hello friends! I hope you’re well.
there are no two ways about this one. I was diagnosed with RRMS in december after a year’s odd symptoms, including a quite scatty case of incontinence. I can sometimes go weeks, even months, totally fine, and I will think it’s fixed itself. but then it can strike a few times within a week or so and it’s obviously very dispiriting. somewhat bizarrely I’ve always been able to “get away with it” - never while in company, or on the way to something important, so I’m grateful for that…
is there anything to be done here? I’ve changed my diet and that seems to help, and exercise regularly, and I’ve noticed the things that aggravate it: alcohol, stodgy foods, and so on. so it feels like there is a degree of control. but occasionally I will be out walking, and hey presto. sometimes I can get there in time, others not.
what options do I have, if any? what are your experiences, what tips might you offer?
thanks friends! happy wednesday
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Hi James.
The gift that keeps on giving eh 
I haven’t had any mishaps yet but, I do get an urgent need to pee when I need to so, trips out for me are now partly planned on knowing where there’s a khazi - not so easy since I get disoriented easily now. I also put some folded kitchen towel down the front of my underwear just incase. ….. what a catch for the Ladies eh? 
The only other way I’ve found to manage it is by controlling the fluids I take on around where I’m going to be.
Hopefully you’ll find a routine for you that works 
All the best mate 
Jon.
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Thanks so much for your kind words Justin. It’s all trial and error isn’t it?
Thankyou for the undies tip. I’ll follow your lead and hope the ladies like it just the same…
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Hi James @jamesdjgale and also @jthatcher just to check, are you talking about bladder or bowel incontinence?
If it’s bladder incontinence yeah, that can be a real pain. The likes of Tenna pants are useful and stopping tea , coffee drinking ( caffeine irritates the bladder apparently as does alcohol).
The thing that I find really, really helpful and reassuring is ‘sheath catheters’. Like a condom but thicker and attaches to a plastic tube that leads down to a catheter bag strapped to your leg . I wear one when going out and no longer have to check out where the toilets are , no longer have to make trips to the toilet to try to empty my bladder in case of ‘accidents’.
On bowel incontinence, I don’t have any tips to offer. My problem is the opposite I.e constipation which can also be a real pain
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Thank you for that Hank
For me it is just a bladder issue of urgency at the moment. I haven’t had an accident yet - it’s just another inconvenience to deal with so far. I don’t think I like the idea of having to go with one of those bags some day mate but, I’m glad you’ve found a way that works for you.
Take care mate
Yeah, sheath catheters and bags aren’t exactly stylish and you would have to be very very self assured and confident to use a leg bag when wearing shorts or tight jeans. I’ve found them very useful though when out shopping, in cinemas, restaurants etc. Cheers and all the best
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Ah, a man without that bit of kitchen towel is not a real man…
Still, have you raised this issue with your MS team (MS nurse, for example, or neurologist)? When I got diagnosed we were sent to an Info Day and they talked us through a whole series of options for treating incontinence, depending on cause etc. They can do some sort of assessment. And they stressed that catheters were not the first/only option.
I’ve got away with it on all but one occasion - the latter being when I wet myself very visibly on a parkrun. My way of dealing with this has been to be absolutely upfront with people. Bladder problems are more common than you might think.… And since everyone - well almost - has a bladder, people do understand.
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