www.incontinentsupport.org

Hello everyone my name is jim, I have sufferd from night time incontenence for the past year. When I would be at work i started goint to restroom even if i did not feel and urge to go. Last week I had started haveing accidents with no feeling that it was going to happen. I called my doctor and when it was all said and done It would be in my best interest to go to useing protection 24/7 so im looking for friends that can help me understand the in an out of things ty

JP_72,

Hello, and welcome to the forum. The first thing you need to do is find out what is causing your bladder problems. I think there are more causes to incontinence than there are days in the years. What is your doc telling you? Have you had any tests done yet?

When it comes to the best type of protection that is going to depend on your needs. Bottom line is,...... go with whatever you feel works best for you. There are pro's and con's to all types of protection.

Once the doc's have identified the cause of your incontinence, I'm sure there are many others in the formum that can tell you about their experience and what to expect.

John

JP,

Wearing protection does NOT mean you have to give up on treatment by ANY means. I have worn 24/7 for the last 6 or 7 months or so, but i still hold up hope for a treatment. I still try to make it to the toilet when i can, but wearing protection gives me extra insurance

he meds didnt work for me, they may work for you. Depending on what causes your bladder problem, treatment could be as simple as bladder retraining, or timed toilieting.

But, i have to caution you, if your incontinence is chronic, such as OAB, in the long run, theres not much that can be done except alleviate the symptoms, in which case treatment lasts lifelong. But not necessarily. If the cause is a smaller than usual bladder, stretching excersises may increase your bladder size.

JP, your symtoms sound like mine. Have you been tested for neuropathy? Reason i ask is these can be a sign of that. Have you had symptoms of vertigo, dizziness, muscle twitching? If so, you may want to see a neurologist as well as a urologist.

As far as protection, you will find as we have that for a male who wets more than a few drops, nothing protects as well as a full fitted brief. This is due to the unique aspect of the male anatomy. Our "spigot," if you will is movable without warning.and if your leaks give you no warning...if your not wearing a brief and your equipment suddenly shifts..you could easily find yourself with wet pants if you dont wear a brief. From what you describe, id suggest at least a pullup if not a brief. Keep in mind, you CAN get briefs in different absobencies. The brief i use is Tena Ultra. It's considered a moderate absorbency brief. It does well for one or two wettings and thats it. But, if i was totally incontient and continually leaking(Which im not, fortunately) I'd want to go with something like Tranquility ATN or Molicare Super Plus, or Abena Abri form x-plus.

Do you have medicaid? if you do, depending on what state you live in, you may be able to get diapers covered by insurance with a doctor's prescription. Just ask your doctor. I currently get everything i need free of charge thanks to Michigan Medicaid.


I wish i didn't have to say welcome to the club, because this is a club NO ONE wants to be in..but, it is a community nonetheless.. and we welcome you. I sincerly hope you find useful information here.

Rob.

_________________
"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

JP_72,

I'm sure there are some people in the forum that know something about nerophis and how it works but I'm not one of them. I became incontinent several years ago as a result of a back injury that damaged some spinal nerves.

Are you able to manage your incontinence with a pull on style protection, or do you need to use the brief/diaper for protection?

I'm sure you will receive a number of posts with some advice, but you may want to read some of the many posts that have been made on several topics. I'm sure you will find this helpfull.

John

Be patient and give the medical world a chance. I went through at least a couple years of MRI's and various tests before it was determined I would be incontinent the remainder of my life. Even now I hold out hope that someone will find a way to regenerate damaged nerve tissue. My incontinence is a direct result of injuries I suffered in a car/semi accident. It took even longer for me to determine the best protection for my needs. I tried a cath for a while but it did not work well for me especially at night. I tried several brands of disposables and although I still use disposables when travelling I have not found a disposable that I can trust all night long. Eventually I decided to give cloth a try. I hate the fact that I have to wear protection 24/7 but cloth is by far the best protection I have found to date. I find cloth considerably more comfortable to wear. Thickness of cloth diapers can be easily changed to adjust the absorbancy. With cloth you will also need to wear plastic pants or some other type of waterproof diaper cover. Finding the right combination of cloth diaper and plastic pant also took me a while but now I have it down to a science where I almost never experience leaks at night or embarrassing situations when out in public.

I think anyone that becomes incontinent goes through the same trail and error of different products but forums such as this can help a lot when you share your experience with others and ask questions.

Indeed Johnstone..I have found this forum to be most helpful.. and it helped me admit i had a problem and needed to wear enough protection.. it helps to hear from those who have been there.

_________________
"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

Hi jp_72
Welcome to the board my name is Sandy I'm one of the few women on this board. I'm also the only active Female as well on here it would seem (come on ladies) Anyway I think the guys will be more help to you right now then I would. The only thing that comes to mind for me is If your trying Protection out try it at home first so you have an Idea of what to expect when away from home. This can give you a little more piece of mind when out in the world. Just remember your not the only one. Most of us veterans to incontinence were in your shoes at one time. So you have come to the right place. Don't be a stranger....................Sandy

Sound advice sandy.. and its best to start heavy and go ligher as the situation warrants. and, most important, DON"T cut back on fluids to save yourself from wetting... yes you may wet less and use less diapers, but it screws you up.. it can cause headaches, and all sorts of stuff..it could even lead to constipation, which can lead to fecal impaction, which can lead to fecal incontinence. So, drinking enough fluids keeps you from accidentally crapping yourself..I imagine the couple bowel accidents ive had were related to that.. but i don't know for sure.

_________________
"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