www.incontinentsupport.org

How has having incontinence change your life?
Have you had any good, or bad, experiences since you have become incontinent?

Hi yes incontinence dose bring change as stated before I do have some control but if not wearing diapers always aware where the nearest resrooms are so when I go to a sports event or movie that requires setting long periods always wear a diaper for secuirty so as not wind up wet my wife is good support for me.I just don't throw in her face.

I've been alot wetter But at least it saves you from being in long lines at different events or places with your legs crossed ......Sandy

Hi all as stated before had some control but the last month the daytime accidents have increased and don't like the idea of 24/7 wearing of diapers.So you can see how that would change things.

Lately, ive been relying on belted undergarments for protection..and they have started to itch a bit..could be that i shaved some hair down there that i dont usually shave..ive been shaving my pubic hair for over a year..but mostly its the patch by my penis.. i don't usually shave off the other stuff..well i did a few days ago..and all of a sudden the slipons got itchy.. any ideas on how to combat this would be appreciated. I'm really starting to hate this predicament..between pads being expensive..and uncomfortable.. im really starting to wish i didnt have this problem..but i've been so upbeat usually

ROb

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"We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love" Mother Teresa

"THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!" - Captain Picard from Chain of Command, Part II

I became incon with a neuro bladder in 1986, and had a hard time with it in the beginning. Wearing 24/7 takes some getting use to. I kinda think "acceptance" takes time and comes in stages for some. In the beginning, I must have used the bathroom about every hour in the day in and made as much effort to stay as dry as possible to include chanding all the time. Using the bathroom about every hour helped, but not a lot to make a big difference over the course of about 8 hours. Like many, I didn't like the idea of needing to wear diapers 24/7. I think I must have tried about everything I could think of to stay dry but of course with a neuro bladder staying dry for very long is just not possible.

Over the years, I found whatever works for one person may be the best for them, but not necessarly the best for others...........either in the product(s) they use, or the way they cope and manage incontinence.

For me, I don't have much warning, if any at all before I start to go. If I use the bathroom all the time it helps, but I still have the wetting problem. After a while, I gave up on using the bathroom every hour since it didn't make much of a difference. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen and I came to accept it. In truth, step-by-step, I came to the acceptance of wearing diapers 24/7, and now, I make little to no effort to use the bathroom for anything....the diaper is going to be wet anyway,......its just a question of how wet it becomes and how long it takes before I need to change. Diaper dependance comes in stages of acceptance for some people and this is how being incontinent has changed my life.

It hasn't really affected my life at all. Yes, I have learned to live with the fact that I have to live with wearing nappies. Yes I am aware that some people may detect a bulge in my "seat-area", and I suppose that I'm a little self-conscious about that.

Otherwise, it hasn't really affected my life, other than an increased amount of washing, expenditure on "protective underwear", and internet exploration to contact others with similar issues.

Life is good, and it goes on, wearing nappies or not. I also wear spectacles and dentures, no big deal...........

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Too Wet to Woo?

I've experienced varying degrees of bladder incontinence for most of my life...I just didn't realize I was incontinent...just thought I had a quirky bladder. I became an expert at concealing my daily accidents, and just toughed it out on those occasions where the accident was too big to hide.

Although living with incontinence has never been easy, with the high-quality products now available, managing incontinence has never been easier. For the first time in my life I really don't worry about wetting my pants. I am no longer ashamed of being in diapers, although I suppose I am still a bit self-conscious. I dislike having to change my diaper in a public restroom, but fortunately that is infrequent and I don't have to deal with that often.

My family and I are more sensitive to the feelings and needs of individuals with disabilities given my own situation. Personally, I try to keep a sense of humor.

A sense of humor is a good thing to have. It makes life much easier.
...............Sandy

You know, I suppose I'm lucky to have an incredibly supportive home life to make up for the many daily annoyances I have. So, as for my overall happiness, I feel a) lucky to still be alive and b) not depressed or sad over having a urinary incontinence issue.

But there are many things that have simply changed drastically since my recovery and development of incontinence. For a long time my confidence was very low; I had this intense sense of inadequacy that I couldn't just "make it in time". In class I was very nervous that I was obviously diapered (and still am to some extent), and that made me overly self-conscious.

My confidence isn't as low these days but I feel pretty lame not being able to get in the hot tub, go to the gym, go on runs without getting a rash, having to pack a second bag of supplies whenever I travel anywhere (which now is costing me extra because of the damn airline $ increase for second bags).

I'm over the public buying of diapers (even though my boyfriend actually does the majority of buying them for me) and explaining to friends why I do wear them. It's just one of those topics that doesn't come up anymore and, honestly, I've found that people are either completely oblivious or are just too nervous to ask. I did have this lady in line behind me at the drug store once ask me how I liked the brand I was buying... that stopped me dead in my tracks. But never to this day has anyone else ever confronted me over being diapered, so at least I can feel less paranoid!