www.incontinentsupport.org

I am pretty new to the forum. See here for my first post with background.

I have been wearing pullups every day now for over 6 weeks and a diaper at night. I seem to have good days and bad days. The problem I face now is that on a bad day the pullup doesn't last me the whole day at work. (While they are convenient, discreet and easier to handle emotionally, pullups don't hold alot I have learned). I have spares at work, but working in a small office presents challenges to changing without being discovered. I am contemplating wearing a diaper to work instead of pullups. I have found a cloth-backed diaper (Abena) that might be quiet/discreet enough to wear to work. The jump from a pullup to a diaper is alittle difficult emotionally for me, not sure why. The pullups feel like underwear which I guess allows me to call them underwear. Wearing a diaper is, well, wearing a diaper. I guess its stupid to feel that it makes a difference, but it does.

I have a question about wearing diapers all day. Right now, I can use the bathroom while wearing a pullup by simply pulling them down and back on again. Will this still work with diapers? I would think they wouldn't pull back up and still be comfortable since there is no elastic in the waist. I'm sure I'll find out soon enough, just wondering what everyone else does. I suppose the other option is to simply use them all day and not use the bathroom at all, but that doesn't seem like the right thing to do.

Hi--

I have found the Abena tapes, which are called refastenable, to be less convenient than the ones ones on Tena Supers......If you are looking for a cloth-type backing and easier refastening, I'd suggest the Tenas. They are also a heavier-duty diaper, but I like the tape design better. It's kind of like velcro, rather than the 2-piece design of the Abenas and Molicares. Definitely makes toileting less of a hassle, when it is possible.

Gimwet

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Gimwet

Hi Campingfool,

I wear diapers all the time, I did use 'pull ups' for a while,but i found the same thing as you, that they definately are convenient but they dont last for long.

I think it depends on the diaper you use as to whether they will withstand being pulled up and down or having the tapes opened and refastened again. I used to use a diaper called 'Humancare' and they had difficulty staying closed after being put on fresh let alone after re-opening them!
Tena, the plastic backed one with the so called refastenable band that was supposed to allow the wearer to open and close thediaper as often as was necessary, they were better than the humancare,
but the diapers i used now, i can open the tape about three times if needed. so the rare occassion that i do make it to the bathroom i can just open one of the tapes and pull them down and take care if business before pulling the diaper back into position and refastening again..

not sure how many diapers would stand up to this kind of abuse though!

Mike

Hi There, CampingFool,

You said,

"The jump from a pullup to a diaper is alittle difficult emotionally for me, not sure why. The pullups feel like underwear which I guess allows me to call them underwear. Wearing a diaper is, well, wearing a diaper. I guess its stupid to feel that it makes a difference, but it does."

And you are far from being alone with your feelings! Believe me, many are hard pressed to make that move to a "diaper", which is why the "underwear" term for the pull ups is popular and has made that pull up diaper so very popular! A tape-on diaper is totally different and the emotional side of things can NOT be ignored.

If you want to try to stay with the pull up product, try one of the best for capacity, which I feel is the Abena (XPMedical.com). It is far ahead of the pull ups offered in stores and it's only available on line. You may find that acceptable and let you continue as you have been doing.

Should the time come when you have to move up to a tape-on diaper to get the security you need, then consider "velcro" fastening rather than sticky tapes. You will have to deal with a diaper that has a cloth like outer cover and some don't like the "roughness" of a cloth like outer cover compared to the smooth feel of the plastic outer cover...but "velcro" type tapes seem to never lose their effectiveness.

I totally agree with Gimwet who likes the Tena Super. It is the only one I have experience with and will recommend. (XPMedical.com has them) It's a good diaper and the tapes are excellent and hold like new no matter how many times you have to refasten them.

As long as you can use the toilet, that is good! Untaping just the top tapes should work and you disturb the diaper less than undoing all the tapes and have to start over diapering each trip to the bathroom. If just undoing the top tapes works, it will speed up the trip to the bathroom and make it more convenient for you.

And then, if you ever get to the point that making it to the bathroom does not work....and you have to use the diaper all the time, then the easiest approach many of us have found to avoid the disruption and inconvenience of a diaper change, is to insert a size 6 baby diaper into the crotch of our adult tape-on diaper and just change the insert once or twice during the day while away from home. That change is done by sliding the wet baby diaper out and a dry one in without disturbing the tape-on diaper.

Best of luck to you

campingFool and others reading the above post.....

I referred to XPmedical.com for Abena products, which is correct!

But NOT for Tena.....I should have referred you to Magicmedical.com

Both are excellent sites and I shop at both! But neither one carries both Abena and Tena.

campingFool, you said you've been wearing a diaper at night but didn't say if it was a premium (and thick) diaper like the Abena X-Plus. If you are able to get thru the night with a dry bed without resorting to the thick diaper, then the Tena Super may handle both the day and night requirements for you, which would be convenient for you.

JoeK

JoeK- Thank you so much for the reply. I am wearing Abena X-plus plastic backed diapers at night. It is hit or miss on whether I wake up dry or not, but the Abenas work well and it does not leak like the pullup did.

I have been wearing the Abena pullup (from XPMedical) all of this time and they are very comfortable. Unfortunately, I sit at work all day and they have leaked on me a few times, causing me to have to make a stealthy exit.

I received a case of Abena Cloth Backed diapers today and tomorrow will be my maiden voyage with them. Unfortunately these are the ones with tapes, not the velcro kind that you recommended. I will see how these work. I have been put a piece of duct tape on the plastic ones that I wear at night just in case, I will do the same with the cloth ones i guess. I may try the Tena ones next time.

Regards,

Jason

Thank you for your reply, Jason, it is always gratifying to get feedback!

So with you already using the "best" pull up, and with the problem that you have to sit a lot....that is a tough situation not only for pull up underwear type diapers but tape-on diapers as well! That rear leg opening is very vulnerable when we are sitting.

I know that cloth would be better but you probably don't want the hassle or extra bulk.

Duct tape is my favorite fix for diaper tapes! But a bear to get off...I have to cut the tapes thru with a pair of blunt nose scissors!

When you get to try the Tena Supers I think you'll be pleased with the holding power and refastening you get with the (Velcro type) hook and loop fastneing.

Hello campingfool...
You sound much like I am during theday, as I am in a pullup as well, but fortunately have a myriad of bathrooms around me and a set voiding schedule that really helps. It has only been needed rarely if I drink too much whick is also rare as I monitor close the intake volumes, or whatever reason, and for the volume I put out it is adequate. When out in town I use the Tena Supers and at night I did as well, just starting to try out cloth for nights, so far so good, I sure noticed I sleep better! The Tenas are the best available diaper there is without going mail order for me, tried them all and they outdid them all too. Quite, rarely a leak but a cover pant and compression shorts helps that and hides it much better too. It is tough to have to put on a diaper emotionally, but I figure I need to do whatever is ncessary to still be able to venture outside my front door without the panicked look on my face of where the next bathroom will be, and if I will make it, and it works well enough to not bother me anymore. The cloth at night is much easier on the male ego too, as I really don't feel "diapered" when I am in bed with them on in comparison to a Tena or any other disposable. Whatever you decide for work, don't skimp or a good, quality diaper, as that is the last place I would want a flood/leak to show up. Take care, and keep smiling... it makes people wonder what you're up to!
Puff

I have now used the Abena cloth backed diaper for a few days now. I have found that they are not as uncomfortable to wear all day as I thought they would be. Pulling them down and back up to use the bathroom is kind of a pain in the ass but it's ok. They do hold quite a bit as I now no longer have to worry about changing while at work. They last all day until I get home.

Having good days and bad days is playing with my head. I have some days where I have no leaks/urges and have been able to make it to the bathroom all day (usually on weekends as I seem to drink less fluids then when I am at work). On these days I feel silly wearing a diaper all day. Then I have a bad day and it seems like I am leaking/fighting urges all day. Drives me crazy. Tonight I decided to go 'commando' after work because I was having a good day. Ended up getting a strong urge and wet my office chair a little.

I guess these are the 'lessons' that all of you have already learned.

Regards