www.incontinentsupport.org

Hello to all,

I am bowel incontinent, managing that o.k., and wearing diapers 24/7. However, due to recent complications from an old spinal cord injury I now am experiencing urinary incontinence. This is totally new to me and it is unclear whether it will be temporary or permanent.

I am wearing wet and soaking most of a good quality diaper before I change, trying to stop just before it starts leaking. I am concerned about the odor problem and did not find what I needed in the archives.

I would appreciate some information: How quickly does urine odor build up? How long does it take for the odor to 1) first be noticeable, 2) obvious to others, and 3) significant? I realize this varies based on hydration and diet.

Some generalized data will help me to plan changes and also estimate diaper consumption for purchases.

Most of you have so much experience in this area that any input would be very much appreciated.

Best wishes,

--JD

I can go most of the day wearing a pad without leaking or any noticable odor. I normally soak my nappy overnight and it does smell a bit when I change in the morning. I guess everyone will be different.

During the day, I wear Molicare super plus with an Abena maxi booster and a onesie to conceal and help keeping my diaper snug when wet.
That combo usually lasts until I get home and can get changed, it's only if I haven't been drinking enough water, I sometimes can smell a bit in the end of the working day.
Sometimes I wear plastic pants over my diaper in order to cut down the smell as the plastic pants help encapsulating the smell. Usually when I have to attend business meetings and have to be in a meeting room all day.

I don't have experience with this sort of problem and all I can offer is that maybe you shouldn't be trying to get all you can out of every diaper.
[quote]I am wearing wet and soaking most of a good quality diaper before I change, trying to stop just before it starts leaking.[/quote]
1) You will drive yourself nuts worrying if you will leak. The added stress can't be good for you.
2) The urine build up in the diaper itself can't be good for your skin. That is harsh on your skin all day long, day after day.
3) Changing more often could result in less smell for you to worry about, which is your initial concern.

So maybe use the extra diaper or two during the day. It could be better for you in the long term.

Scott

Odor build up is a very variable thing. Your urine breaking down is making the smell. The more water, the less of a breakdown and smelling urine. Certain food like asparagus can also give an immediate odor. I have noticed that for me, even if the diaper has great pH balancing for odor control, if the urine smells the odor will get out.

As Scott said, that much urine against the skin for a long time is very bad, especially if it concentrated.

Basically clear urine will have no odor even after 4-6 hours. 8-10 it might. Yellow urine will have probably 3-4 hours. Amber urine will probably have less than an hour.

While some incontinent people I have known lose the scent and just smell like stale urine all the time, I suspect that is largely due to dehydration and poor hygiene. For example, hair "down there" can catch and hold onto the odors more easily than skin, even with frequent changes, so shaving down there helps eliminate odors.

PUL pants can also help mitigate the odor by giving an extra layer for it to pass through adding possibly an hour to each smell variable.

If you wear compression shorts or a body stocking to keep the diaper close to your body it will also dramatically keep the odor down. As the diaper begins to sag from weight the gaps give opening for odor to escape. If that happens then you will have probably a third less time before odor is a problem.

You will notice it long before anyone else does, but that is usually enough to merit changing.

However, given everyone is different you will need to experiment. I can understand conserving diapers because of costs, but your body is unique. I hope that helps.

It has been suggested to me that taking vitamin c regularly helps reduce the smell/odor of urine. I have been chewing 5 vitamin c tablets a day since I stared wearing diapers a few months ago. Either I have become use to the smell or the vitimin c is working however when I empty my hygienic disposable system the smell is a lot better than it was a few months ago.

Cleanliness and drinking enough water to keep your leakage dilute are important. You might add Nullo to that. It is better for the control of overall body odor (hunters use it to mask their scent) and for the control of fecal odor, but it does have limited effect on the odor of urine.

I take Vitamin C daily as well. And I don't *think* I have a problem with urine smell. Ask my roommate, she may say something different. I'm just too embarrassed to ask!

I can go all day before I start to smell noticeably. My wife says I am usually a bit smelly when I come in from work.

Depends upon many different factors actually - urine concentration, diet, illness, physical activity. All diapers are not created equal as well. Probably best to change diaper as soon as soiling occurs and not wait for multiple events.

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Adult Diapers