www.incontinentsupport.org

Hello,

We are a group of Dutch Students Studying Industrial Design at the University of Twente.
At the moment we are busy with a project about incontinence.
Our job is to make it easier for people with fecal incontinence to go on a vacation.
There are many different ways of doing this at the moment, but we think this is not sufficient.

If you could awnser some of our questions, we would be very thankful!
I apologize in advance for the bad English. ;)

1) What is your gender?
2) What is your age?
3) How do you prepare for a trip?
4) If it goes 'wrong', how do you clean yourself?
5) What are the worst problems with your incontinence when you're not home? (on a holiday, vacation, etc.)
6) What products are you using at the moment?
7) Are you missing some kind of product that could help you with (fecal) incontinence?

Thank you for awnsering our questions!

Greetings,
Project Group 7
Industrial Design
University of Twente - IO

Hello students,

You have a good project. For anyone with fecal incontinence travel is very challenging and requires much planning. I have moderately severe fecal incontinence but travel extensively. During the past three years I have taken long cruises up the Amazon River in Brazil, land tours of Spain, Portugal, and Italy, and cruises from Istanbul through the Mediterranean Sea and then trans-Atlantic to Florida. These trips lasted 24 to 35 days.

It is important to realize that, with the approval of my doctors, I self-administer enemas (enteroclisma, clysters) every morning to prevent fecal accidents later during the day. I must travel with my enema equipment and supplies, plus enough diapers.

The answers to your questions are below:

1) Male

2) 71

3) Based on the number of days of travel I calculate how much enema supplies I need (Castile soap, lubricants), absorbent pads, diapers and changing supplies (adult wipes, baby powder, Vaseline (used both as a barrier cream and as a lubricant), KY lubricant, etc), plastic pants, Imodium, and Nullo internal deodorant. The enema bag, which is critical to my health, must be carried in my backpack. I usually have to pay the airlines for an extra suitcase with my diapers. At large airports and at tourism sites I will visit, I try to locate the restrooms before I travel.

4) I always carry a small backpack with two diapers, wet cleansing wipes in a zip-lock plastic bag, a tube of Vaseline, disposal bags, hand sanitizer, and latex gloves. I look first for a private disabled or family-style restroom where I can clean up and change in private. Otherwise, I use a public restroom or the restroom in a shop or restaurant.

5) My worst problems are carrying a sufficient number of diapers or purchasing additional high-quality diapers when I am in a strange country whose language I do not speak. Also, it is extremely bad if I suffer a fecal accident while ashore from a cruise ship because I often am with a group and also must take a shuttle bus or a ship's tender (boat) in order to return to the ship. If I am unable to find a place to clean up and change prior to returning to the ship it will be extremely humiliating. In public restrooms, it is helpful if there is a small ledge on which to set the necessary cleaning supplies.

6) I use traditional bag enema equipment with a very long hose and a large retention nozzle. I use Nullo internal deodorant pills. For adult diapers I primarily use Molicare Super Plus, Wellness Superio Signature, Tranquility ATN, and Abena Abri-form. My preferred diaper covers are Gary Activewear PUL pants and Gary vinyl plastic pants.

7) In the United States today fewer plastic-backed diapers are being sold. Many people who are fecal incontinent prefer plastic-backed diapers in order to better control the fecal odor noticeable to others. I am one of only a small percentage of people who take daily enemas to control their fecal incontinence. As I have nerve damage to my sphincter, I have difficult retaining the enema nozzle in the rectum. I would like an inflatable retention nozzle that is durable, inexpensive, and safe to use.

Good luck!

Just to warn you. You can expect replies from diaper lovers who aren't incontinent. Some of them like to take over forums like this. Make sure to weed them out or you will get a distorted picture.