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The embarrassment of crohn's disease

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 6/25/2011 2:39 PM (GMT 0)
Yesterday, I went to the drug store.  I had decided to buy some adult paper diapers to keep on hand just in case I was  having a really bad day.  At the drug store, there was another woman shopping at the shelves containing the paper diapers.  I was soooo embarrassed to be shopping for them that I said to the lady, "Excuse me.  Can you help me?  My 92 year old aunt is in a nursing home and is complaining about the kind of diapers they are using on her.  She wants the kind that slip on and they are using tabs.  She has  asked me to get her some of her own.  Can you recommend any?" 

This lets the lady know they are not for me.  She makes her recommendation and I take them.  However, now I have to stand at the check out counter and don't have much time for a lengthy explanation of why they are not for me.

Does anyone have a suggestion or will I get over this embarrassment if this becomes  a regular purchase?   I'm hoping it doesn't, but you never know with this disease. 

Posted 6/25/2011 2:44 PM (GMT 0)
Well I think you would be surprised how many people really use them. Not only those of us with IBD, but alot of women and some men have incontinence problems and have to wear them all the time.

I am so sorry you feel so embarrassed, this darn disease does cause us all alot of embarassment, I wish I had better answers but since I don't please accept some gentle hugs! We do understand!!
Posted 6/25/2011 2:59 PM (GMT 0)
Get the old lady to buy them ; )

I had mine pick up my suppository scrip and some cream for my (well you know) last week... Out of convenience of course, because she goes by the pharmacy on her way home....
Posted 6/25/2011 4:51 PM (GMT 0)
Have you ever used Drugstore.com? There are a lot of things I order on there because the price is better, but this would be a good situation to order something embarrassment free! On most items you earn Free Shipping for orders of $25 or more.

You have to pay attention though. A lot of things they have great prices or have great sales, but somethings are more expensive. My Calmoseptine for example I would never order from them, it is over $3 more a tube than what I pay at my local drug store!
Posted 6/25/2011 5:02 PM (GMT 0)
I worked with adults with disabilities for years so I have done my share of diaper purchases, but on the embarrassing Crohn's front, I was in line at the store and my gut chose that moment to produce the loudest high pitched sound that it has ever produced! The little girl behind me, (long line of course), said to her mom, "Did you hear THAT?!??! I'm purty sure that came from that ladies tummy!!!"
Posted 6/25/2011 5:29 PM (GMT 0)
I too would suggest the Drugstore.com site. I have used it for Align when it was really hard to find in the local stores. Also when I have things to get that I find embarrassing I will go to a big box store (may be harder for you with your location) where I have lots of things to get, so the purchase is "hidden" among the other items. It doesn't seem so obvious that way.

We all have to get those embarrassing things, from scripts we would rather not get, to creams or wipes..., but if we can find a way to do it and still hold our heads up then maybe someone else behind us in line will have an easier time when they have to do the same another time in their life.
Posted 6/25/2011 5:44 PM (GMT 0)
I had to buy some adult diapers for my mom once, she had UC and I don't think there's anything wrong with the excuse you made that you were purchasing them for someone else, afterall it's no one's business and if it made you feel less embarassed then there's nothing wrong with that....by the way, after my mom passed away I took all of her bags of depends (and some other brand she had) for myself, my family totally understood why. Afterall, there's times when I feel I need them, like early morning long drives out of town to finally be able to watch my son play baseball again (it's his last year, he's 18 yrs old now and I missed way to many years of watching him play because of my stupid crohn's.) So don't feel bad at all.
Posted 6/25/2011 6:07 PM (GMT 0)
Good idea about drugstore.com!!
Posted 6/25/2011 6:45 PM (GMT 0)
I will definitely check out the drugstore.com website - especially if I find myself using the paper pants regularly and need to restock.  I have found that the omeprazole was giving me much more D than my disease was giving me.  I don't do well with magnesium.  So I am now on Pepcid AC to reduce the D which it has quite dramatically over the past few days, so maybe I won't need to restock at all.  Here's hoping.  There are so many embarrassing things about this disease that I think all of us have developed a great amount of courage just to get out in public some days.  One thing you can say about us - this disease has turned us into stronger advocates, more inventive, more independent in learning to take care of ourselves, etc.  This disease is character-building.  Thanks again for your comments. 
Posted 6/26/2011 2:49 AM (GMT 0)
or use the self serve checkout line at the supermarket...that's what i do when i have to buy the huge boxes of immodium that no human should ever really need. haha. i had to pick up 7 big boxes of rowasa enemas a few weeks ago and the pharmacist and some guy just had to have a 20 min conversation while she was loading all the boxes into bags...that was nice.
Posted 6/26/2011 4:35 AM (GMT 0)
Get a T shirt that says , Old Geezer Nursing Home on it then buy in bulk . Give an old rummy a bottle of wine to buy them for you . Have one of those people with the signs that say, I need work buy them for you . Wear a disguise . Grow a mustache orrrrrrrr shave the mustache. Give a teenager a gameboy for them to buys some for you . After buying some , say loudly , " Ohhhhhh , I thought these were baby diapers , Wow what a mistake I made. " Put one on your head and ask the clerk in the store if he has these paper hats in your size .
Posted 6/26/2011 2:18 PM (GMT 0)
@Sniper
Thanks for soooo many possibilities. I do already have my T shirt that says Older Than Dirt so I'll try that one first. I am afraid with some of your suggestions, they will come to take me away, aha!
Posted 6/26/2011 4:46 PM (GMT 0)
I come here because my wife has Crohn's but signed up to HealingWell.com when diagnosed with prostate cancer. After having my prostate out I needed diapers and then pads. Wife would buy them on grocery trips but I often went to the local Walgreens and got them. I didn't hide and didn't feel embarrassed I was just doing what I had to do. Do NOT be embarrassed you didn't ask for your condition. Hold your head up high you are fighting the fight and your's is tougher than the one most people have to deal with.
Posted 6/27/2011 5:04 AM (GMT 0)
Don't say anything at all. It's not their business, and they have their own stuff to do. They don't care, neither should you. Be polite, keep any comments or answers short, simple, and generic, and get on with life. We have enough to worry about without having to make up excuses to random strangers about why we need X product. Especially if they're working. I can guarantee with 100% certainty that the employees honestly do not care what you're buying, as long as you're not a jerk.

If you know the person, it should be even easier. Unless you've kept your Crohn's completely under wraps, odds are they know you have a serious medical condition. If they ask, just say "Yeah my Crohn's has been giving me problems..." or something. From there, you can continue the conversation or make a beeline for the door. Up to you.
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