To think nappies should be given out on the NHS for bedwetting

[Nymeria01]

DS1 is 14 and still wets his bed. We have had a great deal of support from the NHS (alarms, clinic and medication) all of which I am great full for. However the fact is that none of them work and he still has to wear drynites otherwise his sleeping is messed up. I have talked about this on MN before and have had some great responses informing me that you can get nappies on prescription at his age. I raised this with the GP and he said its not possible.

Yanbu they should be availible to people with medical issues.

But didn't you have a thread about this awhile ago and the clinic that sees your ds had said he shouldn't be using them because it does not fit in with the treatment plan?

Thebloodman every incontinent adult I've ever known has been provided with pads by the NHS. The cost of purchasing yourself can be astronomical (although I want to point out people can save a lot by ordering from websites instead of getting shop bought tena pads) and the pads are an equivalent to any medication which the NHS could offer to anyone who doesn't suffer from incontinence, such as epilepsy, ADHD, allergies, Angelman's etc which are quite common.

I don't think it is fair to lobby the "when there is life saving treatment being denied" argument.

Much of the denied life saving treatment being denied, well that's a question for the NHS, the government and the big pharmaceutical companies.

At 14 bed wetting is clearly an issue. One which will affect self confidence and potentially mental health, very badly.

op Yanbu.

Ok, I accept I'm in the wrong here.
I blame ignorance and the fact that it is far too late!

My brother wet the bed every night until he was 18. Mum tried everything. No cause found. I remember he would love snuggling under my duvet because he had to have a washable sleeping bag.

Anyway, not to sound woo, but he had hypnotherapy. 2 sessions and he has never wet again. Might be worth a punt?

I'm sorry to say I think YABU in your circumstances.

Your son's doctor (who knows far better than me) clearly has reason to think that his bed wetting isn't down to an unavoidable, medical reason and that there are far more effective and appropriate treatments available to offer you. Free continence pads should be for those who have no alternative.

Sorry for the mini rant op, he must be so embarrassed to be bedwetting at this age, im only a year older myself and when i leaked a bit (pregnancy related) i was humiliated.. Have you tried maybe waking up at 2am and knocking on his door so he can go for a wee? does he have any bladder problems? could you maybe get him checked for any disorders that may be causing it? doctors will be alot more sympathetic if they see its a physical problem/illness,

If it is anything like my experience, incontinence products are only covered if it is full time incontinence - not just night time.

I have a multiply disabled DD, and after many years of work, she is "time trained" for daytime toileting (we take her every 90 minutes and keep a reusable pad in the seat of her wheelchair just in case) but is still incontinent at night.

Because it is only night time, she is deemed continent and ineligible for coverage for continence products.

CME, thats actually awful that youre denied any form of assistance, How old is she? If you still have a health visitor maybe ask her? My cousin did and had nappies paid for until her boy was 10, quite sad how people with disabilities are being rejected for assistance still :( x

Have you applied for DLA?

OP I understand your request for nappies on the nhs provided that you genuinely can't afford them yourself. I don't really understand the point of requesting every day items on prescription in general though. To me a prescription is for something medical which cannot be obtained over the counter. Medicine or specialist equipment. I have a small baby so still receive free prescriptions but wouldn't dream of going to my dr to get stuff like calpol etc just because I couldn't be bothered paying for it. I went through a truck load of gaviscon while pregnant and know I could have gone to gp to get a prescription but why bother wasting nhs time and resources (and money) when I could just pick it up in tesco. That said, my circumstances are different to yours and as I said, if you can't afford it that is a different matter.

Can I just add that I can't see what Bob has said that is so offensive for people to be getting upset about

We get them for night time use only. I think it depends on area and perhaps who prescribes. Ours came via paediatrician
The cost of bed wetting is huge even without the pullups
We go through loads of protective covers. The Kylie type I find the most useful but constant bed changing is exhausting
I've been awake since I changed a wet bed at 3am

One of my boys still wet the bed until he was 14. He didn't want to ware nappies from about 4 so we didn't bother with them. We just used a good quality mattress protector and washed the sheets and pjs every day. Not for everyone I know.

We went to the clinics run by the school nurse from age 7 and she never recommended using nappies for an older child. I'm not even sure larger size nappies were available to buy (mid 90s).

My son stopped bed wetting at 14 and has been fine since.

That should have been wear not ware.

Unfortunately nappies/continence products are not provided for night time wetting alone, parents are expected to buy them.

Has your son had all investigations possible as at 14yrs alarm therapy combined with desmopressin should have some effect.

Is he drinking 2000mls throughout the day? Have you cut out out caffeine and fizzy drinks and blackcurrant?

Biggest quality is - is he still motivated I can imagine at 14 with out success you would give up and lose motivation.

I would give him a break of 3 month, even 6mths and then start again and stop using pull ups let him feel the wetness and get him to wash the sheets (this isn't a cruel to be kind thing just gets him involve in dealing with his medical condition and sometimes feeling the wet helps)

Sorry haven't read all replies.

I used to run continence clinics and sometimes advice given is so varied from professional to professional and you really need a specialist school nurse continence clinic, or a paediatric nurse specialist/consultant combination at hospital. Most GP will admit to not being specialist in bedwetting and some give v outraged advise.

In this area, the NHS have recently stopped free incontinence pads for the elderly, they have to pay, even when they've been assessed by a continence advisor.

Yes there were larger size nappies available in the 90s (and 80s etc), as there have always been adults and children with continence issues.

I really don't understand the arguments about not getting everyday item's on prescription. - yes maybe for one off occasions of painkillers etc, but if you were on painkillers long term you would get them on prescription, if you ate coeliac your baby cmpi, you get food/formula on prescription. If you have to wear nappies long term then it is beyond the 'everyday' and large size continence products are far more expensive.

My son still wears pull-ups aged 10 & I see no signs of it stopping soon. Some of the replies are rather patronising on here. The OP stated they have tried lots of the prescribed methods and they just haven't worked.
My son wees throughout the night. Even with a pull up on we have to get up most nights to sort him out, as I'm not prepared for him to have to sleep in cold urine soaked bedding for something he truly cannot help. He goes have other difficulties - none if which are helped by his sleep being rubbish.

I've no idea if they are available on a prescription here, & I'm happy (ish!) to continue buying them as we can afford them, but I've often wondered about those that can't.

Punkrocker, that is awful.

It does vary from area to area, so it isn't a given that they are only available for people who are incontinent day and night.

Thanks eminy I can't see what I said wrong either. I just assumed the people calling me a twat and telling me to piss off were twelve :-)

Some people just don't like opinions which differ from their own. But wouldn't life be boring if we all thought the same way!

It would be very boring! I really feel for the op and her son but that doesn't mean I have to agree. Each to their own and all that. ..

No I am not twelve but I am somebody who has lived with incontinence and it is the attitudes of people like you that have made life hard. All this why should equipment that improves your quality of life be free. It is not life saving therefore not important.

You don't have to agree with the OP there is nothing wrong with saying YABU but Really? When people are being denied life saving drugs because of cost? was scathing and dismissive of a problem that can affect peoples social standing and mental health.

I have been on the receiving end of people like you and it hurts.