Catheter discovery

[spencoid2]

I have been having intermittent urinary difficulty due to radiation cyctitis and as a result of an ER malpractice.

I never know if I will be able to pee will be peeing blood and tissue clumps and or if there will be pain. At least I have been able to self catheterize reliably.

That said I would prefer to not have to catheterize regularly. I had a cystoscopy yesterday and the urologist was able to get the 16 fr scope in as he could not do on the previous attempt. He did not see anything scary but did say "it is a real mess in there" or something like that. Lots of scar tissue and contracture the whole length of the (radiation destroyed) prostate. He was amazed that I could get the cath in.

So I am always trying to figure out how to deal with this mess. It does not take much to clog a 16 fr catheter. After the cystoscopy I was back to complete inability to pass urine. I had to cath two or three times last night but in the morning found a new technique that got me peeing again.

Previously I would insert the cath to the external sphincter then on to the bladder sphincter and a little more. Drain as much as possible and slowly withdraw the cath to gry to get the last of the bladder contents. The new technique is to get the cath well into the bladder and instead of trying to pass all the urine through the cath, slowly withdraw the cath so the urine follows the cath (at least partially) instead of going through it. This seems to allow clots and other stuff that would block my contracted urethra to pass as they follow the withdrawing catheter.

Did this once and am peeing again.

I also bought some 20 FR three way caths to hopefully be able to clear clots that would bolck a 16FR.

[MJCA]

I have recently had a similar problem. After hip replacement surgery, I ended up with an inability to urinate along with a UTI. I on the other end use a 12 FR. A cystoscopy sh be owed some scarring. A second opinion suggested it may my bladder. Now I need to get a urodynamic test to rule out any bladder issues. Once that’s done, pop

[spencoid2 in reply to MJCA]

I wrote a response in sub thread and then realized that there might bebenefit to posting it to the original thread as well so expect some duplication.

I had great results using castor oil hot packs to reduce scaring at my bladder neck and may do it again concentrating on the prostate area. You can probably search the archives to find my posts about that. I also just last night tried one of the larger "sounds" that are made for recreation and I think it might help or might be something to do on a regular basis. My urologist who did the cystoscopy yesterday suggested that i self cath 2 or 3 times a week even if not necessary to keep the urethra working. The sound I tried last night is 7.5 mm which translates to about 24 french. The urologist had difficulty getting the 16 fr cystoscope in. I could not get it through my bladder neck, that will take more practice. Hopefully the 20 fr caths i have coming from ebay soon will work?

There are so many variations on what a not healthy urinary system can present that it is apparently difficult to get medical help other than the most basic, TURP , indwelling cath transurethral or supra pubic and maybe a urolift but detail orientated surgery etc does not seem to be available.

So this is why I am experimenting myself. I am also going to post this to a separate thread so it is visible to those not following this one.

[spencoid2]

I wrote a response in sub thread and then realized that there might bebenefit to posting it to the original thread as well so expect some duplication.

I had great results using castor oil hot packs to reduce scaring at my bladder neck and may do it again concentrating on the prostate area. You can probably search the archives to find my posts about that. I also just last night tried one of the larger "sounds" that are made for recreation and I think it might help or might be something to do on a regular basis. My urologist who did the cystoscopy yesterday suggested that i self cath 2 or 3 times a week even if not necessary to keep the urethra working. The sound I tried last night is 7.5 mm which translates to about 24 french. The urologist had difficulty getting the 16 fr cystoscope in. I could not get it through my bladder neck, that will take more practice. Hopefully the 20 fr caths i have coming from ebay soon will work?

There are so many variations on what a not healthy urinary system can present that it is apparently difficult to get medical help other than the most basic, TURP , indwelling cath transurethral or supra pubic and maybe a urolift but detail orientated surgery etc does not seem to be available.

So this is why I am experimenting myself. I am also going to post this to a separate thread so it is visible to those not following this one.

[j-o-h-n]

Pisscessity is the mother of invention....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Saturday 02/19/2022 12:36 AM EST

[spencoid2 in reply to j-o-h-n]

very cute. will have to add that to my dictionary so as to avoid speeling correchtun.

[spencoid2 in reply to j-o-h-n]

I just have to reiterate. That is one perfect pun. My mother would love it, she was a real punster.

[Blueslover]

If you're not using a coude catheter suggest changing to one. Catheterization became much easier for me when I changed.

[spencoid2]

I have tried everything. At one point only a coude tapered tip would get through my bladder neck and that was because of the tapered tip. The coude is for getting through the external sphincter where there is a bend. That has never been a real problem for me, it is the rest that is the problem. I can not get caths in with little difficulty. When I had the bladder neck problem the coude was actually a hindrance because it would cause the cath to buckle when it hit the bladder neck.