If I would be a nice person, I would not write about this subject. Incontinence is not a nice subject. However I am a kind wife who has to address an issue bravely and this blog is all about one wife's brave journey (and all her distractions such as eyebrows and quilts) as a caregiver who has had lots of surprises along the way.
Because he walks so slowly now, my husband was not making it to the bathroom--it was bound to happen. So far my hubby has not wrecked a mattress, a couch or a car seat by peeing. I am trying to be proactive here, folks.
When we were on vacation, Kenny suggested I buy a product I had not bought before. Buy Depends, he said. Well, the closest drug store where we were, Rite Aid, didn't have the night time Depends--only the daytime pad to put in boxer briefs. However, I came to see that the Rite Aid nighttime product works great day and night. It's called Rite Aid Adult Protection Briefs for Men & Women. On line it costs $9.99 for a pack of 14 bought on line. At times we use Depends for Men Guard with his underwear, but that doesn't always work and the Rite Aid Protection full underwear is the working great so far.
We do not have Rite Aid Drug stores in Plant City, so I have ordered some on line. They will be about 85 cents a piece because I ordered several packages and the shipping is free with a promotion for products over $50.
In the middle of the night recently I noticed that hubby was in the master bathroom. He had a big pile of loose poop in his Rite Aid product. I remarked that these underpants do a good job--nothing was on the floor.
Hubby said to be quiet—someone might hear me.
Who? I wanted to know. We are home alone and no one else is in our house.
So you see my husband really has deteriorated both physically and mentally. No one was staying at our home and maybe he thought he was still at my brother's house.
Today when I told his doctor about the incontinence, the doctor said that hubby could go on a low dose of OXYBUTYNIN. He is starting on 1/2 of a 5 MG tablet twice a day. The side effects are dry mouth. Bingo! This side effect will get hubby drinking more water, green tea and cranberry juice to prevent UTIs!!!!
We have a wonderful small pharmacy in Plant City. When I went there to fill the Oxybutynin, they gave me a free pack of LEADER Protective Underwear and they look just as good and they even have a blue line in the back. If I like them or the Rite Aid brand or any other band, they will stock them for us! Will try the LEADER out and comment both on the medicine and the LEADER brand vs. the RITE AID brand on a comment on this post. Why they even cut the tablets in half for me!
Should you use Depends? It depends. For now I'm sticking with Rite Aid Adult Protection (or LEADER) for day and night. My husband is happy with this.
