[CR_L1]

Hi everyone,

This may seem a silly thread but here goes,
I know most urologists here in UK seem to try & force intermittent or Supa-pubic over indwelling.
Being as cynical as I am I put this down to NHS cost issue more then what works for the patient (this is my opinion from past experience, which I can go into later)

There seems to be a lot of talk on here about supa-pubic & intermittent catheterization but not about urethral indwelling catheters, is this because nobody really uses them because they are bad or simply because no one who uses them has many problems.

So what’s your take on this & what works for you?

[dom]

i would have intermittent anyday over the others,i suppose it depends on your mobility,if you are fairly mobile then intermittent is no problem

[adam_downunder]

I agree, if you have the function to go with intermittent go for it I would say. It's cleaner, less chance of UTI's and you don't have a bloody tube coming out of your old fella 24/7!!

If I am flying or planning on a big night with drink then I'll chuck an indwelling in, but it's out again the following morning.

[McRobb]

Well, speaking as a female, it is very difficult for someone with complete movement to do the intermittant thing, let alone someone who find it impossible or difficult to do so. I know AB with bladder or other problems who do the intermittant cathing and they hate it and find it very inconvenient and messy.

I had the superpubic done after 1 1/2 yrs of living with an indwelling and what a relief! Did not have to have a nurse come and change the thing every month, less UTI, less mess all the way around. Best thing I have ever done, I think, at least since I have been a para.

I know that you men have different problems but think for women, intermittant is defineately a bigger problem.

[ems]

I'd say men have it the hardest, in self cathing.. you seen the size of a man catheter!!!! LOL They've got a long way to push that in... with curves to go round!! Women on the other hand, we're neat and small. one small roughly 5-7cm urethra in a straight line.. couldn't get any better ;) We have more choice in catheters, we have ones that look like lipsils!! Our catheters don't take up our whole bag!!!!

SP over indwelling..... I had one when I was first injured, I didn't like having a hole and tube coming out of my stomach. But saying that, I know a lot of ppl that have them over an indwelling. Most ppl I know with it, are ppl in relationships, and that was purely the reason for it over an indwelling. I just don't like being attached to anything, or having anything attached to me!!

The indwelling gives me freedom from having to find a bathroom when I'm out without my chair ( i.e. on my bike), or on a long haul flight, or at a party in a basement ;) But, I couldn't use one all the time. I just don't like it. Its useful on occasions buts that's as far as I go with them. I used one last time when I had my arm operation, as it would have been difficult to self cath with one hand! I used it with a flip flow valve, (NO BAG!!) so I wouldn't lose any capacity. Also, summer, dresses, Pee Bags.. Ummmmmm..The other thing with indwelling's and SP's, if you use them with a drainage bag, your capacity will quickly decrease. It will take a lot of bladder training to get it back up to normal capacity again. So I may use one, once or twice a yr, for a day.

The self catheterisation is defiantly the best option for me, nothing attached to me, no-one notices them, they are easy to use, and as I have no feeling, its painless.

If your able to have a choice, its definitely a personal one. Not everything suits everyone. But for me, self caths, mixed with magic anti pee drugs works a treat ;)

This post has been edited by ems: 04 June 2009 - 11:01 AM

[CR_L1]

Hi all,

Thanks for the replies so far,
Intermittent did not work for me (mother of all Uti’s which I never want to repeat) over a year now without any problems from indwelling. My working environments are very dirty & unhygienic, lucky to find a WC let alone an accessible one. Urologists still seem to force the issue of intermittent or SP are the best way to go.
Then when I look on here & don’t see much talked about indwelling I was not sure if I was doing the right thing but your replies seem to confirm my GP’s view, it is more a personal choice.

[Lucydog]

I also tend to prefer indwelling to ISC. From a female point of view ISC is pretty miserable every month and I have had endless UTIs regardless of how much I clean before hand. Nothing seems to stop a UTI no matter what I do.
Since being pregnant last year I have had an indwelling, and while Im aware there are more risks in the long term my personal preference is for an indwelling for a variety of reasons. While urologists much prefer ISC, they dont always ackowledge that this isnt the best route for everyone.

[russ1]

The biggest reason to have a supra pubic over a urethral cath is the damage that the tube permanently in the urethra can do to the urethra (and consequently to the penis). It can literally wear it away and the more active you are the more chance of damage. Only seem it in photos - horrible. As long as you don't leak urethrally then a supra pubic is a neater solution and you can have sex without taking it out. It's also easier to fit a flip flow valve into a suprapubic to maintain bladder tone but this could also be done with a urethral cath.

That's the downsides and why most urologists will encourage the insertion of a supra pubic over long term use of a urethral cath.

[dom]

i know uti's are problem for some ppl but i've only had two in 8 years,one in hospital when i was being shown how to use the isc's [i think it was the nurse] and one last week,maybe i've been very lucky but if you don't touch the catheter in the middle it must be sterile and i rinse my bell-end beforehand!also drink adequately during the day,i drink tea coffee and some water