www.incontinentsupport.org

Hi! I've just joined this site and wonder if anyone can help? I have a very overactive bladder and usually wear adjustable underwear, such as CVS or Publix. Sometimes I wear Depend, but I really prefer CVS as I like their softness and styling as well as their holding capacity. Lately I've noticed the CVS brand has been changed. The garment doesn't feel nearly as soft and the center panel seems to be stiffer and there is clumping when very wet. I talked to a CVS rep as well as to someone at First Quality, which is the manufacturer. Both sources assured me that they have not changed the way they are made, although the packaging says "new and improved." It hasn't improved in any way! If anything, they are worse. I so much prefer the way they were made. I also tried Walgreen adjustable underwear and it was the same thing! Admittedly I haven't worn the Publix brand lately and will probably try them next. Are we stuck with these inferior products now??? If any of you wears those products have you noticed a decline in the comfort and quality? I wonder if anyone can suggest a good brand of adjustable underwear? The Depend adjustable (which they call refastenable) are okay but not as good as the old CVS product, so I've "been there, done that," as far as Depends are concerned. Looking forward to hearing some opinions.

Hi there and welcome to the website!

I haven't used the same products you have, but when my bedwetting problems started up again, first thing I tried was "Depends Maximum Protection."

Turns out that was a complete joke. I flood when I go, so I need something pretty heavy-duty. I did a couple trial runs of similar store-brand products (including the CVS line of diapers) but those didn't even last a full package. Got sick of having to sleep on top of towels to avoid the inevitable leak getting into my bedding. I turned to the internet to find something better, and for the longest time I used a brand called "Abena X-Plus." Switched recently from that to something else.

The X-Plus is probably WAAAYYY over the top for your needs (it's a diaper, rather than a pull-up style garment) but they do make a line of products like that.

http://xpmedical.com/pullup.html

That's the website I got them from. The Abenas might be a bit expensive and have more absorbancy than you really need, but hopefully there is something there in your price range. The costs for good products are awful - I pay $1.40 per diaper right now (probably about 40 cents more per unit than cheaper options) - but it's a small price to pay when I can go to sleep with a sound mind. "You get what you pay for" in other words.

Cedarloaf,
I join Wolfy in welcoming you to the forum. Just about all of the store brands of disposable diapers are pretty much junk. They are convenient to buy and the price is pretty good, but the quality is awlful. You're much better off going on-line and trying what's out there which is light years better quality. I personally buy my disposable diapers from X-P Medical on line. I have found just what I needed for my needs there.
They have a chart that tells about each and every kind of diaper they sell along with a cost per diaper. You can order a sample pack of which ones you want to try to decide what's best for you.
There are a number of other sites out there too. Post again if you have any other questions. ........Paul Martin

Thank you for replying. I will research the online vendors to find pull-up types and will see what XP has to offer. Since my incontinence isn't really heavy (although just heavy enough for me to notice!) I have had pretty good luck with the store-bought kind, especially the adjustables, that is until they changed their manufacturing methods. If they had a good product, at least for my purposes, then it's silly of them to change it! I have to admit the price is an attraction for me and I have no problem with walking into a store to buy a package when I need one. But I will go online and look for garments that are soft and comfy to wear.

Generally speaking, products available online are far superior to anything you'd find in a store.

Unfortunately Depend and CVS (First Quality) are the only manufacturers of an "adjustable" pullup that I know of. My wife currently wears the Depend adjustables during the day because she has some urgency and leakage issues and her job isn't one where she can just drop everything and run off to the potty at a moment's notice. Other pullups she has tried that worked well for her were the Tranquility ones. You can get them from magicmedical.com

Good luck in your search!

_________________
~~PuddleGuy

Hi Puddle Guy, Thanks for reply. I was afraid that Depend and First Quality were the only adjustable/refastenable underwear made. That really does limit the choices, doesn't it? And it's a style I prefer. So it really should open up a new market, shouldn't it? Hopefully other manufacturers will look into adjustable underwear that are soft and highly absorbent. Any of you manufacturers out there reading this??? But I will check out the Magic Medical and see what they say about the Tranquility. Thanks again!

I am female with a very unpredictably overactive bladder as a secondary symptom to irritable bowel syndrome. Sometimes I leak small amounts, but can also flood suddenly, especially first thing in the morning if I cannot get up fast enough. I must use pull up styles because of dexterity issues. I buy for the worst case scenario and, like others, have found store brands, Depends useless. Attends is ok for mild to moderate occasional leaks throughout the day, not the full capacity of a fairly small adult female bladder. For that, I've found Abena and Tranquility to be the best for me so far among disposables. Not perfect, as each leaks on occasion, but they generally do what they are supposed to do. Abena, in my experience, is slightly more expensive, more bulky and accidentally tears more easily at times. Tranquility seems to be less bulky and seems to have slightly higher capacity, but one tends to feel it more easily when it's soiled. That sometimes is a good thing, because if the part closest to the skin feels clean/dry, one can misjudge when the pullup has reached maximum capacity. On the other hand, if in a situation when it might be difficult to change for a few hours, being able to feel soiled is not comfortable.

Hope you find something that works for you.

Thanks, zenute for your ideas. It seems I'm leaning toward the tranquility as the abena is rather expensive and I'm looking for something affordable. I just hope the online makes such as Tranquility etc. don't get the bright idea of changing something that already works just for the sake of change. That's what I've found with the CVS adjustables. They were working for me, so why make them "improved?" It's one thing to change for the better, but to change them and make 'em worse, come on now! That doesn't make any sense at all! I wish we could prevail on these manufacturers to leave something that works alone. I think they do it for cheaper production costs and pass on the costs of re-tooling the machinery onto us!

If you think the products we have now are bad you should have been around in the 1970's like I was and needing a good diaper!

I use the Abena X4 all the time although I do put a #6 baby diaper or overnight pull up inside. That way I can go for quite a while and just pull the wet "liner" out, throw it away and continue what eve is was I was doing. No need to carry a pad/diaper into a public restroom to change.

Deen

Unfortunately the "improvements" are really cost cutting measures in disguise. I find that the lower end incontinence product manufacturers do it all the time. I can only imagine that they are trying to wring more profit out of a small market without raising prices.

The higher end manufacturers... Tranquility, Tena, Abena, Molicare, etc. know that their products are used by people who need serious protection so they are far less likely to change things and try to make another buck. I'd rather pay a bit more for a product that works than "save money" on a product that doesn't. As far as I know the high end manufacturers haven't made any major product changes in years.

Just as another suggestion... if you like the adjustable pullups have you considered going to a cloth backed full diaper with velcro tabs? True you can't pull them down, but it's relatively easy to undo two of the tabs and hold the diaper to the side while you use the toilet.

I have a hereditary condition and my bladder really has a mind of its own. Sometimes I get a moment's warning, sometimes my bladder just empties... sometimes it is a large amount, sometimes it is a small amount. I've tried just about every product out there... I went the pullup route for a few years and tried making it to the bathroom when I could, but in the end I found it more convenient to just wear a quality diaper and let my bladder do as it will. I'm no longer a slave to its whims.

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~~PuddleGuy