had my suprapubic catheter changed yesterday…10 weeks since the first change at 6 weeks, which went amazingly well…old one out/new one in, hardly felt a thing.
But not so for the latest one, I`m afraid!
Nursey got all the necessary laid out on my over bed table, deflated the inner balloon (this holds the catheter inside the bladder) and removed the old catheter…it showed no signs of gunge or whatever…sorry if that made you wince…if it did, then hang on to your lunch…worse to come!
She got the new one and began to push it into the hole…it wouldnt go…ouch it hurt…she put some more gel around the area to numb the sensation…didnt work…she pushed again and with a shove, I felt a spasm and a pop…like if you try to push a pen into an inflated balloon…another little shove and in it went!
My carer was looking on and her eyes watered along with mine!
Then nurse filled the new balloon with distilled water…and wrapped up all the detritus and said, Well, that was harder than usual. There was a lot of resistance. Was the last change as difficult? I said it wasn`t and so she said the next one will be in 6 weeks. She said the spc holes close very quickly, but not usually at just a couple of seconds. It must be like a valve closing quick!
She said she didnt want me to get anxious re the next change, so it would be easier at 6 weeks.
I felt happy at that! I was warned it could bleed. I decided to stay in bed, as felt a bit shaky. Nurse left and carer gave me a bed bath and looked at the collection bag, to see it was like a rose wine…quite pink!
Get them to change it more often Poll - mine is every 5weeks. 10 weeks is far too long. l always get some blood go through as well - But l do prefer the glycerine liquid rather then the distilled water. Did she put lots of instilligel in the hole first and round the tip of the cath - this numbs and eases it in. They do have to have everything set up so that once the old caths out the new is ready to go in- thats with the bag connected. All they do is change their gloves so that the gloves they wear taking it out do not touch the new cath going in. l use to tense up - then try my yoga breathing. lf you breathe in deeply - and exhale through the mouth-when they are taking out the old and do the same when they insert the new. Works for me. And makes it easier for them. Always a bit gooey for the first couple of days.
Some nurses are so much better then others. Mine quite often come in pairs! - l think this is a ‘trainee’ looking for experience. Had a male nurse once.
Don’t worry Poll - it will be better next time.
Make a note of how much liquid they put into the balloon - and make sure they take their time and wait for the same amount to come out.
Poll, Tell Linda to try and get her GP to arrange for one of the ‘wonderful’ incontinence nurses who work for the agencies like Wilkinsons/Thackary - they deal with SPC catheters all day long. And they really know there stuff. l had one for years until she retired and l went on to having the district nurses - BUT - the agency specialist nurse did train them. And she goes back now and then to give them a refresher. She also carries a ultra-sound kit - so she can check straightaway if there is a problem.
Also, l order all of my caths/bags/ etc from Wilkinsons - just phone them up - usually do a years supply at a time - and it is delivered to the house. They sort out the prescriptions with GP - and - nobody should be paying for prescriptions - especially when you need all this kit. Get an exemption form signed.
l certainly notice the different tecnique between nurses. Some can be a bit gungho! And l know how you can dread the change over.The longer it is left in the harder it can be to change.
As you so rightly say - lts much better to have the SPC - then the alternative…
Hugs, very gentle one obviously x