“I laughed so hard, I wet myself”; and other real problems

Despite being someone most people see as confident and sometimes even “loud”, it takes quite a bit of fortification for me to write this blog because the problem I am having is located “down there”. If I had a running nose, I could tell you, but because I have bladder leakage, I am suddenly silent. Funny how that happens to so many of us.

Have you ever said, “I laughed so hard, I wet myself”, speaking figuratively of course. For some of us this is not funny! It can mean a quick trip to the nearest bathroom, and you don’t always make it in time.

Heaven help me when I catch a cold. Coughing, can lead to total embarrassment. “Oops what did I sit in?” is an excuse easily overused.

There are just about as many causes of bladder weakness as there are people suffering from it and it is not limited to men or women, young or not so young. Only you and your healthcare professional can decide what is best for you.

Yes I did speak to my doctor and as a result, spent time with a physiotherapist learning pelvic floor exercises. They were very helpful. According to him, if I keep up my exercises, further intervention is not yet warranted, although it may be a possibility at a later date.

My doctor’s advice, in addition to the exercises, was to reduce my coffee intake because coffee is a diuretic, meaning more frequent trips to the bathroom. Slowly, but surely, I accomplished this and now drink no more than 3 cups a day.

As much as I kid myself I’m not getting any younger, which is in itself a frequent cause of bladder leakage. But thankfully, new products are making it easier to manage in public and in private.

My problem is not severe enough for me to spend every waking moment fearing the distance between comfort stops; my problem is not that chronic. But it can be for some people. But I am so much more relaxed and confident if I know “any accidents” won’t send me home early with my handbag held behind my back. Consequently I wear protection. Here, too, there are different styles of protection, from full panties to pads that offer full protection. You’ll learn what is best and most comfortable for you.

Yes intimate issues can be difficult to discuss, even for a “big-mouth” like me, but if you are one of the over four million men or women with incontinence, there are solutions, please take the time to find the best one for you.

Depend® has a great online tool to help you find the right product and protection for your needs.

Does this sound familiar to you?  Do you find that your weak bladder is getting in the way of planned activities? And have you taken steps to work your life around it?

This is a real story, supported by Depend® to make the discussion about incontinence and bladder issues less taboo among over 60s. Depend^® Real-Fit Underwear for men and women with bladder leakage was developed in response to research that identified a distinct consumer need. Real-Fit Underwear are specifically designed to fit and feel like real underwear and protect against moderate to heavy loss of bladder control.