catheter

[Andrashko]

My husband had been having a couple nights with incontinence, but not often. The next thing that happened was he says he 'feels like he has to go', but very little comes out. After a trip to the urologist, they have given him the supplies to self catheter. Now he does this 3 times a day, getting about 250ml each time. Is this the start of always having to use a catheter? He gets very anxious every time he has to use it. Also he can maybe get a bowel movement every 3 days, not daily, and we are wondering if the bowel could be doing the same thing? It's almost as if his brain does not connect with his bladder or bowels anymore.

[IvyRose64]

Hello, I think this could possibly be the start for you it was for Al. He self catheterised for about for years, initially just at night. He didn’t get a catheter in situ until April last year when he went in hospital. His mobility restricted him from doing it himself at this stage. Not too sure about bowels but I do recall his were very sluggish. Incontient one day then a few days not going but this was more in the last 6 months before that he always made it to the bathroom on time but did have days where he didn’t go. Hope this helps.

[Hidden in reply to IvyRose64]

The same issue with Peter. Though he uses his self catheter all the time. Though over the last few months i have had to help him. The strange thing he has had intermittent episodes of night time incontinence. As for the bowel, it is very sluggish. I agree with a previous comment regarding softening solution. Though i need to remind Peter to drink more water. If you talk to the neurologist team who look after your partner. They can best advise you. They put us in touch with the urology department. We've held back on a permanent catherter due to the risk of infection. All of this however, is dependant on which progressive stage you're at. Self, indwelling or superpubic catheterisation. Discuss your options and work out the best option with your urologist. Best wishes Sharon x

[Andrashko in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Sharon for your information. This is all so new to us, and we are frustrated that most of the doctors (other than our neurologist), seem to have no idea what this disease is, nor do I feel they do any research on it.

[Andrashko in reply to IvyRose64]

Thank you so much for your comment. It really helps to know others out there experience this, and we are not alone.

[IvyRose64 in reply to Andrashko]

That’s why I replied sometimes is nice to know that someone else understands

[Diane831]

You are right that the problem is with the part of the brain that controls the Autonomic systems being affected by the MSA. Those things which our bodies do automatically without us thinking of them. Bladder, bowels, blood pressure etc. We don’t realise how complex we are until something stops working. Geoff didn’t like the intermittent catheter either, but we persisted for a long time until he was in hospital with pneumonia and they put a full catheter in and when he was being discharged he decided to keep the catheter in. The bowels were managed with softening medications.

These are common issues, although unpleasant, and there is a lot of advice around to help you both manage them.

Diane

[Andrashko in reply to Diane831]

Thank you for your reply. It wasn't until I asked the urologist, could this be his brain not getting the signal because of his MSA-C, that he said it very well could be. I almost feel as though we are teaching the doctors about this disease instead of the other way around. Most of the doctors, other than our neurologist, had no idea what this disease was.

[dfo1569 in reply to Andrashko]

i use convenes with a catheter bag night and day instead of a catheter this was suggested by a continence nurse as an alternative to the urinal bottles i was trying to use

[Andrashko in reply to dfo1569]

I don't think this would work for my husband, he doesn't have leaking, we have to insert the catheter into the bladder to drain it