HELP...Is a Suprapubic catheter a good idea?

Everyday living
1

Morning all,

My hubby at present self catherterises with my help once a day.
However at present he is in hospital and one of the nurses there said it would be so much easier and less uti’s if he had a suprapubic one.

How have you found it?

Are there less or more uti’s?

Is it less hassle?

Please let me know your views.

Thank you

Caz/ Wife and carer

2

l have had a SP catheter for 18yrs - and it has made a big difference to my life - the occasional problem as with anything

but its better then self cath - doesn’t get in the way of your sex life.

lt also would be worth trying LDN - - as many people - on here- take it to control their bladders. Even pwms on dmd’s.

F.

3

Campion could you please let me know what your daily procedure would be.

Hubby has tremors to his hands and I work is it something he could deal with himself do you think, or would he need a district nurse?

Thanks sorry for so many questions.

Caz

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Caz - l have pm’d you with some advice.

5

Hi

I have had one for a few yrs, you can either have the flip flo valve or the bag whichever is easier.

I have found you must drink plenty of water to avoid blockages but has been a big help to me. You can change it yourself c every 10 weeks , that wasn’t for me so district nurses do it.

Hope that helps, pm if you need any more info

6

Anyone else interested in this post about SP Catheters - do google Supra-pubic Catheters - there is a good website called Streetsie - they are mainly based in US - but all with different disabilities - lots with MS. They can answer all sorts of questions about incontinence and relative problems - including sex. lts good to be able to hear straight from folk who are effected - rather then health professionals who aren’t. lf you ‘read back’ on some of the posts there - you will probably find the answer to your problem.

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Thank you very much for all your help it sounds like something that hubby should think about getting.

Caz

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Dear Caz,

‘me too’ - I am getting seen in about a week. Thanks for your email and best wishes to your hubby. Reading your ‘replies’ has ‘kind of’ convinced me that it is the way to go! I have an ordinary catheter and it has it’s good points and its bad points - I haven’t had sex with my wife for over 5 months! (and that’s ‘coming’ (ha, ha) from someone who has had sex with 50 females!

See what your hubby says but I think that I am ‘convinced’ that it is the way to go.

Marcus.

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When hubby was in hospital I asked one of the doctors whether there are fewer UTI’s with a suprapubic catheter he said no.

I am getting conflictin answers from the medical profession.

What is your experience with that?

Thanks

Caz

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bump

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[quote=“cazuk”]

When hubby was in hospital I asked one of the doctors whether there are fewer UTI’s with a suprapubic catheter he said no.

I am getting conflictin answers from the medical profession.

What is your experience with that?

Thanks

Caz

[/quote] Hi i have had a suprapubic catheter for years, and UtI:s are few and far between now

I drink at least 2 litres of Robinsons barley water (Peach ) a day if my urine starts to smell a little

i up my fluids by drinking carton of cranberry juice and that sorts me out.

I started with a leg bag during the day,but my nurse sugested a flip-flow catheter valve for day time use.

(you have to remind yourself to empty),but after a while it becomes second nature.

for overnight i have a 2 litre bag on a stand,

Hope this helps JOHN

13

Hi John,

Thanks for your reply it is very helpful.

Hubby and I are still weighing up if this is the best thing. He has tremors to his hands and I am not around during the day would this still be easy for him to empty himself?

Thanks

Caz

[/quote] Hi i have had a suprapubic catheter for years, and UtI:s are few and far between now

I drink at least 2 litres of Robinsons barley water (Peach ) a day if my urine starts to smell a little

i up my fluids by drinking carton of cranberry juice and that sorts me out.

I started with a leg bag during the day,but my nurse sugested a flip-flow catheter valve for day time use.

(you have to remind yourself to empty),but after a while it becomes second nature.

for overnight i have a 2 litre bag on a stand,

Hope this helps JOHN

[/quote]

14

Caz - l am sure he could manage a supra-pubic catheter. Do look up the Streetsie web site - this is run by a chap who is wheelchair user. You can ask all sorts of questions -and get answers from folk who use a SPC. They are the ones who know - more then the urologists/nurses.

l have managed to empty mine - with one hand - whilst on horse-back - when out on a long hack. [lf l got off - l can never get back on unless l have my super mounting block]

l use a 600ml bag - which l tie round my waist - very discreet. l do not even link up to a night bag/stand when in bed.

Don’t forget - that if for any reason he did get on with the SPC - it is instantly reversible - once the catheter is removed the bladder starts closing up the ‘hole’ within 20mins.

lt would make life much easier for you both - especially when out and about.

How is your hubby now after his hospital stay. He was quite poorly. UTI’s are such nasty things.

F.

15

Hi Campion,

Thanks for this info I will definately have a look at that site always best from those that have one.

Hubby was admitted to hospital and stayed for 8 days, they did not know really why his temp was so high 39.1C but he had an infection they think was a chest infection. Due to his past history of UTI’s they treated him for UTI and chest infection. He is back home now approx 2 weeks but still weaker on his legs than before hospital but hopefully when physio’s decide to visit in 2 weeks waited 2 weeks so far he may get stronger.

Thanks

Caz

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Just noticed Caz - that l meant 'lf he DID NOT -get on with a SPC it is instantly reversible. Whole starts growing back within minutes.

Love to you both

F.

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Seeing Urologist on the 13th June to discuss this… After hubby having a UTI from yesterday and temp 38.1C we can’t wait to discuss.

Caz

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Good luck

John

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Had some ‘leakage’ initially but nurse said that it ‘could’ have been a bent tube. This last week has been no problem. I asked the ‘sugeon’ if the whole procedure was ‘revesible’ and he said ‘Yes, it was’. It has been almost a month with the ‘supra-pubic’ catheter and if your husband is agreeable then I would say ‘go for it!’. The operation took ~25 mins. and I had to look at the clock ‘in the hospital’ - I was unaware that anything had happened! I still cannot feel ‘any pain’ so after months of wearing just a catheter the change has been well worth it! Sex is ‘possible’ now (and my penis is starting to heal from the catheter that went in there before). I do wish that I didn’t ‘have to wear a catheter’ - but then I wish that I didn’t have MS - one ‘advantage’ is that you can sit and watch television or 'mess about on the computer or anything else you want to do ‘without needing’ to keep ‘going to the loo!’ (still would prefer not to have MS though)

Marcus.

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Hi Marcus,

Thank you for sharing this…Hubby is still in hospital after a nasty UTI from Last Saturday. The UTI has now cleared but it has made his legs very weak and until home has been assessed for a temporary bed downstairs he has to remain there a few extra days and then physio rehab every day for 4 weeks will begin.

We have the Urology appointment which the doctors have said we must keep even though it will be going from one hospital to another. The doctors have given us a letter to take along mentioning the importance of having a suprapubic…

One thing I was wondering is can you still have a bath with it in, as hubby has a bathlift and is happier using that than the shower.

Thanks

Caz