Re: Re: Self-catherization

[Guest guest]

Bob,

Its pretty easy. I've been doiung it for about 9 months after the urologist

found I wasn't emptying my bladder completely when I had a pee. In fact I was

leaving about 400 ml in the bladder which from time to time got infected and

meant I had to take anti biotics to clear it. As I understand it the main

danger is that if you don't empty the bladder you are in danger of having urine

backing up into the kidneys if you can't get to empty it often enough as well

as the perpetual intermittent danger of infection.

Back up into the kidneys could cause damage and further problems.

I digress. Self-catheterisation involves inserting a 40 cm long smooth cather

tube into the penis until it enters the bladder and urine flows out. When I

first did this for a month or so in 2002 the catheter was just a plain plastic

tube with a couple of holes in it at the front end. Now the catheter is

lubricate and you soak it in clean " drinking " wter for 30 seconds minimum

before insertion.

I was told to use the catheter twice daily once in the morning and once in the

evening. The amout I got out through the catheter varied between 500 ml and

200 ml depending on how much I drank and how much I worked (ran) during the

day.

I did find that from time to time I would draw blood as the catheter entered

the bladder but this was not accompanied by pain. Mor e a kind of twinge that

I felt in my ankle (no my bladder is not located in my foot).

The catheter also seemed to introduce bacteria into the bladder from time to

time which needed an antibiotic to clear it. I think the neck of the uretha

where it leaves the bladder is constricted and is unable to relax sufficiently

to allow the bladder to empty. Anyway I am now on a daily dose of a low level

antibiotic to prevent the recurrent infections/

As my bladder seems to stay pretty comfortanble all day especially if I am

active in the garden fertilising the vegetables instead of sitting around at my

computer, I have recently reduced my rate of self catheterising to once per day

in the evening. I haven't told my urologist yet but all seems well.

ON a scale of 1 to 10 I would rate self catherising as a 3 and putting contact

lenses in or injecting for diabetes as about 7. Mind you I don't do either of

the latter options and I guess you get used to anything.

Hope this helps

Everard

In message

ProstateCancerSupport writes:

> Is anyone doing self-catherization? Is it done at

> regular times or left in overnight or what? Is it

> difficult to do? Bob

>

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