“My grandmother was 88,” Kajal* tells us. “She would wake up several times during the night to use the restroom. We thought it was okay, we were right there, what could possibly happen? Then one day, she tripped and fell. Inside the toilet, at 3 am. And no one noticed till the next morning! It was horrible. She had broken her hip, she kept lying there next to the commode trying to call us. Then she fainted. Falling down crushed her spirit. She was gone in three months. I relive that night. Everyday.”
Kajal is one of the hundreds of women with such stories. According to studies, approximately half of all older women experience incontinence, or uncontrollable urine leakage. Despite being such an avid problem, it is tragic that incontinence remains barely spoken of. According to our findings, most patients wait anywhere from 9 months to 1.5 years to eventually speak up to their families and wear diapers.
This phase of adoption continues, marked by humiliation and a gradual surrender of work and all the activities one enjoys doing. In the case of male sufferers, while the family adjusts, women often continue to suffer in silence for years, adjusting their issues along the needs of their family.
And the worst part? All of this trauma is unnecessary. A single female diaper has been shown to help improve lifestyles in nearly 100% of cases studied. Diapers or dry pants can help women reclaim their lives, sleep better, continue work and, in cases like Kajal’s, stay alive!
But before we get to those details, let us glimpse through the main causes of urine leakage in women:
CAUSES OF URINE LEAKAGE:
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STRESS INCONTINENCE: This is characterised by the leakage of small spurts or a few drops of urine during activities such as laughing, sneezing, sitting or coughing. This can occur because of the weakening of the muscles and tissues around the opening of the bladder due to multiple pregnancies, vaginal childbirths, sport injuries or weight gain. When activities such as coughing or sneezing exert further pressure against the bladder, the muscles give away leaking urine.
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URGE INCONTINENCE: This is characterised by sudden, strong urges to urinate—even when the bladder is empty. This sudden urge could be brought on by sounds of water, hissing, or may be entirely involuntary. This is caused due to minor nerve or muscle damage resulting in a loss of connection between the conscious brain and the bladder. This could occur because of a stroke, an infection or an inflammation of the bladder.
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OVERACTIVE BLADDER: This is a milder version of urge incontinence and is also characterised by sudden urges. However, under most circumstances, women are able to hold their urine for at least 5-10 minutes, and if the underlying cause is identified and treated, the condition is easily reversible.
Diabetes, menopause, cysts and some medicines can also cause incontinence.
DEALING AND DIAGNOSIS:
The first step to dealing with incontinence is to consult a doctor who can help identify the underlying cause.
The doctor will ask for a complete medical history, a urine sample, and for the patient to cough or sit rapidly to check the urinary tract. Bladder stress tests and ultrasounds may also be recommended. What is important though, is the next step—to equip oneself with a female diaper.
We at Friends take pride in making the best adult diapers for women which adhere to their comfort, anti-leak needs and ease of wearing. Over 20+ years in the market we have seen the stories of remarkable women who despite the embarrassment and fear they initially faced, soon adapted to the use of adult diapers and now lead absolutely healthy, active lives.
But enough from us, let the women speak:
DIAPERS HELP WITH SLEEP
“After I left work,” says 43-year-old Mohini Roy, “I gained a lot of weight. Maybe because of that I felt like I constantly needed to go to the toilet. The urge would come day and night. During the day I’d manage—but at night? It was the worst. I’d keep waking up, every hour or so. I had stopped sleeping. I would wake up angry and irritable. I felt like smacking people who said “good morning”. It was horrible.”
Mohini’s daughter bought her a pack of diapers for elderly women. Initially, Mohini was aghast—“I am just 40, how can I use these?” But then something magical happened. The diapers weren’t bulky, or babyish. They were soft and designed like underwear—“Like waterproof knickers.”
Mohini finally put it on one day and woke up directly the next morning.
“Friends Dry Pant helped me feel safe psychologically. Like there was nothing to worry about. I saw the clock saying 8 o’clock and cried. I was so happy.”
DIAPERS CAN HELP RESUME WORK
Neelambari Kamble has always been a go-getter. “Deal closer, they would call me,” she remembers.
“But pregnancy slowed me down. After the delivery, I could barely sit, and then began the constant urination. I’d sit or cough and there would be a few drops squeezed out. I’d be terrified—what if someone saw? Not to be ashamed, but can’t really be proud either, no? And… people talk. So, I took matters into my hands and before a big meeting wore one of my father-in-law’s diapers. It was big and weird but at least I could focus on the numbers and not down there!”
On the way back home that day, Neelambari saw an ad by the same company. “I had never seen an ad by them, but I did that day. It was like fate. The ad was for this sleek underpant-like waterproof diaper pant. I stopped the car and bought them immediately. It has been 7 years since then, my incontinence is gone, and my child is in class 2. But I will always be thankful to Friends.”
DIAPERS CAN HELP REGAIN CONFIDENCE
“I was the star saleswoman,” says Kaveri Malay. No one had numbers even close to her. Then, after an accident, she started suffering from stress incontinence. “I don’t know how it happened. In the beginning, I thought it would go away. But it got worse and worse.”
As part of her job, Kaveri would have to lug pressure cooker samples up Delhi buildings to give door to door demos. “Climbing stairs, breaking on the scooter, coughing, everything seemed to make it happen.” Kaveri’s confidence was shattered. She constantly checked for leaks, stood differently, changed her style of standing and walking. “I used menstrual pads in the beginning because I thought ladies' diaper prices would be high, but that did not stop the smell.”
Slowly Kaveri’s performance started dropping. She was so preoccupied with her situation she’d mess up her perfect pitch. Finally, with some encouragement from her husband she visited the doctor. “It was nerve damage from the accident. She gave me medicine and said it would take 6 months. She also gave me a diaper. I was shocked. But my husband said a diaper is better than urine leakage. And amazingly they were not even that expensive!”
Kaveri used Friends dry pants for the one year it took her to get okay. Today she is a trainer for all the saleswomen in her company, and as confident as yesterday!
Each of these women has had to go through incredible challenges. We understand how difficult urine leakage can be, and how unfair it can seem. However, do not lose hope—there is a way. If you are in doubt, or struggling with urine leakage, reach out to us at help@nobelhygiene.com or on our social media. We promise to help.
