Catheter comfort

Hi Brixy,

I'm guessing you've only been home with your catheter for a couple of days. I think you have done everything I did to deal with the discomfort. All I can say is after 4 or 5 days it's not as bad, and for me I had it removed on the 6th day (what a great relief!) So hang in there; sleep on your back, and hopefully soon it'll be gone.

Good luck to you,

Glen

Hi Brixy,
Yes, it's pretty uncomfortable, I just sat back as much as possible, did my walks as slowly as possible and took my pain meds, I tolerated it. My doctor did give me a antiseptic cream though to put around the opening of the penis and this did have a slight numbing effect. Mine was removed in a week, and what a relief it was to be able to get up and walk around and to shower throughly like a human being again. Be patient it'll be over before you know it. Take care.
Gary

I guess that I was lucky. While I certainly didn't find the catheter a pleasure ... I did not find it painful at all ... nor was it particularly uncomfortable.

Welcome. Boy, you revived a nearly 10 year old thread! I bet most of these folks don't even post here anymore---and let's hope it was by choice.....

I didn't really get much blood, unless I strained BM/gas), but even then it was just some dribbles. As far as cleaning goes, this elderly woman, nurses aid I think, at the hospital showed me how to do it before I was discharged (a bit embarrassing, but at that point who cares? I just wanted to go home!). If I recall, it was to pull the penis head back so about an inch or so of the catheter tubing on the inside could be cleaned, and up to about 2 inches or so on the outside. Soapy water on a washcloth to clean that approximately 3-4 inches total of tubing (either by holding everything over a sink, or standing in the shower/tub). Then, after drying everything off, lube the same part of the tubing with petroleum jelly. And gently release everything back to where they should be. I've heard some use an antibiotic gel, but that's not I was instructed to do, so I used what the hospital gave me in my goodie bag--PJ.

Jose, this is as a result of PC surgery/treatment? Good luck and hoping all works out for you.

MDNative

I had to wear a catheter for a while following a TURP operation back in 2011, and I concur with the good advice that others have presented to you so far.

But there is another significant situation that involves wearing a catheter, whether in the hospital or at home, that is extremely important and has not been addressed by anyone so far. I know all about this issue from personal experience, because of something that happened to me during my recovery stay in the hospital, after the catheter had been inserted and was in place in me.

This highly negative experience which I will now describe can be classed under the category of know where your catheter tube is at all times!

A day or so following the TURP operation and catheter insertion, I was lying in the hospital bed watching the television on a stand on the wall, when I decided I wanted to change the channel. So I leaned forward on my forearm to lift myself over to the bedtable where the TV remote was. In fact, I assort of lunged forward toward the table, again, leaning on my forearm, not realizing that my catheter tube had somehow gotten lodged under my forearm, and was now being held down by my forearm. The result of such body movement was a sharp yank on the catheter.

This yank caused a terrible explosion of awful pain in my groin area and penis, causing me to let out a YELP loud enough to have caused any nearby nurse to come running fast into my room to see what was the matter, had one heard it. None did, none was close enough to hear I guess, and as I was alone in the room at the time, the experience was mine and mine alone.

I fell back on the bed. The resulting adrenalin surge from the shock caused a sharp pounding pain rhythm in that area that lasted for at least 2-3 straight minutes, and only gradually tapered off.

Hopefully you have not so far experienced any such "yanks." Believe me, they are something you want to avoid.

And to avoid this, a good suggestion was made in another post on this forum some time ago. It was to do the following. Get yourself a couple of belts, preferably long, one in each hand, and walk through all of your house, dragging the belts on each side of you on the floor. Notice where they bump or catch on to anything as you walk along. Wherever that happens, make a note of it, and come back later and remove that thing, even if there is only a slight chance your catheter might ever catch on it if you were to walk that path later on.

A word to the wise.

Good advice from 81G. Also, avoid cabinet knobs! I too kept track of the tube for the most part. Whenever I needed to move much, I always grabbed it tightly so I could control where I needed it to stay.

Jose, sure there's a chance it's just a setback--or less. I'm no doc, but I don't think you're gonna bleed out by Monday! Be sure there's no tension on it. If you sit, grab hold between your penis and where it's strapped to your leg to keep it still.

As long as it lets you pass urine, I think you're OK.

Lidocaine. It saved me. Got this from the guys on this board. And to them I will be eternally grateful. No pain with lidocaine. You will need a prescription.

Feeling a bit bloated today. Still bleeding from ueretha. No blood in urine. Getting ready to fly for about 3 .5 hours. Not sure what to expect.

Hey Hal.....It think if that happened to me, I might learn to levitate on the spot!

Had cath removed. Still no pee. Cath back in. Now I have a cystoscope next Tuesday. I appreciate everyone's feedback

rosarian said...
Good luck! My catheter was in for 43 days and 5 cystograms. I'm 6 months out from robotic surgery and doing great. Things will get better for you!

Thanks for the post. That is good to know.
How does a cystoscope compare to a catheter as far as discomfort?