catherization question

[shaun10]

Before i am down to my last option like interstim doc wants to try either bladder installations or another hydrodistension. my question is, is there anyway to numb the penis or anesthesia before they insert that thing because my last experience was dreadful and i dont wanna do that again id rather do interstim unless i can be numbed. my appt isnt til feb 9 so i was hopin someone here has an answer. thanks

[ICNDonna]

Just my thoughts, but I would rather try both before opting for the interstim. Be sure to request the smallest available catheter and let your doctor know about your experience. Catheterization isn't too bad if done correctly and if you can manage to relax.

Warm healing thoughts,
Donna

[bob04951]

YES, your doc can numb you, and certainly ask that he do so. Cath is not so bad, my hub could do it at home with no numbing. And yes, do ask for the smallest cath possible. But really, it is not so bad, you have to relax, find a focal point on the ceiling and just don't even think about what is going on. Honestly, it is nothing to fear. Jill, wife of Bob

[sailawaygrl]

Be sure to let them know exactly how much it hurt before. I was terrified after my first catheter experience, I swore no one was doing that to me again! When your bladder is very inflamed it tends to hurt more. Some Dr's don't do the numbing part because if it is your bladder that is sensitive it won't help. If your main sensitivity is in your urethra, then it will help. The thing that helped me the most was using an 8fr infant feeding tube, I used them for a while but have found that an 8 fr catheter works just as well. I can't handle the red rubber catheters, mine have to be non latex and use plenty of lubricant. Most of the nurses and Drs that do them have done them so much they are able to do them quickly, that also helps. If they do help, see if they will teach you to do them at home, more than a few of us use them to get through the day.

I am with Donna, I would do the instills for a while and then if needed the hydro before I went to the interstim.

Wishing you the best.

[bob04951]

I will say that Bob's main problem now is more urethreal, his penis HURTS. He still has the bladder pain, but the penis is his main complaint. Cathing at this point would be out of the question. If you are really hurting there you need to let them know big time. You don't want to hurt more. There are numbing substances where you won't feel a thing, and of course you are concerned about after effects. Ask questions, get answers. Good luck, let us know. Jill, wife of Bob

[otter]

I've been doing instillations at home for the last 5 weeks. They're going well. I was given Urojet, which is a lidocaine jelly that I inject into my urethra prior to putting in the cath. It's SO MUCH better when I can do it myself. It's really easy, too, believe it or not. The only place that hurts a little is when you ease the catheter through the sphincter right at the bladder. But if you're doing it yourself, you can slow down or pause as needed to let you relax.

There are 3 nurses in my uro's office. Two of them rammed that cath into me so roughly and fast that I was sore for days. In one case, my urethra was probably scraped up -- I had stabbing sharp pain every time I urinated for 3 days. I demanded to be numbed and to have the smallest catheter they could get to thread into my bladder. It was better. I have had to ask for this every single time I've gone in, though. Don't let them do things to you that you're not comfortable with! It doesn't have to hurt.

I know it's horribly hard to relax when someone is handling your goods and you're anticipating pain. Try to breathe slow and deep, and when you feel any pain, exhale a slow deep breath. I close my eyes, and when the cath feels 'tight,' I try to urinate. Seems to help relax the sphincters and decrease the pain a LOT.

Good luck, man. The instillations are helping me to some degree. I'd be happy to offer any other info you might need on doing instills at home. Just let me know and I'll do what I can.

[zyphia]

Self instillations

I used to be a nurse (am female) and inserted catheters in a lot of men (and have had a lot of catheters inserted into me so know how it feels). I know it is a lot more uncomfortable for men than women because of the length of the urethra and distance the catheter must travel into the bladder. One trick I learned when dealing with my male patients was to distract them. I taught them breathing exercises, the ones a woman does in labor and made them count out loud and do the huffing and puffing and pursing of lips. It made a fantastic difference and each time they inhaled, held their breath and counted to 10 and exhaled I would easily slip the catheter into the urethra. Worked like a charm each time. I even got to the point where men would request me to change their catheters.... in the nursing home. When I did my self-instillations I would even use the method on myself. It worked!!

[bob04951]

Good for you! These are the tips that we need. Yeah, the old breathing technique, works for a lot of things. Glad you are doing well, and keep us informed. The instills work wonders for some, you are one of the lucky ones. Having some health care knowledge is always a good thing. Jill, wife of Bob

[zyphia]

Instillations

One question....it has been a few years since I did my self-instillations and last summer because of multiple problems (really would take a book to describe them all and the follow up and surgery that followed) I went to my GYN and had instillations of Elmiron once a week by his nurses who specialized in only that. I am curious as to what instillations you are self-injecting. I did DMSO years ago when I did self-injections and they helped a little but was only able to keep the substance in my bladder at the most for 15 minutes. I stopped after about 6 weeks but kept the DMSO for arthritis pain and for rubbing on my horse's joints. It was DMSO meant for human use but you can also buy vet grade DMSO and I didn't see any reason to waste it so kept it for the rubbing down of the horses. The Elmiron I can keep in for up to 6 hours, which is a fantastic record. The nurses mix it with Lidocaine. I have been somewhat out of the IC loop for a while since I have been virtually pain free for so long and living a very full and busy life so this board is really opening my eyes to all these new aspects of happenings and events in the world of IC.

[shaun10]

i had

I had the instillation done on wednesday. They number my Penis but the catheter hurt inside for about 30 seconds and hurt comin out for 3o seconds. It was painful but not as bad as my horrible experience a few years ago. I had relief of symptoms for about a day. My only issue was I COULDNT pee for about 4-5 hours after the instill. It felt like a blockage was there. Anyway, Im going for round 2 on friday the 18th. Praying it gives me more days of relief. Been good on the diet except for yesterday. doc says diet doesnt matter but so many people say it does so I wanna try to stay with it

[zyphia]

Continued wishes of good luck to you

I am hoping you will have success with future instillations. I am not that up to date on an IC diet as I truly think different things work for different people. I am sorry people have been so rough on you. I think I was so compassionate with patients when I was a nurse because of all the suffering I went thru with my surgeries and catherizations. I wish they would try to be a bit kinder.

[bob04951]

Shaun, the diet is important to the majority of ICers. Maybe you could print some stuff out and take it to doc. Sometimes they just don't have the time to research that kind of stuff on their own. Our uro as well did not think diet had any effect (we dismissed him) and did not even believe cola or coffee was a contributor to flares. He was kinda a cutting type of doc, surgery oriented. He is out of our lives. Educate your doc, just approach it with some print outs and say "I have read this in many places, and know you don't have the time to do this yourself, so thought it may save you time if I did it for you. Please read it and let me know at our next appt what you think." It works sometimes. And be sure to put your name on any printouts so he/she knows who you are and what file it belongs in.

Sorry you have had a rough time. Have you spoken with them about doing it at home? It's fairly easy, you can be taught in one visit, and you can relax more and do it at your own pace. Make sure you ask them before they do an instill what they are giving you so you know in your own head what is working and what is not. Ask questions every step of the way, it is your right as the patient to have them answer your concerns, and if they refuse, move on. Sounds like they are being more gentle with you, and let them know the problems you had after the last one. Could have just gotten a little swelling from the cath which made your peeing after more difficult. Tell them! Wish you luck Friday, open your mouth first before any procedure. Let us know. Jill, wife of Bob

[sailawaygrl]

Shaun,
sometimes after I have an instill I have a problem urinating for a while afterwards because my bladder get so numb the muscles just don't work for a while. Best thing to do is not try to force the urine out, but when you feel like you need to go, just try and see, if nothing happens, try again in a bit. The numbing will wear off and things will be alright. If they are putting lidocaine or marcaine in your solution that is what it does, that is why we get some relief for a while.

Sandra

[flowerangela]

hey zyphia i sent you a private message in your inbox with a question about my catheter.

[jimmydickens]

ruff & tuff nurses

There are 3 nurses in my uro's office. Two of them rammed that cath into me so roughly and fast that I was sore for days. In one case, my urethra was probably scraped up -- I had stabbing sharp pain every time I urinated for 3 days. I demanded to be numbed and to have the smallest catheter they could get to thread into my bladder. It was better. I have had to ask for this every single time I've gone in, though. Don't let them do things to you that you're not comfortable with! It doesn't have to hurt.

I know it's horribly hard to relax when someone is handling your goods and you're anticipating pain. Try to breathe slow and deep, and when you feel any pain, exhale a slow deep breath. I close my eyes, and when the cath feels 'tight,' I try to urinate. Seems to help relax the sphincters and decrease the pain a LOT.

When I had my first cath I asked the nurse to use a numbing agent of some kind and she said no. I said no problem and started getting off the table. She jumped into some explanation about what the Dr Likes, or this or that, then I said: let’s go ask him? She got the lidocaine and applied it before the cath. But she jammed that sucker quite hard and it hurt like hell. Later the next week the Dr wanted to scope me in his office. No problem, right? Same nurse picked up the lidocaine applicator and jammed the chrome tip in quite hard. It felt like a big needle and hurt like hell! Damn that hurt but I didn’t complain to the doctor (I look at this kind of thing as sending back your food at a half-nice restaurant. You know what they will do to your food) I’ve been with that team for quite a while and got to know them well. The nurses told me they’ll make those big tuff guys squeal like a baby when they get them in the office. I’m 6’1” @ 205lbs but defiantly NOT some big tuff acting dude. Anyway they also forgot I was ‘one of those big tuff acting guys’ and now I know for sure I didn’t just overreact. You only get one chance to make a first impression and I guess mine was of some big jerk. What to do….nothing you can do when you’re at someone’s mercy!