www.incontinentsupport.org

Years ago, I used to be known as abhd on this board. After unsuccessfully trying to reinstate that name, I'm now inconinmiss. The new name is somewhat descriptive. I'm incontinent, and I live in Mississauga, Ontario. A somewhat less descriptive pseudonym that I use on some other boards is Nick Lynn (or Nick).

My bladder control problem started as an unexpected side effect of what was supposed to be relatively minor surgery in 1956 when I was 14 years old, but I was an occasional bedwetter and pants wetter before the surgery. So I've never had entirely normal bladder control. After the surgery, I had severe urge incontinence and was in cloth diapers and plastic pants full-time for a couple of years, and that was an extremely unpleasant way to go to high school in a small town. That unpleasantness was strong motivation to make me extremely conscientious about working on Kegel exercises (although I don't recall using that term until many years later). As a result, my daytime continence improved to the point that I was frequently able to go without wearing a diaper during the day by the time I went to university.

However, as I got older, my continence deteriorated again. As a result, I've been back in diapers again 24/7 for the past 25 years or so. I use the toilet whenever I can, but I can't trust my bladder even when I'm at home. The 'urges' are unpredictable. Sometimes I have enough time to get to the toilet, but often I don't. I am very grateful for the enormous and continuing improvements in incontinence products. Modern disposables have turned incontinence into a relatively minor nuisance, in comparison to the major hassle it was when all we had were cloth diapers and plastic pants.

Welcome back to the board Nick... some old familiar names and user ID's still on here from back when you were active, and quite a few new as well, including myself... Puffy

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Puffy
BC, Canada
Fighting the "Bladder Battle" since 1995

Hi Nick, and let me join Puffy Pants in welcoming you back! I have missed you!

I am of the same age/era and went to school in the 50's protected by cloth diapers and rubber pants....ugh, I still remember the discomfort of rubber pants....but it seems there were no plastic pants for big kids back then. And my pants were puffy for sure, but still my diapers were pretty much my secret so it wasn't too, too bad!

I fully agree the disposable diapers we have today are fabulous. I still wear cloth most all the time, with far more comfortable 6 mil plastic pants and nylon waterproofed pants which make the summer heat a lot more bearable!

I agree that urinary incontinence should be a nuisance or inconvenience and NOT a debilitating condition to keep people home and out of the social world! Someone once said, "Quit your belly aching! Tape on a diaper and get on with your life!"

Again, Nick, it's great to have your insight and experience back on the board!

JoeK

Thank you for the insite. It give me hope.

Welcome back to the board . I remember you from some of the other incon support boards back in the day as well.

-Darin