what should i do urinary catheter or superpubic catheter?

[louise2009]

I  have a urinary catheter long term for urinary retention I am only 27 and have found this hard to exept my consultant wants me to have a super pubic catheter because he says if i keep the urinary catheter i might cause damage to my urethra that the super pubic catheter comes with a lot of problems y urethra how likely is this that it would cause damage i have found out there are a lot of risks having this done i woundered if anyone could advise me on what i should do . I have a problem last night where the bloon leaked  and the catheter fell out this has caused me to feel unwell woundered if anyone has had simlar problems and i need some advice i have found the situation difficult to exept i have had a lot of infections since having the catheter i have found someting herbal that works called Astragalus and goldenseal tincture since taking this with echincea i have been infection free. I have made my situation better also by useing hibiscrub twice a day in the shower I have a lot of pain in my bladder and back and have to take tramadol and nefopam on a daily bases i also have bladder spasems woundered if anyone could recommend how i get some relief from the problems i have. i find it hard to exept the problem i have being so young one day i could pass water and the next day i coundent its hard because i dont know why this has happened  i am looking for some answers because i get a lot of pain and problems at the moment i have started drinking herbal and fruet teas and decaffinated tea as well this has hellped me a lot but i struggle on public transport with this problem and feel unwell most of the time it knocks me up to go out. i also have been drinking a lot of water i am thirsty all the time and can drink 2 liters in 5 minutes i am worried about this incase i am taking on 2 much water .do a lot of people get these problems with the same condition as me. I have also had a lot of blocked catheters as well and i struggle changing the bags i have had very little gp support but the hospital have been great. my consultant is fantastic. i got given notice by my gp because of how much it was costing the practice so i have had to move in with my boyfrind to get a new gp to take me on because i was living with my mum and dad  but couldent get a doctor in thier area. i had struggled to cope with this situation i have considered councelling to come to terms with the fact it might be permenant  i need some advice as i dont know what to do. i dont know if i sould be having the super pubic cathter or keeping the one i have got because of the risks i am frightened of the operation and general anesthetic i am alos concerned about getting sepecemia or it not healing properly or it could drop out and if it does i would only have 2 hours to get it back in or i would have to have it repeated but my consultant says i could casuse damage to the urethra rendering me permantly incontinant if i keep the one i have. what sould i do.there are all kinds of risks with the super pubic catheter and i am worried about this aswell as  the e risks of damage if i keep the one i have.

[babykins1088]

hey i have just turned 20 i have been using catheters since i was 15 i have had a super pubic one since march 2008 i found it very had to start with i am one of the youngest in the uk with the problems i have which are alot like what you have discribed i am allergic to tramdol so i have to deal with the pain my email is ***@**** if you wana talk i have been having the probs since i was 2 so i know how you feel

[barrett5131]

easy way... tell you dr you want a urostomy. Take ur appendex make a (tube) out of it. Attach it to your bladder, and the other side to your unbillical. (belly button) hardly noticable. Then you can use the cathater to urinaate and take it out when your done.But for this surgery you will tie off the urethra, so it can be reversable.  have mine like that, all your other organs fuction normaly. As far as bladder spams. take ditropan. its a great drug for smasms. But it will make you thirsty. Cathaters are not a sterile procedure, so most likly  you will have infections. Any kind of sulfer drug should help that alot, and also joined with the spasms  

[Bob_Shmob]

I had both a urethral catheter AND a supra pubic catheter on at the same time after I had an operation.  I am a 20 year old male so my experience may differ to yours.  In the long run, both catheters have their advantages and disadvantages.  The bad thing about the supra pubic catheter was that I had pain at the site of the wound (where the catheter entered my bladder) and on the skin that surrounded the catheter.  Some gel and well placed gauze/plasters can aleviate the pain however.  I also had a hard time coughing, or getting up by myself for around a week.  Another annoying thing about the supra pubic catheter is that I couldn't wear jeans because of the location of the tube (it was right where my belt would be).  After around 5 days though you start to forget about the catheter and you just get on with it.  

The urethral catheter on the other hand was constantly annoying me.  During the first week I felt almost constant pain in my urethra, and after that I just felt very very uncomfortable.

Overall I would suggest having the supra pubic catheter...if it is properly inserted, it should not come out.  I had mine in for 3 weeks with out any of them falling out.

[Dr Santos]

Hi,

Suprapubic catheter means you have a urinary catheter inserted into your bladder through the abdominal wall. This is done under a local anaesthetic, or a light general anaesthetic.There are advantages to a suprapubic catheter. It is more hygienic as it is away from the genital area where infection has an easy passage to the bladder via an indwelling urethral catheter. It is also easier to change and less embarrassing for the patient. Sexual activity is less inhibited with absence of urethral catheter and it provides patient independence meaning you can change your own catheter. Having a spare catheter with you at all times would help ease your anxiety of  recatheterization. This link may be of help:
http://www.health.qld.gov.au/qscis/PDF/Complications_of_SCI/Suprapubic_Catheter.pdf

Take care and keep us posted.