Self cath question

[tbokay]

:help: When I have to self-cath myself I have this tugging sensation on the right side at the top of the urethra/opening of the bladder when I remove it.

I have mentioned this to my former-urologist (I don't like him or trust him anymore!) and my primary doctor - neither can explain it so I will ask my new uro/gyn on Friday when I meet him.

Does anyone else have trouble cathing themselves? Maybe I should ask -- Does anyone else have to self-cath? It doesn't happen every time but more often than not. It feels like when my bladder empties - something gets caught in the tip of the catheter and when I remove it :cussing: ... well let's just say, sometimes I wish I didn't have to remove it!

Any ideas/suggestions/comments/advice is greatly appreciated!!!
Thanks
Tara

[momw/ic]

I had something similar...turned out to be urethral polyps. My uro removed them during a cysto w/ hydro and that doesn't happen anymore. Good luck with your new doc. Hope it goes well!

[ICNDonna]

Are you using a very small size catheter?

Something that helps me when either I remove a catheter or someone else does is to take a deep breath at the same time the catheter is pulled out --- somehow that seems to make it easier.

Donna

[Dusty]

I self cath and my cath is very little. I have self cathed now for many a year.
I make sure it is very lubricated before I insert it also..as if not it is uncomfortable.
I use to when my bladder was causing alot of trouble cath even pieces of the lining. My uro said this can happen. It was lining from the bladder from the ulcers. I am not sure what that sensation is your having. I noticed I can tell a difference if I do not lubricate my cath real well. Also my cath is pretty little. I don't know if that makes a difference. I carry a cath with me as I will need one almost at anytime. I keep them at home and one in my truck also. I use KY jelly to lubricate it..and like I said if it is not lubricated enough it will kind of hurt and tug when removed. So I made sure I just used plenty as I hurt bad enough without the extra.
I hope you can solve this problem quickly for yourself.
Dusty

[Sarojini]

I have a Hunners' Ulcer right on top of my bladder, right where a catheter might come in, so if I am not quite careful enough and stick the cath in too far I poke that ulcer and my whole abdomen explodes in pain; then I don't want to disturb anything down there and don't want to remove the cath. Often, when this happens, I end up with blood on the tip of the catheter... luckily, I don't make this mistake often!!!

However I've never had the tugging sensation you describe. I hope your new doc can help you figure it out.

[Dusty]

I will have that happen and it is an awful instant explosion of pain..horrible..and I will get the blood too. You are right this is not something we like to repeat as it is horrible. Once I did not get my cath rinsed from the soap either after use and OH MY GOD...that is not one I will ever repeat.LOL
Dusty

[Sarojini]

Ugh... I know... I used to wash my caths too and I got soap stuck in one once and it was AWFUL!!!!!!!!!!!! Talk about burning. Now I have my prescription changed so I just get a whole bunch of catheters at once and never reuse them so at least I don't make that mistake anymore either.

[Daffie]

Have you tried a pre-lubricated catheter? Coloplast has the SpeediCath, AstraTech has the Lofric, and Mentor has a large line of pre-lubricated catheters too. It makes a world of difference, I also use a 10Fr or a 12Fr. I think Mentor is the best and you can contact their distributor UroMed and they will send you free samples. They will all send you free samples, this way you can decide what you like best before getting an prescription from the uro. From what I understand most insurance companies will pay for cath's with a prescription and a letter of medical necessity.

[Dusty]

Daffie,
That is great information for those of us that cath. I just take cleaning things, a lub with me where ever I go...but this is great as for the mountains it would make life easier for me, and for travel. Thank you so much. I appreciate that info as I did not know they came like that.
Now do I just enter those in my search google and go from there?
Probably hugh?
Thank You for that info..that is great for me.
Dusty

[MakinIT]

HI...no, no tugging sensation....As for those prelubbed jobbies, i wonder if they come latex free?

I use a size 8 Fr cath b/c I spasm so bad after. I still do some but as bad as some. I usually having to go soooo bad that as soon as the holes hits the end of my ureter, the urine is flowing. I have never had an accident...close calls in the middle of the night....disoriention sets in, almost have used my closet until my husband caught me before I peed on his shoes!!!What a moron I am

Take care...Tracey

[wolfaleena]

wondering if anyone knows why it isn't suggested for thoses of us who have retention on a daily basis and are bascially tied to the house... and are self cath...
why can't we just have an indwelling catheter placed in our bladders so that we could be more mobile.. does anyone use an in dwelling and opposed to just self cath intermittently? any thoughts thanks

[MakinIT]

I think w/ an indwelling cath you have a couple of issues to deal with. 1. it has to drain into something....I dunno about you but I truly hated those days after surgeries in which I had to drag around a bag of urine. 2. The longer you have an indwelling cath, the more opportunities for infection. You also couldn't take it out or put it in yourself, which would suck......I think a uro would really be against it b/c your bladder would get very lazy and not want to work at all, even if you are okay with above stuff. Unless your bladder is truly non functional, in that case...they'd look at taking it out. (Fun.) Don't know if I'm right...just seems to make sense to me...

[CinSin]

The contact information for the pre-lubricated catheters are as follows:

Lofric from AstraTech: 1-877-456-3742 or www.astratech.com.

UroMed (Mentor Distributor): 1-800-863-9780

SpeediCath from Coloplast: 1-800-788-0293

You can call any of these numbers and request sample catheters.

Cindy

www.icutexas.com.

[tbokay]

When the urologist first taught me to cath myself, they gave me 3 long red rubber tubes and a big tube of lubricant. I hated - HATED - taking those items to work cuz everyone knew what I was going to do. Then after I got a nasty infection over New Years, he prescribed disposable one.

Now I have "pocket size" tubes and little packets of the gel --- makes it much less noticable when I have to ISC at work. (Wish they would have done that to start with!!!) I have size 10 cath .. which did help lessen the spasms. If I have to go to ER for cath - I tell them not to use the 16 cuz that will just irriatate my urethra and make it spasm more.

I have to come home with leg bag a few times ... and went to work with it too. Now I am being told at work - that if they know I have it, they can send me home cuz it's a liability. What would they do if I came to work on crutches? Send me home cuz I would be "liability"?

What I should do is print or make copies of all the info I have on IC and give it to my employer --- tell them to read about it and the ADA laws! :cussing:

Sorry - I am still just upset with them over my review I got last week. They documented that I was late and "making my own schedule" - I have NEVER been late to work and as for "my own schedule", the next time I am in ER I'll just have to tell the docs that I have to be at work by 8:00am and can I return after 4:00pm.

[Daffie]

The Social Security Administration recognizes IC as a disabling condition and the Americans with Disabiilities Act entitles you the right to work with a disability and if necessary, have your employer make reasonable modifications to accomodate your needs.

Daffie

[Dusty]

I wonder if they are latex free..as I have that severe latex allergy.
As far as leaving my house or travel..I just do. I keep caths in my truck and all.
Then in my purse also. If I am going away for days I keep them in suitcase also.
I don't know about just leaving one in as caths prone us to infection.
Anyone know if these prelubes are latex free...as mine are not prelubed but they are latex free. Just like I give myself my own estrogen shots..and the syringes are latex free.
thanks,
Dusty

[MakinIT]

Yup...You just need to make sure they write the script that way. I am also deathly allergic to latex so I tend to be very nuerotic with ANYTHING medical..I'll ask doctors, nurses, phlebotomists, hospital room maintenence...""is your equipment latex free?" Last time I had surgery...They were very careful.. I had red tags all over me, and in recovery I had a big note over my bed and one on my door entrance. Even my roomates had to be latex free b/cause the fibres couldn't be in the room.

My cath is a size 8 french...small, very much for an adult, but I've always been that way down south..(not so much up north or east and west but it's better) I have a Notebook I carry everywhere so I keep a sterile (unopened) cath tucked in there in a pocket..with a very small, sample size packets of goo for the catheders (I've "borrowed" from the PT...figured the least she do for the agony she's caused me the past couple of sessions...)

Good luck!

[Dusty]

I have latex free caths..and about everything else latex free...it is in over 4,000 products. My allergy is severe like you and I carry epi pens due to it..it is also in all my medical charts and like you hospitals are very careful. Even friends and family are as it is in paint and all kinds of things. Mine too is deadly serious thats why I carry the epi pens and maybe you should also.
Dusty

[MakinIT]

Yes,,,actually I used to always have one...carried it religiously...but i am a moron. My life over ease....I have to take public trans everywhere b/c of my meds so I wear a "fanny pack" It has nuf room for check book, wallet, cell, and a couple other things.....besides I'm always going to a hosiptal. But I really need to have it...I guess I didn't like to buy a new one every year but then that's the cheapstake in my....should be a celebration in making it through another year w/o a close call with death. I would have used the epi about 2 months ago...we were at a "welcome home from Iraq" party for my husbands bro and I crashed on the couch, mid day. The mother in law and wife starting blowing up latex balloons right next to me. My two daughters, 15 and 9, were just freaking at them...it was wierd cause it was fitting into a dream. They were first asking then yelling, then crying that their mom was very allergic to those balloons. They couldn't blow them up, (Roger was gone, my husband) around me. I take very sedating drugs so it was hard to wake up but I know I was wheezing and coughing, my daughter told me later she was saying "listen to my mom, she can't breathe...."I guess they were both crying and my oldest way saying you don't understand, the drugs she's on make's it hard for her to wake up...Meanwhile they just blew up, I think it was around 50....right there in the sunken living room with me. I guess my face suddenly went bright red, started to swell and I was gasping...Caitlin and Kelsey Pulled me to my feet (I don't remember) demanded a 911 call and pulled me outside...(by that time Roger's sister in law was helping me and somebody called 911. And yes, all I needed was an epi shot. I wouldn't let them take me in to the hosp. but the paramedics made them take all the balloons out side, pop them all and then I had to wait so the latex fibers were dampened down by the mist. (always a mist in Oregon) So an epi pen was on my agenda of things to discuss with my doc.
Life is such fun.

[MakinIT]

sorry bout the dozen or so typos above. I'm pooped...I have to make some audio tapes from CD's for my husband and want to just crawl into bed....(hmmm needs to be an emiticon for sleepy) Just play the "where's the typo game?" (pretend you are a stuffy 10th grade english teacher)

:) :) :)

[Dusty]

Wow, this is a serious allergy and most people do not know or understand unless they are around someone. I keep two epis in my truck, several in the house, my purse has two and my friends each keep at their place..my doc prescribs them for me and they come three to a pack and she orders enough for me to keep everywhere..as the time you have is not much..I go into antipheleptic shock and if you do it happens fast and there is really no time...so my epis have saved my life many times..as I just go out when exposed..and it is in so many products..even computers, mouse pads, phone keys, window sealer and door sealers, paints, toothbrushes, the back on rugs and carpeting and so on....yes. Please take care and get one or some.
Dusty