Newbe

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I am a 59 year old man who has had RSD/CRPS (a severe chronic pain condition) for 35 years. Last summer I had a spinal cord injury followed within a few weeks by a TBI. Thus I now suffer from paraplesia and having nerve damage to my bladder and too my bowels as well as other issues resulting from the spinal cord accident. As a result I now have to catheterize myself in order to pee and I have to do this every 4 hours. However, even doing this if I sleep through my alarms or drink a lot meaning that I have to pee before the next 4 hour alarm then because I do not have sufficient feeling then my bladder literally overflows causing me to wet myself as well as potentially cause a backup of urine into my kidneys.
Hence I have arrived here as I am finding it incredibly hard to come to terms with the fact that at 59 I have returned to infancy and have to wear diapers!

 

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Hi Newbe,

About four months after my spinal injury in Jan 2013 I had a suprapubic catheter installed. It has not been perfect but does avoid have to catheterise every few hours, day and night. The main problems with it have been urinary infections and blockages, although both of these now seem to be under control. It also leaks a little.

Good luck,
Barry

 

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I use a comfy dry 24/7 with Gary's pants at night and make it through the night. I am 100% incontinent.

 

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There are many of us who have returned to a diaper or other products to keep ourselves dry, it isn't what we asked for and definitely takes time to come to terms with but I am 43 and have been wearing a diaper at night for about ten years now and in the past 5 years wearing during the day time as well. You need to figure out what is the best solution for you and make sure you talk to others who will help you understand this isn't the worst thing in life it's just a turn in the road. This site has been wonderful to me and has helped me feel like I'm not the only one with this issue!!

 

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You most certainly have not returned to infancy. That is just societal stigma and if we allow it to reside in our thought lives, we do ourselves a disservice. Think about this for a moment - would you call someone down for this? I assume not. You must treat yourself with the same respect and compassion you would give others and that you wish to receive from them. When we treat ourselves in a less than positive manner, people (subconsciously) do the same to us. Incontinence products are nothing more and nothing less than a means to manage a problem that many people have but few talk about.

 

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I had a robotic prostatectomy in August of 2015 and also had radiation therapy the following year. I experienced incontinence for about a year and now just have slight(stress). I was 67 when I was diagnosed and it was a big deal for me. I still read these forum comments and have, hopefully, helped some people with my posts. When I read what others are going through, like you Newbe, I feel blessed and grateful . Hang in there and I wish you good health,improvement and no pain. Blessings!

 

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I can understand the feelings of infancy with diapers but they are just a medical device to help you live a better life. I also don't have feeling in my bladder so I also lack control. I use Abena m4s and comfidry 24/7s and occasionally Always Discreet. The former two work great for anything

 

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I cannot deny that I fight with denial all the time. "I don't need this medication!" I said to myself just this morning and I am a pharmacist!! I would have regretted that just a little while ago while sitting on the couch. I was almost overcome by a bladder hissy fit shortly there after...but thanks to trospeeum I made it to the toilet. Purposeful emphasis on pee.

Later today, I may have a similar conversation with myself about a diaper....I am not an infant either. I use the medication so I can have more dry times than less and diapers so I can leave the house and leave John home. He doesn't travel well. I drove an hour yesterday in shirt,tie, and navy dress pants. I didn't think twice about diapering up. If I had whizzed on the way to work, well let's just say I could not stand behind the counter in dry underwear and pants because I did not have extras. Alas I do carry a diaper back pack wherever I go, now. It wasn't always so....more later.

PS I arrived dry.

 

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Thank you for the comment in response to my original post. Also and perhaps more importantly thank you for your service.