www.incontinentsupport.org

I've been having problems with needing to pee all the time, it feels like I need to pee even when I only have a little wee in my bladder, I can't sleep at night because I feel like I need to wee and its stopping me from sleeping. Urinary tract infection has been ruled and overactive bladder is suspected. When I've been for a pee I have a long uncontrollable dribble afterwards plus when I have a poo I leak too. I have been wearing pads for some months out of convenience plus it helps me to sleep because I'm not getting up to go for a pee many times a night. i have been lazy because I have gone in the pads because its convenient and stops the conformable need to pee all the time. Do you think that could lead to worse problems down the line and what can they be?

As you describe it, your condition sounds very serious and should be something about which you should be seeking medical attention on an ongoing basis. Since wearing a diaper helps you to sleep and manage your problem better, I think you should continue wearing one. I do not think that wearing a diaper will cause you to lose bladder control more rapidly, although your control may decrease as a result of whatever is the matter with you. Wearing a diaper (or an external catheter if that works well for you) is just a way of managing your situation.

When inadequate protection forces you to get up to go to the bathroom so often during the night, over time your sleep will become so disrupted that you will be unable to function in public, and unable to drive safely. Wearing adequate protection and using it are not signs of laziness; they are mature and appropriate management tools.

I'm just worried because I think I have contributed to my level of needing nappies and incontinence through stubbornness and laziness, I regret not going to see a urologist or specialist because of pride. I'm 31. I don't think I have prostate problems. I'm not retaining pee. I know I don't have a UTI because I have had blood tests because of the antipsychotic medication I'm on. My Prolactin levels are okay but I find it difficult to get an erection. I'm too achamed to sell my psychiatrist and community support nurses.

What could cause overactive bladder which I think I have. I have lived with this awhile. I remember it not being this bad, like the peeing little dribbles out after I've been to the toilet, needing to pee many times a night but I think overtime it's got worse because I think I contributed to it with managing with pads and not trying to manage it through bladder exercises to getting it checked out

I know now I sometimes wake up needing to pee, and sometimes I wake up wet without knowing it. I have a weak stream when I'm peeing during the day, little dribbles. My clenching relax has become weaker, when I do try and clench pee spurts out. I catch myself leaking without realising it sometimes. etc

Because I live in a supported living group home it's manageable, Nobody embarrasses me. I'm very independent managing my continence needs and very decreet.

It could be an overactive bladder likely you should see a doctor like others have said. Overactive bladder is a condition by itself. For me it manifests as needing to go to the toilet frequently and on bad days my bladder leaking or having accidents when I can't quickly make it to a toilet

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-full time graduate student with urge urinary incontinence due to an overactive bladder

Cough cough,
You mentioned taking antipsychotic medication. I take Asenapine (Saphris). It is an atypical that dissolves under the tongue. I have Bipolar 1 Disorder. I take Lithium and Lamictal for mood stabilizers. Psychotropic medication is definitely linked to bladder issues. Talk to your psychiatrist! He/she may be able to help you! You may need to see a urologist who can help with some other issues including sexual health which also may be to blame on your medication. Psychotropics are not easy on the body. Especially antipsychotic and mood stabilizers. Some of the more severe mental disorders which require the medication you mentioned can have extreme side effects. Don't be afraid to talk to your doctor. If you really want to know what your meds can do, you can call your pharmacist and ask for the manufacturer who makes your prescription and you could then call the company and tell them what kind of symptoms you're having and they can let you know if they are associated with their product. I have done this when I had questions about side effects. Your doctor will know quite a bit too. Or you could call the FDA. All these avenues are good. Oftentimes, you can find the results from the clinical trials online.

Hello,
Yes, unfortunately you can lose whatever control you remain. I'm fully urinary incontinent and partially fecal incontinent as well and my incontinence - urinary one was progressing to hit me the hardest when I was a teenager, so I know how hard it is. I can also use example of a guy, that I know who was partially urinary incontinent and due to wearing protection all the time his incontinence has progressed as well. So I would advise against using protection if you don't or at least don't use diapers right away. They give this certain feeling of security, that is very addictive and we subconsciously feel safe, therefore we urinate more in our diapers. When you don't wear protection, you don't feel so safe - you are afraid of being embarrassed in public etc thus you don't tend to urinate so much, especially as you have some control left yet I wouldn't resort to protection unless I would have to.

It depends on the underlying cause of the incontinence. Age plays a role, too. My incontinence is of the urge variety, but I have noticed that I'm leaking more. I don't feel the leakage episodes when they happen, but I know I'm leaking once the diaper starts feeling wet. I don't think that it is the result of wearing diapers, as I still use the restroom whenever I can, but I suspect that the leakage is being caused by something different than what caused the urge incontinence. (My urge incontinence is due to sphincter damage caused by passing too many kidney stones. I suspect the leakage is a combination of nerve damage plus OAB. I tried the OAB drugs, but I couldn't tolerate the side effects plus they don't do anything to fix the original cause.) The result is that more of my urine ends up in the diaper rather the toilet than in the past.

At night, an "urge" always used to wake me up and I could usually make it to the toilet in time. (I still wear a heavy cloth diaper and PUL cover as a backup.) It is not unusual for me to be up 2-3 times per night. Due to my work schedule and long commute, I get only 5-6 hours of sleep on weeknights, and the "urge" awakenings shorten that even further. However, several months ago, I woke up in the morning with a wet diaper, so it appears that I am no longer always waking up with each "urge," or I am now experiencing more continuous leakage that I can't feel. I don't attribute it to wearing the diapers, as my conscious mindset is to still make every effort to make it to the toilet when I can. That being said, not waking up with each "urge" is a blessing in disguise as I wake up in the morning more well-rested and much less tired. And, I have to wash the diapers anyway, so it's no extra work from the standpoint of doing laundry.

Since I have wrote my last post I have seen no improvement in my continence. its only gotton worse. I can only describe it has weeping urine nearly constantly. If I'm sitting I and stand up I dribble and gush. Its a very weak stream. Unfortunately and reluctantly I have had to have a increase in my antipsychotic and started the mood mood stabiliser Depakote so I think it's definitely got worse from the combination off them both but more so the antipsychotic I think. My Psychiatrist has concerns and wants to refer me to the continence service but I'm very reluctant but compromised on his suggestion and had a full blood work done and everything came back normal so this rules out infection at least. I think I have stress incontinence? I'm not holding urine, don't feel full or need to pee a lot only when I'm sitting down with a weak stream then a dribble or small gush when I stand up.

Hi cough cough,

Seeing an urologist (continence service) is worth the effort it may be embarrassing but making sure theres no underlying life threatening issue is worth a bit of momentary embarrassment and the info and support they provide will help you manage your bladder issue.