I'd Like To Ask Users Of fr12 Catheters Something
Posted , 6 users are following.
This past Friday I was instructed in the use of catheter by my UR so I could self cath. This first time, in the doctors offices, everthing went great. So great in fact that I peed regular for the rest of Friday into evening when things slowed down.
Later that night I self cathed but it was nowhere near as easy as in the doctors office. My doctor had prescribed for me a fr 14 with a curved tip.
I'm getting ahead of myself. I had a green light laser on April 7 that was a success but still wasn't voiding as I should. We dtermined that my bladder nuscles were not up to snuff.
The plan was that I self cath while trying to bring my bladder back from limbo.
Getting back to now: Saterday morning I cathed again with considerably difficulty and pain.
Later inthe day, the afternoon, I tried to urinate without cathing. I went a little bit but passed a big BLOOD CLOT! I called the covering doctor from my doctors UR group and he said "If you can't cath tonight (Saterday) then your ONLY option is an ER."
because this is a holiday week end.
It turned out to be the case. I tried to cath but it was like I was being stabbed with a knife. The ER also detected the presence of blood and infection.
I think the problem is threefold. 1. The size of the catheter (14)
2. The type (curved tip) and 3. My urinary track was raw and inflamed to begin with from previous foleys.
I'd like to hear from you #12 users. Did you notice sgnificant improvement when you went to a fr 12?
I'd really like to hear any advice you may want to share.
Thank you'
Tom
0 likes, 15 replies
cartoonman tom512836
Posted
gbhall tom512836
Posted
First things first, a coude tip MUST be used the right way round, it tilts to one side, and the way you insert it is with the tilt towards your body. Hold your right hand down your body, first finger extended, then point towards your penis. That is how it looks. Put it in the wrong way, and you will be scraping that point into your urethra wall all the way round. Painful.
Second thing is you will have recently had a much thicker tube straight up the urethra for a considerable time (the laser), and this really damages the delicate urethra lining, which will respond by swelling or even being torn. That is much the same as still having BHP, but should subside reasonably quickly, at which point I would advise you to go to a normal tip, not a coude tip.
tom512836 gbhall
Posted
Tom
gbhall tom512836
Posted
I use speedicath fr12 coude (have BHP), and also use Lofic Oigo when out and about because the latter have a clever folding scheme when used, where you can tie a kind of knot and slip the end into a ready-made slot to retain it.
Speedicaths also can be folded. The flat side of the aluminised case has three horizontal lines printed across, the third is a third of the way down. You place your thumb over that line and fold the package into three, keeping the flat sides together. Then kind of wring the whole thing between your two hands like wringing out a towel and the metallic package stays twisted up.
In both cases empty the lubricant soution out before folding
!!
tom512836 gbhall
Posted
I let my doctor take charge in selecting and ordering. A bad move probably but what did I know? All this was new to me.
I will never use a curved tip again!
Tom
Tom
gbhall tom512836
Posted
Pepasan tom512836
Posted
tom512836 Pepasan
Posted
Tom
gbhall tom512836
Posted
and tip it all upside down at least twice. Thats why speedicath are best. They dont have ANY prep time, and are 100% lubed all the time.
gbhall
Posted
tom512836 gbhall
Posted
But from my vantage point now I can't see it.
Tom
cartoonman tom512836
Posted
Easiest I've found, using SpeediCaths ("accept no substitutes!" :-) ), is to open the pack, clean the penis-head with alcohol patch or similar, hold penis with tip pointing skyward, remove cath from pack (by the green funnel end). NO NEED TO TOUCH THE PRE-LUBED TUBE!!! With fingers away from the tip (in case the cath doesn't drop right in, you DON'T want it to touch your fingers!), aim the tube for that little opening, and begin the insertion. I've been advised to pull on the penis some; for some reason, it seems to work better that way, at least for this cowboy. I use the 14s. WHen I pass into the bladder, there is 1 inch pf tube remaining outside and visible.
QED! Just give it time, patience, practice. I doubt any of us were good at it at the beginning; I certainly wasn't! But within a few months, I was a regualr "Cathing-Meister!" :-)
jimjames tom512836
Posted
What type of catheter are you using. A number of us here recommend the Coloplast Speedicath. It's a hydrophillic catheter meaning no external lubricant is needed.
I would not suggest starting with a #12 because they are very flexible and therefore not as easy to insert (without practice) as the 14. In most cases FR14 is the one to start with.
For some, self cathing is easy from the beginning. For others, like myself, it is a trying experience for the first few weeks but things rapidly improve to the point where it's about as quick and painless as brushing your teeth.
Jim
jimjames
Posted
Jim
lester90053 tom512836
Posted