Things I Never Thought

[gotgyne]

In recent months I’ve had to use the rest room mid night usually around 3-5am. Rarely ever a habit in the past and unsure why now it’s ticked up. But I’ve had my fair share of close but not close enough moments of leak or dribbling and needing to change before going back to bed. Nothing terrible just not trying to go back to bed damp.

Pads have been great. I put one in my underwear before bed as of a bit ago and it keeps things dry and worries free. I’ve told my urologist as well and he just said at your age it’s likely just diet or too much water before bed mixed with trying to wake up and get there in time.

It’s amazing how quick doctors write things off based on text book understanding rather than patient understanding. Especially when estrogen dominant men are documented and studied to show a significantly higher increase in urine incontinence

Exactly the same with my male urologist. "That's normal for your age" was his answer. I tried 5 mg finasteride at first, but it had  side effects (extreme dizziness) after a short time.

[Evolver]

I've used women's panty liners from the beginning and now use women's pads. They are cheaper than men's pads.

They're also better.

I've had an issue with incontinence since about 10 years ago, to varying degrees. It began to worsen about 5 years ago and I found that women's pads were far better than men's pads for moderate incontinence. The problem with men's pads, even though they are normally somewhat triangle shaped to cater for normal this-way-or-thataway sideways movement of your 'grub', is that if you let them fill up, they tend to overflow through the narrow bottom end which requires a change of underwear. Women's pads, being either straight or slightly bone shaped, often come with side gathers which eliminates sideways movement anyway, and as they fill up, they zone the moisture along the pad far better than men's pads, due to their length and superior design.

A couple of years ago I underwent a surgical procedure which reduced my leakage from around 150ml per day to less than 30. I still normally wear men's 'shields' now, but if I'm expecting to do anything strenuous, I'll reach for one of my women's pads every time.

[50/50]

I quit using pads after my doctor put me on Flo max a few years ago. Relaxes the prostrate so the bladder empties fully. The nurse of my urologist said to sit to pee because it relaxes the pelvis to help empty the bladder. Also said that Flomax cause breast growth. My GP said the same thing but my urologist said no. I have been given it seems a million reasons why I have boobs. 
The bottom line is…….i have boobs💁

[bobb]

i've been sitting for years it seems to work better for me so unless i'm in a public toilet i sit.

[bobb]

i never thought i would be talking about sitting to use the bathroom on a forum i guess its getting easier.

[gotgyne]

Sitting while peeing didn't work for me. I've tried it, since some urologists recommend it for men with an enlarged prostate, to get the bladder empty. For me it does the opposite. I can empty my bladder much better while standing. Thus I gave up sitting after a short time.

[Justagirl💃]

Because of my condition,  I have sat to pee my entire life. 

[Evolver]

I never used the mens pads myself. It would make sense given their design, but figured, if I'm not wearing mens underwear, why would I use men's pads. Just conneceted the pad to use to the underwear it was going into.

I can relate to that!

I retired a couple of years ago, and all through my adult working life I had always worn men's bikini briefs - I was never a boxers or trunks or y-front guy - and since it was a blue-collar job, we all got changed at each end of the shift. I was never going to wear panties to work, was I! The problem I had, particularly in my final year when my leakage got worse, was that despite the pads 'filling the void' in my undies due to my diminished size after my prostatectomy, when the pads began to fill and become heavy, they pulled away from my body due to their weight and the overly generous room in the front of my undies. Flip flop, splish splash etc. as well as overflow from the narrow bottom end of the pad as previously described.

Evenings and weekends in panties were bliss, firmly holding the superior women's pads in place due to them not having in my case, unnecessary slack in them.

[Johndoe1]

I suspect men with moderate to severe gynecomastia, which a number of us here qualify, have had estrogen do what estrogen does to certain body parts not directly related to the chest. Having had gynecomastia since my teen years, I have never been well endowed in the groin. And of the last few years, sitting has become, shall I say, less messy on a personal level than standing? I suspect that it's equal parts age and estrogen. Either way, it's a change.

[42CSurprise!]

Another stellar conversation on a website intended to address male breast development.  I would note that i know the person who created this website.  He developed breasts at a fairly young age and both researched it and wrote books about it.  I don't know him well so I don't fully know the story of his selling the website but I do know he eventually had surgery to remove his breasts.  It is possible that the surgery was part of a transaction selling this website.  I mention that simply to note that the layout of the site, with half devoted to acceptance would be in alignment with who he is.  He had lived with breasts for many years before creating this website, so he understands the journey we've all been on.  Acceptance is key AND the five topics in this side of the site are all relevant to addressing the consequences for men with breasts navigating through life.

This conversation joins many we have had about the reality of what both aging and diminished testosterone does to our bodies.  Yes, we talk about breasts and brassieres but there is so much more at play here.  I've dealt with all of the things discussed here... shrinking genitalia which led to sitting rather than standing while urinating.  I always understood why women would use toilet paper after peeing and now I do as well.  I haven't gotten at far as panties and panty liners but I very much appreciate the conversation because I can use some support there.

People who've been around for awhile know that I very much enjoy having breasts and love to play with that reality.  You've seen the photos...  But, it is being able to engage in conversations like this that allows me to find the acceptance on offer here.  Thanks everyone for your honesty and your good will.  We all need that.

[Evolver]

Agreed 42. Wonderfully worded.

+1