Problem

[Georgepa]

My wife is still able to get out of bed at night and use the commode (several times a night) But when getting back up from the commode has had several falls .The occupational therapist said it was because she was not transferring her hands properly from commode arms to frame but I think considering the state I find her in it is because she loses balance when trying to pull up her stay dry pants and pyjama bottoms. She insists on wearing both. Has any one experience of this and can you offer any solutions .I am at a bit of a loss - thanks .

[Christine47]

I got my husband an Advantage bedside urinal. They make it for both men and women. It has been a blessing (for both of us). He does not even have to get out of bed. I have found it easy to clean. I hope this helps. advantageurinal.com/products/

Christine47

[Georgepa in reply to Christine47]

Thank you that sounds very useful- my wife does get confused easily - is it simple to use by herself?

[goldcap in reply to Christine47]

Christine, you were right. Ours arrived over the weekend and it is wonderful! Georgepa my husband cannot go from sitting to standing and vice versa without losing his balance as well so he has to have help. Luckily he does not always have to sit but the process in which he gets up and edges his way into the bathroom takes forever, and (as we still share a bed) it wakes me up when he gets up which is several times a night. He gets upset if I try and help him so I wait with baited breath until he gets back in bed with me. He makes up the sleep during the day but my to do list grows ever longer and I don't have the luxury of napping during the day This urinal is amazing because ( unlike a normal hand held one) it drains into a bag and you can use it several times without emptying until morning. I cannot believe that doctors and therapists do not know about, or tell their patients about this. My mom was bedridden and she hated the bedpan. Wish I had known about it then. Also I now use a baby monitor to see when he gets up when I am not in bed with him. Our house is quite large so I carry it around while I do my chores & park it on my desk when I do office work. I can see when he is calling for me or just clearing his throat. It even has infrared to see in the dark, a two way intercom, and a temperature gauge. He is fine with it but drew the line at the lullaby feature

I think this is a very challenging stage of PSP. Very much like when a toddler just starts walking and you have to keep a watch out 24/7 to make sure they don't fall and hurt themselves. Be grateful she wants to wear the stay dry bottoms (middle of the night soaked sheets are not fun), but I can definitely see how she could lose her balance trying to pull them up. It's funny I just said to my husband that if he were a woman he would not argue about wearing protective pants because a woman would think about what a hassle it is to strip the bed in the middle of the night. It sounds like you are a very loving caring spouse. Good for you!

Best GC

[NannaB in reply to Christine47]

What a brilliant idea. My husband fell so many times getting up to urinate. It would have made things so much easier if I'd known about this. He is past that stage now, in a hospital bed with sides up and wears a convene. This hasn't totally eliminated wet beds though as he sometimes pulls them off. He laughed when I told him I was going to use super glue and Sellotape to keep them on.

Nanna B

[Hidden]

After months of wet beds and pools on floor C now wears two pairs of padded pants at night and goes in them. Sudocrem is applied before bed as a barrier cream and a shower is first order of the day on waking. I think there is a reluctance to 'go' in pants as it is so alien. But having finally accepted it we are both greatly relieved: he doesn't wake in a wet bed and I am spared mountains of daily laundry. Also think about fitting a grab bar close to commode. We have grab bars all over the house (inside and out) and they are invaluable.

[jillannf6]

HI GEORGEPA

GOOD MORNING TO YOU AND ALL

I AM FINE IN THE NGIHT AND GO TO THE TOILET SEVERAL TIMES (REDUCED FROM HOURLY TAKIGN A SOLEFENACIN PILL B4 BEDITME) BUT TEND OT FALL OVER WHEN I HAVE TO GET OT THE BATHROOM TO DO POOS - I DO NOT HAVE THE TIEM OT GET FROM THE KITCHEN OF ORU GROUDN FLOOR FLAT OT THE BATHROOM IN TIME AND PANIC AND THEN IT TAKES LONGER A SI HAVE A NJMBER OF FALLS TRIGN TO GET THER EIN TIME1\NOT A PLEASANT POST TO START THE DAY BTU I HAVE HAD 3 FALLS THIS A.M JUST TRYIGN TO DO THAT

LOL JILL

BUT IT MAKES SENSE TO TRY THIS GADGET LIKE A COMMODE

[jillannf6]

HI GEORGEPA

GOOD MORNING TO YOU AND ALL

I AM FINE IN THE NGIHT AND GO TO THE TOILET SEVERAL TIMES (REDUCED FROM HOURLY TAKIGN A SOLEFENACIN PILL B4 BEDITME) BUT TEND OT FALL OVER WHEN I HAVE TO GET OT THE BATHROOM TO DO POOS - I DO NOT HAVE THE TIEM OT GET FROM THE KITCHEN OF ORU GROUDN FLOOR FLAT OT THE BATHROOM IN TIME AND PANIC AND THEN IT TAKES LONGER A SI HAVE A NJMBER OF FALLS TRIGN TO GET THER EIN TIME1\NOT A PLEASANT POST TO START THE DAY BTU I HAVE HAD 3 FALLS THIS A.M JUST TRYIGN TO DO THAT

LOL JILL

BUT IT MAKES SENSE TO TRY THIS GADGET LIKE A COMMODE

[GonnaMissDaddy in reply to jillannf6]

Bless your heart Jillann for falling 3 times in 1 morning! I asked my Dad the other day if he has to think about putting one foot ahead of the other and he said no. I asked if it was more like he'd be walking along and all the sudden find himself falling and unable to react in time to catch himself and he said yes. I'd like to put some sort of padding on every wall and piece of furniture in his house, and your house, too. You're such a trooper, I enjoy your posts, you're in my prayers!

[jillannf6 in reply to GonnaMissDaddy]

hui gonna miss daddy

yes it is just the same for me - i know a split second b4 i fall when i am going to go but cannot stop myself fm falling

is it just the same with your dad?

i have been lucky so far and have only fractured my ankle badly long b4 dxs buT

my bones and right knee are takign a terrible strain now despite my losing weight with the PSP

hey ho with 20 = gfallls on a g ood day i expect i shall soon be using a wheelchair inside as well as that is where all my falls occur now

lol jill

[flicka]

Just to say Good morning and also just how Valiant I think you all are Flicka xxx

[jillannf6]

hi gonns miss daddy

thanks sfor your kind reply bt ijus tdo what i have to dow

1lol Jill

[cabbagecottage]

We tried everything day and night . Convenes /bags etc the biggest problem we have is My husband penis is very retracted so got impossible to use a convene . I was dead against him using pads mainly because his skin is so sensitive and I wanted to keep him dry at all time s.

So glad now I have given in to using the overnight pads . a once he is cleansed I was using Vaseline as a barriers , The district nurse gave us Cavilon cream but I found it made his skin red . Then I came up with a thought about how they keep babies bottoms intact these days . I bought some baby barrier cream and Eureka Mu ch Much better .

During the day I use a pubic pressure gadgets which is attached to a bag . I can be used overnight with straps around the waist to keep it in place . This isn't suitable for him because he cannot keep it on . During the day I do it for him . I put a pad on if I go out for a couple of hours .

I am going to try the advantage though hopefully it will be less likely to leak around the edges .. I will be bak once we have tried it to let you know how we get on . Do hope you can follow what I have said . the baby cream is Bepanthem nappy care ointment . You never hear mothers complaining that their babies have sore bottoms these days do you .

[easterncedar]

Can she try to pull up her clothes part way while sitting on the commode before she stands, then finish pulling them up the rest of the way? The bending to pull up is a big problem for us, so easy to tip over. My guy tries not to wake me when he gets up in the night, but I'm on tenterhooks from the time he puts feet to floor until he's safely back down. It's an eternity, every time. But at least he's willing and able to move, so I'll count my blessings and hope he stays upright. Good luck to us all. Easterncedar

[jimandsharynp]

It gets to a point when you must step forward and say "When you are finished I'll help you out. Don't try to pull up your pants yourself". You may have to help wipe her bottom. Many patients get urinary infections because they don't wipe properly. You don't want an infection because it may not be pretty. Just my opinion. I was lucky to have a sweetheart for a wife. She didn't balk at me doing whatever it took to help her, including wiping her bottom. Jimbo