www.incontinentsupport.org

I think we may have touched upon this topic in the past but I could not find the thread.

As April 15th is approaching, my wife was reviewing our records medical expenses for tax purposes. She keeps meticulous record of each and every expense related to my double incontinence.

I was shocked when she told me our latest annual expense for my incontinence - $3,950! Ouch! That figure is higher than my previous personal estimate. Naturally it includes my taped diapers, pull-ups, cloth diapers, plastic pants, wipes, disposal bags, compression pants, and onesies.

I should clarify that, as I am both bowel and bladder incontinent, I have some expenses that will not be shared by all. As I use preventive daily enemas to control my bowel incontinence I have the added expenses of Castile soap, sea salt, baking soda, lubricants, and absorbent pads. The equipment is only a minor expense - I have used my current enema bag for at least 1,800 enemas .

The cost figure does not include any expenses for doctor's fees or medications.

How do the rest of you estimate your annual expenses for your incontinence?

--John

I have only moderate incontinence, and use Depends pullups. I spent $50.40 a month on pullups and another $5.22 on wipes. Annual expenses are about $667 for me. I have found that the trick is to order online using Amazon's subscription service. The prices are very good to begin with, but the subscription program gives an additional 15% discount. Amazon also offers tape-on diapers (Abena, etc) via the subscription program, but I haven't researched how good a deal those are relative to buying them elsewhere.

Noe,

You annual expense for you incontinence is impressively low.

You are absolutely correct about the extra savings from purchasing diapers by the case and also using by Amazon Prime. Amazon Prime works for me as I order many small health and hygiene items during the year. When I purchase a package of diapers, vice a case, it often is less expensive to use Amazon Prime. It is only by using these methods and also usually my favored supplier, XP Medical, that I am able to afford to use premium diapers.

--John

I kept track of the cost of diapers/pullups/pads etc....for last year, granted I didn't begin to run into serious problems until late February but by mid March or so of 2014 I was wearing protection of some variety full time....my cost for diapers for 2014, keep in mind it was a partial year was a bit less than $600........I also use Foley catheters but insurance pays for those, they bill about $8-900 quarterly for supplies but the negotiated rate between Edgepark and Cigna ends up being a little less than $200 each time!!! What a racket huh???

One more thing......my wife and I were told that unless the medical expenses incurred over the course of the year exceeded 10% of our gross income, it didn't count.......in our case it would have had to have exceeded $10,000 to count......don't know if you all have been told something different but that's what we were told.....

When I first became incontinent many years ago, I use to keep up with the expense, but said what's the use. I have accepted this is the way my life is going to be for now on. There are a whole lot of things in life I could have wrong with me that could cost much more................Paul Martin

Yes, the cost of incontinence is quite high. And while I'm always on the prowl for specials, deals, and what-not, I came in just under $1,900 (not including physician, labs, etc.). Another fellow incon person I know has a similar bill. Alas, it is just another expense of life.

Gosh, I don't envybthose of you in the US at all. Here you can get a lot on the NHS. I now have foleys and am not sure how much they cost. At one point though I was being sent round in circles and not being prescribed. This meant I was paying £20-25 per week or more for pads. At this rate it would cost £1040-1300 per year although it didn't carry-on that long. I think that when pads do have to be bought here in the uk, it is quite steep. A big difference between those prices and getting it for free on the nhs. I was so shocked to here most insurers don't help you out.