Paruresis lives on, but not as bad!

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Alan61
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2009 10:31 am

Paruresis lives on, but not as bad!

Post by Alan61 » Mon Jan 10, 2011 7:53 pm

Hello all,
It's been a long time since I posted on this forum, in fact this is the first time on this new modern format, congratulations to those responsible. Good to see Derek and Rosco are still active on the site.
I would just like to tell of my experiences in hospital in recent times. Like a lot of Paruretics, the thought of going into hospital for a stay and maybe surgery can be a daunting prospect. Before I found out late in 2003 that the secret problem that I suffered from was actually Paruresis and I was not alone, the prospect of being admitted to hospital was a constant worry, what If I got sick, or had a heart attack, needed to be admitted or have surgery, the worry was enough to give me a heart attack. What changed. In late 2003 I found the IPA website (by accident) and from there the APA website and the support of John R and George McC. I also attended my first workshop in 2004.
Since that time I have been admitted to hospital for stays of overnight twice and surgery with two day stays twice, as well as this I have attended hospital emergency with its inevitable long waits for attention.
These experiences were not the "terror" that I once envisaged (and had experienced in years past) due to advice I received from APA support and acted upon.
For the 2 overnight stays in a private hospital, I filled out on the paperwork that I suffered from Paruresis which brought the question from the staff, What's Paruresis?, this gave me the opportunity to perhaps educate the staff a little, but the best thing about it was that it took the pressure off me and I was able to call the night nurse to help be to the toilet where I was able too pee (in private).
For a scheduled 2 day stay and surgery, again in a private hospital but in a shared ward, I included in my admission paperwork a description of Paruresis (from the IPA website) therefore enabling the nursing staff to be made aware of my situation.
After the surgery I was unable to get out of bed so I had to use a pee-bottle (up to this time I don't think I had ever used a pee-bottle) and due to intravenous fluids the need for the bottle was regular. At one time I was using the bottle sideways while lying on my back and the alarm went off (I had crushed the IV tube) resulting in 2 nurses rushing into my room only to discover this naked man peeing in a bottle, and the best part was that I didn't stop peeing, I was really pleased with myself. But I have somebody to thank for being able to a pee-bottle, Tony R. Tony also a Paruretic, practiced by using a bottle at home while lying on his bed prior to attending hospital for surgery and explained to me how it worked for him, great advice as it also worked for me using the same practice method. The pee-bottle no longer scares me.
My second stay in hospital with surgery was due to an accident, where I was admitted, next day had surgery and spent a couple more days in hospital, also unable to get out of bed and dependent on the pee-bottle. When being admitted I again filled out the paperwork regarding Paruresis and I guess it is now part of my Medicare/public record. Who cares?, Not Me.

So what has all the preceding waffle come to?
Answer: Don't make Paruresis your secret. Tell your family and your friends (real friends will not rubbish you) and very importantly if you have to go to hospital or have a medical procedure, tell them you are a Paruretic. I have not been laughed at once by any medical staff at any hospital or clinic I have attended.
Answer: If you are facing a stay in hospital and are worried about "the bottle". Practice at home, it may seem a bit strange at first but it sure beats hanging on for hours and hours as I once did for about 13 hours while lying in a hospital bed some 15 years ago.
Answer: If you have not already done so, attend a workshop, workshops give you a big boost in the fight against Paruresis.

I still suffer from Paruresis but it is no longer the "life misery maker" it used to be.
Sorry my post is so long
Cheers Alan61

JohnW
Site Admin
Posts: 97
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 9:42 pm

Re: Paruresis lives on, but not as bad!

Post by JohnW » Tue Jan 11, 2011 7:58 am

Hi Alan,
Many thanks for your post, which I'm sure many people will find very helpful.
Great to be hearing from you again.
I hope that's all the hospital "practice" you'll be having now for a long time.
JohnW

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