Urinary Incontinence Support Group
Urinary incontinence is the involuntary excretion of urine from one's body. It is often temporary, and it almost always results from an underlying medical condition. Stress, functional, and urge incontinence are the most common forms. Share with other support group members and learn from their stories and experiences.
hi all-i was diagnosed with overactive bladder with incontinence at 14 after years of having accidents growing up. doctors said it was most likely a side effect of my cerebral palsy. i was prescribed detrol la and later vesicare and told to wear diapers.
my problem has always been that i feel like i have to go, but can't always get there on time. this is made worse because i can't hold it very long and i have muscle spasms caused by my cerebral palsy. i lose total control of all my muscles for a few seconds each time i spasm. this often causes accidents.
my new problem is that i've started having small accidents without even knowing i had to go. when this happens, i won't know i have to go untill my diaper starts getting wet. is it "normal" (given that i'm already incontinent) for it to get worse when you get older? this issue hasn't changed since i was diagnosed. the only thing that has ever made it worse was when medicaid decided to stop paying for my meds. anyone else had it get worse suddenly several years after the diagnosis? anybody else have this problem?-fallon
my problem has always been that i feel like i have to go, but can't always get there on time. this is made worse because i can't hold it very long and i have muscle spasms caused by my cerebral palsy. i lose total control of all my muscles for a few seconds each time i spasm. this often causes accidents.
my new problem is that i've started having small accidents without even knowing i had to go. when this happens, i won't know i have to go untill my diaper starts getting wet. is it "normal" (given that i'm already incontinent) for it to get worse when you get older? this issue hasn't changed since i was diagnosed. the only thing that has ever made it worse was when medicaid decided to stop paying for my meds. anyone else had it get worse suddenly several years after the diagnosis? anybody else have this problem?-fallon
If it wasn't normal for the problems to get worse as we get older comedians would not be making so many jokes about elderly people and incontinence pants!.
I understand what you say about not realizing you need to go until your diaper is getting wet. I have gone from being confident of "holding it" for a little while and using bathrooms to regularly getting there with wet underwear to wearing diapers pretty well 24/7. I do get back into ordinary underwear when at home and only feet from a toilet- but my wife knows that if she needs the bathroom at the same time as I do - or if I just don't notice the need-there will be another pair of pants in the laundry.
The time scale for all his is 5-7 years and there have been times when control has got better and times when it has almost been lost altogether.
I have no idea if htis will be any encouragement to you! But best wishes.
i went from needing protection only at night 24 years ago to also needing small pads in the daytime to now for the last 9 years needing diapers 24/7... there has def for me been a loss of bladder sensation.... but dont let that ruin your life ....