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suprapubic catheter advice please.

Posted , 25 users are following.

ollie64
ollie64

Hello, I was wondering if anyone with or who has had a suprapubic catheter Could give me some advice and do's and don't's, tips, etc etc.

I will be having one fitted on Tuesday after having this urethral catheter removed, been 29 days since this urethral one was fitted and I requested the urologist a week and a bit ago to convert me as this one was driving me mad with the infections, discomfort, physical restrictions, internal bleeding and bladder spasms, etc etc.

I requested general anaesthetic as I am quite an anxious person and would probably panic if awake.

Any advice from personal experience / medical training is appreciated. Thanks

3 likes, 113 replies

113 Replies

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  • etherbunny
    etherbunny ollie64

    Posted

    Hello Ollie-- I am a retired Anesthetist with a history of prostate cancer, treated with seed implants and 5 weeks of external beam radiation. the radiation caused scarring at the bladder neck( not allowing urine to pass easily). I ended up doing self catheterizations for a couple of yearsuntil I could no longer pass a catheter without considerable bleeding,  I opted for a S/P cath placed under spinal anes.done by one of my students.I have had the sp cath since 10/9 2018, with it being changed monthly by a nurse in the URO clinic.For me, the sp cath has given me much freedom. Initially I had some uretheral leakage.  Lately I have had some painful spasms (10 out of 10 on pain scale).  By experiment I found a way to adjust the cath so it is not causing spasms.  i can now get back to playing golf and prospecting for Gold in the river near me.  If you would be helped by more details, let me know ,I'll try to help.  Etherbunny.

  • tim68354
    tim68354 ollie64

    Edited

    Hi. I'm new to this group, having just moved over from a self cath group.

    i have been SC'g for over 3 years following a diagnosis of urinary retention by means of detrusor muscle failure. The hope was SCing would reduce volumes and re-train the bladder into fully emptying again, unfortunately it never happened. SCing itself was fine other than the ongoing UTI issues suffered. I had over 25 in three and a bit years. These seem to have been related to prostate issues/soreness primarily - repeatedly inserting a cath in there just wasnt agreeing with me. Having been hospitalised by the last one i have finally opted to go down the SPC route.

    Im 62 and live in UK and in otherwise good health. I would value your opinion on SPC. i have a few questions

    1. How long does it take for leakage to stop after fitting? and does this then happen every time a replacement is fitted?

    2. Im concerned about soreness around the entry site, eg sleeping, wearing trousers/belt etc. How do you reduce this or does it simply take time?

    3. Can i change the catheter myself at home once shown, I read this was might be possible somewhere?

    4. I wont need a bag. Is it easy enough to keep all the pipework and connections hidden behind clothes etc?

    5. Am i doing the right thing? I dont think i have any option. I cannot tolerate an indwelling catheter and SC'ing isnt working out for me.

    Would value your thoughts and or help. Thanks Timothy, North Yorks

    • mik98
      mik98 tim68354

      Edited

      Question 1, Answer, with me it seems to leak a little all the time but mainly during the day and if you are active and physical and do a lot of bending tends to cause your abdomen to put pressure on your bladder which might cause a little leakage. I know with me by the time I take a shower in the evening there is a little slime (lack of better words) around the entry site but I just wash it off and then no problems.

      Question 2 Answer 2, both I purchased a couple of suspenders to keep up my pants because I asked the Dr. to put tube above or below the belt line but noooo he had to put it exactly on my belt line but maybe 6-9 months I was able to wear belts ( the time will be different for the individual). Night time I just made sure I did sleep on my stomach.

      Question 3 Answer 3, You can change it yourself if you can handle sticking a tube into your abdomen totally weird feeling. If you want we can Skype or connect and I can show you how I do it is quite easy just awkward.

      Question 4 Answer 4, If you are close to a restroom you will be ok but at night I would wear the overnight bag especially if you don't get the feeling until it is too late plus the night bag lets you sleep all night without having to get up and go to the restroom which is awesome. I would also wear bag if you will not be near a restroom that is what I do and does wonder. With me the urge comes on all of the sudden then I have to go. Yes it will be easy to hide it into your clothes and I would not hold it for so long could cause damage to your kidneys and cause you more infections.

      Question 5 Answer 5, I was really apprehensive at first but after peeing in pants all of the sudden I really had no choice. Another thing I want to mention to you is after your catheter is in and after a while you start to feel pain where the tube enters your abdomen don't wait and change it as soon as possible because what happens is you urine will calsify on your tube and rub your skin as you get up sit down or bend over and causes a lot of pain.

      I hope this helps.

      Mike Parma Ohio

    • mik98
      mik98

      Edited

      Question 2

      I miss wrote that sleep on your stomach, do NOT SLEEP on your stomach until you feel ok with tube.

    • tim68354
      tim68354 mik98

      Posted

      Thanks Mik. Much appreciated.

      Another quick question if i may.

      The reason for this is detrusor failure and my inability to naturally void at anything below 500ml. Above this i can pee fine.

      i have this vision of peeing as normal for the first 1-200ml (would like to retain ability to do this for emergencies etc) and then using SPC thereafter empty out.

      In your experience, would this be achievable?

    • tim68354
      tim68354

      Posted

      .. meant to empty out.

    • mik98
      mik98 tim68354

      Posted

      Hi tim68354

      I doubt you will be able to pee normal for the first 1-200ml unless you can regain feelings in your bladder that tells you that I need to go to the restroom. My problem is when I had the bladder test the nurse filled my bladder too fast which caused my bladder to expand to much and over stretch so this is why I have urgency I have gained some control as long as I am close to the bathroom but over night or long trip is when I wear the bag. Then again anything is possible maybe over time you will gain control. Let know if I can help you.

      Mik

    • tim68354
      tim68354 mik98

      Posted

      Thanks Mik.

      i have another couple of questions.

      Once the Stoma site starts to heal, how tender is the area around it, eg doing belt up, physical work etc? .. Also, do you have many issues with leakage around the stoma site - i struggle to see how the balloon itself prevents urine escaping?

      Tim

    • mik98
      mik98 tim68354

      Posted

      Hi Tim

      It will be tender for a while unless you are a fast healer, you just wont be able to put any pressure on or around the site, think about it the Dr. literally cut a hole into your abdomen. Yes it will leak for a while especially when you start to have bladder spasm after the procedure and you will and they are painful have Dr. prescribe Ditropan to help relax bladder, (the bladder does not like anything in it so therefore it tries to remove it and it does it by squeezing the bladder and it hurts). I purchased and wore suspenders until I could finally wear a belt. It all depends again on how fast you heal and feel the more physical you are you will have to change catheter more often. As time goes on the leaking should subside unless you do a lot of bending I would suggest wear a small medical pad around stoma to absorb any leakage.

      I hope this helps let me know if I can answer any more questions.

      Who would of thought that are age this would happen to us also did the the Dr. explain what happened to your bladder.

      Mike

  • regenald36885
    regenald36885 ollie64

    Posted

    i had my suprapubic surgery 2 months ago. Ever since my life has been awful.

    The entire day after surgery nothing had drained. I went to the ER but it was too late to preserve my stoma. The balloon had failed. I have had a urethral catheter since then. Approximately once a week i end up in the ER because of problems. The balloon got yanked into my urethra, or the eye hole got wedged up against the inside of bladder, a staph infection...

    I am finally going next week to have another suprapubic. I'm scared to go through this all over again

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