Changing from large bag to leg bag

Anything I should know other than taking one hose off and putting another on? It seemed pretty difficult for nurse to pull bag hose off of cath hose at the hospital when demonstrating. Any ways to make it easier?

Thanks guys.

Having spent a total of 1 1/2 years on 21 different catheters, you are speaking my language.

It's generally not hard to disconnect the tube from the end of the catheter coming out of you to switch bags if needed. Many men for the short period of time they are on the catheter post surgery (5-10 days) choose to leave the big bag connected. Some will hide it in another bag and actually walk around with it.

The leg bag takes a little practice, depends what kind of straps it has. The ones I preferred, actually had buttons on the straps so that I could make it tight enough. The ones that had Velcro straps, I found tended to come loose or slip down my leg. Make sure you leave ample slack on the tube. The first time your yank your penis good, you will learn fast, lol.

This is important: don't lie down with the leg bag on, it is not a venting bag like the big bags tend to be, and it will back-flow up the tube and back into the catheter and back into your bladder. Urine is sterile until it leaves your body, then its an instant source of potential infection. You don't want "spent" urine backing up into your bladder. Plus, you may end up leaking if you fell asleep with the leg bag on.

Also, there are all kinds of strap devices that hold the "Y" end (exit) of the catheter to you leg. I was on them so long, I tried them all, and actually ordered the good kind. They have a swivel built in, so that as you leg move back and forth, or bending, it would work with you instead of meeting resistince.

With either bag, make sure that the bag is always positioned or hanging below where your bladder is located. This not only makes it flow correctly, but keeps it from going backwards toward your bladder.

And finally, on the leg bag, make sure you understand which way the drain tap works, and always use the safety cap. The cap has saved me many a time, when I got mixed up on the which way the tap was suppose to go.

Good luck to you,

David

Purg is the acknowledged expert on this, so everything he said.

I'll add that I never changed bags, just did the big bag in a shopper's sack if I got out. At home, while at work on the computer or in bed, kept the big/night bag hanging upright in a mop bucket so that all the valves were pointed in the right direction.

If you're only "on the bag" for a week or two, it is safer, infection wise, to leave it alone, unchanged. If you decide to change it, use gloves, and clean the connections with alcohol pads or gauze pads sopped in rubbing alcohol. As my nurse warned me, "if you develop a UTI with the cath in, you and I will be spending the night with you screaming in pain in the ER while the doc is at dinner at the country club".She convinced me.

The tape that sticks to itself but not to skin is useful for strapping the to your thigh so it won't tug as you walk.

good. I was on my post-surgery cath for 63 days due to stricture issues, so now how you feel.