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Any type of numbing ointment available to help with cath irritation?

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Posted 3/14/2017 7:43 PM (GMT 0)
Just found this support group. So here Is where I'm at. Last November found out my PSA was high for my age. After my doctor looked at everything he decided that it would be best to have biopsies taken. Original PSA was 6.2, biopsies where positive for cancer 12/12. On my first visit to get the results, I had to lay down to stop myself from passing out or tossing up my lunch. Had a bone scan done and showed no cancer in bones. After getting a couple different opinions, I decided on Robotic, non nerve sparing surgery. Done on 3/10/17. Now my cath is itchy and a little sore for the first inch or so where it enters. Is there anything that I can use to numb it? And any way of helping with the feeling of having to relieve myself all the time. Any tips or tricks that can give me any relief will be appreciated. One other thing is that due to past addictions to pain meds, I have opted to use no narcotics. Thanks for any help.
Posted 3/14/2017 8:30 PM (GMT 0)
Hi RussLaw, and welcome to our group. Sorry you have to be here. Had RALP myself in January, so I'm about 8 weeks ahead of you. They prescribed lidocaine gel to me which I spread around where the catheter went in. I do think that helped a little bit. My routine was wake up, wash the tip and and cath tube with soap and water, apply lidocaine/lube. Then I would do that again when I showered in the afternoon, and once more before bed. I did always found that thing oh so uncomfortable. I described it to my wife as if someone had a fish hook through the tip of my penis and they were leading me around by it.

To be honest, best thing for me was to just not move around too much, even though they want you to walk a few miles a day. Hopefully you will not have it in any longer then I did (9days). I just focused on counting down the days.

Unfortunately I had the same issue as you, despite having the catheter in, I always felt that I had to pee. It came and went, I just tried to not focus on it.

Well, guess I really wasn't too much help, other then letting you know that what you're going through is quite normal, and you'll get through it. Maybe you could try Ibuprofen, if I remember I was taking 800mg, every 8 hours or so, I didn't want to take the codeine either as I was afraid of constipation.

Out of curiosity were you told before the surgery that there would be no nerve sparing? If so, just wondering why they felt that way?
Posted 3/14/2017 8:35 PM (GMT 0)
Second the lidocaine. I used it 5 times a day and it was helpful.not sure on the urge to pee. I had that after the catch came out, not when it was in.
Posted 3/14/2017 8:47 PM (GMT 0)
The last time I had a catheter in place (for an unrelated surgical procedure) for more than an hour or so, I had that "got to pee" feeling almost all the time. The docs told me that this was due to bladder spasms, and to try to ignore it. I could accept that advice at that time, as the cath only had to stay in place for 10-12 hours. If I had to endure that for days, I wouldn't have made it.
Posted 3/14/2017 9:29 PM (GMT 0)
Call your doctor's office and ask to speak to his nurse. (S)he will be the one who handles questions like yours. Some doctors are OK with numbing gels, others recommend petroleum jelly.

One additional irritating problem with your irritating problem is that sometimes things don't hurt where you think they do. When something happens to irritate a nerve along its run your brain assumes that the pain is coming from where the nerve ends. This is called "referred" pain. Often that catheter irritation that men with catheters feel at the end of their members is actually caused by irritation of the nerve where it runs past the bladder area.

As for feeling like you have to pee all the time that is irritation where your urethra was sewn onto your bladder neck after your prostate was removed. Dunno if you are a coffee drinker but, if you are, you might try switching to tea for a while to make your urine less acidic. That might help. Your doctor can also prescribe pills that will help calm your bladder down. But, mostly you'll just have to give things time. You're only a week out.

We're glad you found us. Welcome to the forum! by the way. We're glad to listen to your venting. But don't use all your complaints up here. Save some for your doctor. You're not the first guy whose catheter bugs him or who has that always gotta go feeling. Keeping you as comfortable as possible during recovery is part of your doctor's job -- it's not just twiddling the controls on the robot.
Posted 3/14/2017 9:32 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the fast responses, I am assuming that I need to call my doctor to get the lidocaine? Or is it OTC? He did give me a script for Hyoscyamine for the spasms( I don't know what or how it works but it seems to help with blatter attacks) I was told before the surgery that they would have to take some of the nerves based on the location of the cancer out side the prostate. So I might have not stated the no nerve sparing correctly? I can still control my muscles that I use to stop urinatiing as far as I can tell. It hurts to squeeze to hard. I get a systagram on the 20th, then if everything is ok with that, my doctor will remove the cath on the 21st. Still having a really hard time getting any quality of sleep.
Thanks again!
Posted 3/14/2017 9:59 PM (GMT 0)
There are lots of OTC lidocaine ointments. But I'd still take to his nurse about which, if any, he wants you to use.
Posted 3/15/2017 3:44 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you for the advice, I will call his office in the morning.
Posted 3/15/2017 3:52 AM (GMT 0)
And keep the cath tube clean. Any buildup hurts like sandpaper.
Posted 3/15/2017 6:55 AM (GMT 0)
I found the catheter much more irritating if the attachment device on my thigh was located in a way that caused the catheter tube to curve coming out of my penis. It was much more comfortable if it went more straight down some before curving over to the attachment. Basically, that meant that if the attachment was too high, it bothered me more. I hope that makes sense. I had some infections and problems that resulted in me having the hated catheter in for an extra four or six weeks, so I became much more of an expert than I ever wanted to be.
Posted 3/15/2017 10:28 AM (GMT 0)
Russ - Hyoscyamine should help with the spasms. It is an anti-cholinergic which is used for bladder, intestinal or bowel crampiness. I have used it for radiation enteritis and it works - fast. My only caution aside from what is printed on the pharmacy info sheet is that it made me kind of loopy. If you are walking, be sure you are steady, and don't try to make any critical decisions until you know how it affects you personally. It was a lifesaver for me, but made me feel funny.
Posted 3/15/2017 10:05 PM (GMT 0)
I am starting to have less itching finally. I talked to my doctor and he said I could use non flavored Tooth pain gel. By using that, moving my holder down, (thanks fiddlecanoe!!!!) and cleaning it several extra times a day. I actually got 2 hours of sleep today! While on the phone with Doc, I got great news from the lymph node biopsies. ( no cancer in them) thanks again to everyone that has given me advice, I am taking full advantage of it! 6 days till Cather removal.
Posted 3/15/2017 10:38 PM (GMT 0)
Great news on the lymph nodes!!!

Andrew
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