper, but it also gave the name, address, and phone number to the company that sold the Abena XPlus diapers. I actually had two Urologist recommend that I use the Abena XPlus diapers. The key here was having the name of the product (Abena XPlus) recommend for use by the doc because my need for a more absorbent product that was not available from the VA.

Suggestion,......if the only thing you currently have is a prescription from your doc for "diapers", I would recommend you first contact your pharmacy and ask them what products (diapers) they have available. I know you probably have already done this, but do it one more time and when the person assisting you is finished telling you what brand diapers are availble ask that person if they can check with their supervisor to see if Molicare might also be available but not current shown on their list of available products. Once you've done this, then I would ask to speak to the "Outpatient Pharmacy Program Manager". This person can get you ANY product you want, but they need to follow procedures. I think you will find this person to be very knowledgeable about incon products in general and provide you with the highest quality "standard issue" diapers available. I "think" you can get the Molicare Super Plus, so be nice, and ask this person to help you as the diapers your using now leak and you need a more absorbent diaper.

Please post your results after trying the above. Let me know if I can help. Good luck!

[diaperkevin]

Johnstone, Thanks for all the information you posted. I have an appointment with the urologist tomorrow and I will take printouts of the pages you provided. This should really help.

Thanks

[diaperkevin]

Well, my appointment went ok today. I can't release all my urine still so I have to go back next week to have a camera put up my urethra and into my bladder. For now I have to double my prostate medicine.

The Dr. sent me to see a woman in the pharmacy. I explained my problem and showed her what I bought myself and she said that it would be no problem to get them, the Molicare Super Plus, because she had another patient that gets them, and she would order them today. All it took was seeing the right person.

[Johnstone]

Well, my appointment went ok today. I can't release all my urine still so I have to go back next week to have a camera put up my urethra and into my bladder. For now I have to double my prostate medicine.

The Dr. sent me to see a woman in the pharmacy. I explained my problem and showed her what I bought myself and she said that it would be no problem to get them, the Molicare Super Plus, because she had another patient that gets them, and she would order them today. All it took was seeing the right person.

Having the recommendation from the doc makes a BIG difference when you what a spefic brand. Without it, all you can expect is what I call "standard issue" diapers which will be low quality. If I had to guess, I would guess that the person you saw was probably the Outpatient Pharmacy Program Manager. This is the person that is in charge of the outpatient pharmacy and can make things happen. If you have any issues, or want to change brands, I would suggest you contat the same person and don't bother talking to just anyone within the pharmacy. Good luck!

[diaperkevin]

Well, two cases of Molicare Super Plus arrived yesterday. The pharmacist said I would get 2 cases per month. This is really going to help financially.

Tomorrow I go in for a Cystoscopy. I am not looking forward to it, thinking it will really hurt. But usually when I dread things they end up being nothing at all.

[Johnstone]

Well, two cases of Molicare Super Plus arrived yesterday. The pharmacist said I would get 2 cases per month. This is really going to help financially.

Tomorrow I go in for a Cystoscopy. I am not looking forward to it, thinking it will really hurt. But usually when I dread things they end up being nothing at all.

diaperkevin, let your doc know if you need more than 2 cases of the Molicare. Now that you know what to do, and who to talk to get things done, don't be afraid to ask. I have an appt tomorrow too, but not the same procedure that your having done. I had the cystoscopy done a long time ago and it really is not all that bad......just a little uncomfortable in the beginning. I get trigger point injections tomorrow so my back will feel pretty good for about 5 days. Trigger points injections don't last any longer for me, but my back really feels good for those 5 days so it's worth having done. Oh,.......I almost forgot to mention this, don't forget to take an extra diaper with you tomorrow when you have your Urologist appt. Just put the spare diaper in a bag or something and take it with you. Good luck!