14 replies to this topic

[Dancingdolphin]

Hi all! I'd be really interested to hear if any of you have had an indwelling catheter (not supra-pubic) in for a long time and are there any problems associated?


Thanks a mil in advance..

[yvonne1]

Hi, im Yvonne from Belgium T 7/8 compl. 5 y. post injury now. Use an inwelling now for approx 15 months because off very much leaking that became worser and worser, have no prob with infections, have to change it approx every 4/5 weeks because its starting to block, further no prob with it. The most prob i have with it is that i experience it for myself a an obstacle during sex and the kind off clothes i can wear ,thats why im looking for another solution , the best i read about is called mitrofanoff but still dont know if it really works well and how complicated is the surgery?
Experiences are welcome,
Yvonne

[dom]

hi,i had indwelling in hospital and suffered an infection,don't know whether it was due to the cath or hygiene in hospitsl? now i use intermitents the doc said a bladder works 'normally'[filling and emptying] with intermittents but a full-time indwelling shrinks the bladder as it does'nt distend and collapse regularly,maybe with advances in the future with regards to bladder management a 'fit' bladder will react better to treatments,but obviously you can't wait around for medical advances if the problem is now

[Dancingdolphin]

yvonne1, on Sep 2 2006, 01:10 PM, said:

Hi, im Yvonne from Belgium T 7/8 compl. 5 y. post injury now. Use an inwelling now for approx 15 months because off very much leaking that became worser and worser, have no prob with infections, have to change it approx every 4/5 weeks because its starting to block, further no prob with it. The most prob i have with it is that i experience it for myself a an obstacle during sex and the kind off clothes i can wear ,thats why im looking for another solution , the best i read about is called mitrofanoff but still dont know if it really works well and how complicated is the surgery?
Experiences are welcome,
Yvonne

Thanks Yvonne..sounds very interesting......I was wondering about keeping the catheter in long term? Think that would cause problems?

[yvonne1]

As i told using it now approx 15 months now , havent had any healt prob due to it, what kind off long term u thinking about?

[Dancingdolphin]

yvonne1, on Sep 5 2006, 04:53 PM, said:

As i told using it now approx 15 months now , havent had any healt prob due to it, what kind off long term u thinking about?

Just looking for information really for the moment. Wondered if anybody has used long term for years as I get problems about every 4 weeks with IC and rarely problems with the long term catheter.
Because so many people have suprapubic catheters i wondered is this because of problems with long term catheters.......

[Simon]

Hi
I don't have one (spc instead) but have a female sci friend who is 25+ yrs post injury and another 23 yrs post injury.
The first friend is on long term antibi's and changes about every 6 weeks. No known major side effects barring small bladder capacity and now developed a major eating sensitivity causing anaphalaxis (spelling?).
, its thought by lt antibi's.
Second friend has had no major infections in her 23 yrs with no antibi barring one a few weeks ago.

Hope this helps.
Simon

[Dancingdolphin]

Simon, on Sep 6 2006, 07:22 PM, said:

Hi
I don't have one (spc instead) but have a female sci friend who is 25+ yrs post injury and another 23 yrs post injury.
The first friend is on long term antibi's and changes about every 6 weeks. No known major side effects barring small bladder capacity and now developed a major eating sensitivity causing anaphalaxis (spelling?).
, its thought by lt antibi's.
Second friend has had no major infections in her 23 yrs with no antibi barring one a few weeks ago.

Hope this helps.
Simon

Exactly what I wanted to know...Thanks Simon.

I don't know if i'm missing something but can't understand the adv of suprapubic if indwelling works ok....

[russ1]

The advantage of a SPC (certainly in males) is that the urethra is in a position and also much longer and therefore much more prone to damage than the hole caused by an SPC. The other advantage is that an SPC is much better for sex than an indwelling. Other than that they're pretty similar really.

Once you've seen the photos they show you in rehab of pressure sore type damage done to male genetalia by indwelling caths you'd never consider one long term over an SPC but I can see that the situation might be diferent for females.

While I'd not usually recommend another forum you might consider asking this over on carecure where they have an SCI nurse who may be better able to answer this for you.

[Vicki]

Hi dolphingirl
I'm a C3/C4 quadriplegic. I've had and IDC for 25 years. The only time I had with infections was when I had SPC put in last year. I went back to an IDC after the first SPC change was screwed up.
I'm not in any sexual relationship so an IDC is not a problem.
Cheers
Vicki

[Dancingdolphin]

Vicki, on Sep 17 2006, 06:04 AM, said:

Hi dolphingirl
I'm a C3/C4 quadriplegic. I've had and IDC for 25 years. The only time I had with infections was when I had SPC put in last year. I went back to an IDC after the first SPC change was screwed up.
I'm not in any sexual relationship so an IDC is not a problem.
Cheers
Vicki

Cheers....think I'll leave it for the moment until I get tests done in Nov......nobody here (Ireland) seems to use them long term ...consultant's attitude is 'that some lazy people leave it in for a while'......

[sissy]

Dancingdolphin, on Sep 1 2006, 01:50 PM, said:

Hi all! I'd be really interested to hear if any of you have had an indwelling catheter (not supra-pubic) in for a long time and are there any problems associated?


Thanks a mil in advance..

I have had one since 1971. No real problems other than occassional stones and UTI's.

sissy

[Izziwhizzi]

happy crip, on Sep 23 2007, 10:21 PM, said:

I have an IDC, but I'm going to have a Mitrofinoff like procedure. It involves using part of your bowel to connect to your kidneys and appendix. Thus you have a larger bladder. Your bladder isn't used @ all anymore. It is a risky procedure, but safer in the long run . Many friends have had them done and so enjoy the freedom of indepence to cath on their own and to not have to worry about the inconvience and health risks associated w/ IDC.You really can find a lot of info about this @ Care Cure.
As for risks associated w/ the IDC-I know the urethra gets ruined, kidney failure can occur and it's a huge cancer risk.You can ask the nurse @ Care Cure.

Hi

I've had an indwelling catheter for 25 years. It has many good points - its easy to maintain, easy to pee, no limits on drinking and I've had very few infections infact my worse being this last summer.

However it does have draw backs, as do spc, with heightened risk of bladder cancer (about 10% risk I gather after 15 years) which does seem to be a very invasive type with a high mortality rate (about 50%). I don't like the look of those odds at all. No easy fail safe screening either.

My bladder is very small now, in fact it probably got to the size it is now within a few months of using the indwelling. Tubes down your legs and leg bags, and working ways round to use nightbags under your chair so you can wear shorts are all just a matter of course and when I was injured there was no alternative.

These fancy operations sound fab if they work for you, but it seems that we don't have the numbers over here to make sure we have proficient surgeons or experts in that area. With the super bugs like MRSA over here I'm trying to stay away from any hospitals or operations. A good quad friend of mine died of sceptocemia basically on the operating table during a kidney stone op and it made me realise how cheap quad lives are to the medical profession.

I notice Dancing Dolphin you are from Ireland, there must be even fewer specialists over there to get advice from.

I xx

[quad]

I am a sea three compleat
I have been using a catheter for the past five years
And as everyone always says as long as you keep the fluids flowing
with scheduled checkups everything should be fine
it's sometimes I get my body a break
I'm not sure if it was any help
Because I'm still new at this as well
I hope all is well

[Susi]

I have an indwelling catheter since accident. Going on for 5 years now. I have not heard of any of these stats, i.e. cancer, failed kidneys, etc. from neuro-surgeon or Urologist here.

I have had no infections as am on daily dose of antibiotic and had one kidney stone scare 2 years ago. It turned out to be nothing. I was told that unless i can move myself into a comfortable position and have the hand function to insert intermittent catheter, then to stay on permanent indwelling catheter. I have learned to live with it, and have no problems as such during intercourse. As long as I drink lots of water and have regular bladder washouts (1x month), I have been healthy.

I would say it depends on one's attitude towards the catheter, pretty much determines how successful an indwelling catheter is or not. As with anything in life, if a dislike arises, the body will find a way of rejecting anything.

Hope this helps somewhat.