Hi James, I’m not too bad, thank you. Hope you’re well.
I thought i’d share last night’s experience with you.
I used my bathroom first thing but purposely didn’t go again after I’d drank two mugs of coffee, a beaker of juice & a little water because I was going to a pub for lunch & like to use the facilities if I can so wanted to keep fluid in my bladder. I knew I could pee before I left home but chose not to. I had one glass of pop with lunch but didn’t need to urinate so didn’t use the gents. I was going back out at tea time & travelling 35 miles by train to a gig. I’d had a cuppa or two at home during the afternoon & once again, purposely didn’t use the bathroom because I wanted to use the conveniences when I was out.
At the venue I had just two pints & during my second pint i visited the gents. My level of urgency was still only around a seven after all that time not urinating & all those drinks I’d had during the day. The gents are unpleasant at this venue. They are three long troughs in an n shape formation so if you use the side ones you are standing sideways to anyone who walks in. There was one chap on the right, one chap who just stood the one on the left which another chap was using & there was a chap on the right end of the one with his back to everyone. Using the most sensible option, I stood at that trough but on the left end. One of the chaps I’ve previously mentioned was behind me. I realised immediately that my flow wasn’t going to start right away, if it all but I stayed very relaxed & didn’t worry too much about the chap at the other end realising I wasn’t peeing. The chap must have only just began urinating before I’d gone in as I could tell by the length of time he was stood there. He left & I didn’t know if anyone was behind me or coming in & I just waited to see if I could urinate. Approx four minutes later a few sprays came out of me before a normal stream began & continued until my bladder was empty. Success!!!
Good luck trying the full bladder technique and remember - you can always practise at home first just to begin training your bladder to work in this new way.
I can relate to your difficulty at using gents at very busy places like football stadiums because I’ve had the same experiences using stadium toilets at gigs and also at arenas where I know they are going to be very busy.
Please keep us informed how you are getting on & someone will reply to you with any advice they think might help.
Andrew & the team are very good at this.