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Anyone recently experience sudden diaper rash using "Shields"?
Bottom line question first, then the detail:
Has anyone noticed a change in the "feel" of their incontinence "Shields", such that they are getting irritation and diaper rash?
Detail:
As if it wasn't enough to have to still wear an incontinence "Shield" at 11-months post-op, I have now suddenly started to get "diaper rash", and wonder if is one or both sources that any of you have experienced recently:
1. I am a Type II Diabetic. One of my oral medications is Jardiance (Semaglutide). It makes you spill more glucose out through your urine. If you are not attentive to and take meticulous care in quickly changing your diaper, pad, or Shield, you can have your skin develop a rash, which is worse when the urine contains more sugar like me when taking Jardiance. But...
2. I went through 3-4 months of full diapers, then 3 or so months of standard pads, and starting last Fall, I switched to thin "Shields" because I have thankfully regained 98% of my continence. I did not have any issues with diaper rash or discomfort for 9-10 months, especially when I was leaking quite a lot back then. So that brings me to the last two months or so:
Part of using Shields forced me to switch from my loose boxers to jockey style underwear to help keep the Shield in place. I am suddenly getting bad "diaper rash" on my penis and scrotum. "Nothing" has changed about my attention to cleanliness and changing the Shield in a timely manner when (barely) wet. My diet has not changed to create a more acidic urine, but suddenly I am experiencing bad rashes such that I am slathering on Destine and/or Balmex. I am wondering if the tighter-fitting jockey style underwear is creating a warmer, more moist environment that more easily spawns skin irritation and diaper rash?
But...I also simultaneously noted a new feel - a subtle discomfort - to the Shields. I was using generic CVS-brand Shields, initially bought because CVS always copies the packaging color scheme of well-known brands. I thought I was buying "Depends" Shields. Both the Depends and CVS Shields look exactly the same. When I noted discomfort with the CVS brand, I switched to Depends. I noted the same subtle roughness or discomfort. I was never aware that I was wearing a Shield, but now I am acutely aware of it. "Something has changed." Could they be using different materials now to make their Shields (cost cutting measure, etc.)?
My thought is that because they look exactly the same, that one brand supplies the other...like Depends makes the same Shield and sells it to CVS for their in-house brand. It seems too coincidental that both Shields are now feeling "different", and that both are causing a rash. Perhaps the skin of my penis is reacting a change in the material and less to the presence of the very small amount of urine before I change the Shield to a fresh one.
Sorry...this got way too long, but again, has anyone noticed a change in the "feel" of their Shields, such that they are getting diaper rash?
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One "trick" I'll share is, using "Depends" style "shields" (actually a generic knock-off from my local Kroger-affiliate supermarket), is I'll actually put 1/4 paper towel directly against my penis inside the shield, which I can just remove and flush down the toilet as needed.
I actually had gotten to the point that I was able to dispense with the shield altogether in favor of just the paper towel, but I've moved a bit retrograde in my continence due to some ongoing fatigue issues. That progress does seem to move in fits and starts, in any case, sometimes with some regression, so expect that.
But maybe in your case, and depending upon the extent of you (in)continence, perhaps a piece of towel would guard you against any reaction to the Depends.
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2 ReactionsI too started to develop diaper rash after a year from my surgery. I also use Depends and Tenu brand shields. I get a “pins & needles” feeling on my testicles, and irritation and redness on my penis. My dermatologist says diaper rash likes moisture and heat. So yes, snug fitting underwear makes it worse. She prescribed two creams to use for fungus control: Ketoconazole, and a similar one with steroid for when it gets worse. They help if taken daily. I’m having a bladder sling procedure which I hope will help with the incontinance. See a dermatologist or your Urologist for help with the rash.
Thanks for the reply. To you and all men who eventually develop and suffer from an allergic response or other irritating/abrasive condition on the skin of your penis and scrotum, I just discovered an unexpected product that I am sitting comfortably in right now...It is a "women's" urinary bladder incontinence product: Brand name is Cora. They are called "The Free-To-The-Max Bladder Liner". The key difference is that the material that contacts your skin is ORGANIC COTTON, not polyester and other synthetic materials like Depends, Tena, and CVS brands use. The organic cotton is only the start. Cora proudly labels their box with: "Made Without: Chlorine, Dioxins, Dyes, Fragrance, Latex, or Chloroform." I thought: "well what do my Depends use?" I looked at the box..."OMG." You would not believe what Depends uses to make their pads and Shields. Numerous, numerous synthetic, inorganic and organic chemicals, including dyes, alcohols, etc. I was shocked by my naïveté.
I literally just finished sending an e-mail to the Cora company offering them my idea: the opportunity to expand their product offerings, and to increase their revenue and profits, by just re-shaping their existing pads and Shields to fit a man's anatomy and underwear situation, and to offer a full line of men's incontinence diapers, pads, and Shields. I have only worn this one Cora Extra Long size bladder liner incontinence pad, but for the first time in over a week, I am not uncomfortable...my groin is not irritated, nor does it sting. I can hopefully cut back on the heaps of Destin that I have been slathering on my groin going forward. My fingers are crossed. If you are desperate like me, try the Cora brand with Organic Cotton lining. You will like them.
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2 Reactions@rlpostrp
"Seek and you shell find" 😉
Joking to the side, it only shows that one should never stop pursuing answers and trying to find help for whatever bothers him/her and one never know what might help !
I am really happy to hear that your situation got much better : )) and you did great thing by sending the note and suggestion to Cora manufacturer. Perhaps also try to find phone or email of their R&D department and wrote to them directly.