Thanks everyone for all the input. I think I'll retry condom caths and see how it works out. Is there a particular brand/type condom you'd recommend? What about leg bags and hoses that do a good job of not kinking, hold a lot, not bulge too much, etc.? Are any of you able to empty the bags yourself? If so how?
It's been so long I don't remember all the possible side effects of the condoms. I know if you don't void well you can get bladder stones and infections, but that's all I know of. Is there anything else? Also is there anything you do to prevent skin problems from the condom? As far as AD goes I haven't had a single instance in the 11 years I've been paralyzed. I have at least some small amount of sensation everywhere and on one side I can feel close to normal. So AD isn't my main concern(knocks on every piece of wood in reach). I want to try and avoid a suprapubic or any other type of "mods" until I absolutely have to get it. The only thing I have so far is a phrenic nerve pacer, but that was well worth it(plus neck fusion, trache, etc.). On Tue, Dec 27, 2011 at 1:37 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: > ** > Greetings and Congrats with your new endeavor! I read that you are going > to travel or relocate across the country to a new state. With that new > venture, you will have to re-establish, a new primary, a new urologist and > perhaps a new Neuro Specialist. It is possible that your new Uro, might > suggest or recommend something else like a "suprapubic" since you will be a > lot more active and may not always be in control of your bladder. Consider > your level of C2- Incomplete, AD could be most dangerous to you. Until you > have a cadre of healthcare people to help and assist you a SB might be > better, then cath'ing yourself. Bladder augmentation might be still > another options, thru your belly button, with a flap. > Your success depends on your ability to take care of yourself. May you do > well. > Best Wishes > > In a message dated 12/27/2011 11:54:47 A.M. Central Standard Time, > [email protected] writes: > > Hi everyone, > > I haven't been on this list in years, but it helped me once before and I > figured several of you might have some ideas I haven't thought of. > > I'm an incomplete quad and for over a decade I've had intermittent caths > done every few hours. I can sometimes do the cath myself but it takes > about half an hour and if I do it more than a couple of times a day my > hands get tired and clumsy. So I've tried to have someone around that can > help at intervals of 5 hours or so and that has worked okay. I'm currently > considering taking a job all the way across the country and I'm concerned I > won't have anyone to help cath me at work. I use a closed system and > currently when I do a cath myself(which requires some shelf space that will > be hard to find in an office bathroom stall) I sit the bag with urine in > the bathroom to be dumped by someone later, but of course this will not be > an option while I'm at work. > > Do any of you self cath and if so how do you handle the logistics when > you're not at home? Is there a better option? > > I have pretty good sensation(I can even tell when I need to go) and if I > have an indwelling in for more than a day I get very sore. Also my > urologist is very much against me using any type of indwelling for more > than a short period of time. I do get UTI's from time to time(mostly due > to not drinking enough) as well as frequently get stones(mostly kidney, > but occasionally bladder stones). I tried condom caths when I was first > injured but I tend to only go whenever my bladder is completely full and at > that point it is too much too fast for the condom to handle. > > I've considered having an indwelling put in and taken out everyday for > work, but they can be difficult to put in and I would also need help taking > it out I believe. Another option is that I believe the company has a > medical center somewhere on the campus and they could probably assist with > the intermittent cathing, but I'm not sure how close that will be to the > building I'll be working in and sometimes I "really" need to go lol(however > unless I have a UTI I can kind of stick to a schedule). > > Sorry for the verbosity of the email, but I hope that given the details > above some of you might have some sage advice. > > Thanks for your time. > > C2 incomplete > >
