What advice can folks give regarding the use of diapers or pads that will make them less invonvenient?
Though I have not yet had surgery, my doctor's nurse suggests the following:
Rather than buying diapers or pads, purchase preemie diapers. Cut a slit a few inches from one side and insert your penis, wrapping the rest of the diaper around it. Less bulky and expensive, she says.

When I first had the catheter removed I was gushing, so my wife bought 2 bags of Depend Fitted Maximum Protection, Maximum Absorbancy 20 pads in a bag at Walmart for $13. 73 a bag. These worked fine for a day or two, but now a bit of an overkill. They totally wrap around you, they're bulky, they make you sweat, they crackle when you move, and at the price, pretty expensive. I've switched to Depend Belted Shields, 30 in a bag and my wife says they're less expensive, sorry I don't have a price. I prefer these because they are less bulky, they only go between your legs, they don't wrap around your sides, they have elastic belts that button to the pads that connect the front to the back, they don't make you sweat as much and don't make the cracklinng plastic sound when you move. These are also easier to use when your learning how to pee again. You just undo one button on the front and the pad comes away, allowing you to urinate. I'm going to try your suggestion with the preemies and I'll let you know.

Hope this helps good luck, slosurfer

Hello.

After surgery I had a catheter in me for 18 days. During that time my catheter leaked quite a bit, so I wore adult diapers. I used the kind that wrap around and tape in place. I used large ones so that the diaper didn't press against the catheter and my penis. After the catheter was removed I used the "pull-up" diapers for a few days, and as the leakage got less I switched to something else. I bought woman's "ultra thin maxi pads" and inserted them into the fly of my briefs. That way, the cotton of the briefs touched my penis rather than having that pad rubbing on it. If I leaked, it soaked through one layer of the briefs and was absorbed by the pad. It was less obtrusive, and it worked!

Good luck.

Well, I've been using all kinds of pads, diapers, and other things for just under 2 years and I still feel the best ever ones are the Depends Guards for Men. Period.

Depends, Guards for men is the only way to go. You can get them on sale, now and then, for $11.00 for 52. They will stick in side of your jocky shorts
and when you need to go to the bath, pull down your shorts and set on the pot inplace of standing. After Surgery I started out using 9 pads a day and now after 8 Months I am down to one a day. Wesil

I'm almost 7 weeks post-da Vinci. In my opinion, I use a brand called "Poise" or (when they are not available) a generic equivalant. It's a womens feminine pad but if you buy the larger sizes, these pads fit very comfortably for men. From the way others on this thread describe "Depends Guards For Men", my Poise brand sounds very similar. They insert inside your brief style underware and are secured with an adhesive strip toward the front of the brief. I use to wear boxer style underware so right after the cath was removed I purchased the kind of "diaper" that pulled on like a full brief and then I'd pull my boxers on over the diaper. Leakage is slowly getting better. I'm down to 1 pad per day (sometimes 2 when I drink too much coffee) so the full brief style diaper was overkill in both overall coverage and price. Besides, the full brief style diaper was a bit noisy, a bit bulky and air flow was restricted so it made me sweat and would sometimes cause odors. I will research the "Depends Guards For Men" to see if they work as well for me. By the way, this is a great thread for post-op guys with the "practical" daily issues of living with PC. :)

I read a few prices for various incontinence products on this thread. I'm finding that I am shopping the sales or clipping coupons in order to drive down my costs for these products. I heard that maybe Wal-Mart has good prices. Any other suggestions?

I'm using Depends Guards For Men, I purchased them at Walmart for $13.23 for 52 pads. So far they're working good for me, easy on sensitive skin on the penis and scrotum. I'm using 4 or 5 in a 24 hour period, I'm 3 weeks and 3 days post radical open surgery. Yesterday at Von's (a local supermarket) I saw a generic version for $10.99. Tony thats a good idea with the coupon clipping, I'll be on the lookout.
Thanks slosurfer

Found another brand of male incontinence pads at Wal*Mart today called "Assurance Male Guards". Pretty good price at $9 and change for 52. I bought a pack to try them out. They are longer and wider than female pads so the fit for a man is better. More coverage and contoured to cradle you package. So far, pretty comfortable!

How would you describe yourself...

Sound (deep) sleeper?

Light sleeper?