The effect of overactive bladder on people's lives is dramatic. The fear of having a wetting accident often leads people to change behaviors and adopt preventive coping mechanisms, so they can endure overactive bladder without ever having another accident. In addition, some people avoid sexual intimacy to avoid telling their partner about their condition, or because they fear leaking urine during sex. Others use adult diapers or pads to try to hide their problem or provide a measure of security. Pads are considered to be a passive forma of treatment as the do nothing to alleviate the main problem.
Some patients also find pads to be bulky.
Others find them ineffective in controlling the odor of urine. The urgency symptom can be immediate and overwhelming for somebody with overactive bladder. If you have urgency, you have very limited time to find a toilet. Or, you may know someone with overactive bladder who tries to suppress their symptoms by using the toilet frequently or avoiding liquids. Frequency, or having to run to the toilet more often than normal, can have a serious impact on a person's quality of life.