Let’s get to know one another a little better!

[Ellyn]

I posted the below questionnaire on an IC site that I used to frequent years ago and thought it would be interesting and fun to hear from y’al here! I’ll start out and share a little about myself and I hope y’all will copy/paste and share too!
I’ve shared more with those here than with my family over the past few years and many of you have helped me through many difficult issues. My personal weakness is depression, mostly related to incontinence and my unpleasant childhood memories, though I have found that opening up and sharing here has relieved many of the triggers that lead to that highly debilitating illness.

1. Is your incontinence urinary, bowel, both, or neither?
Urinary only

2. Are your diapers disposables (tab) , cloth, pull-ups, pads, combination (with percentage), or none?
Cloth: 85%, Disposable: 15%. I used to wear Tena pull-ups but they are no longer adequate. Northshore Go Supreme’s do work but I prefer the security of quality disposables with leak guards.

3. Is your incontinence due to an accident, illness, birth defect, child birth, other?
Birth defects of the bladder sphincter and bladder nerve disconnections, MS

4. Have you been treated by medical doctors for your incontinence? Tests, drugs, surgery, etc? Status?
Many tests. Many drugs. I discontinued all drugs due to unpleasant side effects affecting my quality of life.

5. Does your incontinence (only) limit you from living a full and happy life?
Nope, other than issues with going to the beach or hanging out around a pool.

6. Are you single, married, engaged, sharing your life with a partner? Children?
Married with children

7. Are your immediate family members and/or close friends aware of your incontinence? Generally accepting?
Yes and yes. Obviously, it’s impossible to hide incontinence from those in your household, including children. I’m Very careful to keep my personal issues private around most others.

8. What part of the world do you reside?
USA- Texas

9. Do you find that this forum helps you deal with and/or manage your incontinence?
YES!

10. I can’t think of anything else to ask. What else would you like to add?
I have been incontinent most of my life. I don’t have the luxury of choice. I continue to try REAL HARD to normalize diapers in my life, else I get depressed. I’m not AB or DL. I’m okay with diapers as they allow me to live a nearly normal life. I’m “D-OK”.

 

[newt]

This is a great idea!

1. Is your incontinence urinary, bowel, both, or neither?
Urinary only

2. Are your diapers disposables (tab) , cloth, pull-ups, pads, combination (with percentage), or none?
100% disposable tabbed.

3. Is your incontinence due to an accident, illness, birth defect, child birth, other?
Other. Wish I had a specific reason

4. Have you been treated by medical doctors for your incontinence? Tests, drugs, surgery, etc? Status?
Most of the tests we usually get. I've tried Oxybutynin, Myrbetriq, and Gemtesa. Lots of pelvic floor therapy.

5. Does your incontinence (only) limit you from living a full and happy life?
Not anymore. Was a bit of a gut-punch at first (to put it lightly). Still struggle like you with things like the pool and beaches. Luckily I live in Miami, but from Southern California, so I think the Miami beaches are too hot and the water is too warm, so I don't go very often.

6. Are you single, married, engaged, sharing your life with a partner? Children?
Engaged. No children, but I do have a golden retriever, a Labrador, and a cat.

7. Are your immediate family members and/or close friends aware of your incontinence? Generally accepting?
Nobody knows but my fiancée. And one of my groomsmen who was my roommate and opened a Northshore delivery on accident. I know my parents, family in general, and friends would accept, but haven't told them. I live on the other side of the country, so its just easier to hide it for the few times I see them. I wouldn't be surprised if some friends knew/suspected, but they haven't said anything.

8. What part of the world do you reside?
USA- Miami.

9. Do you find that this forum helps you deal with and/or manage your incontinence?
YES!

10. I can’t think of anything else to ask. What else would you like to add?
I'll also throw in my personal weakness, as you did. Mine is ADHD. Makes everything just a little bit harder, especially organization and remembering things. But it also comes with hyperfocus, which as long as I use it to be productive, means I can get superhuman amount of work done in a few hours. Which is necessary after the days I'm unable to focus AT ALL. Also have had some depression/anxiety issues, but found some very great ways to treat it when it happens, which was necessary after 4 different antidepressants failed to help.

 

[FudgedInLuvs]

1. Is your incontinence urinary, bowel, both, or neither?
Urinary only, exclusively at night, but with having had covid and now I have long term "now introducing even more intense daytime urges!"

2. Are your diapers disposables (tab) , cloth, pull-ups, pads, combination (with percentage), or none?
100% disposables for me. I'm a slender adult so I use Goodnites and I'll use sheet clips for Luvs/Pampers/Huggies/Generic size 5-7 diapers, really depends on sleeping patterns what I go with for the night

3. Is your incontinence due to an accident, illness, birth defect, child birth, other?
I wouldn't use the term defect, but I would say it's somehow genetic. I've always been a deep sleeper, but then again it's never taken much for me to wet the bed, things got much worse after I had long term double pneumonia the first time (that shit has come close to killing me twice) and I think with coughing and body deterioration the muscles are really weak. I wish I could simply say accident, maybe that would cover my bases, because I have no idea how to bring this up if I ever start dating again.

4. Have you been treated by medical doctors for your incontinence? Tests, drugs, surgery, etc? Status?
No, no, no, I do not like taking meds due to side effects and liver damage from previous illness, and I'm certainly not going to toss money down a rat hole for surgery when I have a simple, effective solution. And being a guy I just don't talk about a lot of things with my GP that I probably should, talking about wetting myself is just too hard to bring up in person. I might have some food triggers as well, but it's everything I enjoy and life is too damn short to cut it out and be miserable when all I have to do is slip on a diaper.

5. Does your incontinence (only) limit you from living a full and happy life?
Not really since it's at night, now and then I might have to bolt the F to find a bathroom but all my friends have had to do that at one point or another, haha! The only it does do is that it makes me self conscious about is dating, I've had friends of both genders tell me too many damn times, "you do all this (hobbies), your successful, handsome, classy without being an ass, funny, out of everyone why are you the single friend?". I hunt, fish, active sports shooter, hike/mountain climb, SCUBA dive, stage combat acting, part business owner for consulting, educated with a BS in biochemistry, drive stick, enjoy the occasional cigar or bowl of pipe tobacco, cook, and make some mean drinks. I'm not limited in the least, but I would like to have my own place, either an apartment I love, or a house built to my specs, but IC and the financial world are not connected.

6. Are you single, married, engaged, sharing your life with a partner? Children?
Single and I'm good with it, but I do have an ex-fiance (long, long story, but her and her wife and I are very good friends, it's just complex to say the least). No kids, have never wanted them and my feelings only get stronger annually to never want kids of my own or as a step parent, I am animal person instead.

7. Are your immediate family members and/or close friends aware of your incontinence? Generally accepting?
Nope. Only person I told was my mother, and that was when we entered lockdown with COVID in 2020 so if I was running trash out late at night or sneaking things in nothing seemed suspicious. Mom was super cool, understanding, and deep down knew I had been managing the way I had for years, so long as I run out my trash and do my laundry (I LOVE LAUNDRY DAY) there's no issue, but she is the only one I've told in person.

8. What part of the world do you reside?
USA- Mountain West - Colorado...and really want to get out, I hate the way this place has changed. Want to live in Montana or Florida someplace that doesn't feel like a metastatic cancerous growth of California.

9. Do you find that this forum helps you deal with and/or manage your incontinence?
Absolutely! Makes me feel confident in my management, and with having quite a stolen childhood, makes me feel better that I use the products I do and engage in some of the things that made me happy as a kid

10. I can’t think of anything else to ask. What else would you like to add?
I got nothing. Other than my night time issues, I'm usually healthy as a horse, and I am not a morning person. This forum really helps me with accepting both having a genuine medical condition along with the way that I manage it, and having had a robbed childhood from a self-absorbed parent it makes me feel better that I still like the things that I do - my lego sets, researching topics, solitude, simple snacks and drinks, animated TV shows (SouthPark, AmericanDad, King of the Hill, old Scooby Doo) - while also doing the same as an adult with lego sets, research for work, solitude being WFH, refined snacks and drinks and binging other shows (Seinfeld, Frasier, 3rd Rock from the Sun) and the continuance of hating wearing shoes, socks and pants. Ah, one to add. I chatted with a close friend at length about this, and this came from when I was reading on having heightened sensory perceptions and preferences, certain fragrances with a pattern, flavors, visually but with contacts I have about 20/10 eyesight, being an audiophile, and touch - I have several blankets with the satin trim because I love that trim. Not even on the spectrum but I have a better understanding and deeper appreciation for just how vast it is, along with my friend

 

[Eclectic]

1. Is your incontinence urinary, bowel, both, or neither?
Both

2. Are your diapers disposables (tab) , cloth, pull-ups, pads, combination (with percentage), or none?
Cloth: at night. Disposable: during the day and any travels. I currently wear Incontrol Inspire Originals during the day and Depend pull-ups if I’m exercising. Over the years I’ve tried over 80 different brands and types.

3. Is your incontinence due to an accident, illness, birth defect, child birth, other?
Birth defects and later injuries and illnesses. My bladder and bowel smooth muscles are unpredictable and uncontrollable.

4. Have you been treated by medical doctors for your incontinence? Tests, drugs, surgery, etc? Status?
Many tests. Many drugs. Many doctors. What I have can only be managed not cured. My only medical interventions now represent significant risks that I am not willing to take.

5. Does your incontinence (only) limit you from living a full and happy life?
Not at all. Traveling, overnight hiking, and boating are challenging.

6. Are you single, married, engaged, sharing your life with a partner? Children?
Married with children

7. Are your immediate family members and/or close friends aware of your incontinence? Generally accepting?
Yes and yes. But, I was shamed for it as a child and no one wants to talk about it as an adult. It would be great to have a close friend who was understanding.

8. What part of the world do you reside?
USA- Florida

9. Do you find that this forum helps you deal with and/or manage your incontinence?
YES!

10. I can’t think of anything else to ask. What else would you like to add?
I’m 56 and in great shape despite my IC. I also have a little personality and would consider myself an AB. That’s just part of who I am. I like movies, books, toys, games, sports, outdoor activities, etc. There’s not much I don’t like. I’m also ADHD (inattentive type) and easily distracted.

 

[Eclectic]

old Scooby Doo

I grew up with old Scooby Doo on Saturday mornings. It used to scare the crap out of me!

 

[sport1]

I posted the below questionnaire on an IC site that I used to frequent years ago and thought it would be interesting and fun to hear from y’al here! I’ll start out and share a little about myself and I hope y’all will copy/paste and share too!
I’ve shared more with those here than with my family over the past few years and many of you have helped me through many difficult issues. My personal weakness is depression, mostly related to incontinence and my unpleasant childhood memories, though I have found that opening up and sharing here has relieved many of the triggers that lead to that highly debilitating illness.

1. Is your incontinence urinary, bowel, both, or neither?
Urinary only

2. Are your diapers disposables (tab) , cloth, pull-ups, pads, combination (with percentage), or none?
Cloth: 85%, Disposable: 15%. I used to wear Tena pull-ups but they are no longer adequate. Northshore Go Supreme’s do work but I prefer the security of quality disposables with leak guards.

3. Is your incontinence due to an accident, illness, birth defect, child birth, other?
Birth defects of the bladder sphincter and bladder nerve disconnections, MS

4. Have you been treated by medical doctors for your incontinence? Tests, drugs, surgery, etc? Status?
Many tests. Many drugs. I discontinued all drugs due to unpleasant side effects affecting my quality of life.

5. Does your incontinence (only) limit you from living a full and happy life?
Nope, other than issues with going to the beach or hanging out around a pool.

6. Are you single, married, engaged, sharing your life with a partner? Children?
Married with children

7. Are your immediate family members and/or close friends aware of your incontinence? Generally accepting?
Yes and yes. Obviously, it’s impossible to hide incontinence from those in your household, including children. I’m Very careful to keep my personal issues private around most others.

8. What part of the world do you reside?
USA- Texas

9. Do you find that this forum helps you deal with and/or manage your incontinence?
YES!

10. I can’t think of anything else to ask. What else would you like to add?
I have been incontinent most of my life. I don’t have the luxury of choice. I continue to try REAL HARD to normalize diapers in my life, else I get depressed. I’m not AB or DL. I’m okay with diapers as they allow me to live a nearly normal life. I’m “D-OK”.

I 'am an older male who became incontinent with both in my 50's but can't paste and copy.

 

[Diprs2]

1. Is your incontinence urinary, bowel, both, or neither?
Urinary only-oab/ urge incon

2. Are your diapers disposables (tab) , cloth, pull-ups, pads, combination (with percentage), or none? Disposable: 75%, cloth: 25%. I depend on Mega-max and Inspire incontrol + for my go to heavy absorbence night diapers and a few other less absorbent misc. diapers

3. Is your incontinence due to an accident, illness, birth defect, child birth, other: very small bladder, age - I guess

4. Have you been treated by medical doctors for your incontinence? Tests, drugs, surgery, etc? Status?
Several tests. Couple drugs. I discontinued all drugs due to unpleasant side effects.

5. Does your incontinence (only) limit you from living a full and happy life?
No not really, not that active outside of the home, but do things when I want.

6. Are you single, married, engaged, sharing your life with a partner? Children?
Married with grown children

7. Are your immediate family members and/or close friends aware of your incontinence? Generally accepting?
Wife is aware and accepting. Haven't made all the details about diapers available to my girls since they live outside the home. No friends are aware.

8. What part of the world do you reside?
USA- South-central Texas

9. Do you find that this forum helps you deal with and/or manage your incontinence?
YES! It's very useful to hear about other people's problems dealing with incontinence and the ways they solve issues or make things better.

10. I can’t think of anything else to ask. What else would you like to add?
While I have been a DL pretty well most of my life, I find that with my current situation, diapers are just very logical and very comfortable. I prob still do foster some of the old more DL types of feelings, but that is no longer at the forefront of my mind as it relates to diapers.

.

 

[FudgedInLuvs]

I grew up with old Scooby Doo on Saturday mornings. It used to scare the crap out of me!

Oh man, I wish I had that during the morning! I had old Loony Tunes, so I was good with those. Scooby Doo was an afternoon thing, would have a lego set and would watch it snacking on nachos/chips and salsa, my god I miss those simple times, haha! They really pushed me into the scientific and legal field, so they definitely had a positive influence!

 

[EcoIncon]

1. Is your incontinence urinary, bowel, both, or neither?

2. Are your diapers disposables (tab) , cloth, pull-ups, pads, combination (with percentage), or none?

3. Is your incontinence due to an accident, illness, birth defect, child birth, other?

4. Have you been treated by medical doctors for your incontinence? Tests, drugs, surgery, etc? Status?

5. Does your incontinence (only) limit you from living a full and happy life?


6. Are you single, married, engaged, sharing your life with a partner? Children?

7. Are your immediate family members and/or close friends aware of your incontinence? Generally accepting?
Yes and yes. Obviously, it’s impossible to hide incontinence from those in your household, including children. I’m Very careful to keep my personal issues private around most others.

8. What part of the world do you reside?
USA- Texas

9. Do you find that this forum helps you deal with and/or manage your incontinence?
YES!

10. I can’t think of anything else to ask. What else would you like to add?
I have been incontinent most of my life. I don’t have the luxury of choice. I continue to try REAL HARD to normalize diapers in my life, else I get depressed. I’m not AB or DL. I’m okay with diapers as they allow me to live a nearly normal life. I’m “D-OK”.

@Ellyn you always have such interesting ways of starting conversations. Thanks for being such a positive member of the community!

1. Mostly urinary... Once in a blue moon $h!t happens
2. Cloth: 50%, diapers: 30% (Mostly night), pull-ups: 20%
3. Accident.
4. OMG and how... 26 years of doctor visits... I've had every orifice poked, prodded and violated many times
5. Yes. I still have regrets... I try to work through those every day but there are just so many little challenges.
6. Married with 2 beautiful daughters
7. I honestly don't know how many people know. My wife knows of course and is okay with it... Supportive? I'm honestly not sure about that. She doesn't chastise me or anything but it bothers her and she tries to help "fix" me pushing me to try treatments and such I'm not sure I'm ok with. I think it comes from a supportive perspective and is not selfish on her side. I don't know for sure.

I'm sure my kids have found diapers and other stuff. We've never talked about it.

As for friends... I've only discussed it with two. Neither has been appalled or particularly helpful. Other than this site, I pretty much deal with incontinence on my own and I think it is hard.

8. USA - WA
9. Yes. It also is sometimes fun to know that some on the DL side are jealous of my situation... I don't understand that thinking at all but it's total proof that the grass is always greener on the other side.
10. I wish everyone on this site (including me) could be OK with who they are and do the best they can with what they have.

 

[Pino]

1. Is your incontinence urinary, bowel, both, or neither?
Urinary, but i have got IBS and with some medications it ends in bowel incontinence as well.

2. Are your diapers disposables (tab) , cloth, pull-ups, pads, combination (with percentage), or none?
Disposable with tabs, sometimes only pull-up (10%)

3. Is your incontinence due to an accident, illness, birth defect, child birth, other?
Spine damage, MCAS resulting in interstitial cystitis (not diagnosed yet), POTS - a form of Dysautonomia and Polyneuropathy, i think all of them together are resulting in incontinence to some point, i am officially diagnosed with Neurogenic Bladder Dysfunction, NDO and DSD.

4. Have you been treated by medical doctors for your incontinence? Tests, drugs, surgery, etc? Status?
Urodynamics, ultrasonics, cystoscopy, used different medications and finally now Botox injections, perhaps bladder pacemaker in the future

5. Does your incontinence (only) limit you from living a full and happy life?
Yes, to some point, travel is always difficult, sports can be complicated as well

6. Are you single, married, engaged, sharing your life with a partner? Children?
Married with children

7. Are your immediate family members and/or close friends aware of your incontinence? Generally accepting?
Yes, but only my wife, but my son is getting older and he might know already without telling.

8. What part of the world do you reside?
Germany

9. Do you find that this forum helps you deal with and/or manage your incontinence?
Yes it does, more than my German forum, but you need to accept the DL view on this topic, not that easy sometimes.

10. When did you get incontinent and what is your age at the moment?
I am 47 years old and got incontinent with 43 years.

 

[bdale]

1. Is your incontinence urinary, bowel, both, or neither?
Urinary only

2. Are your diapers disposables (tab), cloth, pull-ups, pads, combination (with percentage), or none?
Cloth: 25%, Disposable: 75%. I wear pull-ups during the day. If I am going to be home, I wear a Thread Armor Lounge Brief. If I am going out for four hours or less, I wear a disposable pull-up, longer than four hours I wear a disposable diaper. At night I wear a disposable diaper.

3. Is your incontinence due to an accident, illness, birth defect, childbirth, other?
I was born premature, and my bladder never fully developed. I had reasonable daytime control up to my mid 60’s but have never been reliably dry at night.

4. Have you been treated by medical doctors for your incontinence? Tests, drugs, surgery, etc? Status?
I have had many tests and tried drugs on and off my whole life. I still take some that help keep my incontinence somewhat manageable.

5. Does your incontinence (only) limit you from living a full and happy life?
As an adult no, but it is a pain to travel. When I was young it kept me from having any sleepovers or going on any overnight camps.

6. Are you single, married, engaged, sharing your life with a partner? Children?
Married with children, grandchildren, and a great grandchild.

7. Are your immediate family members and/or close friends aware of your incontinence? Generally accepting?
I keep my incontinence on a need to know. My wife and doctors are the only ones that know for sure. My wife is very accepting and helpful.

8. What part of the world do you reside?
USA- Oklahoma

9. Do you find that this forum helps you deal with and/or manage your incontinence?
YES! It is a great place to share, get tips and see how others manage.

10. I can’t think of anything else to ask. What else would you like to add?
It is interesting to see the difference between the AB/DL and incontinent members here. Some want to be incontinent, and others wish they were not.

 

[Ellyn]

You’d think that those here that claim to inspire to be incontinent would also be inspired to maintain their continence when reading posts here…. Dealing with incontinence takes careful planning, lots of money, and a lot of work. It never ends! Relationships can be adversely affected by sudden incontinence.
Careful what you wish for as there are oh so many potential perils that can affect us all in very negative ways. Cherish the good health that God has provided!

 

[CrossfireHurricane]

1. Is your incontinence urinary, bowel, both, or neither?
Both.

2. Are your diapers disposables (tab) , cloth, pull-ups, pads, combination (with percentage), or none?
Disposables (tab).

3. Is your incontinence due to an accident, illness, birth defect, child birth, other?
Birth defects.

4. Have you been treated by medical doctors for your incontinence? Tests, drugs, surgery, etc? Status?
Plenty of tests. Never surgery. Still complete IC. Don't expect to change.

5. Does your incontinence (only) limit you from living a full and happy life?
Never. Always active and employed.

6. Are you single, married, engaged, sharing your life with a partner? Children?
Single.

7. Are your immediate family members and/or close friends aware of your incontinence? Generally accepting?
Family and close friends know. Have always been accepted.

8. What part of the world do you reside?
USA- midweat.

9. Do you find that this forum helps you deal with and/or manage your incontinence?
It's great.

10. I can’t think of anything else to ask. What else would you like to add?
IC doesn't limit my life.

 

[Rusher]

1. Is your incontinence urinary, bowel, both, or neither?
Urinary day and night time


2. Are your diapers disposables (tab), cloth, pull-ups, pads, combination (with percentage), or none?
Disposable Megamax plus PVC diaper cover and the normal protection mattress

3. Is your incontinence due to an accident, illness, birth defect, childbirth, other?

It’s been an issue off and on since I was young.
I found out I have spasms in my bladder. Also a surgery made my bladder weaker. Also pretty sure my PTSD, DID and other issues play into it.

4. Have you been treated by medical doctors for your incontinence? Tests, drugs, surgery, etc? Status?

Yes poked tubed violated in every way. Doctors tried DDAP spray and other drugs. Only to have it effect my other medications. So I stopped taking them.


5. Does your incontinence (only) limit you from living a full and happy life?

It got in the way at sleep overs, I also would go a year or two without any incidents. Then they would start back up. You learn how to hide that you’re wearing diapers or pull-ups. I played a lot of sports and was able to hide it. Still it was embarrassing having to wear a diaper when ever you go out.


6. Are you single, married, engaged, sharing your life with a partner? Children?

I am divorced no kids hopefully will find someone again.

7. Are your immediate family members and/or close friends aware of your incontinence? Generally accepting?


I have friends that know not an issue some know of my ABDL things. They accept it. My ABDL issues came after my IC issues. I have no immediate family members alive so that’s not an issue

8. What part of the world do you reside?
USA- PA

9. Do you find that this forum helps you deal with and/or manage your incontinence?

Yes, people on here are great. I met some very caring people. I not only found IC support ABDL support. I also found others with PTSD and DID. Which I am very great full for.



10. I can’t think of anything else to ask. What else would you like to add?

Like My Signature says it’s a did eat dog world and I am wearing milk bone diapers.
Simply put not everyone will accept me. I’ve had kids and adults notice I was wearing diapers and laughed. Said some harsh words, however they don’t live with it. So i actually at times feel sorry for them. As the years go by there are new ways to hide the extra bulk etc. hope this was helpful

 

[BobbiSueEllen]

1. Is your incontinence urinary, bowel, both, or neither?
Neither so far but am showing signs of preliminary fecal incontinence.

2. Are your diapers disposables (tab) , cloth, pull-ups, pads, combination (with percentage), or none?
In practical use, 100% disposables. Main diaper is InControl Elites, secondary is Northshore Megamax in pink.

3. Is your incontinence due to an accident, illness, birth defect, child birth, other?
The preliminary stage is a combination of older age and severe fibromyalgia. How autism factors in--if it does--I'm not sure.

4. Have you been treated by medical doctors for your incontinence? Tests, drugs, surgery, etc? Status?
No.

5. Does your incontinence (only) limit you from living a full and happy life?
Not so far.

6. Are you single, married, engaged, sharing your life with a partner? Children?
Not married. Not at all interested.

7. Are your immediate family members and/or close friends aware of your incontinence? Generally accepting?
No. Keeping that to myself.

8. What part of the world do you reside?
USA; Idaho.

9. Do you find that this forum helps you deal with and/or manage your incontinence?
In a by-the-way manner, yes.

10. I can’t think of anything else to ask. What else would you like to add?
I went back in diapers at age 14 (1981) as a DL; went AB in 1999. 41 years of being back in diapers, it appears I may need diapers sooner than I thought.

 

[Richard101]

1. Is your incontinence urinary, bowel, both, or neither?
I often have an urgency and frequency issue for both though I doubt it would be officially classed as incontinence

2. Are your diapers disposables (tab) , cloth, pull-ups, pads, combination (with percentage), or none?
Tena pullups or Tena briefs depending on whether I expect to use them or not or for how lng I am out

3. Is your incontinence due to an accident, illness, birth defect, child birth, other?
stress and immune system related

4. Have you been treated by medical doctors for your incontinence? Tests, drugs, surgery, etc? Status?
Tests to identify the issue

5. Does your incontinence (only) limit you from living a full and happy life?
Has some impact on my diet and means I need two hours between getting up and going out in the morning to empty my bowel . Diet issues can impact on meals out

6. Are you single, married, engaged, sharing your life with a partner? Children?
single

7. Are your immediate family members and/or close friends aware of your incontinence? Generally accepting?
They are aware of my condition and are very understanding although I am not sure it classifies as incontinence as I do not have accidents

8. What part of the world do you reside?
UK - Gloucestershire

9. Do you find that this forum helps you deal with and/or manage your incontinence?
yes

10. I can’t think of anything else to ask. What else would you like to add?
Now that my condition has been fully investigated I understand the situation a lot better and can cope better

 

[Edgewater]

1. Is your incontinence urinary, bowel, both, or neither?
Urinary (U-IC) 24/7

2. Are your diapers disposables (tab) , cloth, pull-ups, pads, combination (with percentage), or none?
Daytime: White Cloth Diapers pre-folded style with NS Trifecta Diaper Covers Night time: NS MEGAMAX with NS Trifecta Diaper Covers

3. Is your incontinence due to an accident, illness, birth defect, child birth, other?
Car Crash combination of metal intrusion and associated surgeries, now 45 years ago

4. Have you been treated by medical doctors for your incontinence? Tests, drugs, surgery, etc? Status?
A medical team. Over the years, many surgeries and too many drugs to name, At this point, only using one drug FlowMax, which I have restarted.

5. Does your incontinence (only) limit you from living a full and happy life?
The use of diapers has allowed me to live an active, full and very happy life.

6. Are you single, married, engaged, sharing your life with a partner? Children?
Married with children and grandchildren.

7. Are your immediate family members and/or close friends aware of your incontinence? Generally accepting?
As a result of the car crash and hospital stay, everyone knew, family and extended family, friends and cohorts.

8. What part of the world do you reside?
USA, Michigan

9. Do you find that this forum helps you deal with and/or manage your incontinence?
YES! The knowledge base and support provides great help both emotionally and in managing my U-IC.

10. I can’t think of anything else to ask. What else would you like to add?
That first week home from hospital with the support of my dear wife, she diapered me as the "Hose and Bag" supplied by hospital was not working. She also, with our infant son and I, got us out the front door. I was heavily diapers and quickly came to realize that no one noticed. It is important to state that although I had come to accept diapers as allowing me to live a full and rewarding life. It is the OP of this Thread: Ellyn that brought a definition to this Forum which is; I’m okay with diapers as they allow me to live a nearly normal life. I’m “D-OK”. Thank you, Ellyn!

 

[hbic60]

1. Is your incontinence urinary, bowel, both, or neither?
Urinary only

2. Are your diapers disposables (tab) , cloth, pull-ups, pads, combination (with percentage), or none?
tab disposables - belt type during the day, "full" 4-tab diapers for the night

3. Is your incontinence due to an accident, illness, birth defect, child birth, other?
Side effects of other meds I have to take daily permanent (blood pressure/heart beat rate) after a heart stroke + simply age related issues

4. Have you been treated by medical doctors for your incontinence? Tests, drugs, surgery, etc? Status?
tested everything to exclude serious other damage behind. Denial (with agreement of my doc) to add further meds with side effects, no deeper interest in trying out botox injections. Im OK with wearing protection (without any side effects) to manage my IC

5. Does your incontinence (only) limit you from living a full and happy life?
Nope, other than issues with going to the sauna ...

6. Are you single, married, engaged, sharing your life with a partner? Children?
Married with (meanwhile adult) children + 4 grand children

7. Are your immediate family members and/or close friends aware of your incontinence? Generally accepting?
My wife is aware and fully supporting since beginning of my IC. I have nothing to hide, I'm treated in the same way than before, it doesn't matter at all to her which kind of underwear I use - it did never change the way how she looks at me or how we touch each other...
My children know, but it never came up as an issue in any kind!

8. What part of the world do you reside?
Europe - Germany

9. Do you find that this forum helps you deal with and/or manage your incontinence?
For sure - having a place where to openly discuss all practical, social, medical and emotional challenges coming along with incontinence is a great advantage - even just knowing that one is not alone with those challenges is a great support!

10. I can’t think of anything else to ask. What else would you like to add?
I have been continent most of my life, IC came in about two years ago. I was able (also thanks to my wife) to normalize diapers in my life, we are still able to fully enjoy our active and social life with nearly no limitations as if I won't be IC at all. I’m not AB or DL - I fully accept that those lifestyles exist, and have absolutely nothing against those members, as long as they follow the according rules when participating in discussions in the Incontinence sub. I’m fully “D-OK”, thanks to you Ellyn to introduce this "label" to ADISC - I identify myself 100% to this!

 

[InconLifer]

1. Is your incontinence urinary, bowel, both, or neither?
Both.

2. Are your diapers disposables (tab) , cloth, pull-ups, pads, combination (with percentage), or none?
Disposable with tabs 24/7. I've tried other options but none work as well. Taped products are very much the least worst option.

3. Is your incontinence due to an accident, illness, birth defect, child birth, other?
I've had chronic incontinence issues my entire life, probably as a result of poor interoceptive awareness due to my Autism and ADHD. IBS entered the picture in my late teens. Whilst my bladder control did improve as I got older, I've never been able to stay dry. I developed Long Covid back in 2020 and my continence fell off a cliff afterwards due to the neurological complications. Prior to that I was getting by with pull-ups and only used taped products if I was travelling or having an IBS flareup but since 2020 only bulky taped products meet my needs.

4. Have you been treated by medical doctors for your incontinence? Tests, drugs, surgery, etc? Status?
Yeah, I was prescribed medication as a kid but it didn't have any real impact. I was prescribed something more recently but given the links to dementia and how bad my cognitive impairment is due to Long Covid (and the potential increased dementia risk with that) and the fact rugs haven't worked well before, I didn't decide to give it a go.

5. Does your incontinence (only) limit you from living a full and happy life?
Nope. There is the practical issue that due to my condition I need help changing which is embarrassing but I see all the other aspects of my disability to be far more limiting. The chronic fatigue and brain fog are the main things that stop me from studying and working. My main annoyances are having to pack more now and also the sheer cost. Prior to it worsening I was able to get by with DryNites most of the time which were crazily cheap in comparison to decent adult nappies.

6. Are you single, married, engaged, sharing your life with a partner? Children?
Single

7. Are your immediate family members and/or close friends aware of your incontinence? Generally accepting?
My parents are aware as my lack of control over the years has been obvious. They're understanding and never pushed protection on me and that was a decision I made as I was sick of smelling of urine all the time and having mountains of laundry. I wore nappies for bedwetting as a kid and whenever I was ill (and so liable to fall asleep) and so it wasn't such a big step. I was taken out after my Dad started getting embarrassed at having to still buy them in the supermarket as I got older (and, to be fair, given it was known I was an only child and the other parents shopped at the same supermarket, I imagine it would have got out had I been in them longer). I still wet the bed every night though until I was around ten and then it became more intermittent. I ended up missing the nappies as disrupted sleep and damp sheets and clothes wasn't much fun. I was also miserable in school constantly having to hide accidents and terrified of wetting the bed on school trips, however it seemed better than the alternative of wearing protection and being found out. No friends know.

8. What part of the world do you reside?
Europe - UK

9. Do you find that this forum helps you deal with and/or manage your incontinence?
It's been a real lifeline. I don't like talking about my incontinence with non-IC people as it's super embarrassing due to the stigma and this place has been great.

10. I can’t think of anything else to ask. What else would you like to add?
I personally see incontinence as the least frustrating element of my disability. Whilst it's made it worse, having lived with it my entire life I don't see it as a big deal in terms of stopping me doing things. I think all the other factors (mobility, fatigue, brain fog) are much more debilitating. I miss being able to manage it independently though and being able to wear more discreet products a lot of the time.

 

[Andrewgdfw]

You’d think that those here that claim to inspire to be incontinent would also be inspired to maintain their continence when reading posts here…. Dealing with incontinence takes careful planning, lots of money, and a lot of work. It never ends! Relationships can be adversely affected by sudden incontinence.
Careful what you wish for as there are oh so many potential perils that can affect us all in very negative ways. Cherish the good health that God has provided!

Certainly true. I also speak as one who IS urinary incontinent. As to continence itself: 'You don't know what you got 'till it's gone.'