CiC help needed
Posted , 8 users are following.
hi guys ,
i need some advice . ive had urinary issues for some time including prostatitis . I recently had a catheter fitted after a bad UtI AND 7 days in hospital . just had catheter removed and my PvR IS 300 ml. it was 85 before the infection .
ive been told to self catheterise , which i found very difficult . ANY Advice on the best way to do this ? i have a cystoscopy booked for late november which should hopefully tell me once and for all what the problem is and possible surgery options . . im told my prostate is normal but i have a severe blockage .
many thanks
Darren
0 likes, 15 replies
rdemyan dcooperxyz
Posted
Hi Darren:
I can't really help with answering your questions. I'm just posting because I too am getting over a bad UTI that basically prevented urination one night. I wasn't able to get to the hospital because my bladder was pushing so hard it caused uncontrollable defecation as well (soiled two pair of pants). Luckily I finally could pee a bit and after two hours of excruciating pain, it resolved. I had already started antibiotics prior to the episode.
The day after that event I learned self catheterization. I'm only going to use it during "bad events" as I can pee fairly well on my own despite having a 100 gram prostate. Hopefully, you'll get some good advice on this thread.
What type of catheters did they train you on: red rubber, hydrophillic...?
dcooperxyz rdemyan
Posted
wow that sounds nasty !
The catheters are coloplast speedcath compact . Im in the UK so may be called something else in the US. They are nicely lubricated .
rdemyan dcooperxyz
Posted
I told my wife afterwards that I felt pretty confident that the pain I had had was worse than childbirth. She scoffed of course 😃
I used the SpeediCath Flex Coude Fr 12. Nurse Mary watched me and made a few suggestions, but pretty much I did it by myself after having watched the video a few times.
I actually had some slight twinges of pain while guiding the catheter in, very slowly, prior to reaching the pelvic floor, where the urethra then changes direction. At that point I remarked to Nurse Mary that I had a weird sensation there at my pelvic floor, but no pain. She urged me to continue and I did and before I knew it, urine was flowing out. After I pulled it out, again very slowly, there was just a bit of blood.
Is the tip on your catheter straight or coude? They say that the coude works better for men with BPH, but again, I don't have much experience so I defer to the others providing replies.
TKM dcooperxyz
Posted
dcooper,
If your having trouble getting started with self cath, try the red rubber catheters with external water soluble lube. They are the least likely to cause pain and bleeding.
A pre-lubed type I like is the Bard Magic3 size 12. It is made of silicone and softer and more fleable than some of the plastic catheters.
It helps to get training from a doctor's office, or watch some of the videos on line.
Thomas
Barnie dcooperxyz
Posted
Your prostate is ok, but is it enlarged. That would stop you urinating, because it presses on your urinary tube..... If you have to self cathetertise, please don't be worried. I have been doing it for 9/10 years....4/5 times a day. To me it has just become routine....If there is a blockage, they can sort it. Again don't worry about it too much. It is just one of those thing every man over 60 + gets to a degree.
It will not stop you having a normal life.... I go on cruises and take two weeks supply which is no problem at all. It just becomes routine
dcooperxyz
Posted
HI Barnie
many thanks for your reply . Ive had two ultrasound scans and both have shown normal size prostate . Im not sure if an ultrasound is accurate in that respect ?
I've also had a urodynamics study which is when the UrO diagnosed severe bladder blockage .
I'm 52 by the way . thank you for your reassurance
Darren
dcooperxyz
Posted
im really struggling to get the catheter past the prostate . im needing to push very hard which i find scary . i seem to recall some members ( maybe JIM ?) can offer advice on this ?
Barnie dcooperxyz
Posted
When you get to that point be very gentle and cough, yes cough ! apparently it does help... Try it anyway.The catheter has to go around a small bend so coughing does help.
Best of luck
dcooperxyz Barnie
Posted
cheers I'll certainly give that a try
keith42667 Barnie
Posted
I was not told to cough at that point, but rather to take a deep breath; hold it a couple of seconds; and then let it out and relax. It took me a week or so about 4 times a day to really get better at it and to stop seeing a red tint to my urine. Just routine now.
Lvscott Barnie
Posted
Yep, cough or just inhale, then do an exhale 'cough.' I just did my first cath today, no problems, no blood. Key is understanding 2 areas of resistance. 1. Sphincter before prostate (exhale cough), and bladder neck right before bladder (same technique.) Don't panic, tense up, and it's really quite easy. Mental state has A TON to do with this here!
pluff_mud dcooperxyz
Posted
There is a lengthy thread on CIC that contains suggestions on technique. I self cath 4 times per day and have been doing so for 15 months. I had some problems initially, but quickly resolved them. I can tell you that there are numerous catheters, and I suggest trying different brands and styles. There are red rubber catheters and plastic catheters. Some of the plastic catheters are softer and more flexible than others. There are different tip styles - straight, coude and olive shaped. There are hydrophilic, pre lubricated, and non lubricated catheters. Even catheter lubricants vary in ease of use. Your urologist should be able to help you in picking a catheter and the size of the catheter. All of the catheter manufacturers will send you samples. Catheters can vary in cost. The Coloplast Speedicath Flex Compact catheters are very expensive, but they are handy to carry around when away from home.
I have resistance going through the prostate and into the bladder, but it is not that much. Try to relax and take things slow. Maybe using a soft catheter, like a red rubber one, will ease your concerns.
dcooperxyz pluff_mud
Posted
thank you , its difficult to pick and choose with the NhS in the uK.
im getting a lot of blood stained red urine. is that normal ?
pluff_mud dcooperxyz
Posted
No. Blood in your urine is not normal. After my initial short learning curve, in 15 months of CIC, 4 times per day, I have only experienced a very small amount blood twice. FYI, I mostly use red rubber catheters that I have to lube myself. I have not had any UTIs over that time period either.
dcooperxyz
Posted
Thanks everyone all very helpful advice