Before you make the leap, make sure that your Uro is advised what you are doing so that you have a back up plan. Best Wishes In a message dated 12/27/2011 2:37:54 P.M. Central Standard Time, [email protected] writes:
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]_ (mailto:[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]_ (mailto:[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
