Catheter Information
Posted , 10 users are following.
Hello one and all.
This is just a little information on catheters that I came a pond. Some of you guy's may be aware and some may not know.
What is a Catheter ? It is also called a Foley. It was called a Foley because the doctor that invented it was was Dr. Frederic E. B. Foley 1930 but he lost the patent in 1935. But that is another story.
This is a report that was done on 2000 patients that were catheterized in the hospital and the problem that they had with the catheter. Most of the patients were men. The study found out that not only that they had to deal with infections but they had do deal with other problems.
In the hospital patients know that the catheter was put in to help them with there bladder. Most patient ended up with a catheter because they were having surgery. Most said that it did not hurt when it was going in. But most of them had it put in when they were out. They did say that it hurt coming out and caused some bleeding.
UTI's was the main concern but they found out that the risk is 5 times less common then noninfectious problems. Those issues include pain, bloody urine and activity restrictions while the catheter was still in. Trouble with going to the bathroom and sexual function can occur after the catheter is taking out.
The finding underscore the importance of avoiding an indwelling urinary catheter and have it removed as soon as possible. This was done in 2 hospital. They were checked at 2 weeks and 1 month.
76 percent of the patients had the catheter removed within 3 day of having it put in. Infection would found in over 10 % of the patients. At least one noninfectious complication come up in 55 % of the patients. 31 % that still had the catheter in said the the catheter was causing them pain or discomfort.
Among the ones that had the catheter out 20 % said they had a problem of leaking or difficulty starting or stopping. Over 5 % said that it has cause some form of sexual problem.
I wote this because there are some doctor or nurses that do not give you the information you need if you are having a catheter they just assume that your older and you should have had one before. Not all of us have to dealings with catheter. I did not have my first one till I was 58 and was not giving much information.
They should tell you before you have any surgery if you are going to have a catheter. If your surgery is under 3 1/2 hours you do not need a catheter. It is up to you if you want a catheter. If you have any concerns talk with your doctor. They should explain it to you.
God bless you all....Ken
0 likes, 51 replies
dennis47445 kenneth1955
Posted
Ken, thank you for that information. I do self-cathing and have been doing it for almost three years. I wish I didn't have to selfcath, but if I don't, I would not be able to urinate. Jim/James, was very lucky in not having to self cath on a regular basis, once his bladder got toned.
kenneth1955 dennis47445
Posted
Dennis
I'm sorry that you still have to do CIC. It took Jim I think 4 years to help his bladder. Keep doing what your doing. Just be safe and keep everything clean and safe.
God bless...Ken
keith42667 kenneth1955
Posted
I believe it was 2 years before he started seeing results. What happened to the thread that he started focusing on CIC? I hope he's still with us. I loved his scientific approach to the BPH problem.
kenneth1955 keith42667
Posted
Yes I think that is right. He is still on. See if you can get a hold of him. He did what the doctor said he could not do. They told him the only thing that would help him was a Turp.
He proved them wrong..
Ken
kenneth1955 keith42667
Posted
Keith
I sent a PM to JimJames to get a hold of you.
Have a good day...Ken
Supertractorman kenneth1955
Posted
Excellent info Ken, but I don't think enough warning is given about UTI's and there certainly does not seem to be much research being done into continuing UTI's and how they are often not detected by the dipstick test and therefore not cultured. I blame my continuing UTI's on many catheters and self cathing before my Prostate was removed.
David
kenneth1955 Supertractorman
Posted
Thanks David
I do not think they do enough to protect us from the infection. Even if they take there time. You just have to be careful. And if you don't want one tell them It is up to you and they should ask your permission
I think the last one I had was from a catheter. No matter how careful you are if you are ment to have one it will find it's way.
Take care Ken
dennis47445 kenneth1955
Posted
Ken have you tried D-Mannosse? You can get it at a health food store. Ask the clerk at the health food store how to use it.
kenneth1955 dennis47445
Posted
Thank you for that I will check it out.
Thanks again...Ken
dennis47445 Supertractorman
Posted
Supertractorman, I've been doing self cathing for almost three years. I am not sure if I ever had an infection. How can you tell if you have an infection or uti ?
rdemyan dennis47445
Posted
Urine dipsticks. Check out Siemens Multistix 10 SG sold on eBay. The ones on Amazon are cheap versions and the quality control is poor (I can personally attest to the poor quality control). The Siemens are high quality and only cost about $20. Be sure to look for a vendor located in New Jersey as most of the Siemens listed come from Europe.
The sticks measure 10 parameters, but LEU and NIT are the ones of interest. IIRC, LEU (leukocytes) measures e-Coli and I think NIT (nitrites) measures other kinds, but I need to refresh my memory on exactly which types of bacteria LEU and NIT measure.
I use the Siemens almost daily to check my urine. Quick and easy.
Supertractorman dennis47445
Posted
Dennis, I am afraid I could never tell the difference between infections and UTI's and have treated them the same. Always felt at less risk when self cathing I must admit. For me Sepsis I think has made UTI's far worse and lessened my resistance to fighting these problems.
David
dennis47445 Supertractorman
Posted
Is sepsis, a common aliment among men who selfcath.? A friend of mine passed away from sepsis, and he was only 70 years old. Seemed perfectly healthy and in good shape, went to the hospital, because he wasn't feeling well, and died a few days later in the hospital from sepsis.
rdemyan dennis47445
Posted
Dennis: I found the following information from Consumer Reports, a well-respected consumer advocacy agency here in the USA. The article is titled "How to Avoid Sepsis, a Deadly Medical Emergency". Here is some of what is written in the article:
Get vaccinated. Thirty-five percent of sepsis cases in the CDC study stemmed from pneumonia. Yet the CDC says that only 20 percent of high-risk adults under age 65 and 60 percent of those 65 and older have been vaccinated against that disease. And annual flu shots can also prevent respiratory infections that can sometimes turn septic. But only about a third of sepsis patients in the CDC study had a record of being vaccinated against the flu. “Thousands more deaths could be prevented with better coverage,” wrote the authors of the CDC report.
Treat urinary tract infections promptly. A quarter of sepsis cases resulted from urinary tract infections. So it’s important to see a healthcare provider if you have warning signs of those infections—usually a painful, burning feeling when you urinate and a strong urge to “go” often—and, when appropriate, be treated with antibiotics. UTIs are also common among hospital patients, especially those who have been catheterized, so it’s extra important to watch for those infections while in the hospital.
Clean skin wounds properly. About one in 10 sepsis cases follows a skin infection. So it’s essential to care for wounds and scrapes properly. That means washing with soap and water, cleaning out any dirt or debris, and covering wounds. And people with diabetes should make sure that they follow good foot care practices, since wounds there can often develop dangerous infections.
Avoid infections in hospitals. Since many infections that turn septic originate in hospitals and other healthcare facilities, it’s essential that you—and your healthcare providers—take steps to avoid those infections. That means, for example, insisting that everyone who comes into your hospital room—including doctors and nurses—wash their hands every time they touch you. Read more tips on how to avoid infections in hospitals.
kenneth1955 dennis47445
Posted
Hey Dennis
In 2014 I had sepsis The doctor told me that I was about a week away from total shut down. Was in the hospital for 6 day and went home with a port in my arm. Had to have 12 more treatments. They told me that I got it from food poisoning. But I was on a antibiotic for a infection. Had 6 that year.
I did what most men do. I said that I'm fine and I will take care of it. I thought I had the flu. I will not do that again
I hope I never have to deal with that again...Ken
Supertractorman dennis47445
Posted
Dennis, I think more people get Sepsis as a result of not getting an Antibiotic given during a Biopsy being taken, and how clean everything is kept. I think most people self cathing are very careful on cleanliness.
Howard31850 Supertractorman
Posted
Yes - I agree with you. After 4000 self-caths I've only had 2 UTIs and the first one was the day I started, so really only one other. I follow jimjames method of cleaning off the penis head with a sterile wipe and using his dive-bomb method which keeps the catheter straight in so it doesn't hit the penis.
I also take D-Mannose daily and at the first sign of an urethral irritation which I get every 3 months or so I then take AZO for urinary tract health. That seems to work well.
While I haven't had a UTI problem once in a while I still get some urethral burning for a day or so, usually because I insert the catheter too fast or don't use enough lubrication gel. I keep a 10-parameter dip stick test handy that jimjames also recommended and this test assures me it is just irritation (leukocytes) but not an infection (protein).
There is no reason these days to get a UTI from CIC as long as the clean rules are followed. My other UTI a few months ago was because I didn't wash my hands properly after a poop before doing a catheter.
Howard
dennis47445 rdemyan
Posted
Thank you. Interesting information. My friend died from sepsis, and he was in good health, in my opinion. Only 70 years old.
dennis47445 kenneth1955
Posted
Ken, glad you are fine now. If you don't mind, how old are you?
dennis47445 Howard31850
Posted
Howard, did you have any bleeding during the 4000 times you cic?
kenneth1955 dennis47445
Posted
Hey Dennis
Thank you I'm 63 Where did time go...
charles11940 Howard31850
Posted
I'm new to CIC. Could you elaborate on your recommended jimjames-methods on hygiene and the "dive-bomb method?
keith42667 charles11940
Posted
I use alcohol pads and hydrophilic catheters (pre-lubed)
If I have an urge and still can't get any flow going, then I usually use an alcohol wipe and wipe off the first couple of inches around the penis entry. If I can get out some urine, I just use the dive bomb method.
It is described on JimJames' CIC thread several times. You basicly hold the penis pretty much vertical and try and spread the entry apart with your thumb and another finger. Might take a little practice. But then you take out the catheter making sure not to touch it to anything and lower if vertically into the hole. Of course, if you are using a coude tip catheter you want to make sure the tip is oriented toward you.
Once you get it in about 3 inches or so, lower the penis to perpendicular to your body and put pressure on the catheter (gently push) until you feel it enter the bladder and you start getting a flow. Hopefully your hands are steady and you're able to do this. I always stand in front of the toilet. If you do it sitting your case might be different. I had prostatitis (a UTI) when I started doing cic and I credit keeping my bladder retention amount to almost 0 for not having any recurring ones, at least not one that causes pain or makes me sick like the prostatitis did.
Howard31850 dennis47445
Posted
Only when I started as the urethral lining is very vascular and prone to bleeding. It was like starting to floss my teeth. It bleeds for a while and then eventually stops.
BUT having said that, I learned the hard way to never ever force the catheter in. Once in a while I meet with real resistance that I cannot seem to get past. When that happens I take out the catheter and try again later on in a few hours. Whenever I would force the catheter in where there was pain and resistance I would really get bad bleeding where the catheter filled up with dark red blood - awful. But since I started listening to my body I have not had a problem with bleeding in 2 years.
Howard31850 charles11940
Posted
Hi Charles - I apologize for missing your question a few days. Keith pretty much covered all the bases. I would just add a few points that work for me.
In doing the dive bomb method I lean way back so the catheter is coming straight down into the penis opening (meatus). I usually cover the top of the catheter with my index finger as this helps to steady the tip as it enters the penis and reduces side-to-side motion of the catheter tip.
As Keith says the key is to follow the shape of the urethra as you slide the catheter in. It is like a big "S". I keep a picture of the urethra on my bathroom wall. So first I slide in vertically for one-thrid of the way going straight down in the dive-bomb method. Then I rotate the whole assembly horizontal and continue pushing in anothe third. Then for the last third, which is where most of the prostate stands guard against bladder entry I point the whoe assembly straight down towards the toilet and push up very very gently until the bladder is reached and the pee starts to flow. When the pee stops I reverse the whole process very very slowly. Never rush it or push.
I only keep my index finger over the cup during the first third and then switch to holding the cup betwee my thumb and index finger for the rest. Of course for withdrawl you will want to keep your index finger over the cup and then empty any pee left in the catheter into the toilet.
I use the Speedicath 14fr hydrophilic coude tip catheter. I usually add a little lubrication to the catheter sleeve while it is hanging vertical to get more lubrication. Good luck.