# Adult diapers anyone?



## cheweg

Has anyone with IBS-D or IBS-A tried wearing adult diapers while being out of home running errands? How are the results? I wonder whether wearing an adult diaper is a practical solution to the accidental diarrhea while out of home. Anyone with experience please share.


----------



## tinh

I have used the Tena lady full pants - they aren't suppose to be used for diarrhea but they have worked for me so far. Very expensive though and not available on the NHS (UK).


----------



## Trudyg

I wear them when I must traave wigh others. Peace of mind, mostley. Also, if I'm sleeping someplace other than home I'll wear them at night just in case.


----------



## cheweg

Thank you all for your replies!


----------



## RBW1

I do wear them most of the time when I go out and most of the time when I have a bout. They are a last resort and would definitely not want to go in them as I wouldn't trust they would keep it in (large volumes) and then there is the smell and the clean up. Wish I could go in them though as it would make life so much easier!

R


----------



## cw_2009

Wouldnt of thought they are designed for Poo esp because of the smell  someone needs to invite a odour free one


----------



## jdinvirginia

Cheweg,

I sympathize, as I am fecal incontinent due to severe chronic constipation which causes overflow diarrhea. I also have a defecation disorder. I wear diapers.

First off, someone with urinary incontinence can tolerate an occasional leak and probably will be able to conceal it. That is not the case with fecal incontinence, particularly with diarrhea. Regrettably, the less expensive drugstore diapers will not be adequate and you will have to order diapers from a medical supply house or diaper distributor.

Please note that no pull-up style diaper is recommended for fecal incontinence or diarrhea. They just leak too often. A taped diaper will provide you with more protection. Despite the foregoing, there are good pull-ups. The best I have found for fecal is the Tranquillity premium overnight. I am not promoting brands, but you need practical information now. The Tranquility premium overnight has good gutter guards and leg gathers, but is breathable, which I will mention below.

For fecal, the top priority is containment, containment, containment. Absorbency is secondary. Again, look for high gutter guards and snug leg gathers. The Abena Abriform X is a good example, but there are others.

The diaper must fit your anatomy. If you do not have a good fit an expensive diaper will not perform well for you.

A problem which affects those with urinary incontinence to a lesser degree is odor. Fecal odor quickly becomes evident. It becomes evident quicker and stronger when wearing a breathable cloth-type diaper. Most people with fecal incontinence will recommend that you wear only plastic-backed diapers, even though they are warmer in hot weather.

A good quality diaper cover or so-called plastic pants is essential both to contain leaks and to help contain odor.

With a quality diaper and good plastic pants I have been able to walk for a mile with diarrhea in my diaper without experiencing a leak. However, I do not recommend it.

A big problem is when you are forced to sit down to drive home or to remove clothing before changing your diaper. That probably is the time when you are at the greatest risk of a serious leak. The diaper cover should catch any leakage, but not always.

Odor will make itself evident despite all the above. It helps to plan your outings during what you consider to be your safer periods.

If you experience an accident it will be necessary to change as soon as possible, immediately if possible. That means that you will need to have a portable kit with you containing a spare diaper, wipes, disposal bag, etc. I keep a larger kit with a change of clothing in the trunk of my car.

You will need to practice changing a messy diaper at home so that you do not soil your outer clothing when changing in a public restroom. When you have a messy diaper, first try to change it in the bathtub to make cleanup easier while you learn how to handle the situation.

You are going through a rough period, but it gets better with time and experience. You will learn the tricks necessary to cope.

Best wishes,

--JD


----------



## HumanistRuth

cw_2009 said:


> Wouldnt of thought they are designed for Poo esp because of the smell
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> someone needs to invite a odour free one


Kelli_from_Cali mentions a solution to the odor problem in her discussion.


----------



## Heather1973

I go through between 10-12 adult disposable diapers a day (3X or more are BMs). It gets expensive, but they protect me well and I can wear what I want (cute skirts and dresses) and go where I want. Leak guards are a must! I love Molicare purple diapers but usually can't afford them (but my brother helps me out sometimes and will buy me a package from the pharmacy store). Usually I wear Depend with tabs. They both hold pee very well, and all but the messiest/liquid BMs. I always want the full capacity of my diaper available, so even if I don't totally wet my diaper I change. Even if I'm in a wet diaper and sort of feel a BM coming soon I get in a clean diaper for the BM, which seems wasteful, but having a BM is bad enough, you want to do it in a nice clean diaper. Diaper changes are messy - pack tons of wipes - I toss the used one's in my used diaper then roll them and the BM (I leave the BM in the diaper) up in the diaper, use the tapes and the diaper' s plastic to create a package, and if a messy one seal it in a large Ziploc bag for the garbage. I generally wear pantyhose or tights to help disguise any diaper bulk or sounds (and make my legs look nice), and nobody can tell I have one on. In any case, using a diaper, even if it leaks, is a whole lot better than going in your clothes!!


----------



## jdinvirginia

Heather,

We all have the problem of keeping the cost of diapers down.

One thing you should do is purchase diapers online by the case. That can reduce the price of individual diapers by as much as a third! Of course, I recommend that you order samples first to be sure that they fit you well. The samples sometimes are pricey but will save you money in the long run.

Another thing is to try diapers not normally available at local drugstores. One diaper with which you may not be familiar is the new Wellness Superio Signature taped diaper. This is new improved version of their previous diaper which I have worn extensively. It is a plastic-backed diaper which has very high gutter guards and leg gathers - particularly important to those who are fecal incontinent. You order it online or by phone directly from the manufacturer, Unique Wellness. They often release coupons online for 15% off. I learned about it in my incontinence support groups.

I recently conducted the first extensive field testing of the new Wellness diaper under real-world practical conditions while I actually was wearing it. I wore the diaper on 12 exercise walks during which I experienced fecal accidents and walked with the messy diaper on for a total of over 15 miles. For the test, during my walks I sat on park benches and deliberately abused the diaper by doing things we normally never would do with a messy diaper - sitting down quickly, leaning in all directions, and moving around while sitting. The bottom line is that in none of the 12 tests did the diaper ever leak - not even a drop! Fecal odor control was very good. As I am not bladder incontinent, I performed an absorbency test by adding measured amounts of water at 15 minute intervals while wearing the diaper and going about my normal daily routine at home. The diaper promises to hold over 44 oz. of liquid with no press-out. This may be a little TMI, but to those with bowel continence trying to find an effective product it should be useful.

Despite its performance, the Wellness taped diaper is very thin, which is great for work, dress clothing, or thin athletic attire. For women, the thinness permits wearing more stylish clothing.

I should add that I have no affiliation with the Unique Wellness corporation except as a user of their products.

Best wishes,

--JD


----------



## Heather1973

Thanks JD, I've ordered them to try.

I need them after an incident today in my brother's kitchen after church. I had just had a massive BM and was already embarrassed about all the noise it made right in front of him when I was going in my diaper as well as having to dispose of my very poop-filled diaper in his kitchen trash (it was well packaged and sealed, but still). I was helping clean up after our lunch and hadn't been in my fresh diaper more than 10 minutes when I began to pee. A lot. So much so fast that I could actually hear it rushing into my diaper. I stood there and finished and seconds later I felt a warm trickle run down my right inner thigh and soak my pantyhose. My skirt fell well above the knee and I had off-white sheer pantyhose on which totally showed the wet, so my brother could plainly see what happened. We're extremely close but I was still totally embarrassed! Fortunately I had an extra pair of black hose in my bag to change into (I wrapped ny wet ones in my diaper for disposal - my nicest pair  . The leak may have been my fault, maybe I screwed up the leak guard when changing or pulling the top of my pantyhose over my diaper. Hopefully this never happens with my new diapers.


----------



## Bravo06

I have IBS-D and have been using incontinence products for almost 5 years. Its been a little over a year that I have been 24/7 in adult diapers. It was very hard to find the right product for me. Like said earlier in this post the fit is almost everything. Are diapers for everyone? No! But when you have to leave work to go home and change because you just had an accident in your underwear and you cant at work because others will find out. Well its time to do something about it. Fast forwarding... I no longer work due to other health reasons but have found the security and peace of mind that a "Good quality product" can give you is well worth it to. Its like finding a medication that works just the way it is suppose to. Explore all options and use what works for you.


----------



## spazzy

Hi, everyone.

I was perusing our site threads today and even though I have not (yet) had to wear adult diapers, I can see how invaluable they are!

I've had several BM diarrhea accidents in my clothes, and it's truly a miserable, miserable experience. I have also been stuck in traffic before when my IBS spasms and urgency were at an all-time high, and that's a panicky situation. I had thought about keeping adult diapers in my car for emergency situations, but I honestly had no idea which brands or types were most effective. I learned a lot from all of you posting on this topic, so thank you very much.

Heather, your photo avatar is just beautiful. You are truly a lovely woman, and I applaud your success at handling your GI issues with such grace and dignity. It can't be easy dealing with either urinary or bowel incontinence, and I have deep respect for all of you who must deal daily with such a chronic condition.

I just love this web site; I honestly do. I have learned so much here. This is such an invaluable forum because, as we all know, discussing our bums and our GI and BM problems isn't exactly great dinner party conversation, is it? We need a place where we can come and be honest, get support, offer help and support to others, and learn about new medications, etc.

Thank you each and every one for sharing your experiences.

Spazzy


----------



## Bravo06

Spazzy,

I am with you on being grateful for this site. Over the past month I have learned so much about my condition and my body. As far as diapers go you may want to try a sample pack to see what products fit you best. The company HDIS.com (Home Delivery Incontinence Supplies) has a great sample pack that has a bunch of products for various types of incontinence. From light to full incontinence. I have really bad anxiety and get both urine and fecal incontinence so I use heavy protection. I am currently using Abena Abri-Form L4 briefs during the day and night. But when my IBS is not so bad I can use Tranquility Over Night Pull Ups during the day. But it took me a while to find a couple of products that work for me. The fit and level of protection is what I have found from literally years of trial and era. When I first started down this path of incontinence due to IBS-D and PTSD I had no idea what products to buy. So I started with local pharmacy products. The companies that many have heard of. They did not work for me and actually caused me much more anxiety from having accidents and then leaking. (Not fun at all) This is all when I was still able to work a regular job. So things got worse while my condition was not improving. At this point I had never even seen the letters IBS before. So one day I called out of work after having a really bad anxiety attack resulting in incontinence and said to myself and my wife that is it. So I went to the internet and did lots of research on incontinence products. So if the cheap products were not working I was going to buy the best of the best. Well after spending a small fortune on products that did not fit properly and still leaked and a lot of tears I found HDIS and there great customer service staff. (I am not affiliated with HDIS in any way other then being a customer) They understood what I was going through and helped me pick out a sample pack with products that where heavy duty. This has changed my life so much I cant even put it into words. While I have to wear protection all the time and it is not fun, I can go out with my wife and our friends with out worrying about leaks at least. ( I still do about all kinds of other stuff but not my diapers ) So if you are still looking for a couple products to have in the back of your car you may want to check them out. The sample packs are only 10 dollars to cover the shipping costs and you get two of each product to try out. I must have had like 10 different company's worth in the one sample pack. Make sure to check off what products work for you and what ones don't. It can get confusing with all the different ones or at least it was for me. So I have little back packs that I keep in my vehicles so that I always have my supplies on hand. Its free shipping too. Thats a big one with incontinence supples. The briefs are heavy and that can get pricey. Once you find a couple of different products that work for you you can get a lot of them on eBay and other online whole sale companies. HDIS has pad sample packs, pull up sample packs and brief sample packs too. I have ordered one of each and have found that sometimes I can use a lighter product with a pad inside the product this helps reduce the total size of all of it when wearing. I hope I am not saying to much its just that I am a people person and love to help when ever I can. Over 4 years of diapers I have learned a few tricks to get by with out leaks. Well I wish you the best down your path with IBS and please message me if I can help or if you ever want to chat.

Gods Speed &#128516;
Bravo06


----------



## spazzy

Bravo,

Thanks for all of the invaluable information!

By the way, I'm going to try to message you because you mentioned having PTSD. I have what is called Complex PTSD due to severe childhood trauma/abuse, and I think the abuse greatly contributed to my constant stress level remaining so high. In fact, I think the cortisol and stress hormones coursing through my body on a daily basis during my childhood development years actually created a lot of my anxiety issues and the GI problems I now deal with as an adult.

I've never messaged before (I don't think) so if you don't hear from me, just let me know somehow and I'll figure out how to do it.

Again, thank you for all of the detailed information. I'll be printing this thread and keeping it in my "GI File."

Spazzy


----------



## Cassie W

I went through a really bad phase a few years ago and ended up getting big incontinence pads! I'd wear them when I thought I might be at risk of an attack and not be able to get to a toilet.....mainly at work. Use to call them my big pant days!!!! I never had any accidents when wearing them and I think that was because of the psychological effect of feeling a bit more protected. Fortunately I am not so bad these days so no big pant days for me!! They're worth a go.....just make sure you wear baggy clothes as well so you are not worrying about anyone spotting you have them on!


----------



## Heather1973

spazzy said:


> Heather, your photo avatar is just beautiful. You are truly a lovely woman, and I applaud your success at handling your GI issues with such grace and dignity. It can't be easy dealing with either urinary or bowel incontinence, and I have deep respect for all of you who must deal daily with such a chronic condition.
> 
> Hi Spazzy - thank you for your sweet comments! My brother snapped that photo of me prior to a wedding rehearsal and I really like it as I'd spent a lot of time on hair, makeup, nails, new shoes and expensive pantyhose. Nobody would know by looking at the picture that I was wearing a disposable diaper under my outfit - the pantyhose I was wearing over my protection totally hid all evidence of diaper noise or "bulge". And nobody looking at the photo or at the rehearsal would realize that I had a HUGE BM in that diaper 20 minutes after the picture was taken. Not good - but I was wearing one of the purple plastic backed Molicare disposable adult diapers ($$$$ but great) and after 15 minutes of clean up in a church basement bathroom away from other guests and a fresh diaper I was good to go. As you note going in clothing without protection is miserable - and so is not being able to attend functions or do what you want because of our issues. My protection lets me do what I like, dress how I like, and live how I like. Best of luck and good health and I agree this site is a great learning tool!
> 
> HEATHER


----------



## spazzy

Hi, LDW....

I had never heard of the GAPS diet but will do some checking into that. I have often wondered if food was exacerbating my bile salts diarrhea problems. I often find that I have to rush to the bathroom with urgency about 20-30 minutes after eating any meal at all.......but I also have noted that some foods simply do not work for me. And caffeine is a huge instigator of diarrhea.

Also, though I love milk and all dairy products, I must be careful due to lactose intolerance. I also take calcium carbonate daily but I haven't tried other vitamins or supplements. It seems that my intestines are hyper-sensitive to a lot of medications.....well, to a lot of anything, actually.

I'm also not really familiar with leaky gut, but will do some research on that, as well.

I'm so glad you're finding some relief. That must feel pretty wonderful. I'm sure you've had more than your share of pain and suffering with your GI symptoms, just as most of us have. So it's really nice to read about successes. I am scheduled for a colonoscopy and endoscopy soon. All I know that I have at the moment are GERD and IBS and/or Biliary Malabsorption Diarrhea.

Best of luck to you........


----------



## spazzy

Dearest Heather,

You are very welcome! You are an inspiration!


----------



## Sarah_Schof

Spazzy,

I can relate. Last month I got a D episode when I was walking to my car. It was so urgent that I had to go immediately. I took a curver box that was in the trunk of my car and had to go right there on the street next to my car. So embarrassing! :-( 
Since then I have been looking for a sort of portable toilet, but adult diapers might be a good alternative.


----------



## MrGoose

I have found the disposable briefs can work OK for when you go out; but I am a guy and the men's briefs have the absorbent material in front which doesn't work very well for IBS issues. From experimenting; I found the TENA women's briefs are better for containing IBS issues since the absorbent material goes up the back as well. The women's Depends brand fits snugger; but they come in colors like pink and look girly. The TENA is just plain white. Also; the women's briefs fit snugger around the legs so they don't tend leak as much back there. Just my own experience here.


----------



## chestnut

Although I don't have IBS, I do have neurogenic bowel and bladder and have worn adult briefs full time for the last four years. I wear 24/7, lille, seni, tena maxi etc. I have to wear to work and out of the apt as well as exercising and travelling. I have a bowel accident often at night but sometimes I have a small one during the day. The question is how I can hide the odor while at an office job. I have found that with two pairs of plastic pants and form fitting tight adult briefs I can wear a messy diaper for quite a while and not emit any odor. I use about 5-8 briefs per day and try to wear them till fully wet. Changing a soiled adult brief in public is hard but I have gotten used to it. I use gloves and contain the brief in the gloves after use.


----------



## calicokitten

I've perused other forums and was sadly disappointed. This is the first group that I felt compelled to join. Thank you for all of the information and advice.
I am a very active older adult but my issue is not new due to early age surgeries (starting at 22 years old), lack of dietary knowledge and plain old stubbornness toward intake control (essentially eating bowel irritating foods even though I knew better).
Diapers are looking better and better. I just didn't know how to choose for my lifestyle. I Teach bouncy aerobics and pilates and yoga where my company uniform is body hugging and aquatic where swimsuits all year around. Some days I can get in the water, some days not so much. I teach swim lessons and have started to request only the higher skill level youth and adults with the excuse that I'm a swim coach and I should take care of correct technique earlier on, basically I teach from deck and have control of when I need to go into the water. (amazing how creative we become in hiding). My fear with exercise and swim team is I am up close and personal. I have perfected teaching at a distance, because I cannot just take a 10 minute bathroom break inthe middle of a 50 minute class. I've have also become pretty good at understanding wind change. Swim meets are the worse, because besides carrying an extra bag and holding up the public restroom. I've even perfected parking far away and the art of changing in the car (lots of frebreeze). Store brand urinary incontinence products, especially the women's body hugging type are useless Help! Help!! HELP!!!

My apologies for being so long winded, but this is the first time I've felt that I can unload without judgement. Yes I have spoken to my primary physician, but she takes it lightly, I've stop talking.


----------



## MrGoose

cheweg said:


> Has anyone with IBS-D or IBS-A tried wearing adult diapers while being out of home running errands? How are the results? I wonder whether wearing an adult diaper is a practical solution to the accidental diarrhea while out of home. Anyone with experience please share.


I like the Unique Wellness brand. They have been the best so far to contain leaks from D. Also, wearing the plastic covers is a good back up in case it does leak (like when you are out and have to drive home; it can shoot up and out everywhere). The plastic covers help somewhat in controlling the odor until you can get changed.


----------



## DarkDream

When travelling by car and during a suspected IBS flare up I wear them just in case...Also somewhat reduces the anxiety surrounding that issue.
However I don't like wearing them in public.

But annoyingly then I have to switch my tight jeans for baggy tracksuit bottoms/joggers to hide the bulk of them.

Then again I can only wear tracksuit bottoms or jogging bottoms during flare ups anyway.
Jeans are uncomfortable when bloated and in pain in the bowel area.


----------



## MrGoose

cheweg said:


> Has anyone with IBS-D or IBS-A tried wearing adult diapers while being out of home running errands? How are the results? I wonder whether wearing an adult diaper is a practical solution to the accidental diarrhea while out of home. Anyone with experience please share.


Yes; why I wear them when running errands. Sometimes you are in a very large store; and either cant find where bathrooms are or at other end of store when sudden urge hits. Couple times, was pumping gas in the car, and you cant just run off. Other times; was in the middle of parking lot. I bring a diaper bag in the car; and drive to a quiet spot somewhere to change. I dont want to carry a diaper bag into stores with me; so not sure what else to do. Also; public stalls can either be messy; no room in there; and have to put your bag on the floor. I think its easier to do it in the car. Has anyone else done this as well; and what are your thoughts?


----------



## MrGoose

cheweg said:


> Has anyone with IBS-D or IBS-A tried wearing adult diapers while being out of home running errands? How are the results? I wonder whether wearing an adult diaper is a practical solution to the accidental diarrhea while out of home. Anyone with experience please share.


Yes; why I wear them when running errands. Sometimes you are in a very large store; and either cant find where bathrooms are or at other end of store when sudden urge hits. Couple times, was pumping gas in the car, and you cant just run off. Other times; was in the middle of parking lot. I bring a diaper bag in the car; and drive to a quiet spot somewhere to change. I dont want to carry a diaper bag into stores with me; so not sure what else to do. Also; public stalls can either be messy; no room in there; and have to put your bag on the floor. I think its easier to do it in the car. Has anyone else done this as well; and what are your thoughts?


----------



## bushja1

I wear them when traveling or even longer car trips. More for peace of mind than anything. Especially when flying.


----------

