Back from Uro/Surgeon Office - SP Cath Change

Gee, been a fun day.

Well, due to concerns from my Rad. Oncologist about how tender and sore I am becoming after 4 weeks of radiation, my Uro decided it would not be wise to do a hard dialation of my Bladder Neck.  He said if I were that sore just from the radiation, then his procedure would just intensify  the damage and increase my pain.  He said we will have to delay it until at least until the radiation ends, but even then, he said it may continue to swell for weeks after.  Moral of the story - before sure to communicate openly and honestly with your doctors, they are not mind readers.  He told me he was glad I told him how sore it was, and the concerns my Rad. Oncologist had today about this planned procedure.

I may be the only one here, perhaps, that had an SP catheter changed out.  No fun.  I think it was only painful because of my current pain and swelling from the radiation.  Fortunately, an SP cath is short ,compared to a Foley, the inside part at the most was about 4 inches.  They deflated the balloon in the old one, that alone caused a spasm.  Then the nurse slowly pulled it out, it burned all the way out.  The new one, was pre-coated with lydocaine (?) was pushed in, perhaps 6-7 seconds max.  Yes, it burned all the way in.

When he inflated the new baloon and positioned the cath just right, that hurt terribly, thought I was going to split, but fortunately, he was quick and experienced.  To be safe, he had the nurse irragate the new one, and that was the most painful part, as I was already so sore, and the pressure of the water drove me to some serious hurt, all the way through the tip of my penis  (even though its not a foley).  Was so glad when it was over.  He even lets me hold onto his arm/shoulder when he's doing something painful.

Back home, resting, on a Loratab, he says I should use them still to get through all what's ahead.  But  I am stingy with their use.

No advil, no aspirin, nothing that can cause the bleeding to increase.

This catheter is officially #9.  He will replace this one again on December 7th.

He is still a  fine doctor in my book, and his patient care toward me, and empathy towards pain, is outstanding.

David in SC

Hey David,

It must have been quite an ordeal for you today. I hope that the pain is calming now and you can get back to a more normal day from here on out. Hang in there brother, and keep well

Regards,
Bill

Four hours later, the pain starting to kick back in, already have a few more lovely spasms, no way to get any long term relief from those, dr said, as long as I have any kind of catheter in me. I can increase the amount of ditropan I am on to see if it helps. And of course, both sets of doctors said, "Stay off your feet and rest". Geez, I want to live and get back with my real life, tired of sitting around and resting between the different setbacks. In 12 days, it will be one year since my big surgery, hard to believe.

Thanks, OBB, making it a day at a time.

Ed, I try to keep myself busy helping other people in my r/l, gives me some sense of purpose. It sucks too being out of work long term on top of the medical stuff, gives me too much time on my hand. Soon as I can get through this radiation and its aftermath, and hopefully be rid of a catheter for good, ,looking forward to geting real busy again with something. Right now, walking through Wal mart with the wife or going to the grocery store is enough for me most days. What helps too, is that I don't blame anything or anyone for my situation, pragmatic on that sort of things. Don't feel cursed or blessed, kind of in-between, right now, this is my reality, and I just try hard to plug forward and not take it out on those around me, especially my loved ones.