Update!

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Hi! I’ve had a lot of little things happen to me but I didn't know if they worth one post so I’ve been waiting for them to pile up.

First things first I ordered stronger reinforcement! From the previous threads, y'all were already discussing briefs so I chose the NorthShore AirPremium Tab Style Briefs size medium. They've been great! I am in love with the non-leakage and I'm startingto rock the bulky . I'm a heavy bedwetter and I was always trouble with previous pull-ups so these are lifesavers. I also bought the NorthShore Companion washable underpad medium which works but I'm having trouble keeping it underneath me as I sleep? I position it underneath my sheets and over the plastic but its still not working. Any tips?

Second, I was prescribed the desmopressin tablets taking them correctly...I think. Do I have to take them daily? My doc only said to take them at bedtime and I would ask her but she hasn't made any follow-up appointments for me to do that. They do work but only if I don't drink like half a bottle of water but when I think about this, it seems kinda useless to take it then. In order to not wet the bed, I've already been limiting my intake of water. What do y'all think?

Third, I've been keeping my wet days at bay! I haven't had an accident since early last week and I am so happy. Of course, I know this is a life long battle unless the docs can figure out a solution but for now week-long dry days are a blessings in themselves so thank you all for the help! I'm definitely not going anywhere but I did wanna thank you all.

 

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Hi ! Really good to hear the good news! We take our victories where we can.
I would call the doctor for a follow up to ask what time of day to take the pills if that isn't clear to you.
You can google the drug and read all the information on it.
Is your problem only peeing at night or do you have problems day and night?

 

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@Maymay941 first off, I love your profile picture I've been debating on which one I should use. And I think I will start googling more information about the drug. My main problem is peeing at night but I also leak during the day. The leaking during the day is more manageable though.

 

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Good to hear from you again, @23andpee! I'm glad you've found something to wear at night that really works for you and that you are "rocking the bulky!" As you know a lot of times finding the right product is trial and error and it sounds like you have your "go to" product. That must be a big load off your mind! As for the washable underpad, if the bottom is plastic (or something similar) and you have it on top of a plastic sheet, then maybe some good ol' Duct Tape???? (you know that's a guy's go to quick fix !) So that might be worth a try if you have some lying around. The only other thing I can think of is if your bottom sheet is a fitted sheet just tuck it in firmly and that in itself may help. As for the Desmopressin, do call your doctor's office and just say it "wasn't made clear when I should take these" and ask them to clarify. It's so much easier to just call them rather than wait for a follow-up appointment. And by all means google for more info about the drug. Being well informed certainly can't hurt!

 

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Thank you! I collect antique dolls and they represent me better than photos. Very kind and good listeners!
I'm thinking alot of drugs that are taken once a day have about a 12 hour life cycle but I dont know on this one.
Read up on side effects, have you had any?

 

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@23andpee Desmopressin works for 12 hours. Take it 1-4 hours before bedtime. You could just call your doctor or pharmacist for confirmation. You wouldn’t need to actually go into their office.

The primary side effect of Desmopressin is that it alters the way, and time, your kidneys work to produce urine. It keeps the toxins that it regularly expels into your bladder, re-circulating around your body, and particularly re-circulating in your kidneys. Kind of gross.

So this can eventually cause permanent kidney damage. I’m not sure how often that happens, but that’s why I chose not to take it. I already take multiple medications that are hard on my liver and kidneys, plus every relative on my family on my mom’s side has diabetes, and several on my dad’s side have diabetes, including my dad. My doctor says I have a 99% chance of developing diabetes and kidney trouble. So I chose not to take Desmopressin. I really should probably try it, though. Sigh... “pick your poison” is such a reality with medications.

I have a little ditty I sing to myself sometimes. Remember the song by The Fixx in 1982 with the chorus that goes, “One Thing Leads To Another”? Well, I sing to myself, “One Pill Leads To Another”! Makes the medication situation a little humorous.

Here’s a link to the song and the video - great song, boring video - but it was made in early 1982, less than six months after MTV started, when music videos were brand new and largely rather dull.

Here’s a link to the lyrics, some of which remind me of doctors and medications:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/genius.com/amp/The-fixx-one-thing-leads-to-another-lyrics

 

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@23andpee I’ve been living with severe bedwetting for the past five years since my injury. Regarding bed pads, I use an overlapping pattern I’ve worked out with lots of trial and error that works best for me, of six disposable bed pads on a queen-size bed. When I awake in the middle of the night, I put new ones over the wet area so I can go back to sleep without laying on wet sheets or having to change the sheets.

Yes; the plastic-backed pads constantly slip around under the fitted sheet. I’ve found no solution. I have to change mine so often that duct tape isn’t an option for me. I’ve just succumbed to the reality that when I make my bed every morning, I do have to remove the top half of the fitted sheet to re-adjust the bed pads. I’m used to it now. It still irritates me to have to have to do it, especially when my lumbar spine is having a fit, but it really does work and saves me money on bed pads.

I’ll try to find a way to draw the overlapping pattern for you, then I’ll post it. It does help prevent the pads from slipping around.

One thing I definitely haven’t figured out is how to keep my top sheet and my comforters dry. I have no idea how, as a female, I end up peeing upward through a diaper! But it happens, and way too often. I think the diaper just gets so completely wet front and back, that it then leaks both upward and downward.

 

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Has anyone tried putting tape on Velcro to the back of the pads and tape the other to the plastic underneath to hold the pads in place ? Or see?
Just a thought

 

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@Garfield No, because I have to change at least one bed pad per morning. Not worth taping nor velcro-ing just for 1-2 nights. But for others who rarely wet the bed through their diaper, and really just keep the bed pad there for a rare leak, it might be worth it for them.

 

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@snow and others concerned:

Heavy wetting overnight is a challenge to manage for male and female alike. Keeping bedding and a mattress dry takes planning and lots of consideration to 'fluid dynamics'. I've had a bladder incontinence condition for over 25 years and I'm am still learning and innovating.

The first few years I was not too successful in keeping my night-time surroundings dry, even with disposable diapers plus booster pads inserted. Unfortunately, my top sheet & blankets still fell victim to frequent soakings. Bummer -- I dreaded all the extra washings nearly every day.

By way of a suggestion given me at an incontinence support group meeting, I began using what many now call 'diaper covers'. At the time, they were simply termed and marketed as adult plastic or rubber incontinence pants. The key was finding such pants that fit high over the waist while somewhat lower on the thigh -- to give total coverage for thicker overnight cloth or disposable diapers.

Use of these overpants (diaper covers) has since worked out well for me. I continue to wear my night-time bloomers because they do offer very effective waterproofing and ample covering for even the thickest diaper. There is no more wicking or leaking onto bedding. This is not daytime protection -- NO WAY ! But, for overnight, it's totally practical even if very bulky. It's also fair to say that vinyl (now EUROFLEX) or rubber bloomers can be a bit warm or binding in summer. I pay that price -- and my surroundings DO stay dry as a result.

My solution may not work for you, of course. We each must continue with our own 'trial and error' plus innovation. Remember to always keep up on new product improvements and medical advances via information sharing. Stay connected with each other and your medical professionals; it helps a lot and you will not feel so isolated.

Let's all fight 'stigma' together.

 

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Snow:
Why not try wearing a premium disposable (Northshore Supreme?) with one or two cotton booster pads then with a PUL (plastic) pant over top? I know this combinations works for many with very heavy night voids and it might just work for you. You can even move the cotton pads around inside the main diaper to find the configuration that works best for you. I like to use Walmart's all cotton "Flour Sack Towels" (10 for $7.88) and fold them into a twelve layer pad. These pads soak up liquid faster than any disposable and then slowly transfer it to the main diaper. In the morning they can easily be rinsed out in the sink and line dried or just put straight into the regular wash after rinsing. I would think this approach would be more desirable than constantly fighting with wet bed pads, sheets and clothing. Hope this helps!

 

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@andy1050 Someone else recently asked the question on the forum, but I never saw the answer to it. What happens when you pull the diaper cover down in the morning? Pee just spills out all over the floor? I’m not into that. If you have any tips about that, I’m listening. The second I wake up, I have to pee - as in, I have less than five seconds to make it to the toilet with my soaking wet diaper on - not enough time to get in the shower to pull off the diaper cover. Also, during the night, I have to pee every 5-60 minutes, so I can’t be worrying about diaper covers leaking when I pull them down to sit on the toilet in the dark.

@Padded53 I can’t really afford Northshore Supremes right now, nor the shipping fees to try samples. Maybe by December. Right now I’m saving for a car in November. I do have plenty of those flour towels from Walmart myself, though I’ve never used them as a pad before. I’d just throw them away every morning because I can’t tolerate the smell of urine in my laundry bag. I don’t have my own washing machine in my apartment; I have to go to a laundromat. But I’ll try it at least once this weekend, to see how it goes. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

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Honest Snow.
This process is consuming.

 

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Snow:
That's the great thing about the WalMart Flour Sack Towels, just rinse them out in the sink in the morning and simply hang to dry. When dry they are OK to reuse but it's best to throw them into the regular laundry when possible. I think you will be amazed at how well these cotton "pads" will work, even in conjunction with an inexpensive diaper. I know one really inexpensive diaper that is at least "decent" is a Walgreens Certainty diaper. And they are often on sale for 1/2 off a second bag. I think the cotton pads would work pretty good with these inexpensive diapers. Give it a try and let us know if it worked for you.

 

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Padded thank you for these affordable ideas.

 

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@Padded53 Thank you so much for your advice. I currently wear the max absorbency nighttime pull-up from Depends. But thanks to this forum, I’ve learned that I truly must try other brands that will help me not leak. I’m eager to try the try the flour sack towel tomorrow night. From how well I know they work as a dish towel (they’re my all-time fave kitchen towel), I can imagine how great they’ll work in a diaper. Great idea about rinsing them each morning! Yahoo!

 

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I guess I'm not a thorough dish towels shopper I dont know are flour sack dish towels labeled as such?
I have used small terry hand towels or the cheap face clothes Walmart sells

 

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Snow and Padded we've had only a few success stories on here of apparent cures, some great endorsement of the stalwart Northshore Co but I dont think we've ever had a YAHOO! Over a simple diaper and absorbent system! That's the can do attitude and let's make the best of it!
One of you or the tech savvy Jrpoorman please rest Padded53s suggestion of the Certainty walmart diapers and dish towels under a header INEXPENSIVE incontinence Protection as I think the hidden costs of incontinence are a problem many of us dont have a good income but we dont talk on that much

 

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Maymay941:
The Walmart "Flour Sack Towels" are labeled exactly as I've written here and are located in the Kitchenware or Home Goods section. They cost about $8 for ten and you can reuse them many many times. They are so inexpensive that when I am on an out-of-town trip I'll use them in my diaper at night and just put them in a plastic bag and toss them in the trash the next morning.
Another great thing about these is if you do want to rinse them out and hang to dry they dry very quickly.

 

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Wow! Now we're onto something here! Those Wal-Mart flour sack towels sound like a true winner. I may need to check that out next time I go to Wal-Mart! I've always said that sometimes the simplest solution is right under our noses and it's usually the best! And@Maymay941's idea of a header for Inexpensive Incontinent Solutions for the forum is a winner as well! The overall costs of incontinence are a burden for many of us, or maybe a necessary evil, if you will!