www.incontinentsupport.org

Hi Jon
Welcome to the board! Sorry to here of your accident I'm not sure how I can help you. I was never thrusted into diapers myself I've worn them at night since I was born. I did have some dry days as a child. But also had some bad days as well as a child Most of my adult life if not all of it has been with some form of protection. Since my early 20's I've been in full blown diapers 24/7 But enough about me
What about you. Where do you or what do you do for work How do you dress for work. Maybe we can help you with proper dress for incontinent people. Besides myself there are plenty of other veterans on this board that should be able to give you advice on your situation.
...............................Sandy

Thanks for the reply and for sharing some of your experiences.
I wish I knew what I needed right now. I have had an easy time of it as far as coping goes, because I have been at homem recovering from surgury.
Its easy to be confident and brave in the comfort of my apartment.
i have to get back to the real world now, so this is when the challenges start.
I have been trying on all my clothes and I am sure I am over compensating..i imagine that everyone can tell that I am in a diaper.
I cook for a living so I am in a lot of different settings.
i can pretty much wear anything I want, but I am very concerned about a summer job that I have.
At this point, i am just putting one foot in front otf the other..others have said that time brings comfort, and I am hoping that will be the case.

Jonbasic,
Welcome to the Forum; I'm glad you decided to reach out and shares your concerns and worries with this group. We've a lot of experience dealing with the situation in which you now find yourself. Good that you really tried to get mentally prepared for the possibility of incontinence....I'm sure that helped, tho it seems different now that it has come to pass and is, well, scary! A life in diapers....geesh! kind of hard to get your mind around that one!

But, and most here will repeat the same thing....it is NOT the end of the world. Life goes on and so will you! You have already said you are very self conscious about wearing diapers and you feel everyone can tell you're wearing diapers. Let me assure you, that is a very common, if not universal, feeling amongst those who get thrust into incontinence.

All I can offer is the assurance that time will help, and your positive attitude will really help. You will find that people can NOT tell you are wearing a diaper.....and you will be functioning in your life, be it cooking (great profession!) or enjoying leisure activities just like everyone else and having dry pants and no embarrassing accidents....thanks to the diaper. Our diapers allow us to be normal out there in a continent society because we are "continent", like everyone else, when we wear a diaper. It is just a different form of underwear and necessary for us, just as glasses may be necessary for vision or a hearing aid for hearing or a cane for walking!

Let me end by saying don't let diapers "take over" and make you live your life around changing diapers and carrying all kinds of "stuff". With the decent diapers now available, and if your skin is up to it, you can go a lot of hours in the same diaper that means "no baggage" when you can return to your place when you do need to change. A little planning may be needed but that's just another detail you will work out as you go along.

Happy New Year....inspite of the discouraging development....but you will make the best of it, I am sure!

JoeK

Jonbasic: welcome to the board and sorry to hear of your accident that has to be hard on you being so young.
You talked about leg pain some of the people on here have debilitating neuropathy and pain just goes along with it so we can relate to you.

After your accident did you receive therapy to help you cope with incontinence?

I been to therapy several times and found it very useful.
One of the first things I learned there are several ways to deal with incontinence diapers is just one way and works for some.
Then there are McGuire urinals and external catheters (not Foley catheters) and penis clamp all work well for some people. I used external catheters for many years I also did not want people to see me in diapers. I still used diapers for night but eventually went to all catheters day and night.
When at therapy I would guess 80% of the men there used either McGuire urinals and external catheters.

I can remember my first day back at work I was a millwright maintenance machinist I repaired and rebuild large machines most as big as a house or bigger. I had to climb up or in a machine to do the repairs and if a gear or other part was broke it was my job to make a new one. Some of these repairs took a week or two and I would stay straight through sleeping when I could in the brake room. I just could not imagine being in a shop with a hundred men and women for a week in diapers. I also had to be able to travel to repair machines.

Everyone that is incontinent has to use what is comfortable and works best for them.
I just tried to show you there is more than one way to skin a cat.

2lyle

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Jonbasic: First I have to clarify something when I said therapy I meant physical therapy.
When I went to physical therapy it was mostly how to deal with incontinence and the types of products that were out there. I also met a lot of people that were incontinent and I keep in touch with a couple of them.
The second time in physical therapy it was to show me how to use a Foley catheter and make shore I knew how to take care of it
If you read other post I have posted I do not have the ability to urinate on my own so I use a Foley catheter to drain the bladder. The urine drains into a bag on my leg and I find it much more comfortable and cleaner than a wet diaper. I find it as close to being normal as it gets.
I am and always have been a fighter and I will fight my illness and being incontinent until I die.
Everyone must use what they feel comfortable with.

2lyle

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Jon
What's up with you These people are just trying to offer advice. You claim each time you post someone comes back about catheters "really" Well I didn't talk about that with you. Lyle was just trying to share his point of view with you. Lyle is a good person to have on here. Your making a mountain out of a mole hill here. As far as "Diapered ignorance" as you state that's a low blow. Sorry us that spend our life in diapers are all so ignorant to you. I was born with a small weak bladder Yes I wear diapers 24/7 But I certainly don't do it out of ignorance

Yes some people on this board use Catheters some have miner problems others like myself are more major. But we all come together here because we all have one thing in common. And it's good to be able to talk to others that understand what you are going through. I really don't think anyone was trying to upset you. .................................Sandy

I didnt call anyone ignorant..I gave my impression of the replies I have been getting.
There are other forums availiable other than this "caring community'
please delete my profile and I wont waste any more of your time

Jonbasic: sorry if you took my last post wrong I did not mean to upset you.
You said you were going into the real world and worried about someone seeing your diaper I just tried to give you an alternative.

Sandy: thanks for the support and I agree with you this is a board for support of incontinence and it comes in so many different forms. Like I said we all use what is best for us we all have different needs.

2lyle