Self-cathers - I need you again!

[momw/ic]

I am sorry to be such a bother but I am determined to get this right. I keep having trouble with the medicine coming back out of the catheter before I pull it out. I have tried putting some air in the tube with the syringe (that is what the nurse said to do) but even still it is not working. I put the cath in and let the urine drain and then immediately put the med in and then pull the syringe out and before I can remove the cath the med drains out or is comes out as I am pulling the cath out. Any ideas? I have been doing this over the toilet. Should I try laying down instead? It just seems awkward any other way.

Thanks in advance!

[ICNDonna]

The catheters I used for self instillations had a place at the end that fit the end of the syringe. What I found is that I needed to pull the catheter out before removing the syringe from the catheter.

Donna

[Dixiefireball]

I agree with donna that is how i do it also.

[Marti]

Crimp the cath by folding it back on itself as you take it out - that will prevent the meds from running back out the cath tube.

Stick with it - mastering this technique is very liberating & will give you control over your disease.

-m

[peiti]

Hi,

I always lied own on the floor with a blanket on my back when I did self instillation of Heparin. I think one thing you should make sure is that you need to have the other end of catheter where you input the medication in higher than you bladder. So the medication can flow into your bladder. I never try to instill myself on the toilet. I don't know if other self-cathers have any success on this position.

[lotsofgirls]

Hi MomwIC

I have to self cath lying down, with the cath and the med in the syringe higher than my bladder or it goes back out. It seems to me to be a gravity thing? I just empty my bladder into a disposal plastic container (old margarine container) and then insert the syringe into the cath and slowly plunge the medication. Then I hold the syringe up long enough that the medication clears and is in, pull it on and voila! I am done.

Hope that helps,
Cath

[momw/ic]

Thanks everyone. It has been about 3 weeks since I posted this and after about the first week things got a lot better. I have figured out how to do it on the toilet and Donna's suggestion of keeping the syringe in the catheter has been the "magic" trick! Thanks!