I go to the bathroom often when I dont feel an urge just to avoid accidents because when I do feel the urge to go by the time my brain processes it I am already wetting. So yes I can still use the toilet but I would also be willing to say I am incontinent because when the actual urge strikes I dont always make it. I sometimes will make judgement calls...If I feel that Im not going to make it to the bathroom I just wet my pull up. Overnight I wear a diaper. I sometimes wake up as I am wetting but usually just fall back to sleep unless I am really wet because I go more than once a night.

I admit there are times when I just wet my nappy when I can't easily find a toilet or it is just more convenient and during the night if on rare occasions I do wake needing to pee I usually just do it in my nappy and go back to sleep.

Any uncontrolled leakage (beyond a few drips) is considered incontinence.

What happens if you try to hold on to your urges? Do you later have accidents with more than a few drips? then that is still incontinence whether it be once or several times a day/week. If it was'nt incontinence, then it would be normal for everyone to be walking around with wet patches.

I try to use the bathroom when possible, but still have accidents so I wear nappies when ever I'm out. Some times I pee my nappy to relieve the urge (as it makes me anxious and uncomfortable), however if I didn't I would soon be wet uncontrollably anyway.

I've always had overactive bladder and my urges vary from minor to serious leaks. Pelvic floor excersises dont work, I dont want meds for it, so I just accept and live with it, as do most people.

If its a new problem and/or have never had checks for diabetes/kidney function etc then its worth getting it checked out.

yes also did the same and yes when you have a strong urge I think its better to use the diaper then to hold

Thank you for all the helpful replies. If I try to hold in the urges, I just end up having full incontinence episodes later. So, I think the advice regarding just going in the diaper rather than holding it in is wise. That would be better, I believe, than irritating your bladder, or perhaps risking the possibility of a urinary tract infection. I am still getting used to wearing diapers, but a great deal of the anxiety has gone away, thanks to a really good appointment with my therapist I had recently. I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving. The order for my pull-ups is complete: I am just waiting for my health insurance to approve the prior-authorization for them. i am still quite worried about leaks - I have not found a diaper yet that has not leaked. When I do have an episode of incontinence, the flow is very heavy, and I end up leaking. I am hoping that these pull-ups that my health insurance covers will solve that problem. If any of you have any suggestions, I would be very happy to hear them. Thank you once again. Take care, and be safe.

Like the others have said, loss of bladder control, no matter how many times a day it goes on it's own, is incontinence. I don't have any control of when my bladder wants to let loose so I have to wear diapers. Like you said, it's not wise to let it build up and cause more problems later. Not have to deal with wetting accidents and being able to rely on a good diaper is so much more worth then trying to always find a bathroom or plot out where all the bathrooms are just in case. If you happen to be in a bathroom and feel you have to go, then go, but don't try to go finding a bathroom just use the diaper and you will find in time that you feel much better.

I have tried several times to get my insurance company to cover my diapers but they won't, so I have ended up using my FSA card to buy all my supplies. Without diapers, I wouldn't be able to live the life I am and be as active as I am.

I wanted to encourage you that what you are doing is just fine. I really agree with all the above comments as well. I have had overactive bladder and urge incontinence for years. After I started to wear diapers and use them I became much more relaxed! I used to worry, where is the restroom and can I find it in time? Or where is the next rest stop on a long car trip. I have found that the tape on style diapers really work much better than the pull-up style. Much easier to change when you are out and not as likely to leak. If you are having leaks with the tape on stye diaper you may want to look at the more absorbent diapers. I use the Tena Super, the Molicare Super Plus and the Abena M-4. Check out some of the internet sites such as North Shore Care and Duraline Medical Supplies. They will send you some samples to try so you can find out what works best for you. It is important to find a diaper that is absorbent enough and that will fit you properly. I hope this helps and don't feel bad about using your diaper, that's why you are wearing it!

Mostly I will sleep right through the night and will not wake when I wet. When I get up I will almost immediately need the loo and I will go there and then in my nappy. There will not be time to get to the loo. But occasionally I am aware of being semi awake and needing the loo. In which case I will more often than not simply go in my nappy. That way i don't wake up my wife by getting up, I don't wake up properly and will go straight back to sleep. My bladder problems have also worsened as the problems with my spine have worsened over the years and so I am now in nappies 24/7. Again this is about reassurance and freedom but sometimes I will just wet my nappy as it is convenient. Also, I do sometimes recognise the feeling that my bladder is getting really full and if I cant find a loo or hold on I will go in my nappy to relieve the pressure although this can be a major wetting episode. I generally have to change every three to four hours so as a rule the safety net of a nappy is always there.

Hi. Thanks once again for all the helpful replies. A great deal of the anxiety associated with my incontinence has lessened, thanks to a couple of very significant sessions with my therapist. Each day, I am becoming more confident discussing my incontinence with my friends, as well as my physicians.

In fact, this latest issue has helped me to face my past, and begin to overcome some of the more major negatives associated with my childhood. I have been able to forgive my adopted mother for her mistakes, and I no longer believe that she abused me. I even wrote to my brother-in-law in my adopted family, asking that he tell my adopted siblings that I apologize for any hurt feelings that I caused them, and that I am asking for their forgiveness as well.

I feel a bit strange saying this, but in a very tangible sense, now I actually look forward to putting on a diaper as part of my morning ritual of shaving, showering, brushing my teeth, and getting dressed.

I don't think that "enjoy" would be an appropriate term for how I feel, but I very much like the feeling of knowing that, by wearing a diaper that day, I have a good chance of feeling more confident and secure, largely because I will be protected if I have an episode of urge incontinence while I am out in public. However, I still do not wear diapers all the time when I go out, and I do not need them when I go to bed.

I am currently using my remaining supply of Attends Breathable Briefs, which are definitely better than the CVS brand fitted briefs I bought originally. Still, though, when I let go, the flow is very heavy and usually unstoppable, and even the Attends have failed to absorb all the moisture adequately, causing them to leak out the sides.

I am still waiting for my health insurance to approve the prior authorization for my pull-ups. The original order was placed on November 4, but there was evidently some glitches with the paperwork, and it had to be resubmitted about two weeks after that.
Basically, my health insurance wanted to make sure that I would be able to put the pull-ups on myself, and that I had an established daily toileting regimen

The medical supply company that my health insurance uses is All Care Medical Supply out of Millbury Massachusetts. So far, they have been very helpful, reassuring me that all my concerns will be addressed. When I asked, they agreed to send out a few samples of the absorbent products that they provide.

They use a private shipper. They will call me when my PA has been approved, so that we can make final arrangements for the order. They will also ship out only one box of pull-ups, in case the fit or absorbency is not what I need or want. I can always change my order then, or order more of the pull-ups they provide, should they prove to be sufficient for my needs. Interestingly, they also provide liners for the pull-ups that would provide additional protection against leakage.

However, these liners would require a separate PA from my health insurance. I plan to discuss the possibility of getting these liners when I meet with my primary care physician on December 10. I still stress a lot about leakage, since I have yet to find a diaper that has not leaked.

This morning, I went to church (I work as an organist), and I made sure to put on a diaper before I got dressed. I have found that if I put my socks and shoes on first, it makes the whole process a bit easier. Then, I sit on the foot of the bed, and put on my underwear, and then my pants, one leg at a time. Since I use tape-on type diapers, I am quite careful about bending or stretching, since I don't want the tapes to give way.

I got some sample pull-ups from Attends when I called them recently. While they also leaked during periods of heavy flow, I did not have to worry about any tapes giving way, and I liked being able to just slip them on like underwear. They also seem to be less bulky in the crotch, and in general.

I am wondering if I am "doing the right thing." For example, this morning I made sure to pee right before I put my diaper on, then, when I got to church, I went to the bathroom then. I didn't use the bathroom until a while after I got home. Instead, despite the fact that I didn't have a major urge to go,

I used my diaper instead. I found this to feel very natural and normal, though I questioned yet again whether this voluntary release of urine was truly helping my incontinence, or if I truly was incontinent after all. However, once I went to wash a dish in the sink, I ended up involuntarily urinating in the diaper, and that reassured me that I am indeed incontinent, and that the diaper is a necessary part of treating my problem.

So, what do you all think about these feelings and issues that I am experiencing? Also, I have seen in certain places mention of an "Attends Onesie." What is this product exactly, and where might I look into purchasing it? I am thinking that I might need some plastic pants or something to help contain any leakage. What is your advice? As always, your comments are welcome and much appreciated. Thank you.

Hi. I just wanted to update you on what's been happening. The authorization for my pull-ups was just approved this morning by my health insurance. I will likely be receiving a few samples of the product that All Care will be shipping me tomorrow. The full order should arrive within 3-4 business days.

All Care told me that they will be providing me with a full month's of supply of 120 pull-ups. The specific item is Covidien Item #1625. This works out to 4 pull-ups per day for one month. This is very welcome news, since it means that I will have a more than ample supply of diapers every day.

I also asked All Care about liners for the pull-ups. They told me that they could provide Prevail Male Guards that would fit inside the Covidien pull-ups. I called and spoke with a nurse from my primary physician's office this morning. I discussed with her my previous conversation with All Care this morning, and requested that my doctor order the Prevail liners as well.

The liners will require a separate prior authorization, but the nurse assured me that it should not take to long to get the order in place. In fact, she told me that she was going to try and get them added to my order for the pull-ups, so that I would get everything at once.

The nurse was very friendly, courteous, professional and reassuring. She told me that her husband has dementia and needs incontinence products as well, so she completely understand my worries and concerns, particularly about absorbency and leakage protection.

I feel so much better knowing now that all this appears to be straightened out. It gives me a real boost of self-confidence, and makes me feel proud of myself, that I can discuss the issue of my incontinence, as well as wearing diapers, openly, without fear of being shamed or embarrassed.

As a matter of course, however, am still discreet, and I limit my discussion of this topic only to the few friends that I already know have been supportive and understanding of me thus far. I am also thankful to all of you, especially considering that you do not shirk away from the word "diaper." You can employ all the euphemisms you want, e.g., pad, adult brief, etc., but let's face it: a diaper is still a diaper, when you get right down to it.

I look forward to your comments, and welcome your advice, as always. I do hope that the upcoming Christmas and holidays will find you all happy and well. Thanks again. I look forward to hearing from all of you.

When the urge hits me it hurts bad I used to fight it and try to hold on to use a rest room but now I just use the diaper ( I only wear at work when I can't always take a potty break ) why hurt or stress yourself out.