www.incontinentsupport.org

Well today I go for my annual physical for my internal medicine(regular) doctor. I've beem seeing him for many years, and he knows I'm incontinent and wear a diaper. His nurse is usaually different from year to year, and she is sometimes surprised to know this, but really does not show any concern.
Here's my question. My doc usually checks me over and must look at my "plumbing" area down there. I always have to be careful on what type diaper to wear. He has to pull it down to look and press on me down there. Today I'm going to wear a pull-up for this short exam and quickly change into my regular brief type diaper when he's done.
What do you other members do for this? My urologist exams are different since he sees this all the time. I'd like to hear what others do. Thanks!! ............Paul Martin

Paul,

When I know in advance my doc is going to check my "plumbing", I perfer to wear the pullup. However, the diaper actualy works best for me since I'm not dry for more than an hour before having some amout of leakage. I'm sure my primary care doc must see more people than just me who are incontinent. Either way, seeing people who are incontinet is nothing new to any medical professional. Last year, I must have seen my primary doc at least 6 times; urologist 3 times; 1 ER visit (included 1 change while in ER); plus there were the CT scans, and MRI. I can only recall wearing the pullup on one such visit. The rest of the time,.... I wore the diaper and was glad I did. I think the one time I wore the pullup I leaked before I could get home and change. I would say wear whatever you think will work best and don't worry about it.

I wear cloth most of the time, Paul, as you do. Drs visits are certainly exceptions and I always wear a disposable. My vote is for a "good" pull on and I think there are only two of them, Medline's best and Abena's pull on "underwear". Abena has a lot of absorbancy and the waist is good and snug to hold that diaper up as it gets wet and heavy...a problem with all pull on diapers but less so with Abena.

My last visit to my PCP for a routine physical I wore an Abena X-Plus tape on diaper and while it was a mid morning appointment and I should have had only a moderately wet diaper, the dr was delayed and it was closer to noon before I was seen. The morning coffees had gone thru and the Abena was wet but still capable, tho it was not easy pulling it back up and it wasn't as comfortable after being pulled down and then pulled back up in it's soggy state. I wish I had bought a change with me but was expecting to be done and home well before noon.

Which brings up the rule with disposable diapers to ALWAYS carry a spare, since you never know what can or will happen. The Abena got me home with no leaks, so it didn't let me down, it just wasn't comfortable after being disturbed.

I do think I will keep a package of the Abena pull ons for the doctor visits!

And, I always wear a pair of boxer shorts over a disposable, it makes me feel better when sitting there in the exam room "exposed". The boxers are a bold print of some sort and take the attention off the diaper worn underneath them. With the pull on diaper, both the boxers and the diaper can be pulled down and back up at the same time.

So there's my two cents worth!

Joe,
That's a great ideal wearing a boxer short over your disposable diaper. I only have one boxer left so I may just put it to use next time.
I use to still have some brief underware and a few boxers until my wife threw them all out. She said I'll never need them again, but I did keep one pair of boxers. ........Paul Martin

There are times that I have used pull-ups for DR visits too. Normally my appointments are right after work, so I try to leave a little earlier so I can stop at a gas station to change out of my wet diaper and put on a dry pull-up or if I don't have one, I just put on a dry disposable diaper. I take my diaper bag in with me just in case I need to change again. I have gotten to the point that it doesn't matter any more. The only thing that matters to me is if I am dry or not. I do however wear underpants over my diapers so when I have to be in one of those gowns, I look almost normal expect for some of the diaper showing.

Well my husband and I ended up in a doctors office the other day. We found out one of our employees has Mercia (I think that's how it is spelled) Anyway we thought we should go and get checked to see if we had it. We both came back negative

Anyway I just wore what I had on overalls and a molicare super. Well I didn't know how they tested for that? I thought it was just a blood test. Nope they swap your Nose, Arm pit's and Crotch So the nurse tells me to drop my pants When I did you should have seen the double take she took when she saw the diaper She said "why are you wearing a diaper (short pause) are you incontinent" I said well no really I'm trying to start a new fashion trend I was surprised at her reaction you'd thought that was the first time she'd seen an adult wearing a diaper? Now mind you my husband is in the room with me giggling He latter said he didn't know what was funnier her double take or my reply. He said she really seemed uncomfortable from his observation. Well I got my laugh when they did the swab on his crotch it tickled him so bad I thought he was going to hit the ceiling

..............Sandy

I'm sure the nurse had no idea what to say after you made your comment. GREAT response. Did you go to your regular primary care doc?

Myself I have gone to the doctor several times for the similar tests that Paul is refering to...the prostate exam, ugh. I am totally bladder incontinent and wear protection all of the time. My doctor has seen me in my diapers several times. Due to having to do lab work I tried making it wearing a disposable. By the time I got my tests done I had to change, but I did not have a spare. When I got in to see the doctor, first thing he said was why don't you have a diaper on, and then gave me what I needed to get home. I have been seeing the same doctor for several years and have no problem going for a check up wearing cloth diapers and plastic pants. By the way he ordered the diapers and plastic pants for me.

Maybe its just normal procedure for my primary care doc and his nursing staff to review my medical history before doing much of anything on each of my office visits. By reading my medical records first,... they always seem to ask about all my health issues before getting down to business as to the purpose of my visit.

No John we don't have a primary doctor? We so rarely ever go to a doctor we never bother with having a primary one? The place we went to was a place that specializes in Mercia. (is that how you spell it) So anyway we got our results back and we are both free of it But I tell ya we sure learned allot about how to avoid it What not to do and do? I felt like a walking germ factory when I left there ...............Sandy