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I have been incontinent since my LRP in August 2022. Things appear to be improving now albeit very slowly! In the 5+ months dealing with my incontinence I have tried and used various items that have helped me to manage the condition. Following my surgery and the week or so that I endured the Foley catheter I began using briefs with pads (maxis) to deal with the “flood”. A little over a month following my surgery the flood began to calm allowing me to begin trying other methods and devices to manage my incontinence.
My first change was to begin using light/shield pads in place of the maxis pads while still using briefs. The maxis would get very soggy and weighty which I found uncomfortable. Depending on activity, I could go 2-4 hours using the light pads during the day and a one for an entire night. However, I found the brief/pad combo to be inconvenient on long drives, going to restaurants, or away from home for long periods. I began to use External (Condom) Catheters for these activities and they continue to work very well for these purposes. However, my Urologist/Surgeon advised that I stay in briefs/pads as much as possible because the sensation of wetness that they provide incentivizes me to work toward continence. I found her advice to be very true because whenever I wear the catheter I forget about my incontinence and the ongoing effort that I need to make to manage it. I am physically very active and enjoy long, energetic walks and running. I found that briefs/pads and the external catheter don’t really work well or comfortably when doing these activities. I had read about penile clamps as another way to control leaks. The reviews were both positive (they work …) and negative (they are uncomfortable …). I tried a clamp (Bard) and found it to be comfortable and effective! It became clear that the clamp is ideal for long walks, runs, and weight training at the gym. I need to release it every 1 – 1.5 hours to urinate and don’t wear it longer than 2 – 2.5 hours at a time (and never at night).
So, in my experience, briefs/pads, catheter, and clamp all work well providing different benefits depending on what my needs are and the activities I am involved in. I am sure that there are many other ways that people choose to manage their incontinence but I hope you find my experience helpful.
My first change was to begin using light/shield pads in place of the maxis pads while still using briefs. The maxis would get very soggy and weighty which I found uncomfortable. Depending on activity, I could go 2-4 hours using the light pads during the day and a one for an entire night. However, I found the brief/pad combo to be inconvenient on long drives, going to restaurants, or away from home for long periods. I began to use External (Condom) Catheters for these activities and they continue to work very well for these purposes. However, my Urologist/Surgeon advised that I stay in briefs/pads as much as possible because the sensation of wetness that they provide incentivizes me to work toward continence. I found her advice to be very true because whenever I wear the catheter I forget about my incontinence and the ongoing effort that I need to make to manage it. I am physically very active and enjoy long, energetic walks and running. I found that briefs/pads and the external catheter don’t really work well or comfortably when doing these activities. I had read about penile clamps as another way to control leaks. The reviews were both positive (they work …) and negative (they are uncomfortable …). I tried a clamp (Bard) and found it to be comfortable and effective! It became clear that the clamp is ideal for long walks, runs, and weight training at the gym. I need to release it every 1 – 1.5 hours to urinate and don’t wear it longer than 2 – 2.5 hours at a time (and never at night).
So, in my experience, briefs/pads, catheter, and clamp all work well providing different benefits depending on what my needs are and the activities I am involved in. I am sure that there are many other ways that people choose to manage their incontinence but I hope you find my experience helpful.
