Being IC as a child.

[greatlake5]

I'm profoundly IC and have been since the beginning. The cause of my IC is irrelevant. Suffice to say that I see my doctor regularly and my condition is "steady." As a child, I never was able to potty train. Frustrated my mother and also me. I live in a family of bedwetters (all my siblings). Unfortunately I was the only one that never got the hang of it. I also dirtied my diaper all the time. That was the hardest thing, for my mom and for me. I was sent a private school all the way until I graduated high school. Both my parents and my siblings were extremely understanding. I was never punished. But of course, there were problems when I was younger. In the beginning I had a couple of other students who tried to pick on me. We lived in a very progressive school and it was never allowed. They even expelled one kid who kept trying to screw with me. After that, most of the other students seemed to understand and actually became friends with me. I know other IC people when young had a tough time growing up. I certainly understand that. And I don't want this to sound like life was all peachy. It wasn't. Anyone who grows up as a kid and have to wear diapers, they're going to have problems. But for the most part, diapers, wetting and messing, they weren't going to kill me. Until I graduated from university I still have issues when it comes to dating. Like most IC people, it can be managed. If only I could get comfortable with girls. I do have female friends. Just not girlfriends.
Some day? As for my childhood, I think it couldn't have been better. Maybe if it was me being just a normal kid. Thank god diapers didn't screw me up completely.

 

[HumanFly]

Did incontinence itself bother you as a child, or other people's reactions? I've read a lot of stories of children who were incontinent and very often they were not bothered by it until they were nine or ten or so, and in some cases when offered surgery to cure it, refused. (There was a TV series here called Born to be Different and one of the children featured was a girl with spina bifida who was incontinent, and didn't want surgery until she was about that age. It was major surgery as they operated on her bladder and bowel in one go.)

 

[DropBearAu]

Did incontinence itself bother you as a child, or other people's reactions? I've read a lot of stories of children who were incontinent and very often they were not bothered by it until they were nine or ten or so, and in some cases when offered surgery to cure it, refused. (There was a TV series here called Born to be Different and one of the children featured was a girl with spina bifida who was incontinent, and didn't want surgery until she was about that age. It was major surgery as they operated on her bladder and bowel in one go.)

I think this can be the case, for me (ic all my life) I did not really realise I was that different till about 9/10 and even then it was accepted as I had grown up with the kids at school. It was super hard going to high school were there were new kids and the sucked! But my family were supportive and did not make a fuss about diapers to the point that it was just normal.

 

[Milianna]

I became IC later in childhood like around age 12. This really did screw with me psychologically. I was already struggling with depression, anxiety, and body image issues but the addition of IC compounded things. At 16, my IC became so much worse to the point where I needed something pretty thick even in the day.

It wasn't bullying that messed with me. It was my own mind playing on my insecurities that existed and I would wager that these issues created the perfect storm for all my relapses.

So yes. Being IC as a teenager really messed me up badly and I think I'm still picking up my own pieces

 

[jdlake131]

I'm profoundly IC and have been since the beginning. The cause of my IC is irrelevant. Suffice to say that I see my doctor regularly and my condition i"steady." I was the only one that never got the hang of it. I also dirtied my diaper all the time. That was the hardest thing, for my mom and for me. Both my parents and my siblings were extremely understanding. I was never punished. IC people when young had a tough time growing up. Anyone who grows up as a kid and have to wear diapers, they're going to have problems diapers, wetting and messing, they weren't going to kill me.

I've been IC since I was a baby too. I'm not sure it's easier when you're IC as a child or as an adult. I think it doesn't really matter. And I understand your position about this being irrelevant. Not being able to potty train was very frustrating. Especially with messing my diaper all the time. Sleeping and during the day. I can even understand how hard that can be. Eventually my parents (mostly my mom) decided that it was easier for everyone. For me too. My parents were very progressive (and still are). I can't even remember being punished aside regular "time-out" and "grounding" stuff. Growing up wasn't easy, even non-IC kids. But I was the only one in school where I was still in diapers. But when you come from a middle-upper income neighborhood, good schools and great friends, that's half the battle. I turned out as a regular and normal kid. I didn't have any other health issues, just IC and being diaper dependent. And I knew IC wasn't going to kill me.

 

[greatlake5]

I became IC later in childhood like around age 12. This really did screw with me psychologically. I was already struggling with depression, anxiety, and body image issues but the addition of IC compounded things. At 16, my IC became so much worse to the point where I needed something pretty thick even in the day.

It wasn't bullying that messed with me. It was my own mind playing on my insecurities that existed and I would wager that these issues created the perfect storm for all my relapses.

So yes. Being IC as a teenager really messed me up badly and I think I'm still picking up my own pieces

Well I guess anyone can have IC during anytime in life. Apparently you have more issues than most. My apologize. Some of your issues are not unique. I struggle with some depression and anxiety which is not uncommon with other IC people. I'm not going to advise anything for you (except maybe therapy). I have my own issues and I'm not an expert. I do know that parents and friends go a long way in helping you. Hopefully you have some support from them. When I was younger I did get some professional therapy. And I still see her. I also see my doctor regularly. If you're still suffering some physical problems beyond IC, a good doctor doesn't hurt. Beyond my "witch-doctor," I really found a way to relax and meditate. It's not perfect but it helps. Good luck.

 

[Babybear2006]

I was a nightly bedwetter as kid and up until the 6th grade I had accidents at school but since I was in special education classes I was able to go get changed by my teacher. If I went to school in regular underwear once or twice a week I would have to go home wearing a pullup. My mom would watch a special needs girl after school and during the summer months. Sometimes she would have accidents and my mom would tell me to go get her one of my pullups or diapers and have her wear one. There was several times when we both wet ourselves and was put in diapers. During the summer when I was 12 or 13,I woke up in the mornings my mom would ask me if I wanted to wear a depend diaper or pullup or If wanted to try to wear underwear

 

[CP1234]

I started dealing with IC issues around 11-12. For years after that it was countless urologist visits with no answer, very frustrated parents, and very frustrated me. Products for kids were too small and leaky and products for adults were too big. I remember having to keep extra clothes at school. Finally in high school, my doctor came to the conclusion that it was just a part of my cerebral palsy and not going away. That felt good weirdly. It was something I could accept. Eventually I discovered that there’s such a thing as a real diaper designed for adults that isn’t some paper pull up that does the job. As an adult it was a reality I could accept. As a kid it was mortifying.

 

[Wetshisbed]

Growing up I too was a nightly bedwetter and had daytime wetting issues until I was almost 11. My wetting never bothered me at all. I could never see what all the fuss was about.

 

[schooner]

I have struggled with bladder control issues all of my live. A number of my relatives had "weak" bladders so it wasn't a shock that I struggled with this too. I had what I later learned was an overactive bladder (OAB) and was a frequent daytime wetter. Although I wasn't a bedwetter, it was common for me to be awakened in the middle of the night with an urgent need to urinate, followed by an accident on the way to the bathroom. I grew up during the 1960s, years before today's superior incontinence products became available, so I endured what little protection flannel-lined plastic pants from the Sears catalog offered. Due to advances in diagnostic technology I now know the cause of my incontinence, and while my condition can't be corrected, at least my super-absorbent diapers, boosters and plastic pants make it much easier to live with.

 

[greatlake5]

I have struggled with bladder control issues all of my live. A number of my relatives had "weak" bladders so it wasn't a shock that I struggled with this too. I had what I later learned was an overactive bladder (OAB) and was a frequent daytime wetter. Although I wasn't a bedwetter, it was common for me to be awakened in the middle of the night with an urgent need to urinate, followed by an accident on the way to the bathroom. I grew up during the 1960s, years before today's superior incontinence products became available, so I endured what little protection flannel-lined plastic pants from the Sears catalog offered. Due to advances in diagnostic technology I now know the cause of my incontinence, and while my condition can't be corrected, at least my super-absorbent diapers, boosters and plastic pants make it much easier to live with.

I'm a 90's kid so I didn't have the problems like you had with crappy IC products. My mom told me I just kept using diapers as I grew older. Some people on this IC forum talk about using cloth diapers and plastic pants when they were young. And some of them still prefer them. Just be thankful that you have good diapers now.