Holidays and Incontinence

The holiday season is upon us. With your social calendar filling up with family and friends, there is one thing on your mind - managing your incontinence for the holidays.

With a little planning, you can be more confident in your travel plans and reduce the stress and anxiety in the holidays. Here are a few tips that can come handy during the holidays.

1. Plan your trips ahead of time

If you’re visiting family or getting on the road for a long drive, use a navigation application to plan restroom stops along the way. Knowing when your next stop is ahead of you, can help relieve the anxiety that comes from uncertainty of a long trip.

2. Mindful eating

Know what foods are good for you and which can irritate the bladder. If eaten in excess, foods that are diuretics like coffee, soda, alcohol, acidic fruit juices like grapefruit, oranges, lemons, limes, carbonated drinks, chocolate, tomato-based products can cause irritation of the bladder. Simply reducing intake can help to understand changes in urinary urgency, frequency and incontinence.

3. Hydration

Try consuming fluids  in smaller amounts throughout the day. Drinking too much at once can cause the bladder to fill up too quickly. Many people try to avoid drinking water during a long trip to avoid going to the bathroom. While this might seem preventative, the lack of fluids can cause a UTI. Good examples of fluids are soup, green tea etc.

4. Timed toilet breaks

Try bladder training with a little habit adjustment. Try going to the restroom even when you do not have the urge to go. Gradually increase the time between urination. This will allow your bladder to fill more fully and gives you control over the urge to urinate. Once you’ve set a schedule, it’s best to stick to plan even if it isn’t a pattern you were prepared for. Need reminders? Speak to a close friend or family member who can give you a heads up in time.

5. Monitor your bladder

With advances in wearable tech, you can monitor your bladder to see how you’re bladder is progressing. Most of us wait till it’s too late to go to the bathroom. With a bladder monitoring device like DFree®, you can receive discreet notifications on your phone or iWatch, advising you when it’s time to go to the bathroom.

Have a tip that has worked for you?  Share with us and the DFree community. Knowledge is key, but always seek medical advice for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. Have any questions or thoughts? Write to us at sp-us@www-biz.co, we’d like to hear from you.