www.incontinentsupport.org

I know this is a topic that has been done before, but I wanted to share my experience. I scheduled a massage today, thinking they would get to me in the last afternoon, by which time I could dehydrate a little and be prepared. Instead, I am told the only opening is noon and I had just finished lunch with a large drink.

I know many have said, "they're medical professionals and have seen it all and don't care," but I was embarrassed and thought I could get through it without a diaper if I peed before the session and then right after. I was ashamed and did not want to bring it up because I was embarrassed that the therapist might think "eww" or that it was some sort of fetish. I also thought the diaper would get in the way of her massage. I did have marked on my medical sheet that I have overactive bladder, but I didn't discuss it.

This is the first therapist that I have had that actually got me to relax. Most of the time I can't relax and the therapists are bruisers. Now, I know why. Apparently, if you do deep breathing during the massage, the exhale of breath relaxes the muscles and counters a lot of the instinctual resistance of the muscles and helps them "let go." She was fantastic and coached me throughout.

At first, I thought I made the right decision because she started with my legs and prodded my buttocks quite a bit. I thought, "if I had worn protection, there's no way she wouldn't have noticed, but then she started massaging my inner organs. I have never experienced that before where it feels like she is grasping your gut and pushing in. I thought, "great, that's probably going to irritate the bladder..." I was face down during this period.

It was when I was asked to lie on my back that suddenly I knew I was in trouble, and felt terrible interrupting her giving me good advice to stretch my vertebrate. Truthfully, I had no idea what she was actually saying because all I could think was, " I am about to have an accident."

She apologized to me and said she remembered seeing "overactive bladder" on my sheet. As soon as she closes the door for me to get dressed I throw on a diaper. No sooner was it taped but I lost my battle with holding it back. I finished getting dressed and then went to the bathroom to wash my hands, embarrassed and upset that I almost had a full accident on the massage table.

When she greeted me at checkout I apologized again and said, "I am sorry. I normally wear protection, but I didn't want to weird you out or interfere with the massage."

She laughed and said she thought she might have OAB too as she has to go before and after sessions, then she said, "A) it's not that uncommon, even with young men and B) massages move fluid throughout the body. Combine the release of liquids with the pushing on the body and especially the deep relaxation of the breathing exercises and it will certainly exacerbate your symptoms." She then told me that next week was to be a seminar on massages and techniques to help people with "tightness" in their midsection that she said was geared towards massage therapist to learn how to help, especially men who actually, because of the tightness in their pelvic area, actually feel great pain in their "organ." She reiterated that so many people think, "It's just me. No one has this problem but me. We are in the medical profession and see it all, all types, all ages, all sexes, and all issues." She encouraged me to be comfortable and wear protection if I needed it. It wouldn't phase her, nor would it interfere with the massage.

Needless to say, I was flumoxed and humbled by her understanding. I pray my experience might help some of our members who are afraid of getting massages (something very beneficial to us all medically) that you don't need to be afraid. If anything, that fear can get in the way of relaxation and the point of the massage in the first place.

I have had physical therapists do things to me similar to what you experienced. Yes, it is embarrassing, and with me it was no accident; we both knew I had no control. However, it was so useful that I would return if a doctor wrote an order.