catheters!

Hi everyone, hope you are all as well as poss.

Quick question for catherter users, i’m having major issuses with isc, the tube doesn’t seem to be long enough to drain my bladder properly, can anyone reconmend a cather with a longer tube? (am currently using lofric sense catheters- they are awful!)

Also, i have been doing isc since may, it never used to be painful, but now it’s really painful. does anyway one know why this is?

thanks, love Bex xx

Hi Bex, sorry to hear the trouble you are having. i think you are in pain because you have an infection, obviously when we use catheters we are putting a foreign object into our bodies, no matter how clean and sterile we are it can cause infection, also pain can be caused by it irritating and bruising if using the wrong type ect . You shouldnt need a long catheter, its probably not working because of infection or irritation. i use Hydrosil discreet, it is so flexible and comfortable to use. has your dr put you on a low dose antibiotic? im on one that keeps infection at bay and get more if i get a full blown infection. Hope this helps, its such a scutter and horrible thing to do everyday, i feel for you. take cae

Moggie

Hi Bex

What makes you think the catheters aren’t long enough? If you’re able to get any urine out then I’d have thought that would mean it’s long enough. If it’s because you find you’re needing a pee not long afterwards then, combined with it being painful, that could point to an infection. If so, then it would be worth getting a urine sample to your doctor for it to be tested.

However if you do need longer ones then the company that delivers yours should be able to help. Astratech Select deliver mine and if anything needs to change they can talk me through the different options.

Hope that helps

Dan

thanks guys, i never thought about the possibillity of having an infection, though i’de need more symptoms for that. may have to go to docs eek! the reason i think i need a longer tube is cos it doesn’t seem to drain all the urine out. really can’t stand the catheters they gave me, they just don’t fit in with my lifestyle, too fiddly and messy, i wasn’t given any choice though, will investigate this and see if there are other ones that might suit me better. no one mentioned anything about low dose antibiotics, will have to ask about this too xx

Hi, Yes do take a ‘sample’ into the docs for testing just incase you have an infection. l could never get on with isc - so l had a supa-pubic

catheter - this was done about 15yrs ago. Made a big difference to my lifestyle. Occasionally things go wrong - but nothing l can’t cope with.

l have a short length catheter - direct valve- and l just tie the bag with a ribbon round my waist. lts virtually undetectable - can wear tight jeans

leggings/shorts etc no problem.

Hi Bex

Its sounds as if you have an bladder infection, so take a sample of your urine to the doctors for them to send off ASAP. In the meantime your doctor should give you a broa spectum antibiotic to ease things for you until the result get back and you get the specific antibiotic to celar it properly. If it gets very painful don’t wait until after the weekend call a lucum doctor in as this would get some antibiotics into you quickly and avoid a kidney infection.

Hope this helps

(((((HUGS))))) Mary

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well, i’ll have to wait until monday cos the doctors are closed at weekends and have got urology appointment on monday anyway. will disscuss it the them. have run out of catherters now, they were ment to deliver some today, but as usual didn’t bother. don’t know how i’m gonna manage without them, but will have to xx

The company that delivers mine would always deliver the next day but now they need to wait to receive the prescription from my GP before they’ll send them to me - no prescription then no delivery. They’ve advised putting an order in at least 2 weeks before I think I’ll need some more, so it’s possible they’ve not received your prescription yet.

Call your GP out of hours service (I just ring my GP and it automatically puts me through to it) and explain the situation to them. I would have thought that a district nurse would be able to come and bring you some to keep you going 'til your normal delivery comes.

Dan

Hi sorry to hear your having problems, I agree that it could be infection but also suggest another alternative. I have absolutely no personal experience of isc, however I have lots in inserting caths. I’m just wondering if you are over inflating the balloon meaning that the the intake is held too high in the bladder allowing a pool of urine to stagnate below it causing infection and the feeling of not being empty coupled with an excess volume in the balloon it could also cause your pain and discomfort. Just a thought as some people need to use lower loading doses/ caths with different size balloons until they find one that suits them. Either way I hope you resolve it soon xx

I am having problems with an indwelling catheter,inserted 3 weeks ago,as isc was proving too difficult after having Botox injections last year and still retaining,leading to lots of infections.I just can’t seem to feel comfortable ‘down below’ and wonder if this is why ladies opt for supra pubic?