Free Stuff

susiestar

Roll With It
As many of you know, I love a good bargain and free stuff is the best. I actually keep several close relatives' addresses on hand and send them samples if I run across one that I think they will like.

I recently learned that any Sephora store will give you free samples with zero purchase required any time you are in the store (either the stand alone store or the store in JC Penney's). These are not prepackaged samples of whatever they are pushing that day. They will make up a sample of what you are interested in right there as you wait & watch. They do have some limits - no samples of pressed cosmetics, pencils, mascara. 3 samples per 'world' are the limit - worlds are fragrance, skincare and color. Cost of the item is not a limit - I got a sample of Sunday Riley Luna Night Oil which is about $100 per ounce and they filled the container up!

Jessi and I went to see what they had & I was amazed. I got samples of some things I really want to try and of some skincare stuff they suggested. Jessi did the same. There was NO hard sell of ANYTHING. Previously I went to Ulta because our town has one & I hate malls. But in our Ulta they either hard sell or ignore you. From now on I will put out the extra effort & go to Sephora when I need something.

Jessi, my mother & I had a lovely time exploring the serums & face oils we got as samples.

Another item that caught my interest is on an item none of us really wants to discuss much. Poise has something new for leakage. It looks like a tampon and provides support to help stop stress incontinence. This is a link to their FAQ page which gives short answers to the question I thought of, and has video clips with longer answers:http://www.poise.com/products/impressa/faq

From this page you can go to the samples/offers page to get printable coupons for these gizmos and printable coupons & free samples of their other products.
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
The "item" Poise has come out with to prevent urinary leakage is called a "vaginal pessary", and it is a concept that was around a couple of thousand years BCE.

Usually they were made of sheepswool mixed with various medicaments to prevent infection and treat the incontinence. Some of the herbs used may have prevented vaginitis as some of the other ingredients used were rather...uh...crocodile dung, anyone?

The new pessaries are similar in design to the ones from ages ago, but made of more sanitary materials and do not require that prayers be said before or during application or removal, nor while wearing the pessary.

I've talked to a few people who tried them and really like them. They seem to work well for dribbles and leaks, but not for floods, so to speak.

My mother tried them, but due to excessive dryness and very arthritic hands, found them difficult to apply properly and uncomfortable to wear. Of course, she was never able to make the switch over to tampons, whereas I only used pads for my 1st period and switched after that to tampons.

I suspect, on the American market, the elderly women who could really benefit from these products may be too uncomfortable with sticking something "up there" to use them.
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
I suspect, on the American market, the elderly women who could really benefit from these products may be too uncomfortable with sticking something "up there" to use them.
Ummmm...

Be careful of your definition of "elderly".
Ladies in their 50s and 60s may be in need of "support". And... lots of "us" are in that age group.
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
Um, I'm nearly 56, never carried a child to term (one cause of this issue) and I have this problem.

However, if they live into their 80s, nearly ALL women will suffer from this problem
 

svengandhi

Well-Known Member
I had 3 vaginal births and 2 sections and had the whole leakage issue. After years of wearing pads and Poises, I had bladder lift surgery. The only thing I can say about it is that I wish I had done it 10 years earlier.

My daughter uses a "Diva cup" for her period. It's a reusable pessary type device, It sounds "hideous" to me, as the Geico commercial says but she swears by it. The thought of it makes me happy to be post-menopausal.

When I figured out how much it would cost me to buy pads, etc. for the rest of my life vs. the co-pay on my surgery, the surgery was so much cheaper.
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
Funny story about bladder-lift surgery.

The foundation queen of my cattery had had several litters of large kittens, and (she) and I both decided it was time to retire her and let her live out her years as a beloved pet (which she was in between litters).

Unfortunately, as a result of those pregnancies and delivering so many large babies, she had bladder issues.

When I made the appointment to have her spayed, I asked my vet about doing something to help with the incontinence. He said he knew they did surgery on humans, but had never heard of it in cats.

However, his wife worked for a OB-GYN, and he'd have her ask about about it.

He called me back a couple of days later, and said that it was all set, but he wanted me to scrub in and watch.

OK?

Well, day of surgery came. I scrubbed in, only to find my vet, his OR tech, and a speaker phone. On the phone was his wife's employer, who once the spay was done, proceeded to walk my vet, step by step, through performing a bladder-sling surgery. My vet simply translated the instructions from vertical to horizontal, and into cat anatomy.

It went beautifully. Amber recovered well; and the incontinence problems were cured.
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
I've tried the Poise Impressa... This week, in fact. I have a cold. EVERY.DRATTED.TIME. I cough, I pee. I've gone through 2 packages of pads (32 per pack) since Saturday. Part of the problem I have is 1) heavy smoker for years and 2) had a child very late. Oh, and I've been sick pretty much constantly since mid November. So I bought the sizing package.

Smallest size - went in OK, reasonably comfortable, still some leakage.
Medium size - went in OK, felt weird to begin with but settled... A little leakage.
Largest size - NOT COMFORTABLE. In fact it hurt the whole hour it was in. No leaks, but...

You're supposed to be able to wear them for 8 hours, but whoever designed them put on a removal string that absorbs urine. So unless you don't pee for 8 hours... You still have to wear pads or your undies get damp. And smelly. They're too expensive to change every time.

When I took out the last one, I got a good look. I'm glad I didn't see before. OK, first it's square. Second - it's like a quadripod of silicone, that after tapering spreads back out. So really it's an octopod. Covered by cotton-like fabric. Basically it holds its place like a grappling hook.

The Diva cup? EWWWWW. The mere thought makes me shudder...

Other freebies - Susie, I love the Sephora idea! I'll have to go by this weekend!
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
I used an early version of the "cup" in the 70s. Worked OK once I figured out to insert the thing properly, and how to remove it without making a real mess.

The problem with the cup is that you can leave it in for so long, as I found out when I developed a nasty case of cervicitis from leaving the cup in for about 7 hours, which the packaging said was perfectly safe..

I've also used the sponge which came out around the same time. The problem with both the cup and the sponge is that it is impossible to sterilize them without damaging them.

After experimenting with both methods, I went back to using tampons, but wasn't really satisfied with them until I found OB tampons in Germany. Used those for years and was very happy to find that they'd made it to the US market by the time i made it back stateside.

For the other "leakage" issue? Pads and peeing often to make sure the bladder is as empty as possible. Getting "overfull" is where I get myself in trouble.
 

KTMom91

Well-Known Member
I've tried to use the pads, but since menopause has dealt me a hand of almost constant hot flashes (flashes my behind - I sweat so much my clothes are wet), the pads won't stick for very long. I'm thinking duct tape.

If I'm working, I only get to pee at lunch and recess, so I try not to drink too much if I know yard duty is coming up.
 
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