Need your input on this.

I'm a T4 complete. It has been 12 years since my injury . I have been using Hollister condom catheters ever since my injury.I change the condom catheter every day I would do it more often if medicaid pays for more than 31 Texas catheters per month . Urine drains to a anti reflux Hollister Leg bag during the day and at night urine drains to a Dover anti reflux nigh drainage bag which also gets cleaned with bleach and rinsed with water every night before connecting it to the catheter. Hygiene wise I shower every day , I clean my leg bag with bleach and rinse it 5 to seven times every night and morning. I use all types of antiseptic sanitizers like alcohol and betadine . In the past 12 years I was getting about 3 to 4 UTI's per year, however lately it had become worse almost every month. In fact right now I'm battling a UTI even thought I just finished a 7day supply of Macrobid 100 mg 4 times per day. My liquid intake is more than a gallon per day or 24 hrs period however it had not help in limiting the frequency of UTI occurrence. Voiding is automatic it seems that my bladder capacity is around 300 to 400 cc however it seems that it does not empty completely or about 200 to or 250 is retained in the bladder and that is the problem urine retention. I pass out about 2000 cc of urine in a 12 hour period about 200 CC each time my bladder contracts. I had sphincter procedure about 3 years ago and since than it seems the urine flow does not stream like it used to , before the operation the urine used to stream very strong now it flows or streams very weak. Cathterization would not work for me because of the unpredictability and frequency of voiding.

Now I began to ponder whether to wearing condom catheter is still practical for me or should I go to with foley catheter or indwelling . I'm not sure. I also thought about doing both cathterizing and wearing condom catheter , but that will be very expensive as I only get 31 hollister condoms catheters per month and to do both I need at least 120 condom catheters and need about 180 disposable straight catheters . which should be a very expensive alternative and since I currently do not have a job i cannot afford to pay for all this, thus Foley seems more practical for me . Any suggestion , please help .

Thank you

Sal,

With repeated UTIs you should be having your urine cultured. You may have a bug that is antibiotic resistant- meaning you would have a recurring infection, not repeated infections. If that were the case repeated antibiotics only make the bug more difficult.

Can you obtain multiple use intermittent caths? Mine is good for 6 months and cost me $20. I'm searching fora US source. Indwelling won't solve your problem.

Good luck.
pwuff

Thank you Pwuff for your input. I appreciate that
Yes it could be recurring UTI ;however I had a urine sample taking 10 days ago and it was sensitive to macrobid and once I started taking macrobid the symptoms improved like the smell of the urine disappeared the cloud and mucous in the urine also disappeared . thus I thought it was gone for good, but 4 days later after finishing the whole prescription of macrobid I'm back to square one. I worry about multiple use caths because of contamination also I need to cath 8 times a day and when I'm a way from home it will be difficult to clean the catheter. Also My worry is not the disposable caths because I can get a box 100 caths for $33 , my worry is the condom catheters because they cost $3 each and given the frequency of cathing i need at least 4 per day. In my case it is hard to predict when my bladder is going to spasm and release urine , without wearing condom catheter in addition to the disposable caths I would have accidents and leakage.

I intermittent cath while wearing the condom cath. The Rochester Ultraflex is available in several diameters and several adhesive lengths. It is clear so you can see to insert the lubricated int catheter while wearing the Ultraflex. I int cath 4 times a day, and change the Ultraflex once a day.The condom cath is connected to a latex leg bag made by Urocare to collect any leakage between int cathings, i use the 26 oz short wide version on lower leg with their fabric straps - i have several of these and rinse it when I remove it and throw in the washer.

Thanks everyone for the responses , I have been doing intermittent cath for the last 8 weeks and I have notice a huge difference , Even when I suspect I might be in the beginning stages of a UTI I just Intermittent cath more often and it seems to clear. For me I think this might have been the answer that I have been waiting for . For a long time I was almost in a constant battle with UTI's and now I hope I have found the cure, Albeit to early to declare victory , nevertheless an improvement and I'm glad for that.

Thanks to all of you.

sincerely Sam'

Sal,
I'm glad things are going better. Shall keep my fingers crossed.
Pat