Pads

Trying to get every thing ready for my Robotic Surgery on August 12th.

I've got up the courage to walk down the aisle with the male pads and actually picked up a couple different brands and read them but quickly put them back on the shelf! I know I won't need them until the cath comes out post surgery but want to get everything I need ahead of time.

My questions are:

Do you need the 'briefs also'? Or can you get by with just the pads?

If just the pads what brand do you prefer? Seems to be about 2 or 3 different brands on the pads.

One of these days I'll get up the courage to actually purchase them but just putting it off for now.

lewvino

If you wear brief style underwear, pads are fine. They don't work too well with boxers.

Cheap is the keyword for pads, because you will use a lot of them. We have Meijer chain stores here that sell max absorbency male guards for $10 for 52 of them. They then put them on sale, so sometimes as cheap as $8. Rite-aid also sells similar ones, but usually a little more expensive unless they are on sale. Some guys go through 10 to 12 pads a day. So again, cheap and max absorbency is key. Also, make sure they are as wide as possible. Willy lays sideways sometimes and if you don't have a wide pas, it will leak around the pad.

I started with the Tena brand super adsorbant pad, but switched to plain old women's pads quickly. Combined with some tight briefs type underwear, this will take care of most men's needs. If the wife has some regular pads, that will do fine for the trip home from the doc, and maybe even for a couple days after. I'd just take a women's thick pad with me to the doc's. They may even offer you their own pad to wear home, lots do. It took my bladder about 3 days to fully adjust to having the catheter removed, and a little of the swelling to go down, to get a feel for what I had to work with, as far as amount of leakage and when. Then if you ned more, etc, you can get them then.

Do you need a suggested shopping list or after surgery home care, tips and hints,? we have a couple good posts here on the subject, if you haven't wandered over into the second from the top thread listing the static info pages with resources.

James C -- I couldn't find the list, could you be more specific.

Most members seem to get by on pads alone and don't need pull-ups. As you can see above, Depends gets the highest marks but are also the most expensive, I'd start there. Watch the paper for specials -- Target has been putting down a couple of bucks regularly. I wouldn't start out with feminine pads -- the problem is that boyz and girlz is shaped differently down there.

If you usually wear boxer shorts you are going to need a supply of jockey type shorts to keep the pads where they belong. At first you will be wearing them day and night. Figure half a dozen pair at an absolute minimum and as others have suggested, it is better to go tighter rather than looser.

As you gain more experience you can try other brands if you like and when the leakage is low many members do go to the light feminine pads.

Finally the embarrassment factor. While buying them you can always be grateful that the clerk doesn't have to give you a DRE before selling them to you.

Geezer: Too funny!!!!

In the UK, there are plenty of internet stores selling pads of various types. I'm sure it must be the same in the US - this avoids any embarrassment you may feel when buying in-store. Also, they tend to work out cheaper when bought over the internet.

Roger

Lewvino...If I remember correctly, I bought several type of pads: pull ups; a couple of different DEPENDS sizes and absorbant that stick to your underwear; good fitting brief shorts is a must; and I even bought a 2' x 3' water proof pad for the bed, which I used for about a month.  I have been known to be dreaming of going and dampen my sleep wear...but that never happen this time.  With wife and 2 daughters, I had a lot of help and supply of pads around here.  For me, knowing what I know now, I wouldn't have bought the pull ups.  I think I used 2 of them and gave the rest (in package) to a charity store and they were glad to get them.  I'm soon to be 10 months out and was padless about last March.

Don't worry about walking down the store aisle looking for pads. I noticed no one paid any attention to my purchases.  I guess living with 3 women sort of prepared me to buy such items... 

Good luck and you'll be in my prayers come August 12.  If you need to chat or talk, my e-mail address is available.

Levert  

Speaking of charity stores, you can usually find a pair of jogging pants there for 3 or 4 dollars. At least in my case, I wore them a few times and trhrew them away. Couldn't stand em. They really don't have to be that baggy.

Hey geezer, maybe I want a DRE when I buy pads. Gotta have a little action !

After the catheter was removed I used CVS brand super absorbency pads. For about three months I was using 10 to 12 pads a day. The only problem was Willie was always trying to sneak out around the pad. about mid March I switched to the Afex system which I found to be quite comfortable and effective. Presently i use the Afex system while at work and no protection while at home.

Bob

I experimented with a number of brands, but found Tena Male Guards to be most comfortable. You can buy them on line, they are not always available in the stores. Later on, I switched to an extra long ultra thin fale pad, cut in half and used side by side. Good luck with your surgery!

Micheal ....I gave up looking at myself in the mirror many years ago. Don't know what my wife finds attractive in me...LOL!

Larry

Larry,
Thanks for the input.

The other Larry

Yeah, taping the catheter tube to your leg is an issue. Some guys have shaved their legs just to get a better seal and less pain on removal. My son is an athletic trainer so there is plenty of tape around the house. Real men use more tape and then just rip it off when they are done. Seriously, I decided that more tape to get a secure positioning -- especially at night, was worth the pain of removal.

Remember that this too shall come to pass