www.incontinentsupport.org

Wow Joeand Sandy your sure hit on it with me was always looking for restrooms everwhere we went.Could not watch a movie with out wetting or anyting else.Finaly just faced it that I was incontinence some of the time.

I am new here and also have had urge incontinence for almost a decade now. In my personal experience I would also add two more levels:

11. As you use your diapers more often when away from your home to avoid the pain and stress of holding it, your sphincter control weakens and you bladder capacity might shrink. You will start having to go every hour to the bathroom and can only hold it for less than a couple of minutes. You will start having accidents even at home since you were just a few minutes away from finishing that movie you were watching or that book you were reading. So you start having to wear protection even around the house.

12. You can't stand being a slave to the bathroom and having to go almost every hour so you just use diapers 24/7. You quickly end up becoming functionally incontinent. You have to actually think about holding it to stop from reflexively wetting the diaper and at this point you can only hold it for less than a minute. So at this point you are completely dependent on diapers or cath with a leg bag.

Hi Jgrover!

I appreciate your post and being a new member of our forum!

Your comments are so true. When I first became incontinent, I fought the same thing. At the urging of my wife, I started with a small diaper, but the thing would sometimes leak. I finally got piece of mind when my wife encourage me to wear a full brief diaper and quit worrying about accidents. I felt so relieved not worrying if I could make it to the bathroom on time. I had my diaper on,and if I couldn't make it, I was protected. My wife could tell the difference too. She saw how more relaxed I was when we were out.

Thank you again for your post, jgrover, I look forward for more! ......Paul Martin

While searching for protection to buy online I found uout that tow celebrities cane out of the closet about incontinence. One is olympic medalist Mary Lou Retton and the other was skater Bonnie Blair. It's good to know that some famous people share this problem and with publicity could help the stigma problem.

Lstofques,
I think it's very brave for people to admit they have an incontinent problem. It helps other people to know that they are not alone and should seek help and not stay cooped up in their home. I comend these celebrities for being honest. ........Paul Martin

Hi Joe you were sure right about the steps of urge incontinence could see myself there checking out bathrooms using paper towels.I guess if I look back some of the things were a clue just didn't pick up on them use diapers most of the time especially at night secure plus has been a good diaper.thanks again for the post.

Thank you, Ron, for your kind words! Urge incon is so insidious....I don't have to deal with it, thankfully, there is no question I must be diapered or we will have wet pants and furniture all around <LOL>

Folks suffering from urge incon do, indeed, "suffer" between their own struggle and often the partner's opinion is thrown in, as to when and whether diapers are appropriate.

Sandy is doing a fantastic job, and an on-going job-with her thread "Helping Another". I watch for the latest news there! Sandy's clocking Jane's husband for (yet another) insensitive remark was great! I know we can't condone violence on this site, but sometimes a little whack along side the head works wonders! (Us plastic butts have to stick together....grin)

If only diapers did not have the social stigma that remains with us....even many years after they (diapers) have appeared openly on store shelves. It takes an awful lot to change social perceptions; we need to accept that our wearing diapers is not going to be seen as "normal" any time soon.

And that's why I like to hammer away at the idea that we wear diapers in order to BE normal. Normal people don't wet their pants and furniture. Well, we wear diapers so that we don't wet our pants and the furniture, so therefore we are "normal" because we wear diapers!

JoeK

Hi Joe and all you are right urge is a battle all the time.The part about "normal" is a loaded one people look on incontinence as a old persons thing but trying to rush to a tiolet and not making it can really play on your mind,so as Sandy said thats what the diaper is for it sure is a good security blanket for me.

After going through a stafe infaction in my prostate I was diagnosed with BPH,and given three types of meds. I found I was allergic to them. I started to go more often for awhile, and after awhile I started to leak a little before I made it to the bathroom. I started to use pads and this helped. About six mounths later I didn't make it to the bathroom in time. After the second time this happened I started to wear diapers. I found this embarrassing at first, but found I was more at ease about going out and not worrying about having wet paints. I was wondering if other people with bph have had this onset of incontinence? My wife seems to be supportive, but she thinks that I have become to dependent on useing a diaper.I don't know if this is true or not, but Iam trying to deal the best I can now. Any information would be a great help.
DJ

Hi DJ yes my incontinence started with bph can't do drugs side effects started with leaking then night time accidents so just use diapers to avoid the accidents age late 60's