www.incontinentsupport.org

Read about Pavlovs dog study. Conditional reflex.

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I want to join the bowel movement....

Wow, crazy! So I'm not the only one suffering with the "front key in the door" syndrome? Wow.

I too have many of these triggers. I tend to think of a lot of these episodes as "gravity wees", because I'm standing up when they happen. If I'm moving around, and I get an urge hit, as soon as I stop, the floodgates open. And, for me, the transition time from no urge to wet in these situations can be in the order of seconds. I can walk into my kitchen, and open the fridge. No urge, no feeling I need to wee. Take out the carton of milk, and turn around, and begin to decant into my coffee cup? A wet happens. Not all the time either.

Yes to water, doing the dishes, feeding the dog.

I can be in my vehicle at a petrol station with no urge or indications, to standing at the bowser and wetting uncontrollably.

If I get an urge whilst sitting at my desk at work, and I stand up, I often wet right at that moment. I don't understand this. I theorise that, because of my changed anatomy down there (I have a very short urethra, with a kink in it), by standing up, the pressure keeping my urethra closed is unloaded, and gravity takes over.

So weird. What does it all mean?

Looks like we all have all experienced the challenges of a trigger in our daily lives.
Its good to know what they are but honestly, thats not enough.
Most of the triggers are common daily living activities. We can't avoid opening the front door, washing dishes, opening the fridge, etc.
Has anybody developed strategies with dealing with triggers?
When my urge incontinence was the dominant symptom, I would make sure that my diaper could hold a full wetting when I went home. i.e. I made sure I changed into a dry diaper before getting home to contain a flood. If I was already wet prior to getting home, I knew I would leak at the door.

Fortunately or unfortunately, I don't experience triggers; I just leak when it's light outside or dark, however, I've dealt with it much differently. I've substantially stopped the leakage with an external device made of soft silicone, so I can wear it all day without removal. I now use a pad every two days (normally 2-3 per day). Consider reducing the leakage rather than dealing with it afterwards. Find a device that works for you to keep life simple (r). Best wishes. dglisan@comcast.net

Fiacs asked "Has anybody developed strategies with dealing with triggers?" Below is another extract from my draft book on managing incontinence."

"Quick flick" contractions (pelvic floor contractions or “Kegels”) can be very helpful for those with OAB. These consist of 3-5 quick contractions when urgency first is felt. You also can do the "quick flicks” immediately before exposure to a known trigger, such as before washing your hands in warm water. If the “quick flicks” do not work for you, try a pronged contraction of 10 to 15 seconds.

--John

However, these will only work if you successfully isolate the pelvic floor muscles involved. If you involve other nearby muscles, these will not work. Learning to isolate the proper muscles to make Kegels work as advertised requires the instruction of a pelvic floor therapist.

Stress and Anxiety can exacerbate the issue if you get the sudden urge to try to stay calm and relax, do not try to run or rush as this usually makes the matter much worse. It is easy to say and much harder to do when your bladder is ringing the alarm bells but it really does help to try to calm down. if you can work a timed voiding program into your schedule you may also help the issue for some people this works well. your body will learn the schedule and in time this can alleviate the surprise "gotta go now" moments.

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Incontinence does not Define NOR limit you!
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To JDInVirginia,
We all hope you publish your book soon. I am sure it offers all of us much needed tips

Situations such as these illustrate the value of pelvic floor therapy and training. If doing Kegels properly has given you even just a minute or two at such crucial times, they have paid for themselves.

Yes, I learn from them. If I'm not wearing a diaper after dinner, I have to go pee before washing the dishes. If it might rain, it's a diaper day. Always wear when I get my hair cut, or go to the hardware store.

It used to be I could reliably wear regular underwear all summer, but not so much any more. Those triggers that happen during fall and winter are now hitting me in the summer as well. So I prepare myself for those triggers and there are no surprises then.

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- Tom