Condom Catheter versus Pads for incontinence

Eric E · New User Joined: 10 Oct 2007 Posts: 4

I had my prostate removed on Friday 10/5/07. The catheter will be removed this Friday, the 12th. I have been researching alternatives for incontinence protection and came across a website from Alphadry advertising condom catheters.

Does anyone have any experience with condom catheters in general or this one in particular?

TIA

Eric

bgordski

[quote="Eric E"]I had my prostate removed on Friday 10/5/07. The catheter will be removed this Friday, the 12th. I have been researching alternatives for incontinence protection and came across a website from Alphadry advertising condom catheters.

Does anyone have any experience with condom catheters in general or this one in particular?

TIA

Eric[/quote]

I have used the Bard Clamp during the day and the condom catheter at night. The condom C works but sticks to the skin too well. Not good for day use. The urine shutoff muscles of the prostate have been removed. What is left is the weak muscle around the bladder. That is why the kegle exercises are necessary. I had an infected urinary tract before they removed the catheter. That hurt! Everytime I moved and the tubing slid in my urethra. That is an easily correctible conditions. All that is needed is a funnel shaped device, installed over the penis opening. This needs to be impregnated with a bactericide on it's surface. Too bad the VA doesn't believe it.
I am trying to wean myself of the Bard clamp and have stopped using the Condom C. I still have a PSA (it is declining but still there). With that in mind, any incontinence is a minor issue. May you and all who suffer this illness do better then me.
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Eric E · New User Joined: 10 Oct 2007 Posts: 4

bgordski:

Thank you for your input. Not to get too graphic, but you mention that the Condom Cath sticks too well. Does that mean that it is causing you pain? Or is there a different negative aspect that I am not understanding. If it is too graphic for open publication, please send me a private mail.

Thanks again.

Eric

sanjis · Regular Joined: 12 Oct 2007 Posts: 35

Please reply on the forum to this on pads or the condom Cath. My husband recently was diagnosed with prostate cancer, scheduled for the DaVinci surgery Dec. 13th, and is very very concerned about the incontinence and what to use and of course really concerned about a catheter, he has never had one before. He is 55.

Eric E · New User Joined: 10 Oct 2007 Posts: 4

Sanjis,

My experience with the DaVinci procedure was quite positive. Within 4 days I was walking with little to no pain. After release from the hospital, the only pain med I used was 3 Advil three times a day. Having the cath in place was probably the worst aspect of it, but by wearing loose clothing and using tape to imobilize the tubing there was generally just light discomfort.

I have used Depends Guards for Men since the cath was removed. I have had zero problems with moisture escaping the pad. Initially I changed the pads quite frequently. Over the past week, I have learned to trust the pads much more and thus change them less often. Nobody could possibly know that I am wearing a pad by looking at me.

I am going to try the AlphaDry system and will report back on my experience. My main goal with this system is to try to avoid the inconvenience of carrying extra pads and having to swap in a new pad when I am away from the house.

bgordski

[quote="Eric E"]bgordski:

Thank you for your input. Not to get too graphic, but you mention that the Condom Cath sticks too well. Does that mean that it is causing you pain? Or is there a different negative aspect that I am not understanding. If it is too graphic for open publication, please send me a private mail.

Thanks again.

Eric[/quote]

The skin of the penis is very sensitive especially after it is exposed to urine soaked pads all day. Removing the condom C was almost like removing an adhesive bandage. I kept looking for torn skin. This was in the morning when I was trying to get up to go out. The VA issued condoms are made by BARD. Do your Kegels and continence should return.
Getting a Radical prostatectomy is better then an early painful death from the bone pain of metastasis prostate cancer. Chin-up, maintain a positive atitude, you can do this and your potency should also return. It will take a while but you will be chasing Your lady around the bed before you know it.
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brainman

Just to let all of you know, I spit your posts off form the topic where they were originally posted and started a new topic since the more recent posts where addressed to Eric and not to the "owner" of the original thread. Wink

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olslyfox · New User Joined: 19 Oct 2007 Posts: 2

I had my prostatectomy 2 months ago, and still have total incontinence. I am still hoping this will improve, but until then, UCDs are in order.

I am posting this in hope of helping others in my predicament. Warning: there is some explicit male terminology in this post.

I found out real quick that I do not like diapers of any kind ( too much liquid flowing, too much squishiness when sitting, and too much stinkiness).

My solutions to date:

Summer daytime wear when not sure about bathroom availability (golf course?): texas catheter, snugged up a little with stretch wrap and tape (just in hope of preventing backflow for a few hours), draining almost sideways into a disposable urine bag, supported (hung) by a shoestring from waistband of underwear (a jockstrap works well), with same shostring tied around thigh to hold it in place, then urine bag is folded upward in half, secured by a small strap.

This can be worn with knee length shorts, needs to be emptied every couple of hours, and has lasted for 24 hours, although I usually remove and clean it before bedtime.

Daytime when bathrooms are available: a CVS pharmacy male guard (pad), folded in half over the penis head, wrapped securely with a couple bands of tape (1 near the head, the other at the shaft base). I use painters tape from LOWE’S… a lot cheaper than Johnson and Johnson products.
The tape helps prevent leakage and pullout. Wear this with BRIEFS. The adhesive on the pad, and the tight fitting briefs, and the taped sheath all work to prevent pullout. I drink about 60 oz daily, and these pads last 2 to 3 hours (a stretch). I watch the clock and change every 2 hours … very little odor, no squishiness when sitting, not noticeable through outer wear.

Nighttime : Same pads taped into a sheath, but instead of regular briefs, I wear Serenity Tena brief style underwear, in case overflow happens.
Overflow rarely happens for me … I tend to retain some urine when laying down, and I will awake with an urge to go every 2 to 4 hours … the sheath will be pretty full, and will be changed at this time.

While all these solutions probably won’t work for everyone, maybe they will be helpful to some.

ADDITIONAL INFO:
I have recently been experimenting with the ALPHADRY condom system ... great results so far ... I wear it morning till bedtime, then switch to the Guards taped into a sheath w backup pull-up diaper briefs for sleeptime.

It's a condom with expandable bag attached directly; it all folds easily inside normal brief underwear.

See alphadry.com

At first glance, it seems pricey, but with 1 lasting 15 days, and me going through 10 pads in the daytime, it's actually cheaper. Also, more convenient than pads/sheaths etc., and although it's basically an external cath with urine bag , the compact configuration (no straps, no tubing) is a real PLUS!

LArry

chas036

Dr Welch from John Hopkins who is the laeder in prostate cancer research suggests not using a condom catheter or a penis clamp. The main reason is that you need to train your muscles and by using these devices, your body will get use to not using the muscles, and you will remain incontinente a much longer time.

I just had surgery 4 weeks ago and I will tell you it is really frustrating, but you get use to the pads, and it is not all that bad. I use about 3 or 4 pads a day, but I change them when only half full. Also , I have no leakage sitting or laying down.
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olslyfox · New User Joined: 19 Oct 2007 Posts: 2

Yes, I've read/heard that also, but for the life of me, I don't see much difference in dribbling uncontrollably into a tube or onto a pad?????

How do it know??!!

Right now I'm tending to only use the Alpha-dry when going 'out', otherwise just pads ...... but then I use 10-12 pads per day (heavy duty Male Guards).

Larry

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