is there a special way of doing this at home?

[waterflow]

I did the heparin/lido instill this morning and pain wise it isn t' the same as when the uro does it. Pain is better after he does it and it is some what worse after I did it. Getting sharp pains in the bladder too. I did the same way uro does it so does it take a while to do it pain free? I also cleaned the cath with peroxide. Then rinsed it well. also cleaned the "area" with it.

[kadi]

My doctor told me to just use hot water to rinse the catheter, though after an infection, we decided I'd use a fresh catheter each time. (Infections are pretty serious for me as I'm allergic to all oral antibiotics, except one. I risk having to be admitted for IV antibiotics if I get infection).

I also just use warm water (hand held shower) or a baby wipe (Safeway unscented) to clean externally before the instillation.

Since I used to get tense inserting the catheter, I found that a warm water shower first relaxes the muscles & makes it easier & less uncomfortable.

Hope that helps.

[ihurttoo]

Could your Uro have been using Marcaine instead of Lidocaine? Also, my Dr. usually put a steroid in mine when I was flaring, (for which I dont have a prescription). So, maybe that's a possibility with you too.

Another thing, if you arent used to self-cathing, you probobly "stabbed around" with it till you could get it in, which would cause irritation and pain. Whereas, obviously your Dr. can get it right off the bat.

Also, since you said you were tense inserting the cath, that would make it harder to insert, causing more friction and consequently, more irriation. I agree with Kadi's suggestions of takeing a warm shower to cleanse and try to relax prior to doing the instills.

Hope you feel better soon and hope this helps!

Hugs,
Amy

[SandyRN]

Using a cosmetic mirror to see exactly where to go helps get the cath in the first time. I'd check out the rescue instill threads as there are a LOT of helpful posts there that give step by step home instill directions. It's awkward to do it the first few times at home. I had a hard time too and gave myself several infections, and even though I have cathed a lot of women in my job, doing it on myself was a whole different thing.

Go to that section and read, read, read.

[ICNDonna]

I don't think I'd put peroxide on my urethra. I use individually packaged sterile gauze pads and antibacterial soap to cleanse the area --- and remove the soap with a second pad before inserting the catheter.

Another little hint --- instead of putting the lubricant directly on the catheter, squeeze out a tiny amount on the wrapper that held the gauze pad. That way you aren't as likely to contaminate the lubricant left in the tube.

Donna

[waterflow]

I was going to use baby wipes but I thought things were supposed to be sterile and thought the peroxide would do that. Maybe that is why things are irritated. I didn’t have a problem finding the opening, went by feel. I have more then one-urethra openings and only one is the right spot. The nurses have a hard time finding it and doc is the only one that gets it right first try. Maybe since I was almost sitting up straight that caused tension and more friction down there too. Will need to find a way to lay back, relax and still be able to reach. I have tried the Maricame, steroid and sodium bio but that made it all worse. The bladder seems to be happy with just plain old heparin/lido/water. Will try doing your suggestions tomorrow morning.

Never thought about using antibacterial soap. Thanks Donna

[waterflow]

Went much better this morning. I also let it go into the bladder slowly on its own instead of using the ball to push it in and by doing it that way there was a little bit left to run on the outside of things when I pulled it out. The nurse uses the ball to push it in at doc’s. I use a disposable cup to mix it in and that is one less thing I have to worry about cleaning. This morning I am going to the store to get the anti-bacterial soap.

[L. Thomas]

I guess I'm not using the same procedure that you are. I use a syrnige and needle and pull the meds into the syringe. I insert the catheter into my bladder and drain it. Then I remove the needle from the syringe and I attach the ped catheter to the syringe and istill the mixture into the bladder. What is the "ball" you mention?

[ihurttoo]

I guess I'm not using the same procedure that you are. I use a syrnige and needle and pull the meds into the syringe. I insert the catheter into my bladder and drain it. Then I remove the needle from the syringe and I attach the ped catheter to the syringe and istill the mixture into the bladder. What is the "ball" you mention?

Same here. I havent heard of the ball either. Can you describe it for us?

[waterflow]

This is how it has been done at doc's which is how I do it. All of it is mixed into a plastic jar (for them, for me a disposable cup). There is a plastic tube thing with a point on it that is attached to the cath. Then the mixture is poured into that. Normally it won't go through the cath because of the lidocaine put in the eurethra. They use the ball to push the mixture down the cath. I don't seem to get enough lido in the eurethra to plug the cath so it will slowly go down the cath by itself. Sorry if I didn't explain it right.
The cath I use is a long one. I can hold it up to help with the gravity to pull it into the bladder too. I don't understand how you could get enough water mixture with everything in the syringe alone?

[waterflow]

Amy, when you put the lido in your eurethra are you using the little plastic squeeze bottle or the urojet? I think it's called urojet? I can't seem to really get enough in there or far enough up in like the uro can with the jet thing but he said those things break easily (he even had one break while I was there) and would only give me the plastic bottle.

[ihurttoo]

I was using the jelly. When I used that, it was little metal tubes that came with a cone applicator. (Though, I will agree, it didnt go up very far. It bascially just made the inital entry easier.) Now, I use injectable lidocaine (liquid). I use a syringe without a needle and shoot it up there. It seems to work on contact, whereas it took about 15 min for the jelly. I also use the injectable Lidocaine in my bladder, not the jelly.

[L. Thomas]

This is how it has been done at doc's which is how I do it. All of it is mixed into a plastic jar (for them, for me a disposable cup). There is a plastic tube thing with a point on it that is attached to the cath. Then the mixture is poured into that. Normally it won't go through the cath because of the lidocaine put in the eurethra. They use the ball to push the mixture down the cath. I don't seem to get enough lido in the eurethra to plug the cath so it will slowly go down the cath by itself. Sorry if I didn't explain it right.
The cath I use is a long one. I can hold it up to help with the gravity to pull it into the bladder too. I don't understand how you could get enough water mixture with everything in the syringe alone?

I think I understand. I have always coumpounded the mixture by drawing the meds into a syringe with a needle. I drain my bladder with the catheter and then take the needle off and attach it to a catheter and instill the meds into the bladder. It's pretty simple. You way sound a little difficult to me.

[waterflow]

Does the liquid lidocaine work better inside the bladder then the gel? I've been using the gel for now. Uro wrote a script for the liquid but pharmacy will only order it by the case. Not sure if insurance will pay for it and if not how much it will cost to buy a case of 20 bottles. I don't see why they make things so hard. How many times do you use the heparin? It doesn't seem to last long helping with the irratation. Only a few hours but I use 40,000 cc and guess that is the highest amount usuable.

[L. Thomas]

Does the liquid lidocaine work better inside the bladder then the gel? I've been using the gel for now. Uro wrote a script for the liquid but pharmacy will only order it by the case. Not sure if insurance will pay for it and if not how much it will cost to buy a case of 20 bottles. I don't see why they make things so hard. How many times do you use the heparin? It doesn't seem to last long helping with the irratation. Only a few hours but I use 40,000 cc and guess that is the highest amount usuable.

Your pharmacy should fill the Rx anyway the MD write it. Maybe if you tell your MD the problem with ordering he could write the Rx so it would cover everything. I know my urogyn write the Rx usage "as needed."

I have never used the gel but it makes sense to me that if the liquid is difused in the instillation that it would cover the bladder lining more completely.

I use 10,000 units of heparine with each instillation.