www.incontinentsupport.org

Its not a cliche to describe the urgency escalate when you approach the front door or at the toilet. Back when I had predominantly urge incontinence, I noticed that I was a 1/10 (mild urgency) at the driveway of my house. I would think to myself - "not a problem". I park the car in front of the garage and its now 5/10 (probably need to go within several minutes). 5 feet later I am 8/10 and I can feel the spasms and myself dribbling into my diaper and by the time I get to the door, its 10/10 and "I am going in my diaper". At this point all I can do is stand at my door with my key in hand and wait until I have emptied by bladder.
Does anybody have an explanation for this escalation?

I have no explanation, but I too have similar experiences. I'll arrive home, no noticable need to urinate, pulling in the garage,closing the overhead door walking to the door into my house and the "floodgates" open up.

fiacs, what you are experiencing is referred to as a "trigger" for urinary incontinence.

From the research for my book on managing incontinentce I learned that many with overactive bladder may find that certain sights, sounds, or situations, i.e. “triggers,” stimulate urination. For OAB, these visual, auditory, or situational "triggers” usually include running water, rising from a sitting position, entering the bathroom, drinking a liquid, washing hands, entering the shower, placing a key in the door, and others. Specific stress situations also can be “triggers.” Each person may respond to one or even more different triggers.

It is important to know what your “triggers” are in order to prepare for them or to avoid some situations.

It took me a while to see the pattern that I frequently was peeing in my diaper whenever I helped my wife with washing the dishes (and no, I did not get out of washing the dishes).

--John

You pretty much hit most of my triggers JD, but there are those times that I just to say to my bladder enough already.

Hey JD:
I've got the exact same trigger and yeah, I've got to wash the dishes too. Another one that gets me almost every time is putting gas in the car. My Wife hates to do it so I can't get away from that one either.

Sometimes this happens when i brush my teeth.. so i always make sure im protected beforehand

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"We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love" Mother Teresa

"THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!" - Captain Picard from Chain of Command, Part II

sociologygeek

Wow this also happens to me when I brush my teeth, triggers are so very strange. One minute perfectly okay next thing not so. I am so relieved that other people have similar ones to me thought I was going a bit mad.

Greenbank

Great discussion and very interesting to see that others share many of our same "triggers."

--John

Washing my hair is another trigger. Normally I'm in the shower, so that is safe. However, I live near Seattle and it rains a lot here. Trigger! Also when I get my hair cut, and most women's salons will spray water on my hair first. (Trigger again!)

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- Tom

I very much identify with this dynamic, does anyone know any strategies for how to deal with it?