Catheter Discomfort

Bruce, you can put a bit of Vaseline on the tip. That can help.

That was the worst part of recovery for me.

Cajun Jeff

I can't imagine a cath being comfortable for anyone. I've had a few.

Some sort of lubricant on the tip (different docs have pro / con opinions on water-based or other, ask your nurse), and KEEP IT CLEAN. The big irritant for me was crud building up, creating a sandpaper-like surface on the cath tube.

Neosporin + Antibiotic/Pain Relieving Ointment (not the cream) is what my surgeon recommended after my RP. Apply around the tip of the penis where the catheter enters the urethra, as well as a 1/2 inch portion on the catheter tubing, where it enters. As 142 mentioned keeping the tube clean is very important as well. Water base lubricants will dry out which is why you want a petroleum based ointment.

FG

I used neosporin and mixed a little lidocaine with it. Check with your pharmacist on purchasing lidocaine cream if the problem continues.

When I had a catheter in for several unhappy weeks, I found that the key to maximum comfort was positioning the stat-lock correctly on my leg. I found that when nurses applied it, they put it too high, which caused the catheter tube to curve and pull too much to the side on my penis. When the attachment device was situated somewhat lower on my thigh, the tube could go more straight down, and the lack of constant tugging to the side was more comfortable. Be careful though, because if it's too low there can be a tendency for the catheter to pull out when you stand up or sit down.

You need to find a source for the attachment devices. A pharmacy that specializes in surgical supplies will have them.

Here's a good time to tell my most embarrassing catheter story. My wife and I were visiting relatives in Washington, DC. We had some time before we planned to meet up so we parked on Connecticut Ave near the zoo with the intent to walk around the zoo for a bit until our lunch with the relatives. As I walked along Conn Ave. I felt some wetness in my pants. Not good! I ducked into the Starbucks across the street from the zoo, went into the bathroom and started looking for a leak in a bag. The bag seemed fine. then I noticed that the catheter had come completely out and piss was dripping out and down my leg. The balloon inside the bladder had completely deflated, allowing the cath to slide out un-noticed by me. I jammed a wad of paper towels into my pants and went back outside to deliver the news to my wife. We sat on a bench to consider our options. Using the iPhone she discovered that there was a small pharmacy very close by, so of she went to find pads. They only had women's pads, but that's better than nothing. Unfortunately I had no underwear, so I had to try to stick to pad to the inside of my pants. Meanwhile, parents and kids are walking by on their way to the zoo. Fortunately I was wearing very dark gray trousers so the wet spots didn't show clearly. Later on I could laugh about a totally ridiculous situation.

I was actually sort-of fortunate to find that I was highly allergic to the Steri - Strip adhesive bandages they used on the surgical wounds. All of those 2.5 cm diameter bleeding & seeping raw meat circles where the blisters were before the surgeon pulled off the adhesive strips (which removed the blisters as they stuck to the adhesive) were so gross and hurt so bad that the catheter almost became an afterthought.

The doc told me to stand in a warm shower and let the water wash my front for as long as I could stand it every day to keep that mess from infecting. That also helped the pain from the cath quite a bit. It was only a real problem when I sat on the toilet. Urinating really hurt as the urethra was torn - first from the biopsy camera up the urethra then from the insertion of the catheter. It took a very long time after it was removed for the pain to subside.

Good luck and hang in there, it eventually backs off.