Hi folks
I have been speaking with a couple of friends lately who are PPMS and are having problems with their catheters. They need to be changed frequently because they become blocked, this can mean a lot of washing for their carers, plus constant infections and they are being told there’s nothing that can be done.
I just wondered if you knowledgeable people have any advice for this please, should the continence people be doing more to help?
Thank you for any replies
Wendy x
Wendy,
Do you mean supra-pubic catheters. lf so - As someone who has had a SPC for 19yrs. lt has been my experience - that if you do not give the catheter a couple of turns - do it most days - lt will adhere to the walls of the bladder and become blocked. This also makes the bladder wall sore leaving it open uti’s. l have mine changed every 5 weeks - any longer it becomes difficult to remove as it get crystallised - gummed up! Also, l have a short female length cath - attached to a drainage bag with a direct contact valve - so no length of tubing that can get kinked and cause blocking. l just tie the bag with a lace around my waist - it sits nice and neat and comfortable inside my ‘short style nix’. Tap end near my hip - so easy to just undo top button of jeans to allow me to empty. lt is virtually undetectable.
Also, l do take D-Mannose capsules - they help keep bladder healthy. Tea/Coffee/Coke will irritate the bladder.
l heard of a new catheter - in US - that has two balloons. One on the very tip that prevents the problem of irritating and blocking the bladder. lt is called Duette - So far not available in UK as they only have FDA approval - still waiting for CE stamp to export.
You can look up this Duette cath on youtube - and see the damage an ordinary foley type cath can do.
Because the SPC is on permanent drain - it means the bladder is like an old deflated balloon - and the sides fall in and can get stuck onto the cath as the drainage eyes/holes are sucking the urine through.
My district nurses are intrigued by the way l wear mine - as it is the opposite to what they have been taught. But it works well with very little problem. ln fact the last time they came - l questioned whether the nurse had inflated the balloon. She was a bit shirty that l had doubted her - and said of course she had. An hour later it came out - yes, she had not inflated it. So l quickly pushed it back in and filled the balloon with the liquid myself.
Thank you for all that information Spacejacket, at least there should be a better system for people soon!
You seem to have it sussed, good on you for finding a good way of dealing with it. I will save this information and pass it on to my friends.
Wendy x
Hi Wendy
Speak to your nurse, you can get bladder washouts which you squirt into the catheter to rinse any debris out. They are sterile and easy to use. I’ve nursed patients who have them once a day to once a week depending on what they need. They will be sent with your catheter bag order once prescribed. Make sure you’re drinking plenty too which keeps your urine diluted making it less likely to clog up. This isn’t always the case though, unfortunately you may just be in the group that pass a lot of debris. Speak to your nurse or gp though, there are solutions and your nurse may have more suggestions as they deal with it so often.
Hope this helps a bit.
Cath xx
Cath I was just going to say that
I need some washout stuff note to self order some.
Hows it going Wendy have your had anymore blocked catheters?
Don