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Getting the bladder back to normal after a catheter

Posted , 22 users are following.

georgeGG
georgeGG

How do you prepare the bladder for storing a average amount of urine after wearing a catheter for many weeks? At present I can only manage 1/3 to 1/2 the average. Not too good for traveling, going to theatre, shopping etc.

3 likes, 48 replies

48 Replies

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  • debbi0140
    debbi0140 georgeGG

    Posted

    Hi. You didn't happen to say for how long you had the catheter in for and why. I'm a nurse and usual we would start to train the bladder whilenthe catheter was still in. Now as that is not the case I would recommend seriously retrain the bladder by holding on to the urine each time you needed to void by even 10 minutes or so. It may seem like a slow process well because it is. The other excerise that you need to do is working the muscle down there. You can google how to do that but basically it is like clutching that muscle. Good luck and don't give up it just takes sio
    • georgeGG
      georgeGG debbi0140

      Posted

      Thank you Debbi. The system crashed and I lost my reply. But I am rewriting it. Please do not think I am ignoring your kindness.
    • derek76
      derek76 debbi0140

      Posted

      Are you a urology nurse? If so I will ask you a question.
    • georgeGG
      georgeGG debbi0140

      Posted

      Debbi, you are a gem.

      Unscrambling the code as one has to, I am not going to get the catheter out at the meeting six weeks after the end of radiotherapy for prostate cancer as suggested as the earliest. I might get training instructions. OK. I can live with that.

      As you will see from my comments to Daniel and Tiswas, it was to avoid the agony the exceeded even a tooth abcess (previously the most extreme agony I had suffered ) whenever I tried or managed to pee. Ie opening or trying to ioen the sphincter was the problem. Closing it was no problem at all. When the bladder settles down and behaves normally then I should manage without a catheter – or is there some more bad news to be dribbled out ‘as expected and quite normal. Nothing to worry about.’ patter?  Well! I hope it will settle down. Progress is slow but there is progress.

      Early days, pain started treatment 1 and bad by treatment 5. catheter was fitted after treatment 22 and the last of 37 treatments was on 19 December. So I have had the catheter for six weeks last Friday. I at last managed to walk with a full stride two days ago.

       

      Contracting the pelvic floor muscles is my key control over bladder. Just as well I had worked up the exercises before treatment started. Also I have to ignore the bladder tweaking me at every change of ambient temperature , every comment on water flow, every sound however quiet that sounds even by the longest stretch of the imagination like flowing water. Bladder has the most acute hearing and wild imagination while I need two hearing aides.

       

      All very odd. Interesting too.

       

      Thank you Debbi

    • debbi0140
      debbi0140 georgeGG

      Posted

      Hi George so I went back and read your response to my initial comment. I'm very sorry about the cancer. Are they thinking Of operating after radiation? Oh and the pain that you are feelinh while the insertion of the catheter is more likely when the tube is passing by where the rumor is pushing on where the urine going down so you can pee.

      Hope this helps a little and if you have any others please don't hesitate to ask. I Will answer you as soon am I'm physically able to.

    • georgeGG
      georgeGG debbi0140

      Posted

      Thank you Debbi, There has been no talk of surgery. You mention pain on inserting the catheter but this aspect is so puzling to me. There is no pain on inserting or extracting the catheter. I expected it to be terrible. It wasn't. It was as easy as pie. I have had one change and that was the same. The pain seemed to be the result of trying to relax/open the sphincter. It seems the opposite to the usual problem.
    • jay47820
      jay47820 debbi0140

      Posted

      Thank you.

      I have notice on this site that the term "District Nurse" is used. 

      Would you share who, what this is?

    • Moydokes
      Moydokes debbi0140

      Posted

      I just had back surgery. Due to complications, I had a Foley catheter in for almost 2 weeks. Just had it removed a couple of days ago, and was getting depressed with my inability to release urine when my bladder felt full. One of my dear friends who has been a nurse for many years shared an old nurses' trick. She suggested that I take a glass of water and a straw to the potty next time and blow bubbles into the water with the straw. Naturally, I forgot to take the water and straw the next time I went to the bathroom, but after I sat down, I remembered the tip. So, I inhaled deeply and filled my lungs and cheeks with air, pursed my lips and started releasing the air with a significant amount of pressure behind it. Power of suggestion? Don't know. Don't care. But I've had about 5 successful peepee trips since then by using that tip!! My anxiety level associated with drinking water has now decreased tremendously, because it was hard to make myself drink when my bladder already felt like it was about to burst. And I need to drink lots of water. Hope this may help others!

  • GeorgiaS
    GeorgiaS georgeGG

    Posted

    I heard about an exercise in which when you're going to the toilet you let a bit out, then squeeze and stop, bit more out, stop and keep doing that throughout urination to improve muscle tone. Might help!
    • georgeGG
      georgeGG GeorgiaS

      Posted

      Great thanks. I used to be able to do that no bother. Much harder for ladies I understand. But yes, I need to be able to do that again so an excellent exercise. Also I have some idea of what I need to do.

      Meantime I can squeeze the catheter.. I have just been trying. I think it works in conjunction with the pelvic floor muscles.

      Super, thanks.

    • frustrated61
      frustrated61 georgeGG

      Posted

      Hi Doc~

      In short, it's called kegel!  After any  surgeries I've had, I had a problem urinating because of the cath used during surgery.  I did find that kegel helped get things in motion and my endurance was much longer.  

      I'm sorry you're suffering with this. It's awful.  I hope and pray that you get relief soon, you too, Daniel.

      Warmly,

      Frustrated

    • georgeGG
      georgeGG frustrated61

      Posted

      Thank you Frustrated. Yes, I have been getting the theory after the practice. I had read that incontinance was quite commom after radiotherapy and did a course of Pelvic Floor Exercises using a free app supplied by a kind doctor. I finished that course and now can contract my pelvic floor muscles for several minutes. This ability I use when busy with pooing. The pain always sets in at that point but a firm contraction held for as long as necessary plus half a minute eases the pain to nothing. Yes, thats the power of Kegel exercise.

      I have also found very recently that a firm contraction quiets my bladder which has been telling me painfully that my bladder is full when I know perfectly well it certainly is not. 

      So I build on the experience of others and I am very grateful.

      Doc

    • frustrated61
      frustrated61 georgeGG

      Posted

      Doc ~

      Stay strong and hopefully this will just be a memory...very distant at that!

    • georgeGG
      georgeGG frustrated61

      Posted

      Ahhh yesss dear Frustrated and the sooner the better. Still, I am old fashioned and consider myself a patient, both as a title and a description. I do not take kindly to being designated a client.
  • GeorgiaS
    GeorgiaS georgeGG

    Posted

    You're very welcome George. It was in a general conversation and I've got no idea how it started now!
    • georgeGG
      georgeGG GeorgiaS

      Posted

      Oh! I started it, dear Georgia. I have a catheter and am very comfortable with it. I want also to transfer to doing without the catheter so I asked advice. Where better than this forum?
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