Help! Can't pee in the water!

[pediatron]

Supposedly 90% of people pee in their wetsuits and the 10% who don't are lying. BUT I really can't seem to make myself pee in the water. I ended one dive early in the Carribean because I had to go so bad and couldn't in the water with multiple "attempts." I usually pick the dive op with a head on board. The problem is we just booked my husband's dreamtrip for his 40th b-day to an atoll in Belize with no heads on the dive boats (I forgot to check!) and 3 days where they do 3 tanks without ever returning to land (all day!) I know this is a very personal topic, but any advice on "teaching oneself" to be able to do this necessary skill would be greatly appreciated.

 

[archman]

Ha ha, put your wetsuit on in the shower and try to pee there!

 

[scubagirl15]

Me neither when I first started diving!

One of my instructors taught me to just relax. Lie on the sand and just relax...pick someplace with stuff to see: if anyone asks, you were examining a coral head.

Then just relax. At the beginning, I found it easier to pee at shallower depths. As I got better at it, I could pee deeper, but also while swimming!

I always say, one of the best things about diving (in a wetsuit) is you can pee yourself with impugnity! LOL

 

[medic_diver45]

The first question I would have, and I don't mean to pry, but is your wetsuit excessively tight around the area in question? That could physically prevent you from peeing by putting pressure on the urethra and cutting off the flow of urine.

If the problem is more psychological: You could always pee in a tub for starters, then work your way up to a pool, then to the ocean.....sounds stupid and like I am kidding (but I am being completely serious- it's gradual immersion therapy (no pun intended): they use the same idea to treat other phobias and aversive disorders), but I can't think of any other options. The only other option I could think of would be to buy a portable camping toilet (basically a 5-gallon bucket with a toilet seat attached): http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=13784&memberId=12500226

That's what I had to do when I took my fiancee camping....she has a shy bladder and can't pee while squatting down.

 

[northcoast_diver]

Supposedly 90% of people pee in their wetsuits and the 10% who don't are lying. BUT I really can't seem to make myself pee in the water. I ended one dive early in the Carribean because I had to go so bad and couldn't in the water with multiple "attempts." I usually pick the dive op with a head on board. The problem is we just booked my husband's dreamtrip for his 40th b-day to an atoll in Belize with no heads on the dive boats (I forgot to check!) and 3 days where they do 3 tanks without ever returning to land (all day!) I know this is a very personal topic, but any advice on "teaching oneself" to be able to do this necessary skill would be greatly appreciated.

Go to the bathroom before you suit up.

Then go to the bathroom after you get back on the boat or to shore.

And then you should never need to drain your bladder into your suit, whether wetsuit or dry suit.

Most bladders are good for 1 or 2 hours, at least.

 

[SmokeAire]

Try it in a swimming pool.
Everybody can pee in a pool.

 

[wall2wallanimals]

I COMPLETELY understand as PhotoTJ and ScottKl can tell you!!!

No Cracking jokes guys!!!

I get in so much pain because I can't pee that I have to abort dives as well...(ending in PhotoTJ losing a light...sigh)

Though...it is SLOWLY getting better...I think its a mental problem...at least for me.

Try a little meditation underwater... it really does help.

Kirstin

 

[CathyI8205]

I am REALLY glad to see this issue addressed. I'm a relatively new diver (16 dives) and this is the only problem I have. The only place I can pee is behind the boat after the dive. They really wonder about me. I'm thinking it's a small problem that can be resoved with relaxing but I had to cut the trip back to the dock short. We stopped at another dock so I could go pee. Embarrassing!

 

[SmokeAire]

I COMPLETELY understand as PhotoTJ and ScottKl can tell you!!!

No Cracking jokes guys!!!

I get in so much pain because I can't pee that I have to abort dives as well...(ending in PhotoTJ losing a light...sigh)

Though...it is SLOWLY getting better...I think its a mental problem...at least for me.

Try a little meditation underwater... it really does help.

Kirstin

Ok..seriously...I think there is a stigma about peeing in ones clothes. Correct? For along time I swore I would never pee in my wet suit because A: one didn't pee in ones clothes, that's for babies and B: Who wants pee next to their skin. I went 100+ dives without peeing (in my wetsuit). And yea I was very uncomfortable on many of those dives. Well on one dive,just a month or so ago I entered the water having to really go but I didn't want to hold anyone up, strip out of my suit and rig, put every thing back on etc. So I just thought "It is a natural part of diving, I will be more comfortable on the dive, no one has to know and some of the pee will be washed away by the water entering my suit. So I got in the water, just relaxed and "just relaxed". Besides the great bladder relief, the warmth kinda felt good. Of course I was also thinking "I am really going to have to rinse this suit out really good. You have to go against all the training that we endured as kids, unlearn it as it were and consider it just another diving skill you have to learn.
I do try to avoid it when I can but now I'm not so reluctant when I really have to go and by not doing so my dive would be ruined.
Holp this helps.

Chuck

 

[grits61]

I grew up in Florida, going to the beach... learned to pee in the water at a young age. Try going in the shower, then bath, pool, etc. Hope you overcome this!