Hello everyone, I am trying to find some answers to two problems I've been battling since my accident 6 years ago that left me Quadriplegic C5/6. These 2 problems are: Bladder infections (uti) and Autonomic dysreflexia. I know that most Quads have experience these two problems but for some reason, I'm different, I'll explain. Just as an example, in the last two months, it is my fourth bladder infections. The most frustrating thing is that I'm doing everything a person can do to prevent these repeatedly infections. I drink water like crazy, I take Mandalamine pills, I've tried cranberry pills, vitamine C and cranberry juice, I tried some irrigation with syringe. I also have a suprapubic catheter which I change every month and I try to be as sterile as possible but for some reason, my body is very vulnerable to infections. I've been trying to find some answers to these multiple infections that put me in hospital most of the time with uncontrollable autonomic dysreflexia. Six months ago, I went into an episode so bad that I felt into a semi-coma, my blood pressure was 250/190 for a long period and the nitroglycerine wasn't working at all so they had to gave me a beta-blocker to bring all my vital sign down but there was a risk to go in hypotension because it drops the blood pressure to fast and that is what happen and it was lights out for me for 72 hours. Also, last year, I've had a bad bladder infections, nothing new, but this time it was different because the infection when upstairs, it started as a normal bladder infections then it when in the kidneys and the infection when into my blood. This is call a septic shock, so what happen is, my blood went down really bad and fast, so I lost consciousness and if you don't act fast enough, your organs start shutting down. In my situation, they had to put a catheter in my neck and gave me very powerful antibiotics to be able to recover and they have to bring your head down and the feet up in the air.
Finally, I just showed you a little bit what I've been through and still struggle with it. The problem is the catheter because it is an open door for bacteria but it is frustrating because it is the only explanation the doctors are giving me, so I started searching outside my area in Canada but it is on my own expense. Presently, I am really desperate to find some answers and help from you guys and girlz on this site because I truly believed that if the infections continues like this, I am going to die, seriously. A bladder infection itself isn't that dangerous but the complications for a Quad can be really bad. Now, I have a few questions for you guys : 1) Does someone on the quad list have or had the same experience for years and if so, did you find an answer ? 2) Is there something different I can do to prevent these nasty Bladder infections ? 3) Does somebody ever had a severe episode of Autonomic dysreflexia and is it normal that during these episodes, you truly feel that you are going to die or have a stroke ? If so, did you had the worst, I mean the worst headache you can imagine and did you had chest pain because of the heart rate to high ? 4) Does anyone in the United-states or Canada know a really good Urologist that deal mostly with paralyzed bladder ? I hope to hear some feedback from you guys because any little tricks, tools or advice can be very useful to me. Thanks is advance, Yannik Anglehart C5/C6 du to a motorcycle accident in 2003. From: Moncton, New-Brunswick, Canada.
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