www.incontinentsupport.org

I was wondering if anyone else gets somewhat of a relief in telling other people about their incontinence. I generally talk to my doctors and my therapist about my incontinence. It actually makes me feel better in talking to someone about my health problems. I hate bottling them up inside. It makes me feel bad with no one to talk to. I actually told one of my college professors. I have gotten to know my professor quite well over the semester and we got to talking about my disabilities. I am registered with the Disability Resource Center and am entitled to special circumstances when it comes to testing. I take my tests privately in his office and he helps me out with tutoring when I need it. We got to talking about my disabilities and I told him the one I hate the worst besides the Bipolar Disorder is my incontinence. I felt it to be a relief to not have to hide from people. It was nice talking to someone who won't judge me. He was actually very understanding and had alot of questions for me. I answered them. I felt like I was educating him on the trials and tribulations that people have to go through who have these health conditions. I feel like that will be one more understanding person in the world. What do you think?

Besides my regular doctor, home health care nurse where I buy my supplies at and urologist of course, only one person knows, best friend, but only that I have urgency, never gave him all the details of management techniques, I am sure he has it figured out. Family kind of knows that I have different patterns for how often I go, much more frequently then any of them do, and that I do not go out and do stuff very often when I am asked, stay at home more then normal, but I am busy when I do and just tell them I have things I need to get done, they understand how short days off are, and they are full of stuff to do. Sooner or later the cat will be let out of the bag, just NOT looking forward to that day any time soon. I know they will not have any problem with it all, and will be more then supportive, but for now, it is fine the way it is... Puffy

My wife's family is having a reunion in Walt Disney World in May. It will just be her grandmother, her parents and sisters, aunt and her cousin. Then it will be me and her and our kids. I'm debating how to pull this off successfully. We will be in the park for 4 days and staying in a condo with her family. I'm trying to find a way to keep this hidden. I really don't want my bladder and bowel incontinence to be on public display. I just have occasional bowel incon and usually have accidents like 2-3 x a week. So maybe I'll get lucky. We will be staying in the condo for 6 days total. I'm bringing my swim diaper. I'm going to try and order a second one. Johnstone told me about Devrom to neutralize body odors. I'm going to try and order some. I don't want to have a bowel accident around them. I'm debating on just telling some of them...not everything...but some. Just to make it easier. Her aunt is a nurse so I know she will understand. Her father is a radiology tech. I told him I was having problems and he knows I had a urodynamics done so I think he kinda knows. I'm just trying to make my life easier.

I treat telling others about my incontinence on a "need to know" basis. Any physicians that I deal with who need a complete medical history certainly have to be told. Members of my immediate family also need to know. Although it was hard to do, I have also needed to tell a couple of colleagues with whom I have had to share a hotel room while we were out of town on business trips. Everyone whom I've told has been very supportive. Otherwise, I don't think people have any need to know what kind of underwear I wear or why I wear it.

I've never felt the need to ask people "Hey - What kind of underwear do you use? Boxers or Briefs" and then follow it up with I wear briefs - the absorbent plastic lined kind.

It's really none of anyone's business, unless you like making them feel uncomfortable, as well!

People are on a need to know basis, as mentioned above. In reality - very, very few people "need to know".

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Just my 2 cents, which ain't worth a penny in today's economy.....

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Michael

I'm not talking about just bragging about my special underwear. These people are family. I looking to make my life easier. I will be living with these people and around them 24/7 for 6 days. Somebody is bound to think something. I have to take the diapers out every morning. I'm going to put them in a plastic bag and take them to the dumpster when I get up. When were in the park, I'm going to carry a backpack with 6 diapers in there every day. Like I said, I'm just looking to make my life easier.

Don't put too much stock into it. Most people will be doing their own thing anyway, and won't notice. And, if they do, since they're family, I'm quite positive they'll accept the answer that you have a problem, don't feel that its up for discussion, and will leave it at that. People really don't make as big a deal as we think they will.

Honestly - If you weren't incontinent, and found out a friends or family member was, would you be pushing on them for info or gasp in shock? Probably not. Most people won't. I've learned (it was tough in the beginning, but I really tried) to think of how I would act, if I were to find out something like this, and I kept realizing that most people would accept it for what it is, like me, and get on with it.

Relax, enjoy your vacation, and don't stress out over this. Honest!

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Just my 2 cents, which ain't worth a penny in today's economy.....

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Michael

I live in a homeless shelter, so right now just about all of the guys have seen me changing into a diaper in the shower area. It's not terribly private and the space between the showers and the toilets is too great to make it terribly convenient. I get up early in the morning so the shower isn't crowded, but like I said, people have seen it. They're adults about it fortunately.

And I needed to tell the shelter staff, so that if someone donated diapers or absorbant underwear, I could get ahold of them.

Beyond that, I've never been coy about it with people who need to know. My family currently do not need to know, or all ready know and are respectful enough not to bring it up.

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Asperger's is a Word. It is not Who I am. Feel free to ask me anything about it.

I went on my trip to Disney World with my wifes family. My trip went great without any hicups. I ended up tellin my mother and father in law about my incontinence and I also told them that I wear briefs. They had no questions, they weren't nosy, and they didn't judge me. The just said "man, thats terrible". The felt bad for me. But I was glad I told them. It made my life easier. I didn't have to hide so much. I carried a backpack around disney with me while we were in the park with 6 diapers in there. I wasn't the only one using the backpack. I carried it and it had diapers in it but I also had food for the kids, and pullups for my son in there. So other people were in my bag. It was just easier to tell them instead of them going in my bag and finding the diapers for themselves. I didn't want that. I also had to take my used diapers out to the trash every morning. I didn't want to have to hide. I don't like to be ashamed of my incontinence. I don't go around broadcasting it either...

Glad to hear you had a good time out there Don, and that the "reveal" was a much less deal then you thought it would be, and much less stressful trying to hide it and cover it up. Puffy