Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Urination after removal of Folley catheter?

This question asks how do I begin natural urination after a Folley catheter is removed?  On February 10, 2014. I was rushed to the ER with extreme abdominal pain.  My bladder was swollen; I could not urinate no matter how much I tried or how much I drank..  A Folley catheter was used for a week and then I visited the urologist with excellent results:  no cancer, tumors or stones. Still no urinating.  I attempted self cath until it became impossible and after 36 hours without urinating I went to the ER again.
  Tomorrow I will have the third Folley catheter removed and I want to be sure I can urinate on my own because my doctor is out of town.  Would you please help?  I want to be sure I can urinate without catheterizing myself or having another Folley.  I use to be able to urinate with out any problem, except for incontinence.  I stopped urinating completely when I applied an over the counter patch to help control the incontinence.  So that's how it started.  Now I would just like to resume natural urination.  I drink at least eight 8 oz. glasses of water now.  
7 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
1616953 tn?1443835511
Sorry I didn't reply.  I was using this site mostly for Mood Tracker and I just took a long (very) long break when I found out I had Prostate Cancer.   Long story short.  When I had difficulty in urinating bad enough that I needed to cath my GP started doing more frequent PSAs.  They started going higher (Nothing huge in numbers - just changing quickly) so I had the before mentioned Biopsy and it came back CANCER.  Which the Urologist thought was going to make me flip out.   I didn't and wasn't at all surprised.   Anyway they looked at where the Biopsy found it and I decided to ask for a Radical rather then the Robot prostectomy.  The old school way cuts down from another direct and it was thought it would start at the cancer end and be a better choice.  Plus the surgeon who does that has done a lot of these for a very long time.   The prostate came out.   I had some problem in the operating room but they fixed that up and I'm ok.   The Cancer was the bad kind.  To which I want to say there are some studies talking about "watchful waiting" as a really good idea because you'll probably die from something else.   I personally feel this is a really bad way to think about prostate cancer.  Both my uncles had it.   One DID die from it.  The other has it and didn't catch it in time for anything other then Chemical Castration and be miserable.  

There is a book by a Urologic Cancer Surgeon that I think has a lot better advice.   He had his own battle with Prostate Cancer and I think his been there and done that is more important then some "study" by a group of people that are not Urologists.   *Sorry - I'm getting a little emotional about this.  

After they removed the Prostate they looked it over and told me the bad news that I had the "bad" kind of cancer.  The kind that spreads.   The most excellent news is that mine was removed before it got loose from the prostate.  6 Months cancer free! ! !  Hoo Hoo
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi James, how are you?  I am wishing you luck on the biopsy.  When is it scheduled?  It is a scary thing and I do hope it does not make things worse for you.  Ya, be sure to have plenty of those darn caths on had.  Remember to relax, breathe deep and not become too anxious. I am so glad you don't have to self cath all the time.

So far I have not encountered the hydrophilic catheters, nor have I used the ones with the curved tips - you are much more knowledgeable (and advanced) about these things than I am.  I have the samples given by my doctor and so far they are sufficient.  I've learned how to properly cath myself and as you said, it's much better to self cath than to cause kidney damage.  Yes, it's so important to wash and have the airplane checklist handy at all times!   it's just such a hassle.  I'm just not too happy about the process.  

It's not so much that i'm plugged up - it's just that the muscles are not working together properly and that's why I have to self-cath.  It's just a big hassle.

thanks very much for your help and understand.   stay positive and healthy
byefornow
Helpful - 0
1616953 tn?1443835511
Hi Shona:

Sorry I didn't get back to you a bit sooner.   I've been having some really weird problems getting my laptop to connect to the WiFi.    I ended up doing it the hard way (Typing in all sorts of commands in text) which worked after some fiddling around.    I think there is a lot of information out there and maybe its in the way others find easy but I seem to spend hours going around and around.    One link shows how to do one thing and another some other thing but it never seems like anyone just does it a to z and puts in some examples.   *I'm getting older and crabbier (And slower) so I'm sure thats 95% of the problem.

Anyway - No.   I don't cath every 4 hours.  I guess when your plugged up all the time they want you to do it 4 to 6 hours apart?   I'm in the do it when you need to category.   Which is better I guess but it seems like I'm slowly needing to do it more and more often.

Don't be afraid to ask why this is happening to you.   Your the guy who is really the best advocate for your health and knowing things are way better then not knowing and worrying.

Somewhere I read that letting the bladder overfill backs up the urine to the kidneys and this is where you really get into trouble.   Kidney failure is a LOT worse then having to self cath so keep that in mind and don't blow it off because its weird or a little bit uncomfortable.   And like I said the more you do it the less weird and uncomfortable it gets.

Right now I'm in better shape.  There are whole days (At times) when things unplug for a while and I can void (pee / urinate) in a semi normal fashion.   *It takes 10 times longer to do versus any normal guy and having the tap (water) running helps me get things started.   I have no idea how or why that works but it might be something you can try.  

YES!   Infections are a good thing to be worried about.  I know I keep suggesting things like I know anything (And I don't)   Its really just me repeating things I was told or learned.    The Coloplast lady said "WASH WASH WASH" your hands and then wash some more.    Recite the ABCs is about how long you should take.    And without getting graphic use whatever they gave you to sterilize your...  "guy part" clockwise around the crown, counterclockwise around the crown then from the tip down.    Its easy to get rushed or just forget so make it like an airplane checklist.  

I don't know which brand they have you using but I want to put in a plug for Coloplast.   I appreciate the way they have the coloplast "Speedi" cath work where you just open it and its ready to go.   Slopping on lube when your going out of your mind after washing etc is just murder.    

One new thing that maybe only particular to me or I've just imagined it but I use coude' (Curved tip) caths and when I hit the plugged up part and the coughing, wiggling the toes and thinking of England don't work a "slight" turn of the tip clockwise or counterclockwise seems to get past the place I'm stuck.   And I'm talking a small twist.   Like less then a quarter turn then back to normal.    

Are you using a hydophillic cath?    *The non dry kind that need the extra lubericant?  I started with the dry ones and they are not as comfortable as the hydo type.    

Good luck with them and don't let this freak you out.   This is way better then screwing up your kidneys or just having that "have to go but I'm plugged up" feeling.   THAT is why they have Emergency Rooms at the Hospital.  God thats an awful feeling to be stuck in the off position.

I read something that made me laugh.   A bit about some medical students (Of Urology) who wired themselves up with Foleys so they could sit in the stands and watch a football game and not need to get up to use the bathroom.   Ha!

Wish me luck.   Its time for a biopsy and I'm a tad freaked out about it.   From what I've read grabbing samples from the prostate makes it plugs you up worse so hopefully I have enough if the damn things (Caths) on hand.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi James, thanks very much for your note and your encouragement.  You are absolutely right.  It has to do with the nerves not working right.  It seems I have "neuro-genic-bladder" right now.  Will it heal?  No one knows for sure.  I have had to submit and learn how to self cath. Now I know what to do and how to do it , , , just wish I didn't have to self cath every four hours!  Is that how often you self cath?  It seems excessive to me, especially in the middle of the night.  Ho hum, I give in, I give up - - -  there is nothing for me to do except to self cath.  thank you for encouraging me to learn how properly.  My frustration is because I can no longer urinate naturally and do not know why?  what happened to me?  does it happen to everyone at a certain age?  was it from medication?  I just want to pee again the way I use to, on my own with nothing sticking inside me!  next i'll have to be concerned about infections and who knows what else in my body may decide to stop working?? IDK

Sure hope you are getting on well with your treatment and self cath.  Glad you have found the correct size so it's not painful or bloody.  Thank you for reminding me about deep breaths and wiggling toes - it's not the end of the world, it's just a major inconvenience.  Still alive, still kicking . . . consider the alternatives, eh?

all the best,
shona
Helpful - 0
1616953 tn?1443835511
I'm sorry about your experience with cathing.   If I understand what your doctor is trying to say it might be some sort of nerve problem.    In the stuff I found on Google it includes some information on how cathing may be important for you (Kidney Damage, UTIs etc) and how it is difficult for many people to do.   Maybe its embarrassment or a learning curve.  

My issues with being unable to void seem to be be getting worse so I've had to cath more.   The one good thing thats come out of that is practice makes perfect.   *Well - its not "perfect" but its remarkably better then the first times I cathed.   And learning how to do it quickly is such a relief I can't tell you.   *But I'm sure you know.  Your beyond the "I gotta go" and nothing happens.    

Yes - selecting the right size catheter was a big part of my problem.   Its such embarrassing stuff that I just wanted to get out and go home at the "how you do this" class a nurse gave me.   I was pretty mortified it would end up with  "Now lets see you do it"

Getting sized right is a confusion to me.  I think they opt for one of two sizes as "standard" then you report back.   Both of the Go To sizes were too wide.   For men then go from 12f to crazy huge ones.   I ended up using 14f.   I think larger sizes make it more difficult to cause damage and most men probably don't show up as plugged up as me.   Meaning the cath has to be smaller to make it to the bladder.

I had a test done to measure flow and the test catheter plugged me up and thats half of the small sized caths I use now.

Some advice I got from a nurse really helped.   For me there is a point where its stuck (Maybe this is the same issue you have)   Pushing isin't the answer and when I tried that route it got painful and bloody.   Don't laugh but taking deep breaths and wiggling my toes makes it a breeze.   I think that getting your mind off of what your doing is what makes it more doable.  Keep at your medical people to find something that works for you!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi James, thanks very much for your comment.  Sure hope you have derived some comfort and peace of mind from the use of smaller catheters.

For some reason my body is very difficult to catheterize. In the ER nurses couldn't cath me and that's why the urologist was called in.  He had much difficulty as well.  When I was sent home to catheterize myself, I asked, "if you couldn't do it, what makes you think I can?"  Yeah, I was sent home with three sample catheters and a pamphlet on how to self cath.  It was miserable.  I do not ever want to be catheterized again and I have no plans to self cath.  I am looking for a more natural way of urinating.  There must be some herb or juice or tea that could help, don't you agree?

First of all, I am a woman so I don't have BPH.  No cancer, not stones, no tumors.  I have gone for test after tests asap.  The urologist suggested that the reason is neurogenic . . . whatever that is - --  I'll have to google it!

I believe I am on my way to healing with the help of three rounds of antibiotics and something similar to diuretic meds.  If I have to live forever with incontinence, I will.  I don't ever want to experience catheterization again.  

It is my hope that you will have continued success with the smaller water activated catheters.  Please take good care of yourself  and thanks again for your comments.  I appreciate hearing from you.  

By the way, are these questions read by doctors? Do doctors reply?

peace out
Helpful - 0
1616953 tn?1443835511
I guess I'm in a similar boat.   Not as serious as you but the issue of not being able to urinate (Or if I do its a fraction of what I should be able to do)    I would like to suggest a couple of things.   First learn how to self cath.   I did it for a while wrong and of course every experience was to say the least uncomfortable.   There is also a huge difference between catheters.   It made a world of difference to me when I was switched to a smaller size that was water activated an had a coude' tip.  You need to either obtain some samples of different types and sizes or experiment at the Urology clinic so your prescription is right.   I tried as many different ones as I could and settled on Coloplast Speedi Caths.

Second I believe you should make a plan to understand why this is happening?   Do you have BPH?   Is it cancer?   Go in for some tests and figure that out asap.   Once you know whats up you can make some decisions on how best to deal with this.   surgery?   Cathing as needed?   Drug treatments?
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Urology Community

Top Urology Answerers
Avatar universal
Southwest , MI
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Discharge often isn't normal, and could mean an infection or an STD.
Dr. Jose Gonzalez-Garcia provides insight to the most commonly asked question about the transfer of HIV between partners.
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.