This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

Captain Pee-Pants here.

I've peed my pants just about everywhere now, my friends and family have become quite used to it.

My worst moment was probably when I took my kid to a birthday party at Menchies. Only one single bathroom that was occupied non-stop.

I made it in, but didn't get my pants all the way down. Had to push my way through 20 6-year old girls and their toney parents to grab my kid and get outta there. Kid starts screaming protest, draws full attention. I said I had a health issue and RAN.

I've peed myself on the subway train as well, thank goodness for large purses and sweaters.

I now take tolterodine (Detrol) and it works well. I've also learned that my bladder tends to flare when I'm getting sick, so at the first sign of a sneeze or throat tickle I start the pills.

Well Depends really do help. They contain most or all of the spill. Guards work too. They're absorbent pads that fit into your underwear. They're not quite as effective, but they are easier to change. Try both and see which you prefer. Much better than an embarrassing accident in public. Something else you can try, at least for men. It's called a Texas catheter. It's like a condom that fits over your tallywacker and drains into a bag strapped to your leg. The problem I have with them is that the condom has an adhesive inside which is very sticky. It can be difficult and even painful to remove. But you might have better luck. The bag can hold a lot of liquid and it can be easily emptied through a valve in the bottom of the bag. Raise your pant leg and open the valve over the toilet.

No, it was not Walmart, but "been there - done that"

The thing that works for me is a swo pronged approach
1 - Is Tamsulosin (Flomax, Diffundox). This acts to relax smooth muscle tissue (think the bladder muscles).
I get maybe 5 minutes warning instead of 30 seconds.
2 - Is a portable plastic urinal (shaped like a hospital male bed bottle).
You can use this standing between two open car doors (if you want a bit of privacy) but if nothing is visible, you do not really offend public decency. There is an adapter available for female users - but this is only practical if you arewearing a skirt,
The combination got me through a 200 mile car journey with just two stops to use the bottle.

G

I am not sure if it is my MS, or my large intake of water. But I pee a lot. There have been some close calls. I now make sure I go before I drive any distance. I sweat a ton at work, so I need to be sure to hydrate.