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NEED HELP CONCERNING SELF CATHING

Posted , 9 users are following.

tom512836
tom512836

Today I went to my UR office to be trained in self cathing.  I went in there sporting a foley hanging out my front door because about a week ago I went into total retention and I was forced to endure another ER butchery until today.

The training session went fine.  I then went food shopping with my wife.  While in the supermarket I felt that my bladder was really full.  I had no option but to use the store's John and try to go normal and see what happens.  To my absolute amazement I had a solid stream and I don't know if I voided totally or not but I left that John feeling fine.  And that's the way it continued all through the afternoon and early evening.

The UR said the two most important cathings are bed time and morning wake up time.  I tried to cath tonight before bed time but nothing flowed.  Thinking I did something wrong I sacreficed another catheter and still nothing.  I don't understand what I'm doing wrong?  I'll try again tomorrow AM.

My catheters are those fancy kind that have that curve at the tip to help you through the sphincters.  I was told to keep the curve elevated toward the ceiling and I do but once it's inside you and it turns how would you know?  I put this question to the company that my doctor deals with and that said that there was a guide of some sort way up toward the other end of the catheter.  They must have used invisible ink because I can't find it.

Can any of you experienced cathers make sence out of my tale of wow?

Tom

PS:  The reason for my self cathing is weak bladder muscles.    

1 like, 34 replies

34 Replies

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  • gbhall
    gbhall tom512836

    Posted

    What is the make/name of the catheter. The exit funnel in every one I have ever used has an embossed line up one side, which is the side towards which the pointed end tlts, and which must point towards your body as you introduce the catheter.

    Once inserted in the right way it stays right all the time, because the tubing, although very flexible, resists twisting.

    I cannot understand how you can insert one without getting anything out. You do realise that when fully inserted it should enter your bladder, which means the exit funnel will be within less than an inch of the end of you penis, or even touching it.

  • cartoonman
    cartoonman tom512836

    Posted

    Two thoughts here:  All the thousands (yes thousands!) of catheters I've used, have a raised line to indicate the position as it goes in.  I've used a few coude tips, and they too have those marks.  Just note where it is in your fingers, and keep it in that position (up) the whole way in.  If you hold the funnel end firmly, the tip won't rotate.

    Also: did anyone tell you WHY you were assigned the coude tip? I used one box that was sent to me by mistake, and they were quite painful to use.  If you experience any pain with yours, you might want to ask about the straight tips.

    • jimjames
      jimjames cartoonman

      Posted

      I have to share a different point of view on the coude with my fellow cath user and poster, "cartoonman". In Europe, or so I was told by a cath rep, almost all men use coude tips because they navigate the prostate better. In the states, some use coude and some straight. I was prescribed a coude because of my enlarged prostate and it works just fine. A few weeks ago I tried a straight catheter and it worked the first time but not so good the second time. No more straight catheters for me!

      Jim

    • cartoonman
      cartoonman jimjames

      Posted

      Well, interesting to read this posting, from the Notably Knowledgable JimJames!  :-)  We've shared many experiences in similar fashion, and yet this one I've had the TOTAL OPPOSITE experience.  I've mentioned before, that the company mistakening sent me a box of coude-tipped caths, which I ditifully used, not knowing the difference (This was early oon in my cathing.).  But what I DID notice was the PAIN!  Thought I just didn't yet have the hang of it.  Later, when I learned the difference, I asked the company for an apology and a free box of "straights."  They said, "Nope; you used 'em!!!"  Caveat emptor, I guess!  Added info:  I have a small (yet problematic) prostate, only 38 or 39 grams.  This might be why the "straights" work so much better for me.

       

    • jimjames
      jimjames cartoonman

      Posted

      Maybe the relatively small size of your prostate is the reason your experience is different. The Coude tip is designed to navigate around large prostates as the majority of us have. I'd bet if you tried the coude again you wouldn't have the same problem but I know you won't, for the same reason I won't try a straight catheter again. Once you get pain with a particular catheter, that's it for that catheter! Never again! FWIW I've had some pretty sharp pains from Coude tips as well, but not with the Speedicath. Coloplast rocks!

      Jim

  • jimjames
    jimjames tom512836

    Posted

    One of maybe two things going on. Since you said that you were urinating normally with solid stream earlier, it's possible that your bladder was empty and therefore nothing would come out when you self catherize. This would be good news. Perhaps the Foley rested your bladder enough for it to work normally. 

    The other possibility is that you aren't entering the bladder with the catheter. Did you feel it push around the prostate and through the sphincter muscle. There should be some resistance at both points. 

    One easy way to tell would be to self catherize when you know your badder is full, ie when you have the urge to urinate. In this case I would urinate naturally just for a few seconds (to clean out the urethra) and then stop. Then catherize. If urine comes out then you're doing it right and you were just empty the other times. If no urine comes out, then something is wrong with the way you are using the catheter. 

    You could also check on things at your doctors office as I assume they have a portable bladder scanner that can tell if your blader is empty or not both before and after  you cath.

    Probably not a bad idea at this point to do a voiding log. Write down how much you naturally urinate and how much you self cath. If you want to be thorough, write down how much fluid you drink as well. A 500ml plastic cup with measurements on the side should work fine. You can find them in the supermarket.

    Jim

    • jimjames
      jimjames

      Posted

      Regardless of whatt your doctor says, a good rule of thumb in the beginning is to increase the frequency of catherization if more than 400ml comes out when you self catherize. Twice a day (morning and evening) is a good start but if you find out during the day that more than 400ml is coming out at any one time through the catheter (after you urinate) then the protocol is to increase frequency. More detail on this in other posts in th catheter threads.

      Jim

    • tom512836
      tom512836 jimjames

      Posted

      I was given bad info.  I was instructed to place the curve of the bend TOWARD ME which placed the tip angled DOWN!   No wonder it didn't work the first 2 times I tried it after the one used for teaching.  When I tried it with tip UP I was able to void urine.

      Still, my UT is still raw and sore from carring a foley for so long that I find even self cathing to be less than a walk in the roses.

      Concerning the indicater at the exit spout of my caude cath is just a tiny raised point the size of a period on paper and barely decernable even to the touch.  Would it have been so much to ask for the manufacturer to clearlt mark it?

    • cartoonman
      cartoonman tom512836

      Posted

      What brand are you using?  SpeediCaths have a notable "beak" on their coude tips...

      You might want to check with your  uro-doc about trying striaght tips, because of your torn-up insides?

    • jimjames
      jimjames tom512836

      Posted

      If you are urinating standing up, with the penis gently pulled skyward,  the "tiny raised point" on the catheter should be facing your body as it enters the urethra.

      Jim

  • MK51151
    MK51151 tom512836

    Posted

    From my own experience, before you enter your bladder you will have 2 points where you feel some resistance. If it does not go after gentle push, pull your catheter half inch back and take deep breath and at the same time advance your catheter forward and repeat the same at the second point of resistance. When your bladder is full, your catheter will niter in greater length. When bladder is empthy, it is small and compressed so you might wonder that end of your cath (funnel) is so close to your head of penis and at other time you have 2-3 inches left. Conde tip is meant to navigate easier thru prostatic urethra where it becomes narrow when you suffer BPH.

    when you enter your bladder, even if bladder is completely empty wait about 30 seconds and you should get at least a few drops of urine and that is 

    the sign that you are in your bladder. Your kidneys are constantly producing urine so you should see few drops if you are in right place.

    Whenever you cathterize, be very gentle when inserting and puling out catheter. I have small problem when pulling out cath. Most of the time I feel some scratch when catheter exiting bladder mouth and was told that is because of my median lobe protruding into bladder.

     

    • jimjames
      jimjames MK51151

      Posted

      While technically you should get a few drops of urine even with an empty bladder a much more reliable test would be to cath with a full or partially full bladder. If that produces no urine then the catheter isn't entering the bladder. If the flood gates open, then it is. 

      Jim

    • MK51151
      MK51151 jimjames

      Posted

      Because, kidneys are constantly producing urine, in 30 sec you should get a few drops and that confirms catheter is in right place where it should be - in the bladder. If pushing to hard when resistance felt, it is passible to create false passage. Catheter insertion should be gentle.
    • jimjames
      jimjames MK51151

      Posted

      You are assuming that the catheter will pick up the "few drops" of urine. Studies have shown that people who self catherize often do not completely empty out for a variety of reasons including catheter technique and bladder shape. It would in fact be unusual for someone to empty out to the very last drop. I'm not saying you're wrong technically, but I think a much simpler and more accurate way for someone to investigate the problem at hand is to simply self catherize when you know the bladder has fluid in it, as in a full or partially full bladder. That way if nothing comes out you can be sure that the catheter has not entered the bladder or the technique is somehow wrong. And going back to the "last drop" thing. I often leave the catheter in for a minute or two after I empty because I have a diverticulum. I leave it in because sometimes the diverticulum will drain into the bladder. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. But many times nothing comes out after a minute or two. Not even the "few drops" you are talking about. 

      Jim

  • oldbuzzard
    oldbuzzard tom512836

    Posted

    You can get some PT for your bladder muscles and that might solve your problem long term. It looks like you figured out how to cath properly - but you may not need to, I blocked up completely once, had a foley in for a few days and didn't need to cath again for years - and only then because of anasthesia from meniscus surgery.

    Look into PT is my suggestion and if you're OK without the cath, keep a few in your car for safe keeping and in a travel bag in case you have aproblem while away. 

    • oldbuzzard
      oldbuzzard

      Posted

      Forgot - the burning will go away in a few days if it hasn't already. Peridium (spelled wrong here for sure) will help but it will make your pee bright orange. One or two doses should make thing bearable - self cathing won't make things raw like the foley did.
    • tom512836
      tom512836 oldbuzzard

      Posted

      The cathiters I have are all these curved tip jobs.  I find cathing with them to be a living hell getting in.

      I think I'm going to try some straight jobs.  The curved tip caths are to help navagate a prostate with BPH.  I had green lihjt surgery on April 7 and I know my prostate is NOT blocked so why do I need curved caths?

      Tom

    • tom512836
      tom512836 oldbuzzard

      Posted

      On my first day of self cathing (Friday) everything weny great!  I was trained in th doctors office that morning and for the rest of the day i was peeing like nothing was wrong.

      This only lasted until that night.  I tried and tried and finally succeeded in passing urine through the catheter.  This morning it was living hell getting the catheter up there but I finally did and passed some urine.

      Just now, just for the hell of it I tried to pass some urine.  I did but I also passed a blood clot!!!!

      I have a call into the covering doctor to find out what to do next.

      Tom  

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