Chronic Retention of Urine - Enlarged Prostate

1 leg bag is not much. I was supplied with more leg bags than night bags. I tended to use a new leg bag every day but the night bags I was supposed to wash out and use again The hospital had told me to ask at my surgery for more as they would stock them. They didn't and I had to get a prescription for them. The pharmacy did not stock them either and had to order them.

One of the leg bags proved porous and started to leak. Just as well that I was near home when it happened. I contacted the makers who asked me to return it with the batch number. They then sent me a large supply.

That's just what they gave me to see by I have loads of both from last time,

I so did not want to end up with another foley ( but these things happen )

I'll be glad to get this all over with.

kind regards

Howard

Howard - that's great news! Welcome to this 'select' club indeed! Iknow the catheter is unpleasant when it is put in, and to wear, but it's nothing compared with the PAIN of retention and urge!

They gave me two leg bags and one night bag - to last two weeks. I an supposed to use the one leg back for a week then change to the other. I was advised to wash the night bag. i have to connect the night bag to the leg bag for night use so I guess that's why I have only one night bag. Sometimes, so that I can move freely in bed, i get up about 4 in the morning and disconnect the night bag. By then it has some 400 ml in it and then on the leg bag hardly fills until I get up properly.

Good luck with your consultation

hi howard welcome to the club my friend regards francis

 

Thak you David & francis for such a warm welcome to the Club....LOL

although having this thing in is not nice I must say that I had a good nights sleep as I did not have to get up every hour.

The doctor did say at the A&E that he thought I might also have bladder problems and need it to be trained after the OP.

He also asked when I was due for surgery I said " how long is an elastic band" he laughed and said " yes the lists do stretch".

kind regards

Howard.

 

Hi Howard,

Well Done, it is great news that all is well with your kidneys.

In you next few days try and get some flip-flo catheter valves, much more comfortable than leg bags.

Best Wishes

Barry

odd - The uroligy doc in A&E told me to use a bag for the first few days then switch to a flip-flo valve. I liked the idea of that, especially for work, but the nurse ( a man in his late 50s) would not gve me one. He said it was better to keep with bags for now. He checked with the doc and that's what I left with. I felt in good hands because he had had a cath while recovering from cancer - so we were able to talk about practicalities comfortably.

Hi David,

That's fine, I was on a bag for about a week, then I was told about the flip-flo valve and I have used then since (24/7).

Regards

Brian

Just to let you know it's been great having a good nights sleep thanks to the foley.

kind regards

Howard.

Hi Howard,

Good news, I'm happy that you in better shape now, hopefully you have your op at the end of Oct.  I'm 11 weeks tomorrow with the foley in.  Should get it changed in the next 7 days, hopefully I will get a experienced district nurse when the time comes.

Kind Regards

Brian

 

Hi, Brian

Get them to take it out slowly as when they took my first one out (it was in for 7 weeks ) it had a build up of crystals on the top which were jagged.

the out come was that they scored the uretha on the way out which made me bleed and was very sore, the crystals were also beging to block the

drain holes which explained why I was not draining as fast as when it was first put in.

I hope all goes well for you.

kind regards

Howard.

begining not beging ( excuse typo )

Hi Howard,

Thanks for the tip  Hopefully the District Nurse will be well experienced,

but I will tell her to take it very slowly.  Had foley in for exactly 11 weeks today, should get a call anytime now.

Kind Regards

Brian. 

Hi Howard/Guys,

Just been notified that the District Nurse will pop round tomorrow to exchange the catheter.  I have a question for those persons who use a catheter valve (flip-flo) like I do (and have done for 10 of the 11 weeks that I have been catheterised).

I tend to empty the flip-flo around about every 3 hrs or so. The trouble is

"I don't feel the normal urge to void" during that time.  Hopefully when I finally have my operation, I hope I will be able to void normally, that is my concern.  Anybody who has similar problems like me?,

Kind Regards

Brian

How did it go Brian ( not painful I hope ).

kind regards

Howard.

Hi Howard,

Thank you for asking.  Had my catheter exchanged around 3pm today. District Nurse did a good job, I was told to relax, which I did, she took the foley out nice and slowly.  Foley was clean which was good news, no signs of crystals. 

She put a new foley in (Bard is the Manufacture). a bit more painful this time but not too bad.  I have had a bit of bleeding since but hopefully that will clear when I next void.

Just feel a bit uncomfortable at the moment with the new foley in place, hopefully that will pass soon and I have my fingers crossed that I will not get a UTI this time.

Kind Regards

Brian

I bet it was like when I had mine this time, with me the prostate was so swollen that the Lidocaine/lubricant that they put in the willie with the syringe could not go past it so it was numb up until it hit the prostate then there was an explosion of fire ( by God it hurt ).

anyway brian it's over until the next time ( let's hope you get sorted by then.

kind regards

Howard.

Hi Howard,

Yes, it was painful when she hit the prostate.

In fact I have just voided (not because I felt the urge) but it has been 4 hrs since I last turned on the Flip-flo. 

Still a lot of blood in the urine, hopefully I will be ok tomorrow, I am drinking plenty of fluids to clear it.

Yes, I hope my operation is before the next change, should be?

Are you now on a Flip-flo?

Kind Regards

Brian

 

Yes brian I have one but the doctor in the A&E that fitted it told me not to mess about and to leave the leg bag on for 7 days then use the flip-flo to shut off the flow and change the bag ( he said the idea of the flip-flo was to stop  a UTI when changing bags. ( I know you you will not agree with what he said)

kind regards

Howard.

Good Morning Howard,

Hope all is well with you.  Best follow the good Doctor's advice.  I had the bag on for the first week when I was catheterised.

I went back to the Urology Ward after a week, because I was still bleeding, the Doctor put me on a Flip-flow and gave me some medication to settle my bladder, I was also having bladder spasms at the time.

Since that moment I have use only the Flip-flo 24/7. No bag at all.

Find it more convenient all round, can wear shorts, bike to work etc.

By the way good news this morning, the bleeding has nearly gone and I feel much more comfortable with the new foley in place.

Kind Regards

Brian

 

Brian what are you doing riding a BIKE? that will batter your prostate some thing wicked my doctor said don't cycle, and with a cath. don't bend lower than my knees. and with your bleeding I thing it was down to crystals which may have come off when it was withdrawn ( keep an eye out for them when you wee ( easier to see if you have a bag) does the new cath 

have more force behind the flow ( mine did due to no partial blockage caused by build up of sediment etc.

kind regards

Howard.

I'm so glad you are more comfortable.

I had a letter from the hospital yesterday, when I saw NHS on the envelope I thought YES!!! but it was only for day surgery to remove an SCC from my nose.

Hi Howard,

Thank you for the warning about the bike, better get the wife to take me to work.

Very strange things happening with the new catheter.  The last one was much more forceful and straight.  With the new one the wee is coming out a lot slower and in different directions all the time, very strange indeed. 

Maybe it is because of a different manufacture of the foley?

Like I said when the District Nurse took the last one out, it was quite clean with no crystals.  I will drink a bit more today and see if the flow improves?  

Sorry to hear about the letter, hopefully not too long now.  I am in the same boat, everytime I see the postman or letters hit my doormat, I think this could be it, but not yet so far.

I am hoping for a letter sometime in October, we shall see.

Have a good day.

Kind Regards

Brian

 

 

it sounds like your new foley may be a bit blocked, phone who fitted it and they may come and flush it. ( new foley should have a good constant flow)

or it may be the flip-flow.

kind regards

Howard.

just dug this up for you Brian,

Can bike riding cause prostatitis? Cycling is great exercise for you, but it can lead to repetitive trauma to your prostate. Riding a bike can cause irritation to the prostate, which can lead to chronic prostatitis or chronic pain similar to chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS). Cycling can also negatively affect your fertility. Only a small number of riders get prostatitis from riding their bikes, but it is good for all male riders to take preventive action and know how to recognize the signs prostatitis. 

Hi Howard,

Good point, I will monitor it for the next 48 hrs, if it still the same, I will give them a call on Monday to come and flush it out.

I take it that you have decided to have a TURP.

Kind Regards

Brian

Oh, yes brian, the sooner the better to the Turp, ( I hope I'm one of the ones it works out for.

kind regards

Howard.

Hi Howard,

Let's hope we both don't have to wait too long for our respective operations and that all goes well for both of us.

Kind Regards

Brian

Kind Regards

Brian

They say a life time is three score years and ten, let's hope we have a few quality ones at the end.

kind regards

Howard.

has the Cath sorted it's self out yet Brian ?.

regards

Howard.

Hi Howard,

I will second that.  I will come back to you later in respect of your other question.  Have to speak to a lady who knows a lot about catheters (so I am told by a friend on the sme estate as me) She is a District Nurse.

Hopefully I can get hold of her.  But yes I agree with you, the catheter needs a flush.

Have a good day.

Kind Regards

Brian

 

I hope you have things sorted Barry,

I found this an interesting read, it seems the problems we have have been going on for eons.

RE:

Catheterisation of the bladder dates back to the 5th century BC and includes such notable names as Hippocrates, Celsus, Soranus, Rufus, Aretaeus and Galen.[16] Catheters were also used in late antiquity and the middle ages.[17] The ancient Egyptians may have used catheters as early as 4000 BC. In the Graeco-Roman era and in the Middle Ages in Europe, S-shaped bronze catheters with one terminal eye were in common use. In the Middle East, these were developed further and by 1013, straight or one-curve catheters made of gold, silver, copper, lead or salve of white lead, with a rounded end and many side holes and a stylet, were the standard instruments.The rubber catheter of Nelaton was invented in 1873. Frederic Eugene Basil Foley (1891-1966) was an American urologist who invented the self-retaining balloon catheter in the 1930s whilst a medical student

hi david i have had 5 catheters put in and allways had leg bags i was never told abot the flip-flo valves regards frank