Reality !

[wearer24/7]

Hi Everybody, I have recently been asked "what adjustments I had to make when I became incontinent and went 24/7"

I can tell you it is not a breeze.

When you do go 24/7 with complete loss of control of your bladder so that you drip constantly you do have to make some adjustments.

1/

[DavidMW]

That's a good list of things for folks considering going the 24/7 route. One thing that bugs me about the 12-month-plan as written is that because it spends a lot of time focused on advice for getting used to wearing and wetting diapers. It seems to me that until someone is already well-practiced with those and also has some long-term experience in what it's really like to *live* in diapers and not merely wear them, they should hold off on seeking incontinence. I suspect they'd be more successful the more they understand what they're getting into.

That said, what are some of the good reasons/reality for wearing that keep you in diapers in spite of your cautions?

[wearer24/7]

Hi david good points are never having to queue for a toilet at an event.

Never missing the important point in a Plot in a film cause you have to go to the toilet.

Never having to look for a toilet whilst out shopping.

never having to divert off route to find a toilet whilst driving.

I could go on! But the positives outweigh the negatives by a mile.

[Nat]

But the thing is not everyone drips all the time when they are incontinent. If you meet one incontinent person, you have met one incontinent person. But the rest was good.

[DavidMW]

I suppose it depends on the diaper, but I haven't been to a movie yet that an Abena couldn't get me through from start to finish, and then to a bar afterwards. Large drink at the movie and a bottle of water at the bar.

I'm rarely diapered while driving, but there are times where I wish I was to increase my range between stops or just to help me get to the next stop. When on road trips, I'll sometimes stop more frequently than I need to so I'm ready in case I hit a stretch where it's a long way between stopping points.

As for airlines and school lockdowns (?? does this happen often now? I never experienced a school lockdown in 27 years of school and college or in the 25 years of work since then; on the other hand I have impatiently waited for the chance to use the airplane toilet a few times), I think the diapered person on average is better off than the undiapered one in those situations.

But diapered or not, if you wait until you really need to go/need to change, you do risk getting yourself into a predicament.

[BlakeJordan]

This is why you put yourself on a schedule, with a window. There was a time I tried to judge how long I would have before the next change. It varied as I was pushing fluids or I wasn't. It worked. For a while. I was able to hold it. For a while. There came a point of regularity. And loss of control. Where predictability took over. I found that by putting myself on a schedule with a window, in case I am delayed leaks virtually disappeared. -Blake-

[mahleedl]

I'll add one specific and one general thing to the "good" list:

I sleep better than I have my whole life. I used to get up 2-4 times a night to go. It took some experimenting to find a solution to get me through the night without leaking, but now I can sleep all night long and not wake up.

I'm just generally happier. I've never had a depression problem, so I'm not talking some big dramatic shift, but I definitely feel it.

MDL

[Nat]

My schools used to do lockdowns and it's where no one is allowed to leave the classroom, not for potty breaks, not to go to the office, nothing. It was a safety thing. This was back in 1995-2004. I am not sure how old I was when I first heard of a lockdown, maybe 4th grade and that would be 1995.

[Goerge]

The teaching

[DavidMW]

[mahleedl]

For anyone who gets up once a night or less, I don't think I can even paint a picture of just how big a deal it is being able to sleep through a night...

[Nat]

The teaching

[Goerge]

Was he in a wheelchair or what? How old was he?

[Baby Brian]

Yeah, being diapered 24/7 has way more good than bad for me too. The "sleep though the night" is also at the top of my life altering, less depressed, well rested, and good list too!

[dl_ashlee]

I think most people agree on here they would not desire to be fecal

[Bettypooh]

With my small leakage it isn't a big change, but I still have to keep an extra diaper somewhere nearby. And I have to make sure I start off dry if I am planning to do something for an extended time period. Cost is a factor, and when you wear for need it becomes the first expense on your budget, ahead of food, rent, everything. Rashes are rare for me thankfully. Whether for need, 24/7, or whatever- if you are going to wear in public you should give thought to how you will handle it should your wearing become known. With care that isn't likely to happen but if or when it does it us far easier to have your response ready to ho than to try to come up with an answer on the spot.

[Dill_Pickle]

For anyone who gets up once a night or less, I don't think I can even paint a picture of just how big a deal it is being able to sleep through a night...

[Baby Brian]

I tried an external catheter once. They are ok until you get one of those common sleep arousals in the middle of the night. The size change makes the catheter really

[wolfpup2008]

I 100% agree with Baby Brian: I much prefer a diaper over any sort of contraption between my legs. But I imagine that a good diaper rash might change my opinion on that topic.

[dl_ashlee]

The catheter thing made me think that an external one may be a good way to train yourself to pee whenever where ever. Also could be a cheaper way as it is reusable.

[mahleedl]

I wonder if you would consider an external catheter? I found that to work quite well in bed, with a leg bag. You don't need a prescription, just go to your home health care store and ask for a setup.

I am not doing that right now, because I like my daytime diapers better...but it would be a way to keep the bed dry and stay in it. I also used a urinal on a recent sleep study, and when alone, have used any convenient empty jar or bottle with a large mouth and enough capacity.

As for sleeping through the night....I am just starting a CPAP, and not really feeling too disrupted by awaking and using the bathroom, so you all must be having more trouble getting back to sleep than me.

[wolfpup2008]

I have experience with external catheters, found them to not work reliably, however they are completely undetectable along with the bag. The following are the main issues that lead me to no longer use them:

1) if the hose is kinked and prevents the urine to flow from catheter to bag then the upward pressure will cause a leak around the top of the catheter, no matter how well it fits or much of a glue strip I use. This is particularly bothersome at night when it's easy to cause the hose to kink.

2) erections are uncomfortable and cause the catheter to dislodge, resulting in leaks.

3) if I have to choose between a diaper and a leg bag, the diaper wins hands down.

[dlsmd]

with the external caths my problem is with the glue strips they irritate my skin so my ins finaly gave in and started sending me diapers

[Dill_Pickle]

My experience, about 2 years ago, was with the silicone kind...I don't remember having issues with erections, and I do remember that I had the tube strapped to my leg so it wouldn't kink, (put socks over an extra leg-bag strap at the top of the thigh) since the back pressure is always a disaster. 24-36 hours was the wearing time, and i kept a diaper over it. Sleeping in it wasn't bad.

Clearly YMMV!

[dl_ashlee]

Due to the fact I seem to have a shy bladder I am thinking it might help me train myself, so that i can easily pee like everyone hour or so.