home instillations

[kelly McC]

I went for my last teaching appointment for self instillations today.. They gave me everything except heparin to begin. I have one question. Is all the stuff available @ a pharmacy? I forgot to ask.. Everything was written on prescription so I am guessing I can get it @ a pharmacy? Is there other ways to orders these supplies? I thought I read a few posts that some order them and have them delivered?
Thanks,
Kelly

[Sarojini]

Yes... I order catheters from a company called A-Med Healthcare. They have all kinds, and will even send you some free samples if you want to try a new kind as long as your uro verbally okays it when they call... that's how I tried the Lo-Fric catheters at first for free!

Their phone number is 1-800-552-2633. You can call for a printed catalog. Also, you can shop their catalog online at http://www.a-med.com . They're good because their customer service people are really nice, and they even call you to make sure everything arrives on time time and to see if you were happy with everything. :)

However, you can get the catheters from most pharmacies or home health care shops too. As for heparin, most pharmacies carry that too, although if there's not much demand they may need to order it for you. I don't know too much about it as I don't do home instills; I just need to self-cath sometimes because of urine retention.

ANYWAY, I highly recommend A-Med Health Care for home delivery of urological supplies :)

[Dixiefireball]

Hi kelly,
my local drug store order everything I needed for the treatments includeing my latax free cath.
If you have one drug store you use then they should be able to order what you need for your treatments plus your medicines if they don't already have them on hand.
heparin my drug store had some of but my marcaine they had to order it but they keep it on hand now for me.
sending you hugs and prayers
Rhonda

[kelly McC]

thank you Jen ,
I will check the site and talk to my uro.... :grouphug:

thanks Rhonda,
I am going to stop after work and talk to the pharmacy. I have one question what is marcaine?

Mine combo is lidocaine,heparin,sterile water,sodium bicarb..
Thanks a bunch
Kelly :grouphug:

[ICNDonna]

If you scroll to the top of this page and click on Introducing the Lo-Fric Catheter you'll find ordering information.

Hugs,
Donna

[Dixiefireball]

Hi Kelly,
the only thing i use in my treatments is heparin marcaine and water that is how my treatments is fixed.

Marcaine is a nerve block but also is used for caudal and epidural anesthesia not for spainal anesthesia (i'm cheating i'm copying off the vile lol)

but really Marcaine numbs my bladder while the heparin heals my bladder my doctor has me on a strong dose of marcaine.

sending you hugs and prayers
Rhonda

[kelly McC]

Thank you for all your responses.. I dont have a prescription for the Lo-Fric catheters.. I will talk to my uro about these. Right now I use the pediatric one..
Thanks again,
Kell

[songbird7]

Kelly, you wrote that your combination is " lidocaine,heparin,sterile water,sodium bicarb.." Rhonda, you wrote that you have, "the only thing i use in my treatments is heparin marcaine and water that is how my treatments is fixed." Do you both do these at home all the time? Do you use purified water from a water purifier? Would it be possible to get the names and phone numbers of your doctors and the percentages of each ingredient used? My doctor is willing to try combinations but his mind is set on DMSO, at least it was last year. The first thing he said was to get the name and phone number of the doctors prescribing these so he could talk to them and get the percentage of ingredients. He is a good urologist but has this thing where he wants to speak to the other doctors directly. All help so very much appreciated. Have any of you had these treatments in the doctor's office? I'm looking for some relief. I don't have constant pain, I have intervals between. However, I am so tired of the pain that comes after I just lie down to nap and make up for lost sleep in the summer especially.
Please help.
(((((( )))))
Songbird

[kelly McC]

Hi Song,
My uro's NP actually does seminars for other urology offices educating on IC.I can send you her information if you wouid like.
I have the percentages of mine.
3cc of sodium bicarb
8cc of 1% lidocaine
2 vials of heparin
5-10 cc sterile h2o
I have not tried purified water mine comes in vials.
I did get my treatments in the office for about 6 weeks or so.

[mayray518]

DMSO worked for me for a year and I was going to start home instillations but then my body became immune to the DMSO and it wouldnt work anymore. I am now on elavil. I know though that the instillations work for many people. It is much more convenient to do this at home and I am happy that physicians are finally approving it.

[ShelbySW]

I know this is an old thread but I am worried! I go in for my "teaching apt" tomorrow! I'm having my hubby go so he can learn too (in case I cant do it). My uro has had great success w/ the way she does DMSO. I talked to the nurses in the office, they said my doc has the bladder emptied and rinsed-out really well before an instillation. They said that no other doc has had them do that before but patients seem to respond better.
Does anyone else's uro do that?
Any suggestions on self-caths? My body REALLY hates caths, so I'm worried (but desperate)!
I'm also going to start trying something called Urojet. It's a litocaine gel that comes with an applicator for your urethra. It's hard to find, my pharmacy made me get a prescription even though the doc's office said I didn't need one. Then the pharmacy had to do some research to find the manufacturer then ordered me enough for 25 doses... AKA a BOX! They are individually packaged and each is a 1-time use. They are abou 17 bucks a pop w/o insurance, but with a prescription for X # of doses, insurance picks the cost up.... we'll see how that goes. I'm SO nervous!

[kelly McC]

shelby,
I found it more comfortable to do the instills myself less pain for me. My husband helps me do them. I do empty my bladder before hand. My doctor did several sessions with me before I did it myself. Good luck I am sure you will do fine..
huggs,
Kelly

[ShelbySW]

Kelly,
It may sound strange but I'm happy to hear that your husband help you! I keep wondering if it's weird to have mine help me. It makes me MUCH more comfortable to know other men do it too. Of course my husband doesn't care. He'll do anything to help me but this will deffinetly be a bonding experience I never expected to have with him ;)
4 weeks before our wedding I had carpal tunnell surgery on both my hands. I couldn't use my hands for anything. I couldn't get them wet for 3 weeks! The nurses told him that he'd have to help me go to the bathroom & everything that comes with it. I couldn't do that so I ended up hurting my hand and slowing healing (a great deal) because I was stubborn and refused to let him wipe for me! He did give me bathes every night though! As soon as he shaved my armpits for the first time I knew he'd love me through ANYTHING! LOL I guess I just have to look at it that way! :)

[jeanababy]

I use 5 cc Sodium Bicarbonate, 5 cc Heparin, and 10 cc Lidocaine in a 20 cc syringe instilled using a 10 French Mentor catheter three days a week . I didn't care for the Lo-Fric catheter.
Jean

[kelly McC]

shelby,
My husband will pretty much do whatever to help me. I am glad yours will help you.
good luck ,
huggs,
Kelly