Peeing in the suit has been discussed forever - now the old diver perspective

[84CJ7]

I am totally sympathetic to age and health issues since I will get there soon enough, but it totally baffles me when people who are young and healthy say everyone pees in their wetsuit. I would run out of deco time or air before I run out of bladder and I drink a fair bit of sports drink right before I dive.
Never once have I peed in my wetsuit or even had to uncomfortably hold it, there is always enough time to go between dives.

Something I have noticed is that if I drink just water I might as well be just pouring it on the ground because it goes right through me. If I drink something like powerade or gatorade my body seems to actually use it and I feel more hydrated and don't have to pee right away.
I had a person who used to drink a lot tell me that water with a splash of pineapple juice is retained better for him.

 

[Bubblesong]

Pee pressure, we’ve all of us faced it

You gotta pee so bad you can taste it

What else can you do?

Thank God it’s not number 2,

‘Cause it filled your boots after you displaced it.

 

[Neilwood]

I have to say I have never peed in my suit (even in the relatively frigid waters of the North Sea). I can happily manage a 1hr dive without even a thought as to my bladder without being overly concerned as to how much I have drunk before. Pee before suiting up (5-10 mins before the dive) and pee after if required.

If I were to need to pee in the suit I would make sure I had some diluted shampoo or soap (particularly on a longer multi day, multi dive trip where the cumulative effect could be a problem).

For those worried about No 2, there is always the possibility of a Warhammer manoeuvre (hint - do not google while eating).

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

Several people have mentioned Terapin Wetsuits for the pee zipper, that's where my brand new Deep 6 suit will go when we get back from Cozumel in 2 weeks.

For the stench, Odoban is pretty good stuff. My old suit will smell like a biohazard after a weekend of diving or lessons. I pee in my suit almost front the minute I hit the water until I come out. I drink lots of water and flush my suit well, but it will reek by Sunday evening. Strong Odoban and a long soak in almost hot water does a great job. The suit can even ride in the cab of the truck in the hour and a half ride to the divesite....not so much on the way home.

Good luck,
Jay

 

[fmerkel]

( side note: by the way the green laser is best for very large glands. The uro lift for moderate size to smaller glands with significant symptoms)

Sure, either one.

But, it just gets worse so if it's giving you the kind of grief you report, it may be worth doing something more than a wetsuit alteration.

 

[RStyle]

The treatment of all these things ( prostate cancer or hypertrophy) is still so controversial and not completely clear in the medical community! My complaints are mostly during diving although I do have mild symptoms and wake up during the night a couple of times. The urologist feels he could do a uro lift now or wait until I feel my routines are altered or affected by symptoms. I only dive for a week or 10 days every fewmonths. The way I see right now:
1) bladder relief zipper $35. Risks none
2) Uro- Lift $$$$ . Risks minor but infection, bleeding and the thought of a tube
going up you know where

Sorry. I apologize that I have led the discussion away from the wet suit odor control topic.
Just in case it benefits another “older” guy

 

[TMHeimer]

I have to say I have never peed in my suit (even in the relatively frigid waters of the North Sea). I can happily manage a 1hr dive without even a thought as to my bladder without being overly concerned as to how much I have drunk before. Pee before suiting up (5-10 mins before the dive) and pee after if required.

If I were to need to pee in the suit I would make sure I had some diluted shampoo or soap (particularly on a longer multi day, multi dive trip where the cumulative effect could be a problem).

For those worried about No 2, there is always the possibility of a Warhammer manoeuvre (hint - do not google while eating).

I used to do the peeing as close as possible to the final suiting up (ie, farmer john wetsuit now ON). Then in between my 2 shore dives the top part peels down and then the bottom to pee, then all back on again. Too much work! But, I was determined to hang on and never pee my suit. Then I found this to be very impractical while assisting on a course at the ocean. Too many other things to attend to without worrying about myself. Thus my inventive "hose" strategy. Some of the students in between dives would say "man I gotta pee, where can we go" (especially the females). I pointed to my booty and said, "Hey, I'm peeing now" (well, I wouldn't say that to the girls).

Re Warhammer--remember, not practical with thick cold water wetsuits/drysuits….. (Though I did hear of one unfortunate woman once in a drysuit situation....).

 

[Outbound]

I don't see what the big deal is about peeing in your wetsuit. I try not to do it, but when you gotta go you gotta go. If you are well hydrated (and you should be), then your urine isn't going to be all that concentrated and will not smell that strongly. Pee, pull the neck down while you fin and flush some water down your suit. Do that a few times and you're good to go. Give your wetsuit a good rinse after your dive and there shouldn't be any issues.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I worked at a dive shop for many years and washed countless rental wetsuits. I can attest that they do not rinse out while wearing them.
I managed to make it through over 800 dives in wetsuits without peeing myself before I bought my first drysuit.

 

[TMHeimer]

I don't see what the big deal is about peeing in your wetsuit. I try not to do it, but when you gotta go you gotta go. If you are well hydrated (and you should be), then your urine isn't going to be all that concentrated and will not smell that strongly. Pee, pull the neck down while you fin and flush some water down your suit. Do that a few times and you're good to go. Give your wetsuit a good rinse after your dive and there shouldn't be any issues.

Yes, but are you flushing water down your suit in Michigan? In summer I presume.