All the boyz are doing it, now it's our turn!!!

[Cacia]

silly question,

but, if you are really hydrated and your urine is dilute and since it is sterile...does it really smell in Depends after only an hour or two?

and if /when that device leaks can't you just throw the underwear thing in the washer?

I'm a "one dive wonder" so I'm probably naive. It does sound challenging.

Oh..another question. Doesn't "holding it" make some people vagal down and do untoward autonomic things?

[LauraJ]

not really that bad in my experience... just like an hour or two old peed in baby diaper... it's after they sit for a long time that they start to reek, and most of the adult products have stuff in them to absorb and trap odor. Remember, these things are made for adults who are incontinent and need all day protection, and can't be changing them ever time they leak. I assume they change them as soon as they _can_ but if yer in the middle of a long meeting... well... you get my drift.

yes (though "they" say thinsulate should have limited interaction with washing machine)

and...

I'm no expert on the last one, but from what I have seen the answer is possibly yes to the "untowed autonomic things".

We can often tell in the operating room if a patient needs their bladder drained (if a procedure ran longer than expected and they did not get a foley) by 'physiologic' signs, even if they are heavily sedated or under general anesthesia. Then someone gets the joy of 'drape diving'. (inside OR joke, sorry)

[chickdiver]

Depends only absorb so much, and for an 8 hour teaching day, or long dives, it isn't enough. Between immersion diureses and hydration level, my limit is about 100 - 120 minutes, after that I have to void. Further, due to our physiology, women can't fully void the bladder unless in a seated or crouched position, as it is impossible to fully relax the muscles of the pelvic floor any other way. Consequently, any voiding of the bladder occuring in the water is incomplete, meaning the need arises again sooner.

"Holding it" is also a particularly bad practice. It's probably OK every so often, but it does increase one's susceptibility to UTI, as does wearing a used diaper for long periods of time. As for the smell, it isn't terrible, but it isn't pleasant either, and there is the extra hassle of having to dispose of them. The smell does eventually permeate the undergarments. Eventually, even with washable undergarments, you can't get the smell out.

I've looked at and experimented with just about every possible solution over the last 12 years, this is the first thing I have come across that really looks viable. I am eagerly awaiting receipt of the SHe-P so I can try it out.

I suppose it is a personal choice, but I simply cannot imagine anyone who makes dives of any length being satisfied with the option of "holding it" or urinating on themselves repeatedly as a solution.

Depends(TM) are actually a more reliable system for both genders. You can even drive cross country with depends and not even need to stop. Using the head on the boat also works well. The P and the She-P are simply albatross gear.

If you were a lemming, and 100 other lemmings jumped off a cliff, would you follow too?

For space flight, these make sense, but not for scuba.

[limeyx]

I am guessing that it is actually a coffee addiction issue at work here. Otherwise I cannot for the life of me envision what would be so difficult about using the head before and after your dive, and utilizing Depends for the occasional accident.

Stop sounding like an arse neras.

first off, one solution does not fit all here. (so to speak)

How exactly do you suggest Lynne "use the head" on a 15 foot RIB where it may be upwards of an hour out to the dive site, then 2-3 dives (+SI) and an hour back in to shore?

That could be 5-6+ hours on a boat in freezing (or below) conditions with no "head" except P-ing off the side of a boat.

I know from experience that diapers are not a great solution (I am guy not girl but still been there)

Honestly, why do you care what solution other people use -- it's not affecting you in a negative way, right ?

[SparticleBrane]

Whatever happened to "leave your ego on the shore" ??

If you need a P-valve, even as a woman (if these new things work), get one. Otherwise, don't. Simple as that.

Maybe I just don't see the point in bragging about how long you can hold it.

[LauraJ]

Should be getting here tomorrow or saturday!!

[LauraJ]

Okay, so I just got the 'product info' with my sample of Adapt paste from hollister. It had an interesting bit of info in it.

For this to make sense, keep in mind that they recommend using product # 7730 "medical adhesive" for adhering appliances to the skin (and that ostomy's come with adhesive already a part of the system)

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Adapt paste

*use to fill or caulk uneven skin contours near stoma to create a flatter surface
*Use to prevent ostomy drainage from getting under the pouch seat

Using Adapt Paste:

1. wash and dry skin thoroughly

2. apply a small bead of Adapt Paste to the inner edge of the skin barrier - next to the opening where the stoma will be. You may let it sit while you remove your used puch and clean and dry your skin.

3. Apply additional Adapt Paste to uneven areas near stoma if needed

4. Apply your ostomy pouch as usual.

FAQ:

<this is what was of interest to me for our application>

Q. Does Paste make my pouch adhere better?

A: Adept paste prevents liquid drainage from getting between your skin and your skin barrier. THis product protects and often extends the life of your skin barrier. PASTE IS NOT AN ADHESIVE and to much paste may actually interfere with a good seal..

there are other questions, one regarding 'stinging' to which they essentially say "it's got alcohol which may cause stinging" (AKA prolly not an allergic reaction)

---------

SO, what does this mean? It means I'll try the she-P with the spray on medical adhesive, and a small bit of the paste if there are areas of 'irregular skin' that are not getting a good seal.

BUT, it specifically states that the paste is NOT an adhesive, so hopefully using the spray on medical adhesive will reduce the chance of leaks...


so far playing with the two of them topside (still waiting for my appliance), the "medical adhesive" is pretty darn sticky, and seems to remain tacky and 'restickable' for a yet to be determined time. The "adapt paste" is stick for a short bit then gets kind of hard and no longer tacky as soon as it's dry.

In theory, spray stuff will be a better and possibly more comfortable option, but won't know for 'real' till it arrives.

Food for thought for those who've already received their product
__________________

[SteveAD]

Am I correct in assuming that unlike the male condom caths this is a reusable appliance? What is the expected lifespan?

[TSandM]

What kind of spray adhesive are you using? Benzoin?

[LauraJ]

Correct to the reusable nature of this product.

Don't know yet, but considering there are lots of reusable medical devices out there that last for quite a while, if we are 'careful' (the edges are delicate, so they can conform) with the She-P and keep it out of direct sunlight, it should last fairly well. (latex drysuit seals don't self destruct overnight)

Are you asking out of idle curiosity? or do you have a female dive buddy who is curious?