How to clean a catheter?

I just used soap and water to clean the tube. You're right, there is nothing pleasant about scraping the mess off.

I didn't experience anything that seemed to be a suction problem at night, but I did find a good solution for the bag. I took a bucket that had fairly straight sides, and hung the bag inside of it, and left that sitting at the bedside, which was lower than my mattress level.

Two big advantages - it keeps the bag valve "up top", so that the flow is the same as daytime, and it collected the mess when the drain valve popped open. Avoided a call to the carpet cleaners with that one.

I've been living with stool softeners for years (colo-rectal issues), but even with that it was day 4 before the "big event".

I can understand your situation. I spent a total of 1 1/2 years on 21 different catheters. For some reason, I never had problems with where the tube exited the head of my penis. I am not circumsised, so I don't know if that made any difference or not. My urologist told me not to put any type of lotion or ointments around the tip, as it would attract more problems than it helped.

I was on my original post surgery cath for 63 days, and it was hard to get use to. For the most part, I avoided the leg bag altogether. For one thing, I wasn't allowed to drive for the first 30 days. So I would keep the night bag, or what we call the "big bag" on most of the time. There are different degrees of quality of big bags, the best one (Bard is the premium brand in my opinion), has a good venting system builtin, so it keeps the flow pretty even. Most bags hold 2000cc, which is a good size, I had some that held 4000cc, but they ended up being too balky.

As far as the leg bag, if you are going to be on one for the while, they make this neat hinged bandage device, that allows the cath tube to move with your leg as it's attached to the leg bag. The other trick with the leg bag, is to never let it get too full, they typically hold 400-500ccs. If you let it get too fool, it will tend to slide down your leg, and pull on the cath.  Also, you don't want to lay down with the leg bag on, as it will allow the urine to back up into the catheter, and put you at greater risk for a UTI.

The night bag, or big bag, should be rinsed every day with hot water, and if you are going to be on it for any length, rinsed with white vinegar and hot water.

As my urologist pointed out, urine is completely sterie, until it exits your body, so the catheter, and the bags, are instantly contaminated the moment urine enters them and cools off.

Hopefully, your husband won't have to be on his for too long, and his days of the "rubber snake" will be behind him. Wishing him the best and a speedy recovery.

david in sc

I had forgotten - all ointments for the cath tube were to be water-based so that they did not build up. Have forgotten (thankfully?) that part of the experience. They (the nurses) suggested a lower-price mega-store brand.

If "things don't move", a couple of tablespoons of mineral oil before bed will guarantee a race to the pot at daylight. That has been my reliable fallback.

kcprgal,

I got my cath out a week ago. IANAL and surely not a doctor either. Following is my experience, but it might be best to run these questions by the doctor's nurse. She is probably used to these questions.

I was and still am on Colace stool softener. Does he have same script? As far as additional laxatives, you might check the web or box insert, as I noticed this warning on drug interaction: "Docusate should not be used in addition to mineral oil as the emulsifier will result in mineral oil being absorbed rather than functioning as a lubricant for the bowel walls, possibly resulting in foreign body granulomas. The substance might also increase resorption of other drugs...".

My surgery was on a Tues. Surgeon told me following day that if I did not bm by Sat., he would be concerned. Constipation with LARP is apparently a big deal-not sure why. You should probably follow up with doctor rather than getting "in a corner" and getting complications. I was ok by Thurs., but not sure what i would have done if it went longer. Did use prune juice + 4 tsp metamucil daily starting from day aftet surgery. That is my usual regimen anyway and doc approved staying on it.

I know the catheter "junk" whereof you speak. I did three cleanings over the six days of catheter. Do not know if this was kosher, but it worked ok for me. Pointed penis down, used end of a plastic spoon plus alcohol plus qtips to clean the dark junk off. Gotta keep alcohol dripping down, not onto head of penis, as that really stings. I also held the cath tightly with left finger/thumb about 4 inches away from tip, as I was deathly afraid of accidentally pulling cath out of bladder. Doc had told me putting some ky around tip of penis was ok (I used fresh qtip) but antibiotic was not advisable as it can kill off germs and lead to a fungal infection (possibly).

Also, I found out that the whole cath moves around some in the "plumbling" which was unsettling until getting used to that.

I felt that funny spasm a few times but never could figure out the origin--changing pressure from moving bag around? Dunno. Sorry.

My leg bag had two straps, one top and one bottom. I was able to get it tight enough not to jiggle much but still had to empty every 2-3 hrs. The night bag worked much better. Only had to change it middle of night (at about 1400ml). Could probably have gone almost all night without emptying at all, but the other guys have mentioned getting a bag completely full is not good, so set my alarm and did the one/night empty.

Sorry he is having issues. Catheters definitely not my favorite thing, either.

My first observation is that I can hardly remember the details of what it was like for me. So for anyone at this stage of their journey I think that you too can look forward to the point where it is all just a vague memory. However I did make notes.

I was given a litle pack of sterile gauze to help clean around the end of my penis. Wash cloths should thus only be used once (I also bought about a dozen new wash cloths)
You also need to use clean towels to dry the area. (I think I used kitchen paper towel)
Oil-based ointments may damage the "rubber" of the catheter the same way oil-based lubricants damage condoms.
Normal hygiene says wash your hands after going to the bathroom, but rememebr that with catheter care you need to wash your hands before cleaning the catheter or penis. (You will have more germs on your hands than on your penis)
Alos quite easy to clean the end of the penis in the shower, we also have a shower hose in the bath tub so I could clean things by simply standing by the tub.

Being horzintal with the cath in feels different, especially if you move around a lot when you sleep. Simplest soultion is perhaps to tell you that it is only for a couple more nights. However, any real pain issues are something to phone the uro to talk about.

As for BMs try putting a little vaseline or Prep H on the anus, and when sitting to have a BM try massaging the lower back. And don't be surprised if the straining of a BM makes a little urine and/or blood come out tjhe side of the cath. If it does don't worry just clean it.

Hope cath out soon and that you get good path news.

Alf