Dealing with hospital stays after being trained to bedwet

[oznl]

So. if you've not read my blog, I’m a bit over three years in to being 24/7 diapered and although fairly continent during the day, I’m by now thoroughly a bedwetter most nights: possibly all of them.

At this point I am frequently completely oblivious of these bedwetting events.  I can arrange my changing schedule so that I go to bed dry and I will wake up at some point through the night/early morning simply to discover myself to be wet.  Sometimes there are “pee dreams”, sometimes nothing at all.

I know through hard experiment that if I go to bed without my nappy now, I may well be woken by cold, wet sheets: not an experience I enjoy suggesting that things have moved beyond subconscious desire towards a new physiological norm.

Last night I had a dream that I was being admitted to hospital.  On the ward, the nurse, after referring to her notes, produced both an adult nappy AND a catheter kit (I guess to be sure to be sure) and I was confused as to how she’d known.  This may have been a "pee dream" but that's only tangentially relevant.

Anyway, I haven’t actually BEEN to hospital since 24/7 and I’m dimly aware that at some point, this hospital holiday will end.

My question is, I was wondering how others in a similar situation (new to bedwetting) have managed this in a hospital setting.  Should I say something?  Hope for the best?  Perhaps there’s some unknown psychological safety switch that will kick in and I’ll remain dry?

[justforfun]

I've had two run-ins with the medical world since I re-trained sleep wetting.

The first time was for a more major 'surprise' visit to the hospital.  By the time I had a chance to mention something, it was in reaction to a wet bed, where I had to tell the poor nurse that no, it was not the first time, and was a problem with which in fact I was well acquainted.  I mentioned that I usually wore some... urm... protection at home to deal with it, and asked in a drugged-mumbly-emabarrased way if there was something they could provide.  The first nurse just said not to worry about it and that they'd change the bedsheets as needed, since I wasn't what they considered to be incontinent and they didn't want to put me on a four hour change schedule and so on.  The next day, having had the sheets changed twice more (I was just laying in bed... sleeping...) my wife talked to the day nurse and they agreed that it would be ok if I managed it with supplies from home.  With my leg in the condition in was in, it was hard for me to manage changes, so they helped a minimal amount, mostly to make sure I could do what I needed to do without messing up my leg.

The second was an outpatient surgery.  My wife, being the helpful one at my consultation meeting, asked the nurse what I should do about it, and the nurse said that it was rare, but not unheard of, for patients to wet while under anesthetic, and it would not be a bad idea to wear whatever I wore at home and was comfortable with.  I wore a boring basic disposable, but didn't wet.

Anyway... in my limited experience, when it was planned for, it wasn't a big deal at all.  When it wasn't planned for, other things were way more important.

[oznl]

6 hours ago, justforfun said:

I've had two run-ins with the medical world since I re-trained sleep wetting.

The first time was for a more major 'surprise' visit to the hospital.  By the time I had a chance to mention something, it was in reaction to a wet bed, where I had to tell the poor nurse that no, it was not the first time, and was a problem with which in fact I was well acquainted.  I mentioned that I usually wore some... urm... protection at home to deal with it, and asked in a drugged-mumbly-emabarrased way if there was something they could provide.  The first nurse just said not to worry about it and that they'd change the bedsheets as needed, since I wasn't what they considered to be incontinent and they didn't want to put me on a four hour change schedule and so on.  The next day, having had the sheets changed twice more (I was just laying in bed... sleeping...) my wife talked to the day nurse and they agreed that it would be ok if I managed it with supplies from home.  With my leg in the condition in was in, it was hard for me to manage changes, so they helped a minimal amount, mostly to make sure I could do what I needed to do without messing up my leg.

The second was an outpatient surgery.  My wife, being the helpful one at my consultation meeting, asked the nurse what I should do about it, and the nurse said that it was rare, but not unheard of, for patients to wet while under anesthetic, and it would not be a bad idea to wear whatever I wore at home and was comfortable with.  I wore a boring basic disposable, but didn't wet.

Anyway... in my limited experience, when it was planned for, it wasn't a big deal at all.  When it wasn't planned for, other things were way more important.

Good to know thanks.  I've no plan of going into hospital (but I went through a phase of being a hospital "frequent flyer" about a decade ago) and I also have zero interest in fantasies about being changed by nurses.  Things have just gotten to the point where I'm sleep wetting a lot now and I suspect some pretty embarassing conversations are likely in the event of further hospital events.  Being catheterised would probably be the least-worst outcome as I'm fiercely independent about nappy changes.  I can't see myself wanting to be changed at all.   I don't think marinating in wet sheets continually pressing the "call" button is a place where I'd want to be either.

[deewet]

I have had total knee replacement done twice now, and the first time they put a cath into me prior to the event and for the next day while I was bedridden.  The nurse that removed it did a poor job and the result was issues for about a week after.  On the second go around for knee #2, I refused to allow the cath to be put in, and was provided a diaper (actually a thin pullup that I was able to avoid using for fear of leaking) for the day long bed confinement. Having a nice nurse help you with a bedpan type urinal is not bad either! The point is if you make an issue of your needs prior to the procedure as I did the second go around, it does get into your medical record and the hospital has to provide for your needs, or at least as well as they can.

[WBxx]

A now regular bed wetter, this past January I switched to a new primary care doctor.  Don’t remember ever seeing it before, one of the questions on the new patient form was “bedwetting?”  Initially skipping the question I eventually checked “no”.  Reasoning was I don’t desire treatment (quite the opposite) as well as not trusting the confidentiality of electronic medical records.  Yet hospital stays are certainly in my future, I beginning to regret my decision.

[Little Sherri]

How I'd manage this I guess depends on how I find myself in hospital... suddenly awake and confused, with airbag-caused friction burns on my face, or, "Intake is next Tuesday at 8 AM, with the procedure scheduled for noon..." 

I tend to land on @oznl's side of any desire to have my nappy dealt with by some poor overworked professional, who, in any case, these days, could as well be a man as a woman. If I had any chance to prepare and any expectation of mobility during and after whatever I was there for, I'd probably just bring my plainest white diapers with me and deal with them myself. The last time I was in hospital, other than in the actual surgery, I tended to wear athletic pants under my gown, anyway. Those ties are unreliable, the opening too long, and I've never gotten used to sitting cross-legged in what is essentially a short dress. Nobody wants to see that. So, a diaper under pants under a gown... I'm guessing it wouldn't merit a second glance. 

If I'm flat on my back and unable to tend to myself, I think I would prefer to be in a diaper, if only because I've never actually had anything jammed up Mini Me to date, whereas wearing a diaper for me is like wearing socks. But, that said, catheterization is a very common procedure, so I'll probably just have to put up with it, when the time comes, rather than insisting on tying up more resources than I have to. The goal is to get up and get out, anyway. 

[Dubious]

Just tell the nurse that you're a bedwetter and they will take the appropriate action. 

Never been diapered at hospital, but I guess you would get a diaper to put on your self if able to.

But then again, if its planned, you should just bring diapers, but still mention it to the nurse. 

[Newbee]

I’ve just had a stint in hospital but it is noted in my medical record that I am incontinent but this visit was different due to unexpected things happening they catheterised me which I absolutely hated I was so happy when they took it out and even though they gave me hospital nappies which are not very good they were certainly better than having a catheter. I changed myself I don’t like the nurses doing it.

[oznl]

On 3/22/2022 at 9:19 PM, Newbee said:

I’ve just had a stint in hospital but it is noted in my medical record that I am incontinent but this visit was different due to unexpected things happening they catheterised me which I absolutely hated I was so happy when they took it out and even though they gave me hospital nappies which are not very good they were certainly better than having a catheter. I changed myself I don’t like the nurses doing it.

Well I hope you're ok now!  I was catheterised once in ICU, I absolutely hated it also.  I'd also crawl over broken glass to make sure that I changed myself.  I'm NOT one of those folk who have fantasies about being changed by nurses!

[WBxx]

After avoiding the subject for some time, I’m starting to think it would be best if something like “occasional enuresis” was on my medical record for reference in any future unplanned/emergency hospital stay.  Seems this would alert the staff to the possibility taking the responsibility off me and/or my wife in what would be an already stressful situation.  No/yes?

[oznl]

6 hours ago, WBxx said:

After avoiding the subject for some time, I’m starting to think it would be best if something like “occasional enuresis” was on my medical record for reference in any future unplanned/emergency hospital stay.  Seems this would alert the staff to the possibility taking the responsibility off me and/or my wife in what would be an already stressful situation.  No/yes?

Possibly yes.  Maybe at 65 they'd leave you alone.  As I'm late 50s, I suspect on there often flowchart-driven processes, they'd be pushing for a bunch of urological work that I don't most likely need nor want.

The other question in my case is how "occasional" it is.  I've really no idea as mostly I'm a bit wet anyway when I got to bed.  I've been testing for a series of successive Fridays, changing into a dry cloth diaper just before bed.  They've proved 100% wet so far but I'm also aware that Friday is an "alcohol" night for me which I know increases the chances of a sleep-wetting event.

[BabyJune]

Hmmm...the couple times I was in the hospital I didn't get any sleep so bedwetting wouldn't be an issue.

[Greybird]

I have been in hospital several times in the last ten years, knees, hip and prostate. For the prostate I was obviously catheterised and was dreadful, but I survived it.  For the other operations I go nappied. I tell the doctors and nurses that I am incontinent (as I have been for most of my life) and, as I go privately, they say I can have which ever brand/type of nappy I want. I always take my own and for the last one, the knee, I wore Tykables ‘cammies’, change myself and no one made any comment at all. As I have said elsewhere, life is too short to wear dull underwear, and I don’t believe I am offending anyone by wearing my nappies of choice. They are still much better than the wet beds!!!

[stevewet]

On 3/15/2022 at 2:59 PM, WBxx said:

A now regular bed wetter, this past January I switched to a new primary care doctor.  Don’t remember ever seeing it before, one of the questions on the new patient form was “bedwetting?”  Initially skipping the question I eventually checked “no”.  Reasoning was I don’t desire treatment (quite the opposite) as well as not trusting the confidentiality of electronic medical records.  Yet hospital stays are certainly in my future, I beginning to regret my decision.

My medical notes state I am incontinent and enuretic. No one has presured me in to any treatment for it. I occasionally get asked how I am coping but that's about it. My Regular doctor, the diabetic nurse and the continence nurse know I wear nappies 24/7 and that I am a nightly bedwetter.

[Diapered Dave]

My medical records have stated "Enuresis" for 3 years now. I just had my yearly physical last week, and as he was going down the list of my "Conditions" he asked if I was still having "Night wetting issues" when he got to the "Enuresis" note in my records. Of course, I said "Yes, still the same... wetting nightly."

I'm guessing if I do have to have a hospital stay, they will reference my records at some point, and break out the diapers. 

[Soggy Bottom Boy]

I wear diapers 24/7/365 due to urinary incontinence. I wear cloth most of the time but I do wear disposables when traveling. My appendix burst several years ago and I needed emergency surgery. My wife informed the medical staff that I was incontinent. I spent 6 days in the hospital after the surgery and was diapered the entire time. The first couple of days the nurses changed me as I was in too much pain to do it myself. ? Hospital diapers are terrible as they leaked and didn't hold much urine. I was so glad when I was released so I could get back to wearing cloth. I spent a month or more recouping at home before getting back to work. 

[Goerge]

I'm hoping my medical notes have incontinent written in them soon.

[~Brian~]

@Goerge

38 minutes ago, Goerge said:

I'm hoping my medical notes have incontinent written in them soon.

If you are using nappies because you medically need them, even if you might not have needed them before, because, because you are weakening as far as your bladder or your bowels, I would think that eventually someone would write that into your files. this way, when you Are in hospital, you would be able to have nappies available. if it's not specifically written into your medical records my friend, perhaps it might be alluded to that you have been under the supervision of certain agencies, and that you have been using nappies. however it is written, I would think that somewhere you would be able to have it either be plainly stated that you need nappies, that you have some sort of incontinence diagnosis or You have been under appropriate supervision of some agency that knows that you need them. Either way, I would think that you would have the in that you need to specifically need nappies or use them in hospital.

It is also very important to state that if you are using nappies most times any instead of the toilet, you are most likely used to using them instead of using the toilet when you have to release. This means that you are functionally incontinent, and as such you would probably be in that position to need nappies anyway. I already have and continents and fecal urgency in my medical records, so that no one should be able to question my need for nappies anyway, but in your case I think your medical records may indicate that you use them before, are you needed them before, so you are given them. if that is such the case, then you should have no issue cause your records probably stated that you are under the supervision of some sort of agency and you were using them before true?

Brian

[babykeiff]

On 3/13/2022 at 12:28 AM, oznl said:

So. if you've not read my blog, I’m a bit over three years in to being 24/7 diapered and although fairly continent during the day, I’m by now thoroughly a bedwetter most nights: possibly all of them.

At this point I am frequently completely oblivious of these bedwetting events.  I can arrange my changing schedule so that I go to bed dry and I will wake up at some point through the night/early morning simply to discover myself to be wet.  Sometimes there are “pee dreams”, sometimes nothing at all.

I know through hard experiment that if I go to bed without my nappy now, I may well be woken by cold, wet sheets: not an experience I enjoy suggesting that things have moved beyond subconscious desire towards a new physiological norm.

Last night I had a dream that I was being admitted to hospital.  On the ward, the nurse, after referring to her notes, produced both an adult nappy AND a catheter kit (I guess to be sure to be sure) and I was confused as to how she’d known.  This may have been a "pee dream" but that's only tangentially relevant.

Anyway, I haven’t actually BEEN to hospital since 24/7 and I’m dimly aware that at some point, this hospital holiday will end.

My question is, I was wondering how others in a similar situation (new to bedwetting) have managed this in a hospital setting.  Should I say something?  Hope for the best?  Perhaps there’s some unknown psychological safety switch that will kick in and I’ll remain dry?

@oznl, hopefully your holiday will last an eternity, but even if it doesn't, there is nothing that you need to worry about. I addressed this on another post. From your own admittance on other posts, you have passed the stage where bedwetting is a choice. It is autonomic (so to speak), and I suspect, not reversable. This is due to your body's reduced production of argininie vasprosessin -  the antiduretic hormone that partially restricts cells within glomerular capsule to reduce water addition to urine. Due to your urine leakage occuring daily, you wear protection daily too. If you happen to have a holiday break (i.e. end up in hospital / visit as an outpaitent) you should be in nappies as it would not be a wise decision, considering your dependance, to be without a nappy. As a result, if this is a planed visit, pack a few nappies in your case/bag to go with you. Even if you don't, it will not be long before they find out and deal with the nappy accordingly. It will also be paced on your permanant medical records (that is if it is not already). 

People tend to worry about going into hospital - does the hospital know my diet / medical needs / medication etc. Medical records are available to the hospital / Doctors treating a paitent and it doesn't really matter in what country one is - the access to these records is kind of universal and worldwide - and even if your medical records aren't available locally, a phone call to your own Doctor and the records are sent to the hospital that you are in.

If you are unsure that your medical records have reached the relevant medical institution that you are in, there is no harm in identifing to the nurse / doctor etc some pertinant details such as your allergy to certain medication etc. In relation to the diapers, you will be wearing them, so telling one that you need same is kind of mute. Due to the number of ABDLs that have attempted to manipulate others to change their diapers, you identifying that you are in diapers may cause the medical staff to suspect that you are similar to the aforementioned ABDLs

[fixitboy]

Nouthing nurses haven't seen befor

[Cruiser 03]

People sue hospitals all the time for there own stupidity , like trying to go to bathroom when they shouldn’t they fall and get hurt or there on medication that impairs there balance , or even some Darwin Award physically disabled who can’t walk but still try . As soon as you are self identified or it’s gleaned from a doctors note in your chart as incontinent or bed wetter,they will happily diaper you or during admission if the ask would you wear a diaper ? And you don’t blow a gasket and get offended thexwill happily diaper you .,they always know you’re safe in bed and always know how your bowel or bladder is functioning based on changing your diaper . And should you need a change before they think you do ring the bell ,and let them know .diapers & hospitals are like peanut butter and jelly ,made for each other .

[rusty pins]

When I had knee replacement surgery I was told I would have a catheter in me so I could get a good nights sleep.  After that first night it was removed because they wanted me to get up and start walking on the knee.  Diapers were never brought up so it leads me to believe in some situations a catheter will be the standard procedure, however those who are incontinent and already wear diapers may be given the choice to just keep diapered.