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Small bubbles in cath?

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Posted 12/13/2015 6:21 AM (GMT 0)
Everything is freaking me out now. Yesterday and today my calves hurt. So tonight I called my doc and he sent me to the ER for an ultrasound of my legs. There's a clot in the one that is slightly swollen. They gave me blood thinners and released me. But....that's not what's bothering me.


Now... every little thing is striking me as another potential problem. The latest is...

For the first time tonight I noticed what appears to be alot of small air bubbles (quasi "foam") though it mostly just looks like lots a small bubbles in my foley. You can see them coming out of the little tube where it exits my body.

Like I said....I'm well on my way to being paranoid and I'm hyper - vigilant now so it may have been doing this all along and I might not would have noticed.

So...do these small air bubbles mean anything unusual? Anyone else notice them? What's it all about! Lol

Thanks.
Posted 12/13/2015 1:27 PM (GMT 0)
I would think that absent other symptoms your bubbles don't mean anything. When does your surgeon think you can rid yourself of the catheter?
Posted 12/13/2015 1:51 PM (GMT 0)
Are you familiar with the phrase "slippery slope?"
Posted 12/13/2015 2:20 PM (GMT 0)

NKinney said...
Are you familiar with the phrase "slippery slope?"

I do not know what this means in this context.
Posted 12/13/2015 2:24 PM (GMT 0)
@PeterDisAbelard...he ask me to not be disappointed if it doesn't come out tomorrow.

My thinking is his thinking is a week from tomorrow.

But...he really doesn't know. He's not even seen in there yet
Posted 12/13/2015 2:55 PM (GMT 0)
Googling "bubbles in catheter tube" (both with and without quotes seems to work) produces sites which reference the term "pneumaturia." That seems to be the medical term for what you are describing.

The above-mentioned googling produces a number of articles. Sampling them seems to produce a consensus that what is happening to you is that air is somehow getting into your bladder and then being expelled through the catheter along with the urine, and this is what you are seeing, in the form of small bubbles.

The articles also list various causes for this, why air is getting into your bladder, some more serious than others, along with suggested remedies.

Perhaps the Wikipedia article is as good a place as any to start reading about this:

/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumaturia

The articles also suggest: see your doctor.

Good luck.
Posted 12/13/2015 4:25 PM (GMT 0)
I will be the first to mention the oft repeated phrase{paradox?} " just because you are paranoid, does not mean they ain't out to get you" honk honk . Do not be afraid to ask the nurses, if you are reticent to "bother " your surgeon. They are the most qualified to answer your questions.
Posted 12/13/2015 4:36 PM (GMT 0)
It doesn't seem to be doing it today. I'll bring it up to my surgeon later today by phone. I also have an appointment with my gastroenterologist in 2 weeks. I also LOL have to see my PCP this week.

Maybe I'll live through the day lol

Thanks Guy
Posted 12/13/2015 5:03 PM (GMT 0)
I have had some diverticulitis in the past. And i had a bowel movement yesterday. My bowels have yet to be regular since my surgery. I've also had a low grade fever for a couple of days but I believe that may be connected to a little bit of a chest cold I have.

This is ridiculous.
Posted 12/13/2015 5:25 PM (GMT 0)
Island:

I have no answers or even suggestions.
I have been following your saga, from the time that you were VERY hesitant to even have the surgery.

So sorry you are having these complications. I suspect that this is just a minor (but very annoying) bump in the road and these transient things will resolve with the tincture of time.

Mel
Posted 12/13/2015 7:39 PM (GMT 0)
Get ready for a fun week. Cathy will be a pain each and everyday. Keep it clean at the entry point and apply triple antibiotic multiple time a day and keep the bag low so it does not reverse the flow. Life begins again after it is pulled. Mine was pulled on a Friday and went back to my desk job the following Tuesday.

Keep hanging in there
Posted 12/13/2015 7:56 PM (GMT 0)
@Thanks Mel. There was just something...I'm not so sure what it was. I knew I wasn't sick. But...at the same time....it was like I was trapped in a no win...? I'm not saying I knew this was coming but I knew it wouldn't if I did nothing.

@614....Thanks for the heads up. I'll try and keep her clean.




I want to say something about (to?) Logo.

He begged me "as a father to a son" to go have seeds. What that makes me so sad, I do not know. But...it does. You give. In its truest form.


I don't even know what I mean by that.
Posted 12/13/2015 10:11 PM (GMT 0)
I had some air bubbles introduced from the catheter. Nothing to worry about. In fact upon removal of the catheter and my first pee, I had a penis fart which seemed a little funny.
Posted 12/13/2015 10:51 PM (GMT 0)
a penis fart? Never heard of that one before. It would be weird, to be sure.
Posted 12/13/2015 11:23 PM (GMT 0)
PENIS FART! That lightened my evening considerably! Sorry IT, I know you're in distress and I'm sending positive mega-waves your way... but that's funny right there!
Posted 12/13/2015 11:48 PM (GMT 0)

lapilot said...
I had some air bubbles introduced from the catheter. Nothing to worry about. In fact upon removal of the catheter and my first pee, I had a penis fart which seemed a little funny.

My thinking.
Posted 12/14/2015 1:00 AM (GMT 0)
So sorry to hear of your continuing problems.

Hang in there, it's got to get better soon,
Andrew
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