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catheter after Brachytherapy

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User
Posted 22 Oct 2020 at 14:59

Hello I am having Brachytherapy on 11 November with Spinal Block. They are sending me home with a catheter to be removed the following day. I already suffer with an over active bladder. there is no problem with my flow. Will I leak after the catheter is taken out? Is it connected to a bag for night time? Do I need to take pads or pants to hospital to use for journey home. I am worried about leaking more. My cancer is within the prostate Gleeson score 7 . Thanks

 

User
Posted 22 Oct 2020 at 17:52

You can still leak or "by pass" with a Catheter in, so a small pad is advisable with the Catheter. You would normally have a leg bag attached to the catheter and at night connect a night bag to the spout of the leg bag. Removal of the Catheter is frequently described as weird. I have too much experience of Catheters but not with brachytherapy , so won't comment on post removal leaking.

Added , instilagel or hydrocaine great for any soreness in the eye of the penis, the gels have anesthetic antiseptic and lubricant, ask you nurse for some.

Thanks Chris

Edited by member 22 Oct 2020 at 17:55  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 22 Oct 2020 at 21:32

Hi invicta, Is yours HDR or LDR? I had HDR. Mine was under general anaesthetic and the catheter was in from the operation, until the next day. I was also on a saline drip overnight to flush out the bladder. So it was an overnight stay in hospital for me, I'm slightly surprised your going home the same day, but I guess each hospital is different. When it was removed I couldn't piss, so they put another one in and sent me home for a week. Leakage around the catheter is possible but very unlikely. I didn't notice any leakage after removal. Yes at night a larger bag is attached which is placed on a short stand next to the bed. 

Dave

User
Posted 23 Oct 2020 at 10:47

I had HDR, and had urgency and tiny bladder capacity in the days immediately afterwards. I found I started peeing about 10 seconds before I expected to, on the way to the bathroom, and I wore disposable pants for a while. I could control it with pelvic floor muscles, having exercised them for a while beforehand.

Bladder capacity had doubled in 24h, and again in a week. Switched to pads for another few weeks for odd drips, but then was back to normal.

If you are LDR/seed bracky, the timeframe of the side effects is completely different. Radiotherapy side effects don't start appearing until about 2 weeks later and last longer.

 

User
Posted 24 Oct 2020 at 16:41

The valve is an excellent idea. I had a catheter on two occasions, I think in total about six weeks. I know some people have had a lot longer. The bag is fine, in fact I liked going to the pub and not having the urge to go to the toilet. I just had to check the bag, have a leisurely walk to the toilet when it was near full. Open the drain cock for a few minutes and then get back to drinking.

With the valve the bladder still gets full, you feel the urge to go to the toilet, so again you go to the toilet, open the drain cock which is dangling from the end of your penis, and then go back to the bar for a drink. 

So the main advantage of the bag is the large capacity and never a sense of urgency. A disadvantage is it is a bit unwieldy. 

The advantage of the valve is that your bladder does not lose its conditioning to hold urine and then feel when it is full. A slight disadvantage of the valve is that its weight tugs a bit on the catheter and that can be uncomfortable on the penis. When the bladder is full it has pressure in it and that can leak a little around the outside of the catheter, this does not happen with a bag as the pressure in the bladder does not build up.

I think as you will only have the catheter for one night you will not encounter any problems with leakage. 

Dave

User
Posted 24 Oct 2020 at 20:36

Invicta

As Dave has said there are pros and cons to different set ups. If you should need to have the Catheter for an extended period,you can have the best of both worlds with a bag attached to a flip flo valve.

Thanks Chris

Edited by member 24 Oct 2020 at 20:37  | Reason: Spelling

User
Posted 18 Nov 2020 at 19:24

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
Six days now since implant. The trouble is that i have not been able to sleep much having to use the loo 5 - 6 times per night. I stop drinking about 8pm and only have one or two caffeinated drinks per day. I spoke to the hospital yesterday and they suggested taking the Tamsulosin in the evening rather than the morning. has any one else had the same problems?

I had LDR Brachytherapy and still use Tamsulosin after 2 years.  I have taken it morning and evening and don't find it makes any difference. I started trying to reduce Tamsulosin and then to stop, my GP has instructed me to carry on with them as they help keep my blood pressure down.  After 2 years I still get up to pee maybe 3 times a night, sometimes only once, and I don't know why. Reducing caffeine and acidic drinks seems to help.

It is early days for you yet, you may have some side effects involving bladder and/or bowels, stick with it, they subside with time.  My GP prescribed various meds that helped during the peak of the side effects. My bowels are not the same and my bladder is not the same as before the implants, they are "different" I have got used to the changes now.     John

Gleason 6 = 3+3 PSA 8.8 P. volume 48 cc Left Cores 3/3, Volume = 20% PSA 10.8 Feb '19 PSA 1.2

Jan '20 PSA 0.3 July '20 0.1 Jan. 21 < 0.1 Dec 21 <0.01 June '22 <0.01 April '23  <0.01

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User
Posted 22 Oct 2020 at 17:52

You can still leak or "by pass" with a Catheter in, so a small pad is advisable with the Catheter. You would normally have a leg bag attached to the catheter and at night connect a night bag to the spout of the leg bag. Removal of the Catheter is frequently described as weird. I have too much experience of Catheters but not with brachytherapy , so won't comment on post removal leaking.

Added , instilagel or hydrocaine great for any soreness in the eye of the penis, the gels have anesthetic antiseptic and lubricant, ask you nurse for some.

Thanks Chris

Edited by member 22 Oct 2020 at 17:55  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 22 Oct 2020 at 21:32

Hi invicta, Is yours HDR or LDR? I had HDR. Mine was under general anaesthetic and the catheter was in from the operation, until the next day. I was also on a saline drip overnight to flush out the bladder. So it was an overnight stay in hospital for me, I'm slightly surprised your going home the same day, but I guess each hospital is different. When it was removed I couldn't piss, so they put another one in and sent me home for a week. Leakage around the catheter is possible but very unlikely. I didn't notice any leakage after removal. Yes at night a larger bag is attached which is placed on a short stand next to the bed. 

Dave

User
Posted 23 Oct 2020 at 10:47

I had HDR, and had urgency and tiny bladder capacity in the days immediately afterwards. I found I started peeing about 10 seconds before I expected to, on the way to the bathroom, and I wore disposable pants for a while. I could control it with pelvic floor muscles, having exercised them for a while beforehand.

Bladder capacity had doubled in 24h, and again in a week. Switched to pads for another few weeks for odd drips, but then was back to normal.

If you are LDR/seed bracky, the timeframe of the side effects is completely different. Radiotherapy side effects don't start appearing until about 2 weeks later and last longer.

 

User
Posted 24 Oct 2020 at 14:48
My hospital said on the phone that I should not leak after having catheter out and that I can have a valve rather that a bag. They seem confident that I should be OK

Thanks for support

User
Posted 24 Oct 2020 at 16:41

The valve is an excellent idea. I had a catheter on two occasions, I think in total about six weeks. I know some people have had a lot longer. The bag is fine, in fact I liked going to the pub and not having the urge to go to the toilet. I just had to check the bag, have a leisurely walk to the toilet when it was near full. Open the drain cock for a few minutes and then get back to drinking.

With the valve the bladder still gets full, you feel the urge to go to the toilet, so again you go to the toilet, open the drain cock which is dangling from the end of your penis, and then go back to the bar for a drink. 

So the main advantage of the bag is the large capacity and never a sense of urgency. A disadvantage is it is a bit unwieldy. 

The advantage of the valve is that your bladder does not lose its conditioning to hold urine and then feel when it is full. A slight disadvantage of the valve is that its weight tugs a bit on the catheter and that can be uncomfortable on the penis. When the bladder is full it has pressure in it and that can leak a little around the outside of the catheter, this does not happen with a bag as the pressure in the bladder does not build up.

I think as you will only have the catheter for one night you will not encounter any problems with leakage. 

Dave

User
Posted 24 Oct 2020 at 20:36

Invicta

As Dave has said there are pros and cons to different set ups. If you should need to have the Catheter for an extended period,you can have the best of both worlds with a bag attached to a flip flo valve.

Thanks Chris

Edited by member 24 Oct 2020 at 20:37  | Reason: Spelling

User
Posted 13 Nov 2020 at 16:40

All Done now (on 11th) 70 seeds implanted Hospital was ver good.  Had Catheter out yesterday and CT scan.

Thanks everyone for support you are in my thoughts and prayers on your journey.

 

User
Posted 18 Nov 2020 at 14:44
Six days now since implant. The trouble is that i have not been able to sleep much having to use the loo 5 - 6 times per night. I stop drinking about 8pm and only have one or two caffeinated drinks per day. I spoke to the hospital yesterday and they suggested taking the Tamsulosin in the evening rather than the morning. has any one else had the same problems?

User
Posted 18 Nov 2020 at 19:24

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
Six days now since implant. The trouble is that i have not been able to sleep much having to use the loo 5 - 6 times per night. I stop drinking about 8pm and only have one or two caffeinated drinks per day. I spoke to the hospital yesterday and they suggested taking the Tamsulosin in the evening rather than the morning. has any one else had the same problems?

I had LDR Brachytherapy and still use Tamsulosin after 2 years.  I have taken it morning and evening and don't find it makes any difference. I started trying to reduce Tamsulosin and then to stop, my GP has instructed me to carry on with them as they help keep my blood pressure down.  After 2 years I still get up to pee maybe 3 times a night, sometimes only once, and I don't know why. Reducing caffeine and acidic drinks seems to help.

It is early days for you yet, you may have some side effects involving bladder and/or bowels, stick with it, they subside with time.  My GP prescribed various meds that helped during the peak of the side effects. My bowels are not the same and my bladder is not the same as before the implants, they are "different" I have got used to the changes now.     John

Gleason 6 = 3+3 PSA 8.8 P. volume 48 cc Left Cores 3/3, Volume = 20% PSA 10.8 Feb '19 PSA 1.2

Jan '20 PSA 0.3 July '20 0.1 Jan. 21 < 0.1 Dec 21 <0.01 June '22 <0.01 April '23  <0.01

User
Posted 23 Mar 2021 at 19:23

Thanks John,

 

I am now taking Betmega as well as Tamsalosin. Still gettring up 3-4 times per night and urgency in day plus a bit of leaking. I have a telephone appointment with a Continence nurse next week to see if she can help.

 
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