Have to Pee All the Time? How to Handle a Road Trip

It’s also a good idea to limit your liquid intake before traveling. According to Dr. Sarah Boyles, of the website The Women’s Bladder Doctor, the standard recommendation is to drink about 64 ounces a day.

“Normally, we tell people that you should urinate every three to four hours,” she explains. But it’s OK to drink less while traveling, as long as you don’t get dehydrated. “You don’t want to be so dry that you’re getting headaches or you’re dizzy when you stand up … but you can absolutely minimize fluid and it’s not going to hurt you," Boyles says. 

To best understand your body before taking a trip, Boyles suggests writing down your symptoms, bathroom frequency and diet.

“I am a strong believer in having people journal their symptoms,” Boyles says. “If you’re someone who’s starting to have a little bit of urgency and frequency, writing down what you’re drinking in a day and when you get symptoms helps you figure out what your triggers are [so] you [can] avoid all of those things in the car ride.” 

Gain confidence with support products

Consider wearing support items while in the car. Choose an absorbent incontinence pad or brief to catch leaks.

“I have some patients that will do a pad in a brief,” notes Boyles. “Or you could do a pad and wearable incontinence underwear on top. It is all volume-related and depends on how much you leak. But some products will hold up to 12 ounces, which is a lot.”

However, it is not recommended to rely on pads for a complete urination since a healthy woman’s bladder can hold up to 17 ounces.

For women with an overactive bladder due to pelvic floor prolapse, Palm recommends wearing a pessary, tampon or support undergarment to help reposition the organs back into place.

“When the organs are out of normal position and put pressure on each other or on nerves, [that can irritate] the bladder,” Palm says. 

Keep a portable urination tool handy

The best invention for a woman who needs to pee on the go — which I wish I had had during my road trip emergency — is the female urination device (FUD), also called a pee funnel. With both disposable and non-disposable options available, they are convenient, portable and essentially spill-proof. 

Peeing in a car for women is obviously tricky, but there are funnels designed specifically for females with modified bend tops made to scoop under the urethra and catch the urine in an attached bottle, Palm says. Look for brands like GOGIRL, TRIPTIPS, TravelJane and pStyle. There are also portable potties to consider keeping in your trunk, such as CARLOO and Road Trip Potty.

Try tricks to buy time

“We can use our pelvic floor muscles to turn down the intensity of that bladder urge and buy us anywhere between 5 and 15 minutes more comfort,” says Kelly Sadauckas, a physical therapist who specializes in the pelvic floor. Depending on how full the bladder is, quick flicks, or Kegel exercises, can help reduce bladder urge until you get to a safe place to go to the bathroom.

“If we’re in a car and we really have to go, those pelvic floor muscles are getting tighter and they’re squeezing [the] urethra, maybe annoying it a little bit,” Sadauckas explains. Quick flicks are five up and down contractions of the pelvic floor muscles that help reduce pressure on the urethra and relax an overactive bladder so we can feel better — at least momentarily. 

It’s also important to relax your mind and distract yourself. “There’s a huge mind-body connection,” says Boyles. “Once you have had one accident and you’ve leaked, and you’ve been in a situation that was embarrassing for you, there’s a lot of anxiety.”

Unfortunately, that can exacerbate the urgency, so try shifting your focus by taking some deep breaths and practicing mindfulness meditation while reciting or thinking of a calming mantra.

Stay safe if you need to stop along the highway

Even after planning your route and taking all the necessary precautions, you still may find yourself with no other option but to pull over and pee on the side of the road. According to former police officer Becky Blanton, a woman can safely relieve herself if she is quick, discreet, and keeps a few important tips in mind.

Pull far enough off the road so you aren’t hit by cars coming up behind you. If you prefer to go into a wooded area, wait until there is no traffic approaching to avoid concerned drivers stopping to see if you need help.

“If possible, pull off onto one of those dividers that say ‘emergency vehicles only.’ They are out of the way of traffic and give you more privacy,” advises Blanton. If you are concerned about being seen by onlookers, she recommends using a lightweight trash bag, blanket or tarp secured to the passenger side of the car with strong magnets.

“Be fast. Relieving yourself should only take 30 seconds or so. Have toilet paper handy,” Blanton says. 

Consider long-term strategies for bladder health

Although half of women experience some type of incontinence, especially as we age, that doesn’t mean we have to accept it as the new normal.

“If you’re at a point where you’re thinking about not going on your vacation or your car ride because of these bladder issues, then I would strongly encourage you to have it evaluated because it’s impacting your quality of life, and it’s time to do something about it,” Boyles says. “When women have these issues, they’re less social and less physically active, and none of that is good for aging gracefully.”

Your doctor may ask you to keep a bladder diary and conduct tests to evaluate the type of incontinence you have to determine the best course of action, which may include wearing a pessary, taking medication, getting physical therapy or considering surgery.

Boyles says that losing weight and addressing constipation can also help improve bladder function.

Retraining your bladder and strengthening your pelvic floor muscles are also critical for long-term care. “In a large majority [of women], the same factors that contribute to pelvic organ prolapse symptoms also contribute to pee urgency and frequency,” Sadauckas says. 

Having good pelvic health awareness “means focusing on pelvic floor relaxation techniques and exercises to help find that pelvic floor and relax it,” Sadauckas adds. 

Editor’s note: This story, first published July 26, 2024, has been updated.