# obesity and urination **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 27, 2016, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836 "2016-10-27T10:03:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cwblack666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@cwblack666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwblack666)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836/1 "2016-10-27T10:03:58Z")
I am very obese and spend my life in a recliner and a bathroom. I use plastic urinals and then empty them in the commode. My penis has been steadily shrinking (I’m 84 yrs old) to the point that I can’t direct my urine stream. I dribble and spill urine on the floor. I can’t solve my problem by sitting because my thighs are very fat and I wind up with my penis pointing upward and without some kind of cloth cover, or even with one sometimes, I wet myself and the surrounding floor. Can anybody suggest a solution? ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836/2 "2016-10-27T11:26:53Z")
Urinary catheterisation. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836/3 "2016-10-27T12:48:45Z")
Condom catheter. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836/4 "2016-10-27T12:57:36Z")
Condom catheters seem like a great idea, but every patient I’ve tried them with hates them, particularly the lesser endowed and/or fat of thigh. They’re too hard to keep on, and they create sores on the penis. I suppose physical therapy and occupational therapy to help you regain the skills you need to get out of the chair to urinate are out of the question? How about a chair with a built in lift to help you stand easier? If you can’t point your penis up, can you direct it down and use a bedpan instead of a urinal? Or can you use a urinal designed for women? Catheters of any type for long term use are a really drastic solution, with high risk of infection. You really don’t want to go there unless you’ve exhausted all other options. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836/5 "2016-10-27T13:00:09Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Condom catheters seem like a great idea, but every patient I’ve tried them with hates them, particularly the lesser endowed and/or fat of thigh. They’re too hard to keep on, and they create sores on the penis. What’s your experience with folks who use them PRN as opposed to wearing them constantly? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836/6 "2016-10-27T13:10:16Z")
How about getting to the root of the problem? What options have you pursued for treating your obesity? ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836/7 "2016-10-27T13:12:17Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > What’s your experience with folks who use them PRN as opposed to wearing them constantly? A friend of mine was a lucky-quad (could still move his arms and hands) and wore the, as he called it, “polish rubber.” I imagine it’s the condom cath you’re referring to. He had “accidents” all the time, mostly the rupture/spilling of the collection bag. Once in line at the bank, or other public places. He also seemed to be going to the MD about 3 or 4 times a year with a UTI that he blamed on the collection plumbing. IANAMD, but it seems to me that wearing the cath full time is an invitation to a UTI. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836/8 "2016-10-27T13:19:38Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > How about getting to the root of the problem? What options have you pursued for treating your obesity? According to the OP - he’s 84 - I doubt there are any meaningful options there. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836/9 "2016-10-27T13:21:51Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > What’s your experience with folks who use them PRN as opposed to wearing them constantly? Can’t get anyone to use them PRN, because they tell me putting them on and taking them off all the time is inconvenient, and it takes too long so they end up urinating on themselves while still trying to put it on. And, not least, they’re fairly expensive for single use. It really is difficult to get them on smaller penises of obese patients. And I never realized how helpful an erection is when putting something over a penis until I had to do it without. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836/10 "2016-10-27T15:03:22Z")
**Moderator Action** Since this is more of an advice and medical question than a factual question let’s move this to IMHO (from GQ). ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836/11 "2016-10-27T16:07:50Z")
> [@simster](#): > > According to the OP - he’s 84 - I doubt there are any meaningful options there. Unless death is anticipated in less than 6 months, improving mobility and functionality by losing weight and building muscle mass should still be considered as potential options. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836/12 "2016-10-27T18:55:09Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Unless death is anticipated in less than 6 months, improving mobility and functionality by losing weight and building muscle mass should still be considered as potential options. Agreed. And even if losing weight or walking to the toilet in time isn’t realistic, being able to stand and use a bedside (or chair side) commode would be a worthwhile goal. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836/13 "2016-10-28T22:21:06Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Condom catheter. To be blunt, it doesn’t sound like the OP has much penis left to latch onto. A condom cath would merely create a mess. I vote for some sort of physical therapy/exercise program designed to improve standing ability. Is there someone available to hold the urinal while you are standing? mmm ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2016, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836/14 "2016-10-29T00:04:27Z")
I don’t understand how a penis can shrink? What exactly happens that would cause this? It sounds like his penis is _appearing_ smaller and smaller the more weight he gains. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2016, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836/15 "2016-10-29T00:12:52Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > It sounds like his penis is _appearing_ smaller and smaller the more weight he gains. That would be the case. Very common for guys who are “growers, not show-ers”. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2016, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836/16 "2016-10-29T00:22:26Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > That would be the case. > > Very common for guys who are “growers, not show-ers”. Yup, I can confirm that personally. Although I’m not in the dire circumstances of the OP, I have a significant amount of fat which makes the penis appear smaller than it did when I was of more moderate weight. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2016, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836/17 "2016-10-29T00:32:01Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > I don’t understand how a penis can shrink? What exactly happens that would cause this? It sounds like his penis is _appearing_ smaller and smaller the more weight he gains. If you gain fat covering the pubis, there’s really no practical difference. Of course the penis hasn’t actually shrunk, but the first couple of inches coming out of the body are inaccessible in a pad of fat. Y’know how women get grief for FUPA? Guys get FUPA too. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2016, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836/18 "2016-10-29T00:45:54Z")
Can you make it to the shower to urinate? ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2016, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836/19 "2016-10-29T00:45:57Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > I don’t understand how a penis can shrink? What exactly happens that would cause this? It sounds like his penis is _appearing_ smaller and smaller the more weight he gains. From Wikipedia: > [@](#): > > Buried penis (also known as hidden penis) is a congenital or acquired condition in which the penis is partially or completely hidden below the surface of the skin. It can lead to obstruction of urinary stream, poor hygiene, soft tissue infection, phimosis, and inhibition of normal sexual function. …acquired conditions include morbid obesity, overlaying abdominal fat, or penile injury. Adults with a buried penis will either live with their condition or undergo weight-loss programs. However, weight-loss programs are slow and often do not “unbury” the penis; furthermore, poor hygiene from pooling of urine can lead to soft tissue infection. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836/20 "2016-10-31T23:37:23Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Y’know how women get grief for FUPA? Guys get FUPA too. WHY DID I GOOGLE THAT?!?! g [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-and-urination/769836.md?page=2)