www.incontinentsupport.org

Don't know if anyone has any experience with this, but thought I would ask. Next Sept. my wife and I along with her sister and husband are going on a 3 week trip to Switzerland, Italy, and Croatia. I'm a bit nervous as to how to pack for this long a trip. Packing diapers for that many days would take up a lot of luggage space. My thought was to pack enough for a few days, then find somewhere in Italy to purchase more. We will be renting a car, so that would give me a place to store them. Of course, that means my sister in law and her husband will know of my situation. My question is, has anyone traveled to a foreign country and purchased diapers while there? If so, where do you find them? Are they available in most drug stores as they are here, or do you have to go through a pharmacy? We already have our plane tickets. It's a little early, but couldn't pass up a really could deal. Any thoughts would be most appreciated. Thanks.

Hi Dennis,

I wonder if you could consider another way of achieving continence for the time you are away. I use external catheters and leg and night drainage bags. These are pretty small for packing and very convenient to empty. Coloplast supply the ones I use - try their site and get some samples to try now.Using these you could manage to keep your secret to yourself and its probably more convenient that sitting in a wet diaper on a plane too.

I am with wheels here, these are the only way I deal with my issues when I travel, Mentor LS are the best for fit and seat I have tried, and no latex, which in today's era of allergies is a good thing. Coloplast took over Mentor, so they supply them as well. They are terrific for samples and answering any questions regarding their products and how they work for you. One of the RARE companies that actually did a follow up phone call with me, got them my business! Puffy

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Puffy
BC, Canada
Fighting the "Bladder Battle" since 1995

Dennis,

I recently spent a week in Austria, and packed diapers for the trip. I bought a surplus military duffel for $14 and checked it. Since I didn't have them coming back, I just crumpled the duffel up and put it in my other luggage.

Having said that, for future trips I hope to either buy local, or learn to use a condom cath as others have mentioned. This is all still pretty new to me, so I haven't experimented much with alternatives to diapers. It would be very nice to have options...


CallMeTim

Thanks for the advice, but I think I will figure out a way to pack a few diapers. I will then buy what I need when I get to Italy. I tried the catheter approach after my green light surgery several years ago, but with little success. I guess I have a hard time putting things in places that don't seem natural.

I have a few friends that live in the UK. From what they are telling me Europe has much better choices over the counter than the US does. Take enough for your trip plus a few days. When you get there the hotel can tell you where to find the nearest chemist supply. They may not be familiar with a drug store.

Have a great time.

Doug

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When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade.

Supplies of nappies (diapers in the USA) in the UK is rather restricted. Most people will use mail order as not much is stocked in shops and that which is stocked isn't that good. I don't know how things are in other european countries though Cyprus didn't have much when I needed some.

Of course where there is a good public health service, like the UK, many people get what they need via the health service and thus its only the people too sacred to talk to their doctor that but in chemists (drug stores in the USA). If you are going to try and buy supplies in various countries you are going to have to do some serious research to find out where to go or whether you should order by mail order for delivery to an hotel. It won't necessarily be easy.

That's why I suggested sheaths (external catheters in USA) and drainage bags was a better option. Nice and light to pack and easy to use with option to drain a leg bag almost anywhere instead of finding a toilet that's big enough to change in.