Lifestyle and incontinence adjustments

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After reading a post or two on some friends here who are trying to go to a place of employment or to go out on social events it struck me as a valid concern how we choose to handle our extroverted or introverted self with our varying types and reasons for incontinence.
Do we who were not born with incontence try to live exactly as we would preincontinence ?
Do folks who have an issue since birth adapt their personalities and lifestyle to accomodate this issue?
For myself, i consciously chose to stop wishing to partner with a bed companion and let the homebody loner part of me become a lifestyle. I realize i made the choice because of discomfort with the bedwetting issue but later, much later, came to realize i am simply embracing a different aspect of myself and the life path im on because of that my life is a richly fulfilling one. In other words, being a "forced" or societally conditioned extrovert" is not a prize to be sought but a choice.
But each of us is handling incontinence and its role on the 24/7 differently.
Im curious if others have given thought to whether you are conciously trying to live as though incontinence never happened or are working your days and nights differently because it changed you to have the condition, with or without without other life altering health issues.
How does having incontinence affect your social abilities or personality? Have you thought if you are a full extrovert seeking to live as much in public as possible or a person who is happy with a home life and a small friend or family daily life?
Some folks lost mobility for instance or a limb or eye sight. They would be adjusting themselves with no option but to have to.

 

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For me, I have tried to work around my illness. Yes it effects basically everything I do, or where I go. I have curtailed my social events to "have too". If I must go to them, I make sure I have my things in order. Just in case. Yes personality wise, my PCP talked with me, and told me to transition to tape side products, look for new ideas as my journey continues. Medication helps some.

But was at one appointment yesterday, and pulmonary nurse told me she would like to see me "transition" to a much stronger tranquilizer/sleep medication also that will stay in my system, instead around 10 hour full/half life, she wants me to take one that is much longer, basically medicating me all the time. A zombie that pees his pants.

I look at this as my mind will never be clear. She also told me she also wants me to transition to a full time Foley. Or I will need tape protection day/night now, (no more pullups) when she orders the new med.
Basically,, this is a slippery slope I'm on.

 

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Having only had been dealing with this for six months now I am trying to figure out how to manage the job I have and my relationship with my partner. I was never very social and even less now. I was an avid cyclist and backpacker, pretty much the only things I did outside of work. So I feel like I essentially have to reinvent myself since I’m not sure how to continue doing either activity. Work is challenging, I’m a retail manager we are required to work 10 hour shifts half of them closing shifts. It has been difficult to continue to interact with employees and customers with all this going on. I keep hoping at Doctor visit after Doctor visit that some diagnosis or treatment plan will result but so far that hasn’t been the case.

 

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I used to bicycle and horseback ride.
If i was in a relationship i think i would have old fashioned seperate beds or even bedrooms for dignity and comfort.
Stil trying to think how to get back on the horse.

 

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I've lived with it long enough to where it doesn't really interfere with my personal/social life. At first it was extremely tough and I tried to stay home as much as possible but the wife encouraged me get comfortable being away from home and that really helped speed up the confidence.

 

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I try to carry on as normal, but it is always there. I have supplies in my car, at work and in a small rucksack I carry around. There are reminders everywhere. My wife tells me that I have got more relaxed about it and we have been out more recently. I guess that a time will come, when it is just the new me. Phil

 

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When I stop to consider my lot, I see just how truly blessed I am. It took a while, (and I'm sure there will be relapses), but I have come to see that incontinence products are simply absorbent layers. As has been said here many times, they aren't any different than eye glasses.I need them, so I wear them. And I get on with my day. I am blessed as well, by having been prepared for this eventuality- I worked, in the months preceding my accident with physically disabled adults, and I saw that catheters, braces, wheelchairs, diapers and walkers are simply medical devices. I often wonder if God, in His perfect wisdom and fore-knowledge was preventing me from something far worse? Would I have been suicidal, or would I have turned to drugs or alcohol if I hadn't been able to look at this problem with my previously instilled perspective on it?

 

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I think one of the differences between eyeglass analogy and incontinence is that it impacts most of the 5 senses whereas glasses do not.
However it does work on the 6th sense which is intution on how to be aware of ones impact on where one is sitting and with whom.
It asks us to be our best human selves, ie, considerate and to be as clean and thoughtful of others as possible.

 

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The adjustment at 1st was a downer but just don't let it control [your] life.