www.incontinentsupport.org

Thanks again Paul. Is there a strategy you use to spread your water throughout the day? Drinking alot at one time is not an option for me unless I am at home but then I'm up half the night. If I start excercising being dehydrated like I usually am is no good which is one reason why better protection is a must. The same is true for times like summer when I will be drinking more water. I don't want to go through the same thing I did last summer which was after my major incidents to dehydrate myself. Iwould come home with excruciating headaches. I am still pretty self concious about buying protection other than pads. I think what I will do for this is go to a store that has one of those automatic checkouts. I checked the internet yesterday to find something like a pullup for the gym and long walks that is discreet but has tapes for easier disposal. I didn't find anything but I did notice some sight for people who use diapers as a hobby which was very weird. Why wouldn't anyone want to put themselves thru that unneccessarily? I guess you never know what may be on the internet. I also found some health food products for women which claim to cure stress incontinence and pumkin seed oil which promises to strenghten your bladder. I am tempted to try that but they're expensive and I wonder if it may be a gimmik. My final question is can you improve your capacity by trying to hold longer? I figure that since when I had very little feeling in my bladder and had hardly any time and now have more time I could somehow get back to normal. When I tried this I was sitting the whole time and if I had been moving or standing it probably wouldn't have worked at all. Just tell me if you think that sounds crazy but I am trying to be creative. I think that it is easier for me to tell this to you and Sandy because we are speaking anonomously where if I go to a doctor I will have to be under more pressure and embarrassment. I wonder if anyone else felt like this before their first doctor's visit. I am still in some denial which is starting to seem silly becuase I now see how shame is preventing me from being treated. I am going to schedule my doctor appointment tommorow. You and Sandy have really helped me build up the courage to do this. From now on I'll try to make shorter posts.

Let's see LstofQues,
My stadegy on water consumption during the day is to just sip on a bottle of water trough out the day. I would say a 12oz bottle would last me about 90 minutes. I believe it's important to stay hydrated through out the day. Don't let yourself get dehydrated. That could lead to lot of other problems.
I use a pullup in the morning on my way to the YMCA that I get at Rite Aid. It's a very absorbant pullup that helps me since I'll really let loose sometimes with no warning. After my swim, I'm in my full diaper brief. I don't use the pullups a lot so I'll buy a pack that will last a couple of weeks. I get my disposables from HDIS on a automatic delivery plan. You can avoid the embarrasment of buying your diapers at the store by just mail orderinhg from them. They have sample packs that are really cheap. Their sample packs are for full briefs or the pullup type, I would suggest you look at their site and give it a try.Their website is HDIS.com. They have a link on this site under the "LINKS" tab. If you like them, they can set up an automatic delivery of your diapers when you need them. I've been using them for about 8 years now. These pullups have sides that tear when you want to change out of a wet diaper with out pulling your shorts off.
Yes there are sites out there on the web where people wear diapers as a hobby. They are what you call the AB/DL crowd (Adult baby/ Diaper Lovers). Lots of these people have what you call a "Fetish" for diapers. In fact, it's these people who have really bought a lot of diapers and accessories that has really expanded the diapers you see on the net.
I would be skeptical on any health food products that would help your incontinece. Your doctor you're about to see will be the best help for you. Remember, LstofQues, this doctor has heard many, many stories from patients who have problems like you. Don't be embarrased. The first time is always the worst. Once you get to know your doctor, you'll feel more comfortable to talk with him or her.
Don't try to hold back emptying your bladder to improve your control. It will not help plus you're putting yourself at risk to get a bladder infection.
Don't worry about a long post. Just ask what ever you want and take all the space you need. And it's like you said in your post, the first visit to the doctor is the worst. I was so nervous the first time, I actually wet myself in the waiting for the doctor. Luckily, I had a diaper on.
Let us know how it works out! .............Paul Martin

I'm with Paul about water and so forth. In fact, I've found it's best not to change anything about what I drink and when. The way I see it, the diapers or whatever protection you choose are there so that you can live a "normal" life, and if you go changing things like that you're not living a normal life.

It can be embarassing to buy these things at the store, which is why there are many reputable web sites that sell these things. Funny story -- once I went to the drugstore to buy some diapers, and they had to call for a price check over the loudspeaker, and holding the package up high. That sold me on the internet!!

I have an overactive bladder which sometimes causes leaks, this is actually medically diagnosed, but before that I was also a diaper fetishist. This may be hard to understand, but it's not a choice. The best way to describe is that it's a compulsive behavior that you can't get rid of. I believe that it is, in some ways, related to OCD. Not many people recognize this, and many therapists don't know what to do with it, so people tend to revel in it (way too much, in my opinion). I hope this doesn't get me banished from the site. I leave this out of any incontinence boards (at least in most cases), but I felt that this time, the perpective might be helpful.

Rocketman!

Thanks for posting! It's good to hear from you again. Thanks for the backup on water consumption. I believe most people will agree with that logic.

I also appreciate your honesty on your note of fetishem. I don't believe you'll be banished from this site as long as you don't promote it or urge others of that type to join who want to push that. I have read a whole bunch of articals on fetishem. I agree with you 100% it's not a choice. I think gay people are in that same boat. That's all I want to say about that. But, you're always welcome here. I appreciate all your post and your suggestions in your post.

I believe you and all the other members here in this forum are just looking for answers to their problems or read the post to catch on some advise someone is suggesting. Keep posting, Rocketman. We enjoy reading what you say! ...............Paul Martin

Hello again
Even know the guys covered the fluid intake rather well I'm going to give my two cents and some other loose change For one as stated it
s hard on your body when you hold back on fluids. Also another problem that wasn't addressed is your urine becomes much more acidic which is great for causing diaper rash. I think we women have to be much more cautious about diaper rash then men do and how we take care of ourselves in general down there being we have much more sensitive how should I say this "Hardware" down there. I myself drink around a gallon of water every 24 hours this time of year and more in the summer. Do I tend to wet more Yes but at the same time I rarely get rashes and I haven't had a UTI. in years.

One thing that does work well with UTI's is cranberry juice. But make sure you get the unsweetened 100% Juice most of the time you will find it in frozen considerate (NOT PASTERIZED! ) Pasteurized juice is a joke! When they pasteurize it they burn most of the nutreats out of it. So granted it might be better then soda but that's about all.

Sandy

Hey Sandy!

I appreciate your input! I really wanted a lady's view on that subject. You covered it really well. I don't mind wetting a litttle more as long as my body stays healthy. Thanks again!! ...........Paul Martin

It now makes sense that not drinking water may have caused my several utis in a row if you say you haven't had one in years.
Also one of my coworkwers mentioned that she had little to no bladder control after having a baby and has had surgery but still has problems. I forgot she had told me this and now figure that she noticed my problems (anyone who works with me would have had to)and otherwise probably would not have shared it with me. I assume she must have been using protection at that point and noone would have guessed. That makes me feel a little better about this, like it is no different than using crutches or wearing glasses. I'm going to start excercising on Monday with less worries and more confidence. Thanks.

Lts, you hit it right on the head at the end -- less worries, more confidence. Just do what you've got to do!

I think it's fascinating that your co-worker came out and told you what she did. I'd bet that a lot of people have someone in their lives that either have or have had incontinence problems. Since it's hidden under your clothes, and considered a "taboo" it isn't talked about. What if it was? I wonder if more and more people started admitting to this if we could start turning around the stigma surrounding diapers...

Hey, a guy can dream....

Yes, I forgot all about it until I posted on this board. She mentioned it around the time I was having major problems and I was thinking why would anyone mentioned it. I guess I was in denial that anyone noticed because I thought it would just go away. I'm sure people do notice when you have two accidents and aren't wearing protection and are sprinting to the bathroom every forty five minutes. I think she may have been trying to hint something to me now by saying this. I don't think I could ever share this with anyone, but I guess you reach a point where you just have to deal with it.

Thanks Paul. I have started drinking more water over this weekend and also eating some bread with each meal. I think you are right about it slowing down. I have been leaking more with the extra water but it was manageable now that I have been using more adequate protection and I wasn't running to the bathroom like usual. I was careful to space the water throughout the day and added a little more on Saturday and today than on Friday. I am definitely feeling better now that I am drinking more water and less tired. I also noticed that with more water I stay away from caffinated drinks. I am a big sweet tea fan which is not a friend of a weak bladder. Thanks to giving in to using proper protection I was able to go to a movie and with friends to the Olive Garden. The restaurant was my idea because of the breadsticks which i didn't tell them, of course. I had a great time with these adjustments and felt like I had been missing out for a long time. I can now sit on a friend's couch without a worry, which is one reason I had stayed away. I wasn't there for very long. What would you do if you had to change at someone's house or they found out you were using protection? My friends are aware I'm sure of me running to the bathroom alot but don't know about my accidents or now using bladder protection because I have been avoiding spending long periods of time with them.