Hi, hope everyone is as well as possible. I really need some advice on incontinence pads. My bladder problems are getting worse and I am really struggling to manage it. The problem is that I have been as yet unable to find a product that is both discrete enough and absorbant enough to meet my needs. The need to be very discrete as I am only 28 and like to wear leggings, so I really don’t want anything that shows through my clothes. Does anyone know of anything that might work? thanks xxx
Hi, I’m afraid I never found any ‘discreet’ pads that were absorbent enough to deal with my urge incontinence, and i see so far no one has responded to your post.
Have you seen a continence nurse? Are you on any meds for over active bladder?
To cut a long story short, I saw a continence nurse when urge incontinence was becoming unmanageable. Bladder scans revealed my bladder wasn’t emptying fully despite numerous urgent trips to the loo. I tried solefenacin, tolterdine, oxybutynin and betmiga, and although I was very opposed to self catheterising I learned to do it, and I don’t know why I made a fuss, it’s easy.
After all of this I was still struggling with urge incontinence and frequency, the nurse and my GP could do no more so my GP referred me to a urologist who assured me he could fix this. I could’ve hugged him!
So three weeks ago I had Botox on my bladder. 20 injections under general anaesthetic, I had reservations but was at the end of my tether. But he was right he’s fixed it! It took 48 hours to take effect and being a glass half empty sort of woman I continued wearing pads (which remained dry all day - wahoo!) for about a week. It’ll last about nine months and I’ve yet to find out how to go about getting it done again, but no doubt he’ll tell me at my follow up appointment.
Now, I have to self catheterise about four times a day because it’s pretty much stopped my bladder working, but I don’t find that a problem. They’re small and discreet to carry if you need to take one out with you.
On the plus side - My bladder no longer dictates what I can wear, I’m no longer spending £20 a week on pads, I’m not spending anything at all on them, I can leave home for more than an hour without worrying where the nearest accessible loo is, I don’t have to worry that I might leave a damp patch wherever I sit, I’m getting a better night’s sleep now I don’t have to get up several times a night.
For me it’s a win, win, and has transformed my life.
PM me if you want to talk about it.
Thankyou so much for your post. It’s helped me a great deal
There are pull-ups, like toddler training pants. I had a dreadful attack of urinary incontinence about 3 months ago. The pull ups worked well enough to hold the liquid. To change though, I had to undress and my balance isn’t good enough to do this on my own. I hate ms so much. I’m much better now. I need light pads to stop pre bathroom leakage.
In a Home Bargains Store in Bognor Regis they had packs of pull-ups for under £4:00; cant remember how many in a pack, but think it was at least 8. Have you thought of wearing a stretchy or lycra tight fitting body suit or leotard to flatten everything and pull it up tight. I find them an essential camouflage and quite good at reducing leaks. I believe you can get black ones, which might work even better with leggings.
Ok, so it looks like there is no solution to my problem then. I really though that in this day and age, there would have been something. I tried tena lady pants, but they don’t fit me at all. I do self catheterise, but really struggle with it. Have tried to get in touch with continence nurse, but so far haven’t had any luck xxx
I get my pads on NHS. District nurse prescribed them. But they are big ones. It doesn’t matter as no-one can see them in my wheelchair!
Pollsx
Hi
If you’re struggling with ISC, try changing catheter type. If you get onto your delivery company (I assume yours are delivered to you) ask them if they can send you a variety of catheters to see what you find easier. If you don’t have a delivery company (or prefer to do it on your own), just have a look at the websites for various catheter companies and ask for samples.
I’ve used a number of different catheters. To begin with I used Actreen Lite Mini. These are very rigid so made the process easy at first. Then I switched to Speedicath Lite, again fairly rigid but less so than Actreen, I’ve also used Lofric, which is slightly bendier. There are also a number of catheters which I couldn’t get on with at all because they are just too floppy. I likened the process to feeding a piece of cooked spaghetti into a straw. Blindfold.
Also, think about your method of using catheters, if you’re currently sitting on the bed, using a mirror to guide you, plus a collection bag, try doing it without looking at what you’re doing, i.e. sitting on the loo. Otherwise, if you’re doing it on the loo, then see if you can get a better handle on your own ‘equipment’ so to speak, by sitting on the bed with a mirror.
I originally started by using a mirror on the bed, with a bag. I didn’t find it particularly easy. But it did teach me a bit more about my own anatomy (you’d think it was impossible to reach the age of 45 without ever having a proper look at my bits 'n pieces in a mirror!). I eventually decided to just give it a go sitting on the loo without being able to see what I was doing. To my surprise, it was a whole load easier than I’d thought it would be.
If you can get better at ISC, you may find that you have greater control over your bladder and can do away with the necessity for the bulkier type of pads.
Sue
Hi, I have tried about 12 different types of catheter and I have struggled with all of them. I think the problem is that my urethra is inflamed and scarred and therefore too narrow for the catheter to fit in. But in order to prove this, I need to see the continence nurse, which seems to be pretty much impossible. I have always done it sat on the loo by feel, as am visually impaired, so wouldn’t be able to see what I am doing anyway lol. xxx
Oh yes, I see the problem. I was using catheters for 5 years but he the end, my urethra just seemed to be irritated by them. I don’t think it was a simple matter of it being too narrow, but that’s a possibility. It seemed like I was constantly wanting to wee, but unable to. There were times when it just seemed to be burning, yet there was no infection, not even inflammation showed up on a dip test.
I had a supra pubic catheter put in about 6 weeks ago. The urologist said even if it’s just to give my urethra a rest for a while. Problem being though, once your bladder gets used to being freely emptied, it might not be possible to reverse it.
Another option is that if your urologist (and it sounds like you should be talking to a urologist rather than, or as well as, a continence nurse) thinks that your urethra is too narrow, they can widen or stretch it slightly. Which would make it easier to self catheterise.
Being able to wee on command and only then, seems like such a tiny thing. And it can cause absolute havoc in your life.
Sue
Are there any pant type pads that do up at the sides with sticky or something? I don’t want to get undressed to change them after an accident - I normally wear trousers and it is a major effort, with assistance, to get changed each time
It does seem such a tiny thing, but when it goes wrong, it totally takes over your life. Unfortunately, I can’t see a urologist cos it’s a 140 mile round trip down here and I have no transport and a taxi would cost £325! xxx
Gosh, you certainly have more than your fair share of problems. The only other things I can suggest is if that if you google “incontinence pants” you will see a variety of pants/pads etc. I have no personal experience of any of the products but you might see something suitable.
So far as seeing a urologist goes, given your circumstances would you not be eligible for NHS Patient Transport? It might be worth checking.
Hope you find some sort of solution.
Patient transport costs £10 less than a taxi! xxx
That’s shocking and appalling that you can be denied access to a consultant because you live too far away.
After I had an operation a few years back I needed to have a catheter fitted. One nurse tried, then another and in the end they had to send for a doctor. Straight away he asked for a child’s catheter and it fitted. I am only five foot tall.
I never thought of that. Maybe my height has something to do with it. I am only 4ft 7. Am quite big round though xxx
Folksong19884 I would say you probably need just a child’s size catheter like me 
I may just have found something! Always pants discrete seem like they may be ok. Here’s hoping! xxx