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PAE and cathing

Posted , 7 users are following.

stebrunner
stebrunner

Scheduled to have PAE in 2 weeks. I've been self cathing (CIC) for the past 2 months, due to extreme acute urinary retention. My bladder muscles are still not very strong so I expect to CIC after PAE for awhile. Has anyone on this forum had to CIC after PAE? What was your experience? How soon were you able to CIC after the procedure?

My radiologist told me he isn't sending me home with a Foley catheter, and he said to expect frequent, sudden urges to urintate for the first 24 hours. My understanding is that immediately after PAE the prostate pulls away from the urethra for 24 hours or so. Then the prostate swells before it starts shrinking.

I don't want to end up in the ER with AUR again so I'm hoping I can CIC after that 24 hour period.

Stebrunner

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • ss3234
    ss3234 stebrunner

    Posted

    Over the years i had such great retention problems that I've had to go to different emergency rooms in different citys to have Foley catheters placed in me for 5 days at a time...it became my norm around every 7 months or so. I finally had my PAE 5 days ago and I had spoken at length with with Dr. Bagla about my particular problem with retention over the years. I was scheduled to fly back home the next day, I had a Foley catheter placed in me for my travel and took out this morning,the swelling has gone down quite a bit... my bladder muscles remaines strong for what ever reason...to my surprise my stream is strong and my bladder emptied completely. Relieved and thrilled, with my results. Make sure your questions are answered to your satisfaction.
    • stebrunner
      stebrunner ss3234

      Posted

      Thanks for sharing your experience. I've had 5 Foleys in for a total of 3 months, and I want to avoid them if possible. Since you were traveling the day after the procedure by air, it makes sense to have one in place. My radiologist wants me to stay at a nearby hotel for an extra day to make sure I have no complications. Then I have a 1,000-mile drive ahead of me.  I plan on taking extra catheters for CIC along--and some adult diapers, too. I hope that covers all the bases. Given my experience with AUR, it's encouraging to hear that PAE has allowed you void on your own. My radiologist is confident I will be able to do the same. Hope he's right!
    • ss3234
      ss3234 stebrunner

      Posted

      I had the Foley catheter installed right before the procedure. Dr. Bagla and I both agreed that I keep it in for 5 days until the swelling went down, which was worked extremely well in my case, but made my transition a great deal easier. I experience just about zero pain and no blood in my stool at all. Godspeed!
  • kenneth1955
    kenneth1955 stebrunner

    Posted

    Hello  I hope it all works out for you.  Did your doctor say way hes not doing  a catheter  It may best if you have one  Talk with him  It may be easier for you and help you rest   Ken
    • stebrunner
      stebrunner kenneth1955

      Posted

      Thanks, Ken,

      I'll be talking with the radiogist this week again about the possible need for a Foley. If it's at all possible, I hope I can CIC instead. After all the research I've done on treatment options PAE seems like the best option for me. I'll find out in 10 days!

      Stebrunner

  • glenn77
    glenn77 stebrunner

    Posted

    Be sure to have supplies on hand for CIC.   I had my first TURP on a Thursday, went back the next day to have Foley removed.  Saturday night and Sunday early  I was at the ER with acute retention.   If I had only been aware of the CIC possibility and had the supplies, I could have been spared the pain and expense.  (My wife is an RN who has done hundreds of catherizations.)

     

    • kenneth1955
      kenneth1955 glenn77

      Posted

      Glenn may I ask how old you are and way did you pick to have a Turp    Ken 
    • stebrunner
      stebrunner glenn77

      Posted

      I plan to have CIC supplies with me--and some adult diapers, too, just to cover all my bases. I hope to avoid a Foley, but can deal with it if neccesary. 

      Stebrunner

  • glenn77
    glenn77 stebrunner

    Posted

    I'm 77, but outside of the urinary issue, in very good health, weighing about the same as I did at age  21.

    I had lived with BPH for 15 years or longer.  Tried Flomax and it dropped my blood pressure to 65/35, I was told at the ER when I became conscious again.  I was diagnoised with sleep apnea, and it was thought getting up 3-5 times each night for the bathroom was a contributor to that issue.  So I went to a new urologist who did all the evaluation, tests, and suggested that I could end up with severe retention, failed bladder, kidney damage, even though I'd never had any kind of acute retention, outside of being a bit slow to start sometimes.  If I'd known of self cathering, I would have leared about it, and would have acquired the necessary supplies just in case, and probably lived with the status quo.   My BPH was mostly from enlargement of the median lobe, and that's where the TURP was done to create an open passage.  (Some newer procedures such as Avodart and PAE don't apply for median lobe enlargement, I've read.)

     

    • kenneth1955
      kenneth1955 glenn77

      Posted

       I have read that the PAE procedure is helping the median lobe get smaller.  To me the doctor made you think you would have a problem with alot of maybes.  And you may not have had a problem at all.  But that life.  I hope you are pleased with the procedure.  Take care  Ken    
  • arlington
    arlington stebrunner

    Posted

    I CIC'd just before the procedure and then about 6 hours after.  It was a bit tender, but doable.  By the way, the night just after the procedure was by far my best night of voiding without too much effort - so your theory seems to make sense.  I had mine in Sept '15.  My large median lobe and the fact that I had been in AUR for 12 months prioy lessened the odds of great successl however, it did help a bit and is definitely (I think) the best shot w/ the least potential  downside.

    Best of luck!

    • stebrunner
      stebrunner arlington

      Posted

      Glad to hear that you were able to CIC so soon after the PAE. I plan to CIC right before I go in to the hospital. I, too, have a large median lobe pressing into my bladder. My radiologist said he can target that area of the prostate to cause it to shrink back. My AUR back in December was 7 liters! Oddly I didn't have any pain with that. However since then, several uros have told me that regaining function of my bladder is unlikely. I'm having the PAE done to make CIC more comfortable, and I'm hoping to use Jimjames method to rehabilitate my bladder. The radiologist is pretty confident that I'll be able to void on my own after PAE. I hope he's right. The amount I can void on my own has been slowly increasing since I began CIC about 2 1/2 months ago, so I think my bladder is trying to work.
    • arlington
      arlington stebrunner

      Posted

      I CIC'd about 10 minutes before they took me in to the operatiing room!
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