Self Catherization: Issues and Problems

Hi Tom, God bless you for this info.I'm 87 and i'm going to get GL also.

I have a concern about my bladder also.Did yot have complete urine retention before you had surgery? I  have been self cathing 5 x a day for 2 months now. Did you have the urodynamics test before you had the green light surgery?  

Thanks very much Tom for this info

Tom, that's great. You hear a lot about smooth muscle relaxants like Tamusolin (flomax) but not much about bladder stimulants like bethanachol. From the little I've read, it seems indicated in cases like yours where the obstruction is gone. I assume this is for safety reasons to prevent high bladder pressures. 

Do you know what your post void residuals are now that you're on it? Do you know the volumes of your voids? Assuming that the bethanachol has kept your bladder volumes down, it's possible that your bladder has been rehabilitated some in the same way that mine has been through self cathing. Have you tried to go off bethanachol to see if things are working better now?

Jim

I have not tried to see what would happen if I went "cold turkey" but I have noticed that when from time to time when I miss a pill or two I still go.

Perhaps I'll try quitting to see what happens. (Or DOESN'T happen.)

Tom, by "Not complete retention but getting there," do you mean your "output" has dropped, and you are having to pee more often or cath to empty?  Please clarify!

Do you have any side effects with bethanachol ?

Hank

No adverse reactions of any kind.  As a matter of fact there was a bonus!  Several years ago I had 12-13 inches of colon removed.  Not cancer but diverticuliris. (The op is the same for both.)  Whenever you are operated  on "down there" there's a darn good chance you won't be "regiular" again. I developed chronic constipation.  I'm OK because I have a damn good gastro man.

Anyway, I was talking to gastro man and told him that the urologist had put me on bethanichol. He said not to be surprised if the bethanichol helped with constipation also.  He explained that just as bethanichol helped the bladder muscles it also helps the miscles responsible for intestinal motility. 

Thanks Tom,

Great! I'll ask for it when I see my GP.

Hank

ZD,

You referring to bethanachol? I had never heard of it until Tom posted which is a little odd since so many of us have bladder issues. That said, based on what Tom said, and from what I've recently read, it deserves consideration. Definitely cross check this, but I believe it's not recommended if there is an obstruction such as a lot of us have from our prostate. The logic here I guess is that the bethanachol induced contractions could do damage if the urethra is obstructed. How much of an obstruction contraindicates its use I couldn't find. In Tom's case, he already had a TURP or similar so no obstruction just a stretched bladder. 

I would definitely do run it by your doc and maybe do more research on it. 

Jim

I read a little more and it's definitely contraindicated if you have bladder outlet obstruction. It also seems controversial even if you don't have it. That said, if I for example a TURP like procedure to remove the obstruction, and I still had voiding problems do to lack of detrussor function, I would definitely look into it some more, as opposed to just getting an rx and and seeing what happens.

Jim

You're right about being sure you don't have an obstruction.  I had just had surgery for enlarged prostate.  My urine path was NOT obstructed!  That's how they discovered that in addition to the enlarged prostate, which I DID have I also had a bladder that wasn't working and I self cathed for awhile until my urologist prescribed bethanichol and as they say, "the rest is history."

Tom

Interesting.  I was taking bethanachol, and it didn't help at all.  Goes to show you, we are all different.