www.incontinentsupport.org

Welcome Ironhorse!
Thank you for your service! We are all on here in the same situation incontinent. We all deal with it differently. There is a lot of good help here and you are among friends!

Nice to 'meet' you ironhorse. I'm also in my 30's (very very nearly 36 now) and also with what is at least at times very heavy urinary incontinence. I saw you mention potential psychological involvement (PTSD) in your inco, and that rang some bells for me since I also struggle with many of the symptoms of PTSD, though I've never been diagnosed as such.
My inco is most likely related to nerve compression from a spinal injury, but I can say with some authority (i've been dealing with it nearly 17 years now) that when I am anxious or depressed my inco will be worse, so I think there can be both physical and psychological components at work simultaniously, and neither should be ignored on the medical side.
That said, I know that it can be cyclic, stress about inco makes it worse which makes more stress. . . So focus on the important stuff, inco is more inconvenience than anything, and it does get easier and easier emotionally all the time.

As soon as I get a chance I'll repost my 'Murphys Law's of Diapers' here, which hopefully will provide some humor and helpful information.

Murphys Law of Diapers

1.) 1 Diaper = 0 diapers, 2 diapers = 1 diaper. (Because as sure as you only have one spare, it will be damaged, lost, etc leaving you in the lurch.)

2.) All diapers leak. (Especially the longer you go without changing them, meaning they are more likely to leak in direct correllation to how far you are from famillier territory. So always have a spare pair of pants, in the trunk, in your bag, somewhere!).

3.) Never pass up a good opportunity to change. (As sure as you do you're going to be stuck somewhere for hours praying you dont leak.) (See Rule #2)

4.) Yes, your diaper IS showing. (If you're going to spend the whole day bending over or in an otherwise compromising possition, an extra long shirt tail, coverup pants like those from Abena, or even a onesie (yes, they really arent just for babies) is virtually a must or at some point you're going to show off that diaper waist.)

5.) Of course thats YOUR diaper in the garbage can. (I habitually keep a few gallon sized zip lock bags in my diaper bag to seal up and carry off wet ones from places I wouldnt want to leave them behind. Compressed in a nice sealed dry bag they travel nicely. This also avoids walking out of restroom stalls rolled up wet diaper in hand, looking for a trash can.)

6.) Of course this is going to take hours longer than you thought. (Which is why you should always pack more diapers than you think you could possibly need, and then add one just to be safe.) (See rule number 1.)

7.) Yes, of course we're delayed over night. (That is, if you wear something light during the day but need much heavier protection at night. No matter how far fetched it seems, an over night diaper, some plastic pants, and some SLEEP SHORTS (see rule #2) stashed away in the trunk of your car or the bottom of your bag will eventually be worth thier weight in gold.

8.) When you're diaper is really absolutely soaked, there will be no place to change. (Diapers often reach capacity at really inconvenient times (see rules # 2 & 3). Keeping a few booster pads in your bag will allow you to discreetly stuff one into the diaper you're wearing, thus (hopefully) stretching it's limits until you reach a place you can change.)

Thats all I can think of for now. How many "Murphys Laws" can you all come up with?

Love it, Dylan76......you're "right on".