Suprapubic catheter in!

Suprapubic Catheter finally in place: I went in to hospital yesterday at 12.50pm and was given a general anesthetic at 1.30pm. Arrived in recover and woke at 3.30pm, then I was wheeled back to my room at put into bed at 4.30pm; I was given a ham sandwich, yogurt and coffee. Read more http://www.amazon-lady.com/Suprapubic-catheter/

Hi, Amazon lady, i’m glad it went as well as it did for you…i hope you manage to take it easy for a few days.

your blogs are very good,… you tell it warts and all,…but its very helpful for anyone else going through similar things

Michelle x

lts about 25yrs since l had my supra-pubic fitted. l knew very little about what to expect after the procedure - and it was quite alarming at first. l soon found ‘my way’ of wearing it - and had very little trouble since. l just thread a lace through the slots on the side of the bag and tie it around my waist. lt all sits nice and neat inside my stretchy short style nicks [Tesco’s] Nobody can see it - and l can wear tight jeans/leggings etc comfortably.All l need to do to empty it is to undo the top button and pull out the tap end - which is by my hip and just aim it down the loo. So yes - l do leave the lid of the loo seat ‘up’!! As l use a 600ml bag - l do not need to use a night bag on a stand. That was the part l hated the most. l do keep an empty plastic bottle close to my bed just in case l need to empty it and do not want to get out of bed. But it is very rarely l do this. Was handy after l had a hip and knee replacement.

Since l managed to get a supply of the Duette catheters from US - l find it much better. They are kinder to the bladder wall - do not block or cause spasms. l have it changed every 5 to 6 weeks. An agency -specialist nurse comes to do it.

Hi Spacejacket

can I ask your advice please, I’ve had the Suprapubic for a week now, my husband has been changing the dressing each morning and evening, bless him, he does it very well very hygienic using gloves and sterile wipes, but and this is were I need your and advice, it s still weeping, is that right or am I just expecting too much too quickly?

second were have you found you’re 600ml bags from? The hip bags I get are only 300ml and the 600ml are legs bags so the holes are in the wrong place to tie around my hips.

your help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

thanks Deborah

Hi AL, glad it went well and you were home same day!

As usual, great blog! Have tweeted it.

Really hope this makes life easier for you.

How odd that your bladder is in the wrong place! In the middle-ages they used to believe that a woman’s uterus went roaming around her body. Wondering if you have a roaming bladder…

Pat xx

Hiya…just popping in to this forum to say hello.

Saw your post and read your blog…well done you!

Ive had my spc for a couple of years now and did try the in-dwelling type for 5 months...hated it with a vengeance. It was sooo chuffin painful to sit down!

I much prefer the spc. I have no mobility, so carting a bag around is a bit different to the way you do so.

I have a pretty cloth bag (which I made!) on my wheelchair arm, with the tube from my tum going under my clothes and into the day bag…a 500ml. At night I change to a night bag, which holds 2L.

Each morning, in the shower, I remove the dressing and give the whole area a good wash. Then a new dressing is applied by my carer of the day!

I sometimes suffer from by-pass. This is when the bladder empties the normal way. I take betmiga anti spasm tablets daily, plus occassionaly, 2mg tolterodine to top it up, when I feel as if I may by-pass.

I blame most of my accidents on my large tum!

My catheter is changed every 5 weeks and it can be gundgy, which can also cause by-pass. Blood in the urine isnt a need for great concern…according to my lovely district nurses.

Hope you enjoy your new bed. I have one of those…great!

luv Pollx

Had the lovely urology nurse here just now - to change my catheter. All went well with no problems. She works for Wilkinsons - and she does this type of nursing full-time. So much more experienced then the district nurses. lt was through the district nurses that l first met her - they were having trouble getting my catheter out - so they called her in. She teaches them as well. That is when it was decided that 5 weeks was better for each change - no longer. All done in a few minutes. Then we ‘natter’ for a while. She always wants to know exactly how l am - and makes notes. l told her that l had done a ‘bladder wash-out’ recently - because l felt as it l was going to wet myself. This means that the tubing is getting blocked. We all have quite a lot of sediment in our bladders - and with a catheter you can see it. Nothing wrong - this is normal - but it can cause a blockage/bypass. She said try squeezing the tube lots of times up and down to get the sediment moving and unblocking the eyelets of the catheter. Also, she reminded me that l must regularly give the catheter a few turns to dislodge it - and gently pull it back a bit. lf you are sat down for any length of time - the catheter sometimes gets too far in. This can cause it to block by pushing into the bladder wall. The eyelets work like a suction - and get sucked in. Also, if it goes too far in it can block the urethra - so a little tug to pull it back a fraction can do the trick. lf you can - just standing up and moving about will get it positioned better.

Do try a 600ml drainage bag - A 300ml is too small - it will fill so quickly and be like a ball inside your clothes. The 600ml spreads out evenly across your tum - and is almost undetectable. Most night drainage bags - used on a stand - are 2 litres.

You will soon forget all about having it - l know for now it is all you can think about as it is foreign to you. lt was a learning curve for me - as l did not know anyone else with one - and certainly before computers and forums.

Now you know you can consult us - and we can do our best to help.

Hi Guys it’s so nice to have people I can talk too about this, as my family live in Australia I can’t really talk to them, so I do rely on you as my family, not that they would really understand, think you need to have MS to understand, thank you so much for all your advice.

Spacejacket still can’t find the bags you suggest, I think your right I need to have 600ml bags the ones I have are too small and need emptying too often. As I can’t find them on the web site, will phone them tomorrow.

Luv I have should I say a little access in the tummy area and sit down all day, I do try to walk to the toilet twice a day to empty my bottles I use to empty my bag, I use a “Rollator” as my legs don’t have much longer to live as I say to my husband, they are nearly finished, have fallen a few times its just a matter of time before I will need a wheelchair indoors as well as the one I use called “Zippy” outside.

Pat thanks for your comments, I can rely on you to read my blog regularly. Thanks

Michelle you too are an regular to the blog, glad you enjoy it. Thanks

Contact Manfred Sauer - (removed by moderator) Ask for leg bags 600ml 710.2204S. They will send free samples.They have direct contact valve and a push close lever. As l said - they have a cotton feel backing. l use mine - on its side - catheter connection on one side - tap end the other by my hip. Lace threaded through the two slots on the side. Been doing this - and using the same bags for many years. Get them via Wilkinsons. They sort out the prescriptions. And l just ring them up to order and they deliver. l just do this once a year - as l know exactly how many l need. Boxes of 10 - change them every 5days.

Spacejacket thanks again have just spoken to Manfred Sauer they are sending a sample in the post, sure this will work then I can order on my normal NHS prescription.thanks again Deborah

Manfred Sauer are a wonderful company - who employ disabled people as well. They design incontinence products that suit all type of disabilities and wheelchair users. Also fo children. l have been using them for 25yrs. So l do feel it unfair - when l am trying to help someone on here - who was asking for info - only to have the contact number deleted by the mods. The ‘big brother’ attitude has gone too far. So many have left because we are not allowed to have a bit of fun. But not to be able to let someone have an essential bit of info - well!!

And yet they allow a lot of very biased and one sided ‘political opinions’ posts go on for ever. Most of which l do not agree with - but have no intention of getting into a slanging match.

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Glad it all went well, I still get a slight discharge from mine after two years, my doc says nothing to worry about. I do cover with a lint dressing just snipped to half way and tuck it around catheter and the belt holds it in place.

It was the best thing I had done, changed my life.

Don XXX