My husband's urinary issues are worsening. His urologist, who also is a board certified neurologist, says that he is not a good candidate for intermittent cathetering. I suspect the next step will be to discuss getting a suprapublic catheter. I'm wondering if it might substantially improve his quality of life and would like input from those who have had this done, thanks.
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Hi lib,
Sorry to hear about your husband. If he isn't a candidate for self catheterization (does he know why?), then a suprapubic catheter would be the next step.
I'm a woman, but have a suprapubic catheter, and can share my experience. Self catheterization worked well for me, until it became a challenge to get to the bathroom, because of mobility issues.
I had both incontinence and retention. My bladder never emptied completely, even though I thought it had. That led to multiple UTIs, two close together that went septic. One of those infections went to my heart. I also had relapses that were caused by the infections.
Pros
• Fewer UTIs. Last year I only had one.
• Can drink as much fluid as I want, whenever I want to.
• No longer have issues with constipation.
• No longer have to worry about getting to a toilet. All I need is an empty container to drain the bag when its full.
• I can go out for extended periods without the need to find a bathroom.
• Allows me to sleep through the night
• Dry mouth resolved, and no longer have dental problems that went with it.
Cons
• Must be changed every month.
• Can still have leakage through the urethra - catheter could be kinked, not draining properly, bladder spasms, UTI, obstruction.
• Bag might leak, or tubing gets disconnected.
• Recently had to add an antispasmodic to my med list
• body image
It's not perfect, but the pros far outweigh the cons for me. I've had mine 4 1/2 years. It is important to keep urine flowing, so your husband will need to drink plenty of fluids every day. Hope this helps.
Best of luck to your husband
Kimba
“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” ― Max Planck -
Thanks, Kimba!!Originally posted by Kimba22 View PostHi lib,
Sorry to hear about your husband. If he isn't a candidate for self catheterization (does he know why?), then a suprapubic catheter would be the next step.
I'm a woman, but have a suprapubic catheter, and can share my experience. Self catheterization worked well for me, until it became a challenge to get to the bathroom, because of mobility issues.
I had both incontinence and retention. My bladder never emptied completely, even though I thought it had. That led to multiple UTIs, two close together that went septic. One of those infections went to my heart. I also had relapses that were caused by the infections.
Pros
• Fewer UTIs. Last year I only had one.
• Can drink as much fluid as I want, whenever I want to.
• No longer have issues with constipation.
• No longer have to worry about getting to a toilet. All I need is an empty container to drain the bag when its full.
• I can go out for extended periods without the need to find a bathroom.
• Allows me to sleep through the night
• Dry mouth resolved, and no longer have dental problems that went with it.
Cons
• Must be changed every month.
• Can still have leakage through the urethra - catheter could be kinked, not draining properly, bladder spasms, UTI, obstruction.
• Bag might leak, or tubing gets disconnected.
• Recently had to add an antispasmodic to my med list
• body image
It's not perfect, but the pros far outweigh the cons for me. I've had mine 4 1/2 years. It is important to keep urine flowing, so your husband will need to drink plenty of fluids every day. Hope this helps.
Best of luck to your husband
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