Just booked a couple of weeks in Berlin and suddenly realised my luggage allowance will mostly be taken up with incontinence pads. Anyone know if they are exempt from the allowance (travelling one way with Ryan Air and the other with Easy Jet and I get the impression they are as hard as nails over baggage allowance).
If you don’t get a definitive response I would ring the airlines, it’s a great idea so the answer is probably no
Jan x
Hiya
cant u just pack a few in hand luggage and buy some when u get there? I used to use Ryanair and now Easyjet. Thats what I do so suggest that.
ellie
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Hi
I don’t know the direct answer to the question, but do you need the pads for, er, number 1’s or number 2’s? Because if it’s for number 1’s then I would recommend using sheaths & leg bags instead. They will take up much less space than pads, and you should be able to get them for free on the NHS too. Just ask to be referred to a continence nurse.
Dan
(And I hope you have a good holiday, I know a couple people who’ve been to Berlin and they really enjoyed it there.)
Just being a cheapskate; don’t have to pay for them normally but anticipating they could be quite expensive, maybe £30+ in Euro equivalent for a fortnight and stretching myself to afford this family holiday; also my German is not even rudimentary. Will check with the airline. Hoping it is hot enough to wear shorts all the time, so I dont see leg bag as an option for bladder leaks. Will report back.
You can get leg bags with a short tube that strap round your thigh rather than calf, so if you’ve got knee-length shorts you could be OK.
(And do you mean the sheaths/leg bags could be expensive, or pads?)
Dan
hiya again
£18 for pack of 36.
yes I get thru NHS too but u have to weigh up (pub intended!) the best solution for you. Pads are available all countries-supermarkets/chemists.
for me I take clothes rather than pads!
enjoy your hol…
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Hi
As it is medical equipment you are allowed the extra luggage to carry that and only that. I would give them a phone to let them know in advance that you will be taking medical equipment then there will be no issues when you check in at the airport.
When I travel I have take a CPAP machine and catheters. Plus medication.
Have a great time,
Twist
Thanks everybody. Apparently Ryan Air can allow extra 5 Kg for such supplies but needs to be agreed in advance and seems to be specifically linked to those with mobility issues (being accompanied by a carer) which I hope I’ll never have (although have had mobility issues). Easy Jet allowance is even more generous but wouldn’t be necessary as I am using them for the return leg. Also worth noting that Ryan Air only allow 4 such passengers to board any particular flight. Dan I meant the pads. I think I’ll check out short leg bag Dan as some of my shorts are knee length. I assume there’s no great science to fitting one of these things and that they can be ordered online.
No science at all. The sheath is like a condom but with a sort of funnel on the end, which then attaches to the leg bag tube, a bit like attaching a hose to a tap. And no need to buy them online - just get referred to a continence nurse, and you can get them free on the NHS.
Dan
Hi Dan, finally got appointment with the continence nurse; she showed me two versions; one looked like a pair of boxers with a rigid bulky plastic plumbing attachment built in. I have to say my first impression was that it didnt look like it would be very comfortable to wear although I didnt try it on. The second was a roll-on attachment like a peculiar shaped condom. As luck would have it I got an appointment at a clinic which almost exclusively sees women, so she didn’t have much to show me and has referred me on to a colleague for more selection and a fitting. I believe you have to use some sort of glue with the second which is making me wonder if it is really appropriate for somebody using the loo as normal several times a day on holiday - does that mean glueing and unglueing throughout the day? And what would happen if you don’t mind my saying, if one got an erection? My main concern though is springing a disasterous leak, which I imagine to be a bigger risk for somebody able bodied and fully active and enjoying themselves. Having said that I am getting leaks with the pads and the only other option she gave, since I already use high absorbency pads, is the ‘nappy style’ all-in-ones with tapes. Perish the thought!
Hi
I have no idea what that first thing is! But with the sheaths I use (http://www.coloplast.co.uk/conveen-optima-en-gb.aspx) there is no need to use an glue. They’re self-adhesive, and waterproof enough to withstand having a shower without any problems. I’m not sure why needing the loo several times a day means needing to take it off and put it on again, as they can happily last all day. You can unattach the sheath from the bag if needed, and leave the sheath on. When you do take it off, they peel off without much bother, and don’t leave any sticky residue. And unless you go for a size that’s a tight fit, you should be OK if you find yourself feeling unusually happy : )
The only times I’ve had any problems with leaks is if I’ve not attached them securely and left air pockets, or haven’t emptied the leg bag for ages so there’s a, er, build up of pressure.
But hopefully a male continence nurse will give you better information. Let me know if you have any questions in the meantime though.
Dan
Just me being dumb I heard her say ‘adhesive’ but you are right it probably was ‘self-adhesive’ Glad that has been clarified, I was thinking it all sounded rather sticky and fiddlesome. The other thing is an Afex body worn urinal which looks like it could have been cut out of Neil Armstrong’s space suit. Imagine wearing that on the beach! May I ask what level of mobility you have Dan?
Wow, never seen one of those before! Wouldn’t surprise me if the idea was actually first used in space suits. I’m a wheelchair user at the moment, though when I started using sheaths I was on my legs more. How about yourself?
MrBob, l do hope you can find a comfy secure sheath type arrangement - save you wearing pads all the time. Do look at Manfred Sauer site - they are mainly all disabled people who have designed products to suit their needs. Be it wheelchair users or the walking wounded.
Down the line - there is of course - the supra-pubic catheter - which also works so well. Or even botox injections to the bladder - have you tried this to give you more control.
Another is Sacral neuromodulation. lt is like a tiny pace-maker control in your buttock that works on the bladder and bowel to give you control. Worth a google.
Well I am fully mobile baring a leg that periodically gives way unexpectedly, but much less so these days. Thanks Spacejacket, just had a Google; tried the botox but giving up on that as it didnt work too well for me and gave me a lot of infections.
Sorry to hear the botox failed - was this because it caused ‘retention’ - leading to uti’s. [ l should have been a plumber]
Hi, thanks for the tip about the Manfred Sauer site, I hadn’t heard of it before. There’s a couple things on there I’m interested in as alternatives to what I currently use, so I’m going to get some samples.
Dan