Don't Let Incontinence Stop You from Living your Best Life
By Darin B., 47
I developed urinary incontinence as a child due to a severe case of a rare bladder disease called Eosinophilic Cystitis. EC is a very rare disease in which a type of white blood cell, the eosinophil, causes injury and inflammation to the bladder, causing problems with its function. At first it was just bedwetting and my folks thought I'd eventually grow out of it, but I did not. I tried a few medications with no success, so I finally had to accept that I was likely going to need to wear absorbent incontinence products for the rest of my life. I admit it has gotten me down more than once, but I decided long ago not to let it ruin my life, and it hasn't!
I love the outdoors: hiking, camping, snowboarding, and exploring new places and restaurants. I have experimented with many different products to find ones that would allow me to do the things I enjoyed without leaks or being too uncomfortable. Let me tell you adult absorbent products have come a long way since the 80s! Back then you had only a few choices, and they were not very absorbent or comfortable. Today you can find soft, comfortable products that allow you to go as long as a full day without worrying about leaks. These days I still like to get out on the trail as often as possible and go on weekend adventures to explore new places, go to my kids events, etc... although I don't hit the slopes as often because my knees tend to complain (joys of getting older).
I often see people posting on support forums that they don't want to leave the house because of their incontinence. I tell them try different products until you find the ones that work for you and enable you to get out and live your life! With the resources that are available today, there is usually no reason you can't do the things you enjoy. Just think of it like any other medical aid (glasses, a cane, knee brace, etc...). Over the years I have also seen these products become more commonplace and accepted. There is still some stigma of course, but I think overall using absorbent products to manage a condition millions of people have is more culturally accepted than it used to be. Just look at the number of products available in retail stores and the wide variety of eCommerce stores offering them. I am thankful that companies like LivDry offer such a great line-up of comfortable, absorbent products to allow active individuals, like myself, to get out and do the things we enjoy without worry of leaks and odors.