Self catheterization

16 years 8 months ago #6948 by wendy
Replied by wendy on topic Self catheterization
Oh Brother Scott! That's a nightmare scenario, and yeah, you are lucky that the neobladder didn't rupture! As for all neobladders having to self cath from the start, that's not exactly the case, especially with men; it's more common for women.

It sounds like your stricture might have to be opened up surgically, something that is not all that uncommon. It's a big drag but easily fixed, or so I was told by one of WEbCafe's advisors once when i asked about it.

All the best and keep us posted.
Wendy

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16 years 8 months ago #6945 by Alice L.
Replied by Alice L. on topic Self catheterization
Double OUCH that, Scott.

I truly am so sorry you had to endure so much pain. I do hope you are feeling better and things will start looking up for you.

Best Regards,

Alice

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16 years 8 months ago #6944 by Patricia
Replied by Patricia on topic Self catheterization
OUCH!

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16 years 8 months ago #6942 by SystemOperator
Replied by SystemOperator on topic Self catheterization
This past Wednesday evening I was starting to bed and thought I'd best pee. Spent an hour trying, no luck. I was beginning to feel a little internal pressure. (Got a neo April 25th of this year). Tried to self-cath 3 times, no luck. It was only a 14, should have been easy.

Got the missus up and off to the ER we go. Drew an early crowd, it was a slow night, 5 nurses and 1 Doc. As best as I can remember they tried 11 times with every cath in the inventory to get drainage.

During this escapade the only Uro in the local area was called, he heard the word neobladder and refused to get involved in any way. Luckily my Uro and his partners are really good about getting back to people. He advised on inserting a catheter (which didn't work) and then advised on an abdominal wall drain.

It was after 1 am by the time the ER Doc worked up the courage to go through the abdominal wall with a really large guage needle to alleviate the pressure. They drained off 1100 cc of urine. I think I am really lucky that my neo didn't rupture. They kept me in the ER with the drain in and drained me again at 6 am, got 600 then.

Removed the IV and the abdominal drain, off to the Uro's office at 6 am. Believe me when I tell you that I was REALLY sore from all the cath attempts despite all the nummy they were using.

At the Uro's office, set me up for a scope. (Is he nuts? or am I nuts for allowing this form of medieval torture when I'm blocked solid?)

Luckily for me he only goes in far enough to see a stricture at the base of the neo. He pulls the scope and then comes at me with some shiny curved things that resembled miniature scythes. He inserted one and attempted to ream out the stricture. I guess that when I screwed myself into the ceiling he got the message that I couldn't hack that form of treatment... at least not as sore as I already was.

He then got out the dialators, worked his way up to the 20 (about the size of a pencil). Gee, was that fun; I think I'll add that to the list of things to do once in life....

Am cathed until Monday. All the mucking about with the dialators has really stirred up a bunch of mucus to pass (in addition to the clots). He says that scarring might be an issue for me (told him then not to quit his day job) and that I'll be cathing daily for several weeks then taper off over several months.

Kind of a tough way to find out that I should have been cathing since I got my neo (20-20 hindsight).

OBTW: I did self-cath with the 14 several times just for practice, after the second or third time it was just 'a slight inconvenience' at worst.

Best wishes,
Scott

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16 years 8 months ago #6807 by Stephany
Replied by Stephany on topic Self catheterization
Vin, I'm curious as to what you decided! I've read your post and the replies, especially Zachary's. My husband is facing the same decisions, and we're still deciding.

Stephany in Iowa

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16 years 9 months ago #6162 by wendy
Replied by wendy on topic Self catheterization
Hi,

I've been gone, on vacation to the south of France, and I'm catching up. What a great thread, I was glad to see the women chimed in. It's way more common for women to need to self cath after getting a neobladder than for men. It is less awful as well, thanks to the shorter urethra.

Also, everyone who gets an internal pouch catheterizes through the stoma. As someone said, people get used to anything when it comes to surviving.

A man has written up his 4 page experiences and advice for men facing catheterization in the survival guides on the main site: see blcwebcafe.org

The discussion that began on post=op neuropathy is an excellent subject, deserving its own category. Should I move the posts?

Take care,
Wendy

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