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Day 3 after surgery. I hate this bag.

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Posted 7/20/2013 1:30 AM (GMT 0)
Day 3 after surgery. I hate this bag! YES I am grateful to be alive.
Sleeping has been next to impossible. I have a strong sensation to urinate but I am not sure what to do.
I have a call into my nurse. I had a bowel movement already . Team any advice?

Gave your thread a title. -- PeterDisAbelard

Post Edited By Moderator (PeterDisAbelard.) : 7/19/2013 8:46:27 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 7/20/2013 1:40 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome to the other side.

I had a different kind of catheter, so I can only share based on (what I remember of) what I've read, but a catheter can cause bladder spasms.  It might be that.  If it is, nurse or doc should be able to prescribe meds to make that simmer down or go away.

Praying for speedy relief!

--Steve

 

Posted 7/20/2013 5:22 AM (GMT 0)
BM means you can eat solid food....I hated the bag too, I named mine FRED I had the urge to go both number one and two right after surgery but it eased off after a few days. When I awoke after surgery and I knew I was alive I thought I had to take a dump so I was walking 2 minutes after I came too...ME and FRED. Three days later I finally did take a tiny dump then I ate a hamburger...best I ever had lol.

Hopefully you ease up soon...I had to switch sides of the bed every other day and yes that made me a fred uncomfortable...not being able to turn over was a pain too...more ways than one.


Good luck. My two year date is Tomorrow.
Posted 7/20/2013 8:55 AM (GMT 0)
Don't remember any special urge, just general irritation. You did right thing to elevate issue back to nurse.

Yes, the catheter is "evil incarnate".

Hope you feel better pretty soon. It just takes time.

Robert

blogs.militarytimes.com/offduty-plus/2012/04/04/marine-general-faces-battle-with-cancer/#.UepPD-H5uRs
Posted 7/20/2013 3:38 PM (GMT 0)
Celebrate the BM!!! That is a major milestone the first week. Nobody said you would LIKE the catheter. The good news is it will be gone very quickly. The bad news is the diapers are the next stage so ENJOY IT while you can.

Heal Well!

Bill from Florida cool
Posted 7/20/2013 3:47 PM (GMT 0)
If you have a call into your nurse does that mean you haven't had a BM? Thought maybe your comment was a typo. If you haven't had a BM are you still on the prescription pain meds? They will give you terrible constipation. Best advice my URO gave me was to start on stool softeners the day after surgery and I had my first BM with no having to push (thankfully) on the evening of the second day. The last thing you want to do is push out that first BM.  nono

I only took Advil for the pain after I got home from the hospital and managed very well. Hope everything else goes well for you and you should only have a few more days before the rubber snake is removed and you get some freedom back.

Posted 7/20/2013 5:10 PM (GMT 0)
The catheter was the Bain of my existence, until my scrotum swelled up to the size of a grapefruit on day four post- op. I just thru that in to let you know they may throw you a curve ball when your not expecting it. The swelling only lasted eight days and I guess only bout 20% of us end up getting it.

Back to the catheter, had mine in for eight days, made the apt for its removal before I ever left the hospital. The day before the URO office called to remind me of my apt the next day. I told her, boy your wasting your time, I've been counting down the hours the last four days and I'll be in your parking lot when you open tomorrow! Lol

The removal starts a whole new chapter. But long story short ill be 8 weeks post op this upcoming Wednesday, I've been pad free for 4-5 weeks, and except for post op ED, I feel nearly completely back to normal. Best of luck on getting rid of your catheter, it's great to sleep in 12 different positions without worrying bout getting tangled up in tubing!
Posted 7/20/2013 6:23 PM (GMT 0)
Congrats on getting thru the surgery! I didn't mind the cath, but it did make feel like a surgical patient - felt much more like myself when it came out! One positive about the cath: at least you don't have to get up every few hours at night to pee - so enjoy the rest while you can! I find myself hitting the bathroom every few hours at night since the cath came out - I'm sure the urgency is related both to the healing as well as the fact that my body is still getting rid of all the extra fluid build up from the surgery (I came home 14 pounds heavier than when I went in - talk about water weight!). 3 1/2 weeks out, I'm more or less down to my post-op weight - and I'm confident the nighttime urgency will lessen over time, along with all the other minor aches and pains that seem to improve every day.

Oh, and I had the scrotum swelling too - never thought I'd see something the size of a softball down there - but it went away and everything feels just fine now. Just know that all of the symptoms will pass...and hang in there...!

Good luck!
Posted 7/20/2013 8:13 PM (GMT 0)
Patience, Grasshopper, Patience....
In a couple of days the yellow purse will be your friend. Take the opportunity to drink as much liquid as you like. It took me months post surgery before I could drink a beer without soaking a pad.

If the purse bothers you, have someone go to the hardware store and get 75 feet of 1/4 inch Tygon tubing. Plug one end of the catheter in and send the other end to the sump pump in the basement. You'll never have to leave the couch!
Warning!!! Do this only when your wife is not home or you will end up needing a divorce attorney. Women!
Posted 7/20/2013 8:23 PM (GMT 0)

Worried Guy said...
.
If the purse bothers you, have someone go to the hardware store and get 75 feet of 1/4 inch Tygon tubing. Plug one end of the catheter in and send the other end to the sump pump in the basement. You'll never have to leave the couch!
Warning!!! Do this only when your wife is not home or you will end up needing a divorce attorney. Women!

LOL

Me and "Mr Foley" will be roommates for another 7 days... Bacitracin is your friend
Posted 7/20/2013 9:50 PM (GMT 0)
The worse is taking a shower, My wife and I learned a lot of new positions, er ah, I didn't mean…. oh never mind.
Posted 7/20/2013 9:54 PM (GMT 0)
There were no 'positions' with the catheter. If I recall, that was the furthest thing from my mind.

(Heck, It's been 4 years and I can barely remember it.) ;-(

Jeff
Posted 7/21/2013 2:30 AM (GMT 0)

Worried Guy said...
There were no 'positions' with the catheter. If I recall, that was the furthest thing from my mind.

(Heck, It's been 4 years and I can barely remember it.) ;-(

Jeff

 

 

Well I remember looking at that garden hose thinking how did they get that gigantic PIPE into my itty bitty pee pee hole.

Posted 7/21/2013 2:45 AM (GMT 0)
I was on my catheter for 63 days post surgery, that takes some special patience. Then with my endless stricture problems spent nearly 1 1/2 years of cath time on 21 different caths. The thought of only being on one for 7-14 days seems to but a passing nuisance at best. I did get to have some acquired tastes in different types of caths, leg bindings, choices of big bags and leg bags, there's a whole science to them if you get stuck on one for a long period of time.

Like others have said, enjoy this time where you don't have to be conscious of urinating. Once its out, then its pad time and seeing where you stand on your own without a catheter. Hopefully it won't be a big issue for you once its removed.

david
Posted 7/21/2013 2:52 AM (GMT 0)
I was 21 long days with the catheter. I used the ointment liberally, but the tip of my penis was raw and every small movement was painful.

Figures I would get the surgeon who likes to leave it in 3 weeks to make sure that it heals properly.
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