www.incontinentsupport.org

Hey all.

I've been meaning to get around to posting here for a while, just haven't been able to get up the nerve to until recently. I've read a few threads and this place seems alright... so I'll give it a go.

I've been dealing with urinary incontinence for 10 years now... so I guess you could say I'm used to it. It is caused by a genetic defect that runs in my mother's side of the family. My grandmother and two of her sisters have it, as do two of my aunts and six of my cousins, all to varying degrees. I am, however, the only male currently alive that has "the family curse"... my great-grandfather apparently had it, but he passed on before I was born. There is some big long name for it that the doctors told me once... but remembering those types of things has never been my strong suite.

From what my mother has told me, I potty-trained easily enough... was dry in the daytime by age 3 and was dry every night by 6. Things were fine and dandy until I was 14, when I started bedwetting again. The condition progressed from there and by the time I was 20 I didn't have any sort of reliable control left at all. Sometimes I get a little bit of advance warning, sometimes I don't. Sometimes it's just a small amount, sometimes it's a lot... which makes going without protection for any period of time a bit difficult.

Of course I've been to the doctors and the specialists, was poked and prodded and filled up with all sorts of painful stuff for tests. The results were the same as they were for other members of my family... no big surprise. I tried some pills for bladder control when I was in high school, I got ridiculed a good bit when I first started having day-time accidents and then had to start wearing protection... but after a while it just doesn't bother you anymore. I the pills only dehydrated me, which made me drink more water, which made me wet more... big help.

My mom had me in cloth diapers and plastic pants when I was just bedwetting... primarily to keep costs down but also b/c it was hard to find a disposable diaper that I actually fit into and didn't totally soak overnight at the time. Eventually though I had to start wearing diapers in the daytime too... I started with Goodnites for just the small accidents, but eventually worked my way into full adult disposable diapers. Now that I'm out on my own I prefer disposables over cloth because they are easier and far more effective IMO. I currently wear Dry 24/7 diapers at night, and Abena Supers during the daytime.

Well... that's my issue in a nutshell... if anyone has any more specific questions feel free to ask and I'll do my best to answer.

Thanks for reading!

Hello,

Welcome to the group. Sounds like you are one of us. There are almost as many reasons why people here are incontinent as there are member in the group. I have a neurogenic bladder that was caused by nerve damage L4/5, & S1. In the beginning, I had a lot more problems than just bladder issues. Now, I still have some back problems but not bad and can use both legs, feet, and toes. Things were that way in the beginning......I had a LOT of issues then. I'm very active but there is nothing the docs can do to resolve the damaged nerves to the bladder. I take 5 meds to keep everthing in "check" and so far, everything is OK with the exception of being incontinent and I got use to that problem a lot time ago and don't let it hold me back.

Hi there, Puddleguy!

Welcome to the Group and thanks for posting. Sharing experiences and concerns and tips for coping is what we are about.

"Types" of incontinence has always been a difficult concept. So many people suffer control problems and run to the bathroom a lot and deny they have a problem and won't adimit they have incontinence.

Your situation with potty training proceeding normally and then the enherited deterioration of control coming along later had to be very difficult to accept. Especially for a young person approaching adulthood to find he needs to resort to diapers.

As tough as it can be to accept diapers, that's what most everybody here has had to do and talking about it can help as does simply realizing you are not alone; you are not the only young adult on the planet that wears diapers. You have in fact, taken the mature step to accept the situation and with ten years experience now, it sounds like you are getting along with a normal life, doing what you want to do, when you want to do it, and are not letting the incontinence interfer or slow you down.

Good for you!

JoeK

It also helps to realize that sometimes incontinence happens for no apparent reason at all.. and there sometimes isn't a reason why someone loses control. That seems to be what is happening to me. The doctors cannot explain WHY ive been having incontinence problems, only WHAT SORT of incontinence it is. I really am not sure how long i have had this problem, but for as long as i can remember, I seem to have had urgency issues. Where i was doing something, and all of a sudden, i got an itch. I HAD to pee right then and there. Sometimes i even wet a spurt on the wall before i got to the toilet. I simply assumed that was normal if one has a full bladder. I don't think it is. I can remember wetting as a kid, through age 12 at least. They were occasional accidents. Im not sure if that simply disappeared, or if it simply got suppressed into urine dribbling on underwear. It's so long ago, it's hard to remember. The fact is, i very well may have been incontinent all along to some degree (heavy, light, moderate light) but never acknowledged it due to embarassment. All i know is, i wet when im not supposed to... and i cant stop it..

sociologygeek wrote:All i know is, i wet when im not supposed to... and i cant stop it..

I believe that covers everyone here... and it is a tough situation to be in for sure. I try to remember that there are more important things in life than using the bathroom... man did invent the diaper for a reason after all. If you are wearing it, might as well put it to use.

puddle guy, im wondeirng if my incontience is genetic.

Ive known for a while that my chromosomes are not normal. I have what is known as a translocated chromosome. on two of my chromosomes, part of that chromosome is where the other chromosome should be.. its like taking a puzzle apart, and reattaching the wrong pieces. It may be what caused my autism spectrum disorder, and may be also causing my incontinence.

Well... my life has taught me one thing... anything is possible.

Even though medicine has come a long ways... there are still things about the human body that no doctor can answer.

Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and make the best of a bad situation.