Cold weather making incontinence worse

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Has anyone else noticed that the colder weather makes urinary urgency and frequency worse and increases urinary incontinence? Now that the cold weather arrived, it seems like I have twice as many accidents.

 

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Absolutely, I had a huge urge accident last night walking in from the cold. No stopping it whatsoever.

 

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It be like that sometimes. Usually I've noticed frequency increase from cold weather, being sick, not drinking water for a while and going back to drinking water, and stress.

Maybe try to stay hydrated and see if that improves your symptoms in the cold weather?

Just a thought,
Honeeecombs

 

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Yes, I've noticed it too and makes me have more urgency issues even though I had Botox a few months ago. I wonder whether those metal round click things in heat pads might help and popping 2 small ones in trousers pockets, whether that might help?

 

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Definately have seen that too. Maybe we'll readjust in time. But even if not it's helpful to know that there's an external explanation and not a personal backslide. We can even take extra precaution knowing that's what happens in the cold. Good luck to us all

 

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yes this is a common thing often time a temperature change such as going from cold to warm or warm to cold can trigger a bladder spasm which can cause a leak and wearing a wet diaper in below zero weather can get very uncomfortable

 

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@Honeeecombs Hey there. Even before having babies and pushing 70 - at this point I try to avoid staying hydrated even though I know that is not a healthy course. Just trying to avoid what everyone else is trying to avoid. Even back in the day,being cold would make anyone want to pee.- given that, why do you say stay hydrated? - Pam

 

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This is my first bout of really cold weather dealing with incontinence, and the effect was definitely an unpleasant surprise for me as well. I was chilly all morning due to the unusually cold weather we're having in my area and trying not to crank the up thermostat too much yet as this is supposed to be a temporary cold snap here. I started working in the kitchen and I can only assume it was the combination of hands in warm water and the sound of running water that contributed to bringing on one of the largest accidents I've experienced. I had a very sudden, very severe urge and had barely taken a couple of steps toward the rest room when I started an almost complete void which is unusual for me. This could make for a very long winter if this is what's in store.

 

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I have a neurogenic bladder and can’t tell when I need to pee, so pee all the time. The cold weather does not have much effect on me, but I asked the question to the group I deal with, they are all incontinent and their consensus was ‘yes’ the cold does make it worse. They all try to be ready and carry what they’ll need.&

 

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This has been my experience, too. It's as if my bladder is shivering along with the rest of me. I try to dress in enough layers so that I don't get chilled, and that seems to help somewhat. I agree that a wet undergarment in below-freezing weather is VERY uncomfortable.

 

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Yes I have noticed that with the cold weather I’m using more diapers than in the warmer days I have tried to dress warmer but does not help me

 

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I always wet a lot more at night during the cold weather.

 

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Absolutely. I’m sure this is pretty common in colder weather.

 

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Yes I agree with you there the cold weather makes incontinence worse

 

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@geldy Oh yeah. I'll soak a high-capacity pull-up in a few hours when it's cold.

I have a somewhat funny story in that vein. One month last winter my usual shipment of incontinence supplies got delayed, and I completely ran out of my normal pull-ups and diapers. I had to go buy a package of pull-ups at CVS to use for a few days... and those things weren't worth a damn. One good wetting and they'd leak. Owing to the cold, I went through the whole package in a single day. For 2 days I lay nude on an absorbent overnight sheet (which I seldom used) on my bed, until my supplies arrived.