Heart cath

I just had a heart cath done a few days ago. I didn't get the usual catheter and so forth like I did at the old hospital I went to. I got the tube in my groin which is how they do the procedure. Last one, I had 5 tubes in my groin. Had some cute nurses all were nice. I wanted the catheter and to be honest they should have gave me one. being that your not supposed to move for a while afterwards.

I also had a heart cath. Worst parts were getting two needles in hand and wrist and the shaving. Thought the shaving would drive me out of my mind I was so goosey! Was also very goosey with the doctor feeling around in my groin tying to locate my femoral artery. Had to have the nurse give me another 50 of whatever before I was able to calm down. They do go quite deeply with the lidocane injection. 😢 During my enforced bed rest, flat on my back the nurse asked me if I had to pee which I did. She wanted to know if I could use the urinal or wanted to be cathed? I said urinal and she was very helpful in holding my penis while I peed. 😁 A little good and a little bad in everything!

I just had one done this week. I too had 2 IV's one in each arm, then they shaved my pubic hair. I did get some sedation, but was still awake during the procedure. I had to lay flat on my back for a while too. I had to stay in recovery for a while, and I slept most of the time, and when I was getting dressed to leave, I went to pee then. No blockages though. the spot is a little sore, but not too painful. Glad it's over though.

Had my 4th one just 2 weeks ago. They used my wrist (radial artery) to do the cath. Much easier for me than the groin access. I had one IV in my left hand and the procedure in my right. They did shave my hand and lower arm. They also prepped both groins, just in case.

Some of the doctors throw a fit about using foley catheters unless they deem it absolutely necessary because of the associated risk for infection, which is understandable to some extent. It's typically worse with female patients because they can't use a urinal, and trying to utilize a bedpan while keeping both legs straight is almost always a messy process.

At my last cath, two weeks ago, they had me on bedrest even though they used my wrist. There was no medical reason not to get up. When I had to pee, they wanted me to use the urinal. I tried, no joy. I told the nurse that there were two choices, let me up or get a catheter. They let me go to the bathroom.

My first heart cath was in 1987. They went in through the femoral artery so I was shaved. The recovery was interesting. Once back in my room a male nurse held pressure (by hand) on my groin for ½ hr until he was sure the bleeding was under control. After that he placed a 10 lb sandbag to provide pressure for the next four hours. Peeing required help even with a urinal as I was told to stay flat on my back.

I've had the procedure about 3-4 times. The first in my arm and it was threaded over my shoulder into my heart. The ones after that were in the groin and in fact two times when my heart rate was accelerated and the medication wasn't helping they did a "pacing" in a similar manner. The pacing was a wire threaded into the heart beginning at the groin wire into the heart and speed up the heart rate until it essentially stops and resets. I'm on continual med's now. When the procedure was done through the arm there was a lot more discomfort. I guess they changed methods. I have never heard of multiple catheters being used. What was the reason for that?