www.incontinentsupport.org

Hey all. I was wondering what, if any, of your experiences are with the "swim mates" swim diapers are? I just ordered a sample pack from northshore. I have read many positive things about them. For the past 5-6 years, I've used the sosecure swim diaper for my bowel incontinence. The problem I have with this product is that it pools water in the bottom giving an uncomfortable bulge around my bottom. I have to stick my fingers in their to break the seal and let the water out, all while being inconspicuous. Difficult. Also the sosecure sticks out of my bathing suit at the top. I have to pull it up to get a good seal in the event of bowel troubles. So people can see it. Not much but a little. So I wanted to try the swim mates by tranquility. They are not supposed to hold water. For you guys, do you have the issue with the top protruding out of your suit? I read from customer reviews at northshore that they do a good job containing soils. This product sounded like it was worth trying...

The swimates are basically just a run of the mill pullup. Their absorbency is just a little less than depends though. You will want to wear an extra pair of swimming shorts over them. They will extend a little over the shorts though, but you can always tuck in the top of the pullup so it won't.

I use sosecure over the swimmates, I'm kind of nervous to try one of them alone, but so far the swimmates have held it without letting it out to the sosecures

I'd like to try the swim mates without the sosecure because of the pooling affect. How is the bulge in the bottom? Is it noticeable? I'm more concerned with function over form. A bowel accident in a pool will be noticeable and will also shut the pool down. I would not want to be responsible for that! I'd rather people notice the swim diaper over a public accident. The pool I go to with my family actually has multiple signs all over the park that say "all diaper dependent guests must wear a swim diaper!"

Well with the swimsuit I have which is one piece I think the swimmates show a little I'm not really sure, but the sosecures and the swimmates which I wear together are more prominent, but like you said it's functionality over looks, I think you mentioned before you have loose stool so yes, if you have an accident in the pool that will be a problem, but as you said you get an urge before so you can prevent that hopefully, for me because I don't have any urge or feeling most of the time I have the accident in the pool unless it happens when I'm finished and going out or getting ready to get in. Either way my bowels are well formed and not lose so as long as I immediately get out to change it's good.

I would also think that with a woman's suit being very form fitting, any sort of bulge will show. Especially if your wearing a sosecure over it. But yes I do get a few seconds warning before it comes out. As long as I hold still I do ok, but as soon as I start moving towards the bathroom, it will slowly leak out and there is nothing I can do to stop it no matter how hard I try. That's why as soon as I feel it, I get out. It is essentially sudden onset diarrhea. I have no warning, no discomfort, nothing. Just what feels like gas then incontinence. Frustrating.

This is a bit of a misnomer. They "might" close the pool for an hour or so, but only for cleaning it. The pool will not be shut down for a bowel intrusion. I should know, I'm the one that once cleaned them.

It takes a day or two (or more) for most large pools to be drained and refilled, not to mention the water bill, so they just don't do that. Instead they skim out any solids they can, and add in some extra chlorine to kill the bacteria. Haven't you ever gone in a pool and though the chlorine was too high. Well, now you know one reason for it.

Oh, and it's worth mentioning there is NO such thing as a color changing dye that reacts to urine. Urine is ph, and the ph of a pool will normally vary widely. You'd get 99 false positives for every 1 time a person pees in the pool. And again, you'd have to shut down and drain the pool each time. Or not.

Either way, closed for an hour or closed for a day, I'd rather not be the one responsible for closing the pool. I worked as a water survival instructor for the Marines. The pool we used for training became a family pool in the evening. I've heard stories about the guards cleaning up fecal events. I would just rather wear a diaper than have a bowel release in the pool, no matter how long the pool is closed for. If somebody notices, then oh well. I'm just trying to keep the pool safe for all by controlling my soils.

Ah, now there's some swimming that brings back memories. Horrible, water logged, near-drowning, memories.

I received my sample of the swimmates today. They sent me the mediums. I tried them in the shower and they were gaping in the bottom. They filled with water. Is that normal? I reordered another sample in size small. Hopefully that corrects the issue. I'd like to be able to use these during my upcoming vacation. Summer will be here before we know it as well.