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sophe509 Asked June 2015

How many incontinence pants per day is typical?

Mom goes through a ginormous box of Depends paper underwear (80 per box) in about 8 days. So about 10 a day. Does this seem like a lot to others? It's very expensive at this rate of consumption. Plus, she seems to live on the toilet; that's where I find her most times I come to visit. I think she sleeps there. Not safe but no falls that I'm aware of from the toilet, yet.

sophe509 Jun 2015
I'll also ask her caregiver who is around her a lot more what's going on with all the Depends and the living on the toilet. Thanks for the ideas!

cwillie Jun 2015
There is no such thing as typical, it would really depend on her level of incontinence, how OCD you/she are about changing them and her fluid intake. My mom is basically 100% incontinent in that she has no sensation of needing to go or that she has gone in her pull up. I do however have her on a toileting schedule and she usually will pee if I put her on after meals and before bed. I'm not concerned with changing her every time she dribbles a half ounce, it doesn't bother her and as long as she is using a barrier cream it hasn't caused any rashes or infections. We really only need a couple light duty ones during the day and a heavy duty one at night. (The exception is on days we have bowel problems as that needs to be changed every time)
If she is changing that often perhaps an incontinence pad would be sufficient during the day? Some people also use a liner inside their pull up, but I have found that because there is a wet proof barrier on those large amounts of urine will not pass through to the pull up but leak around the legs instead.

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xxxxxxxx Jun 2015
Who is in charge of her during the day? Is she changing herself or does she have an aide? Ten a day is a lot, especially since she is still toileting herself. I wonder if she isn't making it to the toilet on time, and finds that she has wet.

You definitely don't want her to remain in a wet panty, so if ten a day is what it takes to keep her dry, then ten a day it is.

Is it possible for you to spend the entire day with her occasionally to see how it goes? Maybe she thinks she is supposed to change every time she goes to the toilet whether it needs it or not.

Just as an FYI, not a hard and fast guideline, we are at two a day, sometimes three. But I'm not sure you could say there is a typical number per day.

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