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How to minimise bladder spasms while catheter still in.

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User
Posted 26 Jun 2017 at 08:44
6 days after surgery I am having periods of intense pain and my bladder seems to go into spasm. Catheter being removed in 8 days. Any ideas to help avoid this happening?

Edited by member 26 Jun 2017 at 09:03  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 26 Jun 2017 at 09:27
Hi Ian

There are a few drugs that might help, Vesicare (Solefenicin) or Bettmiga, my husband lives with 20 odd of these excruciating pains every day as the bladder tries to rid itself of the Supra pubic catheter, made much worse by infection. Just wondering if you could check with your GP in case you have got an infection.

Devonmaid

User
Posted 26 Jun 2017 at 16:15
Ian

Like DM's OH I have been prescribed solifenacin. I have had numerous urethral Catheters,the first one probably the worst. From my experience do not cut down on fluid intake it did not help me, avoid getting constipation and wind if possible, it all squeezes on the bladder. Have you also had bypassing where urine comes out between the Catheter and the penis, this is apparently caused when the bladder squeezes it is trying to force urine out,but the outlet of the Catheter is above the balloon so the only place it can go is between the Catheter and urethra. I found sitting on the loo passing a motion was pretty uncomfortable.Bending forward also caused the spasms to start. Is your Catheter draining well, debris can restrict the flow but you will be amazed what can come down a Catheter.

Good luck with the removal and Twoc, I always drink plenty before my twocs and stay calm.

Thanks Chris

User
Posted 26 Jun 2017 at 19:14
Hi. I had my da Vinci op at the end of April and my experience with the catheter was exactly you describe. Painful and uncomfortable with serious spasms, heavy bypassing and painful when sitting on the loo.

I contacted my nursing team and the helpful call centre at Prostate cancer UK. Each time I was told that these symptoms were 'normal' as it is the bladder trying to 'reject' the catheter as it's a foreign object inside the bladder.

I must say it wasn't a pleasant experience but over the 2 weeks I had the catheter in things didn't improve very much BUT the light at the end of the tunnel is that once the twoc is done and the catheter comes out, all this will go away immediately.

So sorry for not coming up with a resolution for you, but I found that over the time it was in, I got more used to the discomfort but I hope you can take some solace in that this will be gone very soon.

User
Posted 27 Jun 2017 at 22:21

My husband had his treatment in the USA and he had a session with a physic therapist before the catheter was fitted to go through 'reverse kegals' to help with the time with the catheter in. He did them religiously and had no bladder spasms so may be worth googling .. jmaybe

Good luck

Clare

User
Posted 05 Jul 2017 at 23:29

Hope it's going well and the memory of the catheter fades quickly.

All the best

Clare

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User
Posted 26 Jun 2017 at 09:27
Hi Ian

There are a few drugs that might help, Vesicare (Solefenicin) or Bettmiga, my husband lives with 20 odd of these excruciating pains every day as the bladder tries to rid itself of the Supra pubic catheter, made much worse by infection. Just wondering if you could check with your GP in case you have got an infection.

Devonmaid

User
Posted 26 Jun 2017 at 09:33
Thank you for your quick response. Fortunately, I have a uretheral catheter that will come out next week. I had a check for infection yesterday, and that was negative, so that was good news. The nurse says it is probably the bladder reacting to the presence of the balloon. It does pass eventually, but it is very tiring just getting through it.

Again. Thanks for your help.

User
Posted 26 Jun 2017 at 16:15
Ian

Like DM's OH I have been prescribed solifenacin. I have had numerous urethral Catheters,the first one probably the worst. From my experience do not cut down on fluid intake it did not help me, avoid getting constipation and wind if possible, it all squeezes on the bladder. Have you also had bypassing where urine comes out between the Catheter and the penis, this is apparently caused when the bladder squeezes it is trying to force urine out,but the outlet of the Catheter is above the balloon so the only place it can go is between the Catheter and urethra. I found sitting on the loo passing a motion was pretty uncomfortable.Bending forward also caused the spasms to start. Is your Catheter draining well, debris can restrict the flow but you will be amazed what can come down a Catheter.

Good luck with the removal and Twoc, I always drink plenty before my twocs and stay calm.

Thanks Chris

User
Posted 26 Jun 2017 at 19:14
Hi. I had my da Vinci op at the end of April and my experience with the catheter was exactly you describe. Painful and uncomfortable with serious spasms, heavy bypassing and painful when sitting on the loo.

I contacted my nursing team and the helpful call centre at Prostate cancer UK. Each time I was told that these symptoms were 'normal' as it is the bladder trying to 'reject' the catheter as it's a foreign object inside the bladder.

I must say it wasn't a pleasant experience but over the 2 weeks I had the catheter in things didn't improve very much BUT the light at the end of the tunnel is that once the twoc is done and the catheter comes out, all this will go away immediately.

So sorry for not coming up with a resolution for you, but I found that over the time it was in, I got more used to the discomfort but I hope you can take some solace in that this will be gone very soon.

User
Posted 27 Jun 2017 at 09:25
Thanks Chris. This is helpful, and yes I'm having some bypassing and trying to keep the bowel moving all helps. All is exactly as you describe, but I'm now taking co dydramol and ibuprofen at strategic times. Got away with one long session of spasm yesterday (about 1 hour) after which I slept a lot!

Hopefully I will get better at managing things but looking forward to twoc next week (sort of)!

User
Posted 27 Jun 2017 at 09:28
Thanks also to BB. This helped to reassure me. As I said to Chris looking forward to twoc now. My first experience.
User
Posted 27 Jun 2017 at 10:24
Ian

Just be wary of pain killers giving you constipation, hopefully you will only have "one" experience of a TWOC.

Thanks Chris

User
Posted 27 Jun 2017 at 12:12
Thanks. Yes, I'm taking laxatives to counteract the codeine. Might need to up the dose a little. Laxative, that is.

Edited by member 27 Jun 2017 at 12:16  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 27 Jun 2017 at 14:03
Ian

I don't recall having any bladder spasms that lasted an hour, normally they were over in a couple of minutes at worst. About five days post op I had an abdominal spasm and the pain was off the scale and lasted a couple of hours. It resulted in paramedics attending, administratoring 30mg of morphine in two doses and a trip to the emergency department in an ambulance. As with about 30 percent of patients attending the emergency department with abdominal pains they could not find the cause, I suspect it was simply constipation, and it never happened again.

Thanks Chris

User
Posted 27 Jun 2017 at 16:40
Thanks. It feels like bad cystitis with an urge to pee and lower back pain. Comes in waves, and urine flow virtually stops until the episode is over. After that, no pain and flow is copious. I'm learning to handle it I think, but look forward to moving on. I'll see what tomorrow brings.
User
Posted 27 Jun 2017 at 22:21

My husband had his treatment in the USA and he had a session with a physic therapist before the catheter was fitted to go through 'reverse kegals' to help with the time with the catheter in. He did them religiously and had no bladder spasms so may be worth googling .. jmaybe

Good luck

Clare

User
Posted 27 Jun 2017 at 22:29
Oh and she did say definitely not to do kegeks with the catheter in .only the reverse ( relaxing ones) !
User
Posted 28 Jun 2017 at 06:10

Thank you Clare. Fascinating. I will Google.

Just to follow up. I googled reverse kegel exercises and it seems to make sense. I had an episode this afternoon and decided to try it and I do believe it helped.

I hope I don't need to try again, but I certainly will if the need arises.

Edited by member 28 Jun 2017 at 17:19  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 05 Jul 2017 at 16:09

To all who have supported me this far, thank you. I had my TWOC yesterday, and it wasn't as bad as I had feared. Anyway, now back at home working on getting control back, so I hope.all the advice on the forum will come in handy.
I will sign off for a bit now, but if others come across this conversation, I hope it will help them too.

User
Posted 05 Jul 2017 at 23:29

Hope it's going well and the memory of the catheter fades quickly.

All the best

Clare

 
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