Shared Stories from People with Incontinence

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Incontinence affects men, women, and children of all ages and races. Everyone has their own unique story to tell, and these are just a few. Please keep in mind that everyone’s situation is different, and what worked for one person may not work for another.  These stories are told by the individual with incontinence, in their own words. We invite you to share your story with us.

Sharing with Family Improved Quality of Life

My Story – Submitted by: Rick

I want to share my story with you and hopefully I can help others deal with the same.

Don’t get down. Do what you have do. I’m married and have a understanding wife, and family. When I started having accidents, day, and night, I went to get help, and doctors could not find anything wrong. It left me with few options. I refused to wear anything, but that only caused me to isolate myself. My loving wife took over and encouraged me to get out and off the couch. She said no one will laugh at you. Let’s have a family meeting with everyone and just tell them how bad your problem is and that you now have to wear diaper all the time. When we told them, they all seemed shocked but said, “It’s OK.”Continue reading→

One Woman’s Fight Against Stigma

My Story – Submitted by: Reina

One night, a couple of months back, I was watching Jon and Kate Plus Eight. I love that show and think it is fascinating to folow the lives of that family. I also love the way they do things together. Their family is so precious. They are so lucky. However, one particular episode struck a nerve but inspired me at the same time. And, I thank the family’s show prefusely for getting the fire ignited that is responsible for getting the ball rolling.Continue reading→

One Woman’s Fight Against Stigma (An Update Three Years Later)

My Story – Submitted by: Reina

You guys probably recall me sharing a story about my finally accepting my incontinence and no longer being ashamed. In that story, I stated how I saw a particular episode on John and Kate Plus 8, and it gave me a desire to engage in efforts to educate the world about incontinence, letting people know that there is no need to be ashamed of having the condition and that it does not have to rule their lives. Well, I’m back to give you all an update. I know it has been awhile, but here it is.Continue reading→

My Transvaginal Mesh Surgery

My Story – Submitted by: Mary

I am a 53-year old woman who had a hysterectomy for cervical cancer at 27 and chronic bronchitis in my 40’s. This caused my incontinence and I was told I would get relief if I had the transvaginal mesh implanted. I had the surgery in 2009, both bladder and rectal repairs.

Since then, I have had nothing but problems. The mesh is eroding out of my vagina, my bladder has fallen again, I cannot empty my bladder totally, have the urge to urinate often and I leak constantly. I also can’t be intimate with my husband without pain. That is not even close to being the worst of it.Continue reading→

A Neurogenic Bladder Due to Marfan Syndrome

My Story – Submitted by: Carl

I first noticed urinary leakage in January, 1985, and simply changed my pjs and underwear. However, within weeks, I found myself changing my underwear several times each day, and staining my bed sheets. After my first accident, I panicked, went to my PCP, and was referred to the first of a series of urologists, none of whom took my situation seriously. The urinary pain began almost simultaneously with the onset of the incontinence, though the spasms were infrequent and not really painful; they were just bad enough to get my attention. I joined the Simon Foundation and through it discovered folks, whom I later discovered to be AB/DL, who patiently taught me much of what I would need to know to get through life as an incontinent. Though I am not one of their number, I owe them much.Continue reading→

Living with VACTERL Association

My Story – Submitted by: Gerald

I was born in 1957 with VACTERL Association. I have a Klippel-Feil in both my cervical spine and lumbar spine (L1-L4 congenitally fused), a syrinx in lower cervical spine, urinary tract fistulas, imperforate anus, and a horseshoe kidney. I have a history of distension, pseudo-obstruction (for which I have been hopitalized and NG’d several times), two obstructions due to adhesions, and these were surgically repaired. I also have a syrinx in my lower cervical spine which is stable. I was also born with an imperforate anus and required a pull-thru at birth. I had laminectomies in both my cervical and lumbar spines (L1-L4 is congenitally fused with hemi-vertibrae, scolioses, severe stenosis in the foramen and central canal). I have a horseshoe kidney but do not have any renal issues that I am aware of, though I am prone to UTI’s. I am largely incontinent and have severe motility problems and am sometimes unable to pass stool for a week at a time. Continue reading→

Living with Primary Nocturnal Enuresis

My Story – Submitted by: Anonymous

I have had to adapt to my surroundings and develop an intricate “cover” for the reasons why I do things, why I have never “slept over”.

When I go camping I always have two sleeping bags. I will sleep in my own tent and will swim in a freezing river early in the morning.

I can stay awake all night at my girlfriend’s house and she never knows, but I can’t stay there for more than two nights in a row.

Walked 20 kilometres home from a party because I dozed off.

Why do I keep my bedroom door shut and get up before everyone else in a shared house? They all think I’m a clean freak because I do the washing every morning and always wash my sheets. They tell me that I shouldn’t freak out about bed bugs.

Just a few situations that primary nocturnal enuresis has put me through.Continue reading→

Learning to Live with Bladder and Bowel Incontinence

My Story – Submitted by: Shawn

Hello all! My name is Shawn and I am 39 years old and I am bowel and bladder incontinent. This started for me about 2 years ago. Well, l started out driving dump trucks for months and theses guys were dropping 2-3 thousand pound rocks into my truck. Jarred the snot out of me and knocked the wind right out of me several times. I started having issues with balance, feeling lightheaded all the time, blood pressure issues, couldn’t think or reason. And then one day I was sitting in bed talking to my wife, and wammo! I was wet. Soaked! Started having issues during the day peeing my pants and started wetting at night.Continue reading→

Life is More

My Story – Submitted by: Gary

My story is simple yet it has its moments. I did not have any incontinence difficulties until I injured my back at work 4 times in 1 year. The doctor said it was nothing major after looking at the x-rays and sent me on my way, workmans comp covered the cost since I was hurt at work. These injuries occurred several months apart. I cannot say exactly when it all started but I woke up one morning with a slightly wet bed. I attributed it to excessive night sweating and forgot about it. Continue reading→

Incontinence Following Motorcycle Accident

My Story – Submitted by: Mike

When I was in my 20’s I had a bad motorcycle accident injuring my bladder and making me incontinent. I am 49 now and have worn adult diaper protection”just in case” for so long it’s normal to me, I look at them as just thicker underwear. Continue reading→