I alternate between ISC and a foley. the main reason is that I get loads of UTis with ISC and I also find it very uncomfortable, even painful to do ISC all the time. Everytime I do it I feel as if my bladder is being 'snapped' shut a bit like someone has flicked a rubber band. Its definatly an OUCH factor and means I probably dont empty quite as often as I should. I also find my bladder 'feels sore'. Its the only way I can describe it really, It is uncomfortable all the time.
My old urologist suggested using Instillagel on the end of the cath before I used it, I tried that without much success. I was thinking of asking my urologist for a suprapubic in the new year which is when Im scheduled for a next appt. The thing is he seems VERY resistent to preforming this on me as he beleives ISC is adequate. Adequate it may be but whenever I do that it gets uncomfotable and painful very quickly. Ive also been suffering increasing amounts of incontinence as well which doesnt help either.
What should I do? Id really like some advice as Im not sure what the best course of action is. However Ive had this for about 3 years now and dont want it to go on forever.
thanks
L

No suggestions anyone?

Hi Lucydog,

My son initially tried ISC but it was a painful procedure for him and he would have ended up damaging the urethra, so he elected to have a suprapubic, this was done at Salisbury pre discharge from the Spinal Unit. He has had it for about 4 years now, initially he got a few UTI's but (fingers crossed) he has been free of them for a couple of years now - needs changing by the Community Nurse every 10 weeks or so, he finds it OK and much less of a problem the ISC.

I would have thought you could pressure your GP to get an earlier appointment than next year to have this done rather than endure discomfort for the coming months.

Best of luck

David

hi lucydog its as if im feeling your aches as i had to have a surapubic me last year july 08 after running over cathbag tangling wheelchair spokes and taring my balloon end through my urethra when first having it done i expirence a urine infection.been free of infections for last 9 months iwear bellybag when outside in my wheelchair and leg bag for bed if i was you pester doctor till he is sick of seeing you and get the op done he hasnt got the discomfort best of luck alex .by the way i couldnt feel anything when my blx were being pulled thank god i did it 2 days running

Hi Lucydog, I have just seen your thread and can tell you my experience.
I have a suprapubic, I was doing ISC for a few months post SCI (I'm T7-L1 Transverse Myelitis lesion, complete para from T10) I found doing ISC very difficult and heard about SPC's on Apparylized a couple of years ago. Yay!
I also had trouble with the big shot urologist being anti SPC but found another one in my local town who was supportive and did the job.
It's been in two years and I'm really happy. I have a flipflo valve on my cath that allows me to empty my bladder as needed, so I don't wear a leg bag, I use a night drainage bag. I have my cath changed every 4 weeks by the continence nurse at the local hospital and I have no problems with UTI's because I take high dose vitamin C tabs and cranberry tabs. I have only had one real UTI in 2 years although i am colonised by bacteria asymptomatically a lot of the time, i think that is pretty normal though.
I carry a little bottle in my bag so i can empty my bladder easily when I'm out. It's much better than trying to ISC in a public toilet!
Find a different urologist if you can. I think that men don't understand how hard it is for us to find our urethra sitting in a WC and it's easy to contaminate the cath when you can't find the right opening!
good luck and don't be put off.