Traveling With Leg Bag

I wonder how many people out there enjoy catheter play in what not actually go out into public with a leg bag on them. I do once in awhile but I don't like to I'm afraid somebody might see it. Case in point I was up visiting my mother today I had a catheter in all morning and I put my leg bag on and opened the clamp up. As I was emptying the bag into her bathroom one of the CNAs opens the door and sees me empty in the bag. I don't know she actually did or not but I'm hoping she didn't. Was kind of shocking to actually have do that. I just wonder if anybody else is done something like this. I still have the bag on and it is really full right now. I need to empty it but up early can't. So I'll just wait it out.

*My mother is in assisted living facility in Springfield Mo. As for the bathroom thing goes, I simply forgot to lock the door as i went into the bathroom.

My wife is catheterized 24x7 (suprapubic cath). We always goes out with a leg bag - except when she has Physical therapy. Then we just plug up the foley for a couple of hours for the drive to and from the session. We have never had an issue with it showing or someone noticing.

I go out in public with a leg bag all the time. I have even had shorts on with part of the leg bag showing. I don't get embarrassed any more about it because everyone has to pee sometime during the day. I have an overactive bladder and may times I had uncontrolled releases of urine. I would pee my pants no matter how hard I tried to control my bladder. Hell at home I had gotten alerts that I had to go pee, I took one or two steps to the bathroom, the bathroom is off of the kitchen and I was about 12 feet away. I got to the second step, boom, I had to clean the floor, wash my clothes out, change my Depends and go back to washing dishes. It got to be a real PITA. So I got some catheters, leg bags and over nights bags and started wearing a catheter. I got so, I am old, I don't care, if someone comments, then I will tell they why. I found that there is nothing to be ashamed of wearing a catheter. Leg bags are a way to get around. No one wants to be confined to their home all the time.

I tried the drugs to help me stop my over active bladder, I explored all the different options. I didn't mind using a catheter, but I wanted some solution. Finally my urologist said hope about we try Botox injections. I watched a few videos of what the procedure was and saw the urologist that did it and the next thing I know I got the injections.

It was an interesting procedure, I enjoyed it and I have not wet my pants since. I pee a lot, mostly because I drink a lot of water. I keep myself hydrated a lot.

I have inserted a catheter for night use because I was getting up to pee almost every hour. Things were better last night. I had an enema and usually after and enema, I pee a whole bunch more, last night that didn't happen. I will use a catheter off and on for a few days at night to see how that works. A night bag will be by my bed and I will see how much urine I produce. I used to put out almost 2000 ml a night. Last night was not that much, but I will check each night to see how much.

I enjoy flaunting the end of the leg bag exposed, with some urine, mainly to women. If they see it, they are thinking it's attached to a tube going to my penis. I've had a couple women ask me about it, and I explain I have a "weak bladder" can't hold the urine, and instead of a diaper wear a 'condom catheter on the outside of my penis.

If you are troubled by wearing a leg bag, there is another non-invasive option... the belly bag:

https://img.techpowerup.org/200923/8ab281020bb66dff010bb68030e0779b-product-big-image.jpg

These bags are far more comfortable than a leg bag and don't tend to slip around. They hold 1000ml of pee which is usually enough for about 8 hours.

Also, they are all but invisible under clothing, looking like a bit of a beer belly, and can be worn awake or asleep.

They come with either a drain hose or a drain valve. I've not tried the ones with a hose, but the valve is easy to use. One just sit on the toilet, open the valve, and the pee drains.

Also, a partly full bag actually feels quite erotic, warm and silky soft, against the tummy skin.

They are a bit expensive... about $20 to $30... and can be found on a number of on-line catheter and accessory vendors.

@ Sean The belly bag is above the bladder. How does urine get pushed uphill? is there a one way drain so there is no 'backflow from bag back to bladder? It must work if so many people like them.

@bratwurst

The Rusch belly bag goes on you at about bladder level It seems to fill completely without difficulty, even though the pee has to go a couple of inches uphill. Remember, your bladder is essentially a muscle jacketed balloon and can easily force pee up a foot or more. the catheter does not resist the flow of pee at all, unlike the natural passageway.

There is a one-way valve built into the bag entry point, so pee flows easily into the bag, but not out at all. I have gone to sleep with a Fr 16 Foley in me and wearing a belly bag. In the morning, after a night of wonderfully uninterrupted sleep, the belly bag has been full of pee without any leakage at all, no matter what my sleeping position was. (The bag full or warm pee feels very sensuous, BTW)

The belly bag is also very easy to empty. You just sit on the toilet, spread your legs and open the drain valve, and the pee drains into the toilet. Done.

I've worn a belly bag and Dover silicone Foley for about a week, just for fun, and it is very unobtrusive. It is pretty much invisible under clothing and does not interfere with activities like walking. Two or three toilet sits a day are needed to empty the bag, but that's all. The only negative I noticed was some irritation from the belt used to hold the bag in place

Wouldn’t work for someone with a bladder retention problem.

@gwhap

Why not? If the person pees when cathed, the belly bag would work.

Bladder retention means folks who can’t pee using their bladder muscle. Periodically just drain due to pressure. Catheter is placed into the bladder vs the urethra or a Suprapubic directly into the bladder. Some people can’t pee on their own. So they just drain. Could be due to an AVM or MS or other neurological condition. Ours is strictly gravity and pressure oriented.

@gwhap

I suspect a belly bag would still work because very little pressure is needed for flow, but you should consult a urologist if it's an issue.

If you google catheter valve, or catheter plug, etc. you will find that a lot of people are removing the bag from the catheter for travel, and installing a valve. This looks like it may be coming a more normal catheter thing to do. There are many doctors videos showing this.

Catheter valves and plugs, as well as catheter clamps, can be used. They do have some down sides.

If you clamp or plug a catheter, pee accumulates in your bladder which increases the internal pressure and can lead to leaking, especially if an undersized catheter is used. For example, if a Fr 16 is the correct size for you, and you use a Fr 14, you may get some leaking. This does not mean you should use a larger size, like a Fr 18.

Also, removal and reeinsertion of a plug can lead to contamination and a UTI. This risk can be reduced, but not eliminated, by using a new, sterile plug each time.

In general, you really don't want to be connecting and disconnecting stuff from a Foley because of the infection risk.

I was down playing patient in South Carolina. I wore an external with a leg bag on the bus back from South Carolina to Illinois so I didn't have to get up and go and lose my seat or anything. there's a couple people noticed that nobody was surprised or shocked or anything