Have YOU been catheterized ?

There is a HUGE risk of infection if not done exactly properly. The laymen should never play around with this . UTI and urethral damage is very painful and can be life threatening this is something I would leave to the professionals . Yikes I just can't imagine that someone reading the Internet knows how to sterilize properly . My advice . You are mostly play doctors and can be sued . Fair warning .

Submissivlee, surely your comment would be absolutely true for any individuals who require catheters on a short-term basis and for others who are untrained; however, some medical patients require them for a lifetime and do receive extensive training on self-catheterization, such as my friend had. He lives on a farm that is somewhat remote from a medical facility and he and others with his need cannot just visit a medical facility on a daily basic simply to do something he had been well trained to do for himself. The injury to his urethra was the result of decades-long catheterization and was not due to infection. Indeed, his experience would surpass that of many a nurse or general doc.

I have been catheterized a couple of times. It was done by an enema nurse who wanted to have a very long enema infusion time while she did other things to my body. I can hold 1500ml of water for a long time so she filled me up with the 1500ml of water and replenished the water based on the excretion volume in the collection bag.

I have been three times they were all unremarkable. One prostate removal and one each for knee replacements. For the prostate it there for 20 days,the knees 2 days.

Course

Mr. C, post-op difficulty urinating is very common, from the lasting effects of many anesthesia agents. That, plus many surgeries under general anesthesia have the patient automatically cathed on the O.R. table.

Hello

I'm having some "minor " colorectal surgery the doctor said it would take over an hour give or take pending on what they find during the fistula surgery. I'll be under or they talked about a epidural. In either case will they put a Foley catheter in? I've read usually they put you out and then insert the catheter if they need one.and possibly out before you wake up. I have never had any. I'd kinda wanna be awake for it being put in place or at least awake when they take it out. Any thoughts on this?

The foley will go in after you are asleep and it may remain in place until the surgery is over or after the recovery room or after you get back to your hospital room depending on how the surgeon feels.

I can understand wanting to be awake for the insertion, but this may not be the right time for that experience. Your surgery doesn't exactly sound like it's going to be any fun.

Good luck and keep us posted as best you can.

I will definitely keep you posted. .it's same day surgery and home. I don't know about being awake for the insert but at least awake for taking out.

During my arotic aneurysm repair, I was heavily sedated, but not out. I really felt it when someone in the OR shoved a Foley up me, quickly. I've had them inserted when awake and the person doing it was very slow and gentle.

I had same day removal of a malignant polyp from my bladder, under general anesthetic. When I woke in the PACU, the Foley was in place and I went home with it and a leg bag, which were removed 4 days later.

If I may ask and or say I'll have my pre surgery physical exam about a week before I'm sure all this will be discussed there. One thing that I hope is I'll be down to my underwear and a gown or just a draped sheet. My primary care doc at a different medical complex all together name and all. I haven't been nor even half naked not even a shirt off . No drop your pants. I would hope I get a thorough exam. Any thoughts

Yes, ten years ago when I had major gastrointestinal surgery.

My parents drove up from out of state to see me through the surgery and hospital stay. I remember it clearly as the only time my father referred to my penis by that very name.

MedFed: Did the surgeon give you any instructions about a bowel prep? GoLytely, Fleets, or any other prep?

I am guessing that your post-op time could be painful. Be careful with any narcotic pain pills; impactions would really be a terrible thing after rectal surgery. Be sure you take any stool softeners, or mild laxatives your Dr. may have you take. Good Luck!

I have three times for three different surgeries. None of them were a problem. Having said that, I was not awake for any of the insertions. I was awake for all three removals.

One more thing to add:

Seeing the slit down my stomach and the shaving-off of my belly hair, and the insertion into my urethra, sometimes I'm tempted to dwell on those details.

Yes, during labor of course, as well as my hysterectomy. The most recent was the worst though. I had been bucked off a horse, and they were concerned, naturally, that I broke my back. I had stuck the first five bucks before he finally launched me, and landed flat on my back. I had sever bruising and swelling in my pelvic area. They tried cathing me at the ER, and it was one of the worst pains I've ever experienced. I eventually relieved myself in a bedpan while the nurse ran water in the sink. lol

The next day, after I'd been admitted, they wanted to do some kind of scan that involved inserting a cath for high res contrast. I cried the entire time it was in (nearly two hours). In fact, while I remembered everything else about the ER and then being admitted (and finding out that I'd fractured my T3 & 4), I had blocked out the catheter events. It wasn't until about three months later that something prompted the memory. It was a shock to my system when the memories flooded my brain.

I was hit hard trying to tackle our own quarterback during a scrimmage in high school. I ended up knocked out, with amnesia for almost 4 days. I was home in bed but the home care nurse catheterized me at some point when I was pretty delirious. My mom worked in the music business so she had to be gone part of the time. I think I had to stay a day and a half in bed after I sort of came too and that part I remember.

My coach was the drivers training instructor in our school so he came over with a car full of boys and girls to visit me and they stood on the front lawn because my bedroom window was at the front of the house and the nurse said no visitors so my girlfriend and her bestie and the guy who ran me over and my best friend all looked in and I had just had a new catheter put in and had on a long night shirt and the thing was dangling and the bag was under there thank heaven.

I am lucky that they didn't have cell phone cameras because otherwise the pic would have been in the annual. I had such a fierce crush on that nurse. I would try to figure out ways for her to have to reinsert the catheter or touch me for any reason. I dwelled on those days for many years until I met a nurse and finally married her. It has been quite a few years since she catheterized me..hmmmm

I have by a friend. We did it to each other while we were in nursing school. The dummies were not able to tell you anything. We also knew that the real thing with a real patient was going to come up. So there a bin full of catheter packages and new catheters. The instructor told us that if any of us were brave to feel free and take some home. Of course we were allowed to keep the ones that were no longer sterile we had been using on the dummies all day. It was easy because my roomie was also in my class and she was my first all the way girl/girl.

Neither of us thought it hurt. Now peeing after a few times was another story. It burned the first few times I peed after.

Yes, I have been...many times... much for my own curiosity, and other times for 'urinary retention' (intentional). All were interesting and some were unusual, and a few were bizarre. The release of urine is an amazing feeling, once the tip of the foley enters the bladder. The associated embarrassment, humiliation, exposure, and access, all done different ways by different facilities and 'administrators' (whether they are nurses, or MA's, or techs or CNA's) .

Each facility seemed to do things a bit different, perhaps due to local protocol. Regardless, they were all penetrating. One place had me cathed when I arrived... the nurse was older and very gentle and comforting. She then removed the foley after it drained. 20 mins later, a (male) PA walked in and was mad--'where is your foley?'. I said the nurse just took it out. Well, down the hallway he went, and he chewed her out big time..i could hear it clearly.

She came back in some minutes later and apologized profusely, as she said she didnt have any instructions after the first cath. She held my hand, and I told her not to worry, as being cathed was not a big deal, and I was grateful for her attentiveness and gentleness. I also said that I didnt appreciate her being chewed out so painfully by the PA... well, she just smiled and said it was sorta the norm there.

I told her to do whatever she needed to do, and she apologized again but said 'your catheter needs to go back in'. I said ok... but inside, I was totally enthused to watch her penetrate me again. She did so without any discomfort. Later, since i only had a gown on, they wheeled me to my room in a wheelchair, with the plastic foley tubing snaking around to the side of the wheelchair, and the urine collection bag handing on the side... everyone could see it. They stopped in front of a patient room which had a lot of visitors, and everyone looked... they saw me with the bag half full of urine, and the clear tubing draining.. SO humiliating... but i loved it. Then to my room we went.

Http://www.pornhub.com/view_video.php?viewkey=ph55a7bebc56fb3

I have done self-catherizations as I bought a box 50 of 14 fr vinyl catheters at a garage sale for $5. I pulled up Youtube to see how it was done. I had an idea, but wanted to make sure I did not hurt anything. I was successful the first try, but a little nervous at the same time. What an amazing feeling!! I had done this several times, and shortly thereafter, a friend of mine had some prostate problems that required him to self cath every morning after rising and evening before going to bed. He had had several UTI's, and that he had to take prescription antibiotics each time. Once I heard that, I was done doing self cath play.

I ended up donating the box to a local thrift store as they had a medical shelf in which to sell things like this. I actually purchased a replacement enema hose there once, brand new sealed in plastic to replace the crappy kinked up one I had from my local drug store purchased bag. They also had an enema bag there once, but did not need another.

So, as much as I was intrigued with catherizations, I decided that it was not worth the risk.

Play safe!!

Http://www.pornhub.com/view_video.php?viewkey=ph55a7bebc56fb3

I think his UTI should clear up in about a month if he's lucky!

I don't know who the bigger idiot is, the guy or the dumb bitch.

Emjaybee: You can reduce the problem of urethral infection by using the proper sterile procedures before insertion - of course. Once inserted and play has ended I always have either cranberries in some guise (usually dried) or cranberry juice. These berries naturally contain a compound that helps to reduce the possibility of a serious urethral infection. No need for other antibiotics if your immune system is working OK.

Once. Knee surgery, spinal block. Came out of the OR and could finally drink so I was tossing the juice down. Sensation started to return in the bladder area and I realized that I really needed to urinate, then realized that I couldn't.

The catheterization didn't hurt then because those nerves were still blocked, and they got quite a bit of urine out. My urethra burned a bit later in the day, but it wasn't too bad. I was glad I had it done before leaving the surgical center, because I needed to go again a couple of hours later after I got home and was starting to get worried because urinary control still hadn't returned. Fortunately control returned about 40 minutes later, just before I was ready to call for my wife and start a general panic.

Yes after a back injury. Could not go went to tje ER in pain. Hey you do not go for twelve hours and the urine builds up. You can not move. I begged them to just do it. It did not hurt. Was relived when it finaly stopped at 1200cc. They left it in till I saw a uro on monday. He did a cysto and a filling of the bladder.

Said nerogenic bladder. Have been doing it myself ever since. Every 4 to 6 hours. Every three months several large boxes show up on my porch catheters.

Supply for three months.

Once the catheter is inserted your urinary function is no longer under your control strange seeing the urine coming out and you cannot regulate the flow.

Many times in a hospital and I HATE them!

When I was in the service, I was in the hospital with pneumonia and for some reason hadn't urinated for some time. The nurse said she was going to insert a catheter in an hour if I didn't pee. I walked to the toilet and started flushing the toilet and running cold water until I had the urge. Then I called for the nurse to observe. No catheter for me!

Thank God NO!

Had them in twice after urology surgery. Once for ten days and five for the next. Wasn't bad , just annoying concealing the bag on your leg when out and about. No pain from what I recall.