One Customer’s Story of Nocturnal Enuresis, Overactive Bladder in His 20s, and Finding Incontinence Protection That Works

NorthShore Care Supply October 21, 2026

Smiling man in a navy blue T-shirt stands confidently with arms crossed in front of two red fire trucks at a fire station.

H. Gauthier shares his story

I’ll introduce myself with a disclaimer: I’m H. Gauthier, late 20s, male, former firefighter, current project manager, and I have the bladder of a man three times my age.

The story starts before I have any memory of it. I was a breech baby with the umbilical cord wrapped around my neck — a dramatic entrance, which honestly set the tone for the rest of my life. I needed resuscitation, and I came out with a Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy, Grade 2 diagnosis. The doctors told my parents I’d likely have issues down the road; they just couldn’t say what or when.

Surprise! It was my bladder.

So nocturnal enuresis and I go way back — childhood, teenage years, and right into adulthood. Then about four years ago, a back injury on the job with the fire department added daytime overactive bladder to the mix. Currently the doctors have me down for OAB while we work through neurology toward a neurogenic bladder diagnosis. So that’s fun. My medical file is basically a group project at this point.

Here’s what nobody tells you about being a 27-year-old man with continence issues: it’s a logistics job. Every night out comes with a pre-flight checklist. Where’s the nearest restroom? How much have I had to drink? How fast can I get home after the bar? I have mapped more public bathrooms than most people have mapped cities. My friends plan their evenings around the music. I plan mine around exit routes.

And for a long time, it cost me things. I pulled back from social plans. I made excuses.

One night sums it up better than anything. I was 23, out celebrating with friends, we’d all been drinking heavily, and we crashed at a buddy’s place — let’s call him Matt. I hadn’t planned to sleep over, so I hadn’t prepared. I fell asleep on Matt’s couch and woke up having had an accident. Try explaining to your friend and his wife that you’ve soaked their sofa. I ended up paying for a new couch. I felt awful. Nobody close to me was supposed to find out about this, and now it was sitting in the middle of their living room.

After that, I swore off sleeping anywhere but my own bed.

The products weren’t helping either. I started with store-brand adult diapers — Depend Men Overnight — and nearly every morning I’d wake up just as wet as if I’d worn nothing at all. That’s not protection, that’s decoration.

Then I found NorthShore. The customer service was genuinely kind and got back to me fast, and they steered me into their sample program. That’s how I found the MegaMax. It was the first product that felt like it was designed for my body.

The first night after the samples arrived, I woke up refreshed. No tossing, no turning, no 3 am dread-check of the sheets. I slept. Anywhere. Confidently.

That sounds small. It isn’t. NorthShore changed how I think about my disability. It changed how I present myself to the world. I stopped feeling less than and started feeling confidently equal. I started showing up to the outings

I used to dodge.

So here’s my message to anyone in the same boat, and it’s the one I’d tattoo on my forearm if I were braver: don’t be afraid of the opinions around you. Most people are far too wrapped up in their own lives to be concerned with what underwear someone else is wearing.

Be confident. Be kind. And if you’re sleeping on someone’s couch — bring a MegaMax.

Thank you for reading our customer stories.

NorthShore works to remove the confusion and isolation surrounding incontinence, helping individuals better understand that “incontinence is very common, often treatable, and regardless, very manageable.” — Adam Greenberg, President & Founder of NorthShore

We are grateful for the opportunity to share these journeys and provide products that help people live life to the fullest.

Learn more about sharing your story through the NorthShore Hero Club.

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