Ok, There are plenty of adult diapers in Japan... but from what research I have done into them, I am totally not interested in them at all.
One of the highest rated adult diaper in Japan is Attends, which as Adrian says is only a mid-class diaper. Plus here they are all "cloth like," there is no plastic backed diapers at all in this country. I am only a bed wetter, so I don't need to wear diapers all the time, but If i did have to, I don't think I would feel very safe in any of the adult diapers offered here in Japan.
First of all, I really like lolita fashion, and I wear a lot of expensive dresses. They are super cute and make me feel really happy :) Like my diapers do at night. But If I needed diapers during the day, I would like something that would make me feel safe...
And another reason why I really don't like adult diapers in Japan is the marketing behind them. I am in my 20's, and technically and adult. Even though I am a bit Adult Baby, I still have the freedoms and responsibilities of an adult. But I am a young adult. Adult diapers are not marketed for adults... rather they are marketed for old people. If you go to the web sites or the stores, you see a bunch of smiling people in their late 60s~80s. The packaging shows animated grandma and grandpa with their canes, walkers, and wheelchairs. Or they show people who are sick and bed ridden...
I am not old, nor am I sick nor bed ridden.
I am just a girl who was taking medicine for something un-related, which caused her bladder to go weak at night (or that is the most probable cause because the meds really made me have to go, like every 5 min). so my bladder doesn't work that well.. but that doesn't make me old nor sick in bed.
I am sure that there are many people in their 20s-30s and so on who need diapers.
But this idea that they are only for 'old and sick' makes me feel really bad about them.
I am very happy with my diaper choice... cloth diapers with nursery prints bought from a baby store. Besides, I am closer in age to babies than I am to grandmothers...
Greetings. I heartily concur, adult diaper marketing completely leaves people under the age of say 65 out of the recconing. Incontinence, whether nocturnal enuresis or full blown bladder incontinence during the day, is highly stigmatised no matter where you go, especially in cultures that tend to be more conservative and up tight, especially thinking US and Japanese. Europeans aren't so totally put off by it, which is why in my opinion they have the best adult disposables around; Abena, Molicare ETC. Glad you could stomach my windbag nature, won't do that too often though as it's annoying to split. Have a pleasant evening. The frogs are finally out, spring peepers doing their thing. I LOVE spring peepers!
ReplyDeleteNasty,
ReplyDeleteThe funny thing is japan, despite being rather conservative, are not really put off by old people needing diapers, but they do have this 'shame' issue...
I wouldn't mind trying the bambinos.. I have heard nothing but good things about them :) But the shipping costs would be really bad
Greetings. Is there nowhere that offers Abena or Molicare in Japan, or that could ship there for anything like reasonable prices? I could do some research for you if you'd like. I don't read Japanese, and my screen reader does not have it in any of its language banks, but there's got to be some website on line that sells decent disposables in the Japanese market. There's certainly enough people living there to justify it, and you certainly can't be the only one not content with mid range cloth-backed (or actually non-woven backed) disposables. I can say from experience that I completely trust both Abena's Abri-Form X-Plus and Molicare's Super Plus, both of which were life savers during my bout of secondary nocturnal enuresis a few years back. They can take a punishing unlike anything else I've tried, though unfortunately Bambinos are still on the list of ones I haven't yet. By the way, I am now taking desmopressin and imipramine, which cured that problem in a few months. It might be worth looking into, if you have any desire to do so. Best of luck either way, and stay cheery. That might explain why people keep coming back for more.
ReplyDeleteLoka samasta sukino bhavanthu.
May the entire universe be ever filled with peace and joy, love and light, health and happiness.
Nasty
ReplyDeleteI have checked the sites here in Japan (my japanese is pretty good since I work for a Japanese company) and they really don't have much non-japanes brands outside of attends.
here is a site, but it is in japanese http://www.kenko.com/product/seibun/sei_751695.html
yeah, there is not much of a choice here in Japan, and that is why i chose cloth.
I thought about taking the medicine. but I never did. Part of it was because I heard they make you feel really bloated (I don't know if that is true or not) part of it was taking other pills probably helped me start bed wetting in the first place... I just didn't want to take more and more meds... I know this is a lame excuse, but I am happy with my choice.
I don't mind diapering myself up for bed every night. In fact, i have never slept better. And my bed wetting isn't nearly as bad as it was last year. But it does come every now and then. I don't worry too much about it. I worry more about work and getting pictures done! :)
Greetings. I've never heard of bloating as a side effect of any meds I took, and the only side effect I've ever had from Desmopressin is headache, which can be easily cured through various means. Imipramine is an antidepressant and makes you feel rather blah and kind of woozy, (SP?) but since I take it at night it doesn't bother me. It helps me sleep, because I tend to worry at night and it makes all my cares go away. That's why I don't take antidepressants during the day anymore though, can't afford to not care about anything. At least if you're depressed you feel SOMETHING, but those meds only made me feel nothing and totally dead, which I think is worse. I've been taking Desmopressin, or DDAVP as it is known in the pharmacy, for years due to diabetes insipidus, and it's never bothered me. I consider your approach to be quite enlightened however, and applaud your self confidence and happiness with circumstances most would consider far from ideal. The fact that you consider it minor indicates to me that you don't let things get to you, could be wrong though. Either way, I wish I had your strength. Having outlets and other hobbies probably helps too. Finally, as for Attends, I have lots of experience with everything but the new extended wear, which I think is overpriced for what you get. In my opinion, the six-tape plastic version is not worth trusting, and I would especially not trust it overnight if the enuresis is anything more than slight. The cloth-backed variety is better, provided you get the higher absorbancy and NOT the retail or institutional brief, which is absolutely horrid even if it is quite cheap. Let's put it this way, it's so cheap that it has a plastic net under the topsheet (what touches your skin and whicks moisture into the core) to keep the polymer and fluff from coming through to ones skin, which I find rather uncomfortable. I MIGHT trust the cloth version if I didn't have much to drink that day, but I personally swear by European brands. Best of luck either way, and stay cheery.
ReplyDeleteI try not to let things get to me, to some degree. I guess there are things that are out of my control, and the best thing to do is learn to live with it. Learning to be happy is, in fact, the best thing you can do :)
ReplyDeleteI am happy wearing diapers, very happy. And that to me, is what matters
As a Japanese woman who grew up partly in the US and can compare both, i was kind of surprised at your dislike of Japanese diapers. It may be a matter of personal preference, but before you dismiss them entirely i'd like to try to make a suggestion. Since it seems you'll be living here for awhile, it would be nice if you could find a diaper that suits you.
ReplyDeleteAttento may not be one of the highest rated but rather the most popular. It's more because of marketing than quality. Every supermarket and pharmacy has them, but you might have to look around a little more to get something you like. There is a series called リリーフ made by Kao (花王) which are very comfortable and great for leaks. They have triple leak guards and elastic waistbands. There is one called モレ安心・肌さらさら which feels great on your skin and 股モレ安心 which is what i wear to work because the leggings are even more secure. I work in an office, which means i wet while i'm sitting down most of the time, and i always feel perfectly safe.
However, if plastic backing is what you're after these might not be your thing. The trend not only in Japan but all over as far as i can tell is away from the plastic backing and toward a more cloth-like cover which really isn't any less safe. It's just as waterproof and the technology is better. It's fine for those like myself who like our diapers silent under our clothes, but...
As far as the marketing, i think it just depends on where you're looking. Granted, 25% of Japan's population is over 65, and so in general you're going to see lots of advertising that caters to that market, but it's not just in diapers but in everything. In sources targeted at your cohort you'll sometimes see diapers advertised for young women. So don't feel bad! You're right, there are plenty of healthy young people who need diapers for bladder weakness, again it's just a matter of getting out there and being in the right place. Of course, it helps a lot if you can understand and read Japanese, but probably your reading is improving all the time as you live here. So, i wish you the best and i do recommend the リリーフ diapers. (They come in a pink package and you can find them in a larger pharmacy.)
カオリさん
ReplyDelete初めまして！ブログを読んでいただき、ありがとうございます！ 日本にはもう長い年になって、日本の会社に勤めています。
では、オムツについてコメントいただき、ありがとうございます。
Yeah, I was probably a little harsh in my review of adult diapers in Japan... after all I did write this late at night when I was a bit sleepy.
your right, I really should just try them and It was great to hear a review. I admit, I am turned off by the marketing. I know it is something I should get over, but I am just stubborn about かわいさ
That and my cloth has suited me well... I guess it goes with being a touch AB too
Ok, thank you for your diaper review. It was what I needed. I know the リリーフ is made by the same company that makes メリーズ for babies. I know about the baby diapers because I admit i have used them as "fillers" for my bed wetting to try to cut down on laundry :p
I love the feeling of ムーニー best of all、and I know uni-charm makes ラィフリー and I am thinking about trying them out too.
I guess I need to just order some and try. I will let you know via my blog
thanks again for the comment
これからもよろしくお願いします