FIRST TIME SELF CATH

I have BPH and took Amitriptyline for about 6 months, that is an antidepressant too.  I was taking it for bladder pain but a side effect was it made my bladder muscle and urine stream very weak and I started getting retention.  My urologist  stopped it as he was worried I was going to get AUR,  the bladder and stream immediately improved and the retention stopped.  

Many meds can cause your bladder to retain urine. some more than others also certen foods can do it as well. And then if you are like me sometimes mine wos sometimes it don't. I am 40 yrs of age since age 19 i use to get the worse bladdeer infections and I always had hard time going but could go just lots of pushing and starts and stops. then al of  sudden I could not go at all. Once at the ER they drained over1200cc out of me and of corse I left with a foley. Sent to a uroligest he did a few test and found even when I could make my self void I ws leaving at least 200 cc in my bladder. Now imageine having a puddle in your yard water comes in some comes out but its alway half full or more. Now this water will get stagnet and stink and grow bacteria. This is what my bladder was doing ndd I had so many bad infections it ould spread from bladd to kidney to blood and that is a very bad medical deal you wish you was ded your whole body hurts so bad. Once It even went a step past the blood infection and setteled around my heart alled paricardditist. Any how my point even if you manage to go if you are not emptying all the way you will get horrable infections. So that said age 19 my doc has me pass a cath everyday before bed just to keep the infection out. Then on the times I cant go at all cath as needed. Now I must say some docs my recomend reusing catheters. You must demand disposable cathetes reusable ones are just infections waiting to happen. I now suffer from a auto imune dissorder and my joints are deteriating and I am on some strong meds. This make my bladder had to empty and I need to cath more often. My advise listen to your doc if he wants you to reuse demand to go disposable. Try several different brands and types. For example I am a male and a normal cath is hard for me to get thru the prostrait not impossible but uncomfortable. ask the doctor about a coude tip if you find this issue. it has a stiffer end and a bend to go through but you cant get rough cause you can damge the inside of your bladder if you over shoot. Try several kinds rubber plastic silicone and most you use a seperate lube with it to pass. now some major advancments in catheters have been made in the last  yrs. the kind I use the cath is in a sterial wrapper and it has a bag of steril water you break the water with out opening the catheter. you wait about 30 seconds and the water soaks into the catheter making a lubercation on it. then when opened they have a short sleave on it that you can grab the catheter without touching it and do your thing fast easy and you dont even nead gloves. Now the other thing some docs and nurses will say just wipe with a alcohol swab and you will be fine. ALWAYS use iodine I by mine in indivgable packets on a stick. I carry my swab and a self lub cath. There are many brands out there. Have your doctor write your script to Liberator Medical this is all they do and everyone is trained very well. They have free samples and bill alll major insurances. They are a god send I only wish I found them sooner. Alright I know I I said a lot but back to basic when you first start it will burn and maby sting a bit and for a while after removed. If done right with in two weeks you wont will any pain or burning. also a lot depends on the tube m and rubber caths I dont like most foleys are rubbe and most likeley what you have had. also big diferance between a stranger placing it and you. You can feel if you are being to rough. I use a clear plastic like that self lubesthey pass like butter. I been doing this over 20 yrs I hope I helped you and did not confuse you to bad. Main thing just keep tring samples tell you get what works for you. best of luck. sorry for typos and miss spells god bless you you arre not alone and this will soon be a part of your life and you will do fine. we all have to play the cards we are delt

Hi, I'm a 24 year old female and went into bladder retention in June 2015 due to cauda equina syndrome. My bladder never returned back to its normal state and my urologist said it most likely never will, when I went into retention the first time I retained 1300ml of urine (you normally hold 200-400ml in your bladder) so my bladder literally over stretched itself to the point that all my muscles didn't ever retract again. I had an indwelling catheter for the first 6 months then I learnt how to self cath, at first I was really nervous and self concious doing it but it is honestly the easiest thing ever. I don't even think about it anymore. Nobody would have any idea anything is wrong with me and you can get compact speedi caths that are super tiny so they're a little more discrete in public. It becomes a daily routine once you get the hang of it and it's so much better than any othe catheter in my opinion. Just make sure your hands are properly cleaned before self cath. My urologist advised I do it 4-5 times a day, at first I sort of forgot when I had to do it, purely bc I don't get any sensation to urinate in the first place, so I put alarms on my phone for the first week or so to remind myself. My boyfriend also made a point of reminding me just incase.

It's really nothing to worry about and it does bring back a lot more control over your bladder and certainly lowers the risk of infection. I hope I've helped.

Tom, 

After GL procedure, I found myself in acute retention on a Saturday night, after the catheter was removed on Friday.  (Lots of inflammation from the GL.)  Doctor wouldn't give me order for self cathetering, so I went to a local medical supply place and prevailed upon them to give me what I needed, and they did.  I went on YouTube before that, and found a couple of excellent videos (and some not so good).  You can't post links here, but go to YouTube and search for self cathering if you'd like some guidance.  Washing hands and the area very well is critical.  I also used some iodne pads for cleaning around the meatus.  Then, I used sterile surgical gloves, although I could do the procedure without having to touch any of the catheter that is inserted, so I think just well washed hands would work.

The inflammation finally went away, so I only did the self cath a few times, but enough to be confident about doing it.  Good luck.

Hello Tom, I would be interested to know how you're getting on now? My husband was recently diagnosed as having a urine retention problem and on Monday he is going to be taught how to self catheterize. Understandably he is very nrevous about this. Can you or anyone else on this site set his mind at rest? He currently takes Tamsulosin. Are there any other medications that he could use which other people have found beneficial?

Hi Tom. How are you making out with the self cathing? Is everything working out okay?