Some of the biggest questions:
What are you looking for anyway?
Well, I don't want to wear an indwelling catheter (foley cath) and I do not want to wear diapers.
I want to find something a little easier to wear, can last at least a solid workday without much maintenance, and that doesn't leave me with skin irritation.
What caused you you become incontinent?
A combination of things. I had problems with wetting the bed and, parents being parents, eventually I went to the doctor. This started a chain of issues. One urologist claimed I had damaged my pudendal nerve:
He assumed that damage that came from a baseball accident years prior (wasn't wearing a cup) where the cause of my issues... and that they would "self correct".
Over the years, in my teens, I was prescribed a "fast cath" without proper instruction and wrong FR size. I would use that to relieve myself (when I really didn't need to, since it wasn't stress related). It was awkward, painful and frustrating to use.
Ultimately, the lack of training using it caused some unhealthy habits which led me to a very bad urinary tract infection which required hospitalization and caused permanent damage. This made leakage issue 10x worse.... and leads me to my next most common question:
Do you even urinate, or do you have no pressure built up to pee?
Sometimes. When I first wake up. I have the urge to pee, but I usually don't make it to the toilet in time. I think it's due to urine in my bladder accumulating and when I stand up, it comes out.
If you can imagine, it's like a permanent catheter with the tip cut off. It doesn't come out in a full stream, but it just comes out enough to make a mess.
This also happens when sitting for long periods.
What do you normally wear?
Depends... no, literally. Hah. I usually use those at home since they are more comfortable and at night so I can move around without tubes.
I sometimes wear a condom catheter for certain situations since they are relatively secure and easy to put on (even once while driving!). The adhesive is the main issue I have with it for extended wear.
I use a regular foley catheter for extended trips. I make certain to use proper hygiene and use the correct size and with a coude tip.
The diapers are good, but you have to be careful to stay dry. That's just not possible while on the go.
How embarrassing is it for you?
It's sucks going through airports. I get "selected" to go to secondary pat down, and it's always confusing for the TSA since I don't look like a typical person who wears one. I once had to show my catheter, and literally everything, to a group of TSA agents. It was humiliating, but they were professional about it.
This is why I'd rather drive across the country than fly, if I can.
I'd have to say it used to be a lot more embarrassing when I was younger. Since, back then, we all wore white briefs, it was pretty obvious when changing that I "pissed myself" (as my classmates would tease). Wearing diapers to class was completely out of the question, so I just went with it. My trick was to just have multiple pairs of briefs in my backpack and change between classes.
What type of medicine do you take for your condition?
Nothing. It's permanent damage. I just avoid things like caffeine and alcohol since they will, almost literally, pour right through me.
Have you tried Eastern medicine?
Yes, somewhat. I did japskasi Thai treatment, but I didn't get any benefit out of it. I'm willing to try suggestions.
Why do you post pictures of yourself with them on?
Well, finding images of the devices actually being used, and real reviews from people who actually use them are super rare. I wanted a bit of transparency. If the product is shit, I won't hold back.
I don't get paid from any of these companies. While I do have advertising turned on, it does not affect the decisions in product choices for this blog... That, and I have no shame.
What happened to the old post of you when you were younger? The story about the baseball incident?
I took the post down because there was someone asking creepy questions. There were pictures of my injury from when I was a kid before my surgery. I decided to remove the post for now but I might repost it without the pictures later.
Why don't you try natural cotton based diapers instead of the disposable?
They can't keep up. I've tried some before. I have a pair from multiple companies actually. Not only do they not hold enough liquid, they take forever to dry...
What happens when you get an erection while wearing a catheter?
Great question. This is actually something you don't find on the packaging for catheter devices you have to take into consideration. Since the device you are attaching the catheter is literally a moving object, this can cause for some leakage at night or whenever that situation pops up.
As well with the questions, I've gotten a few tips. Some have suggested the obvious, some have suggested genius, and some have suggested the plain weird!
To those who reached out to tell me about their own personal stories and struggles, I hoped I helped you out. Advice from someone who's in your shoes goes a long way. I'm here to rant as much as I'm here to listen! (my email is on the top right)
I will be reviewing more devices in 2019. I also plan on bringing some of my readers stories and ideas into the blog.
