Suprapubic Catheter,

Col ,had one for the last as six years due to rare severe damage to the bladder. I wish I hadn't got one, but they are manageable. By coincidence I have just got back from the GP ,I have another water infection perhaps partly self inflicted while doing a flush. I don't get that many infections. 

I have mine changed every eight weeks, around 12 weeks is the maximum you can go between changes, I soon found 8 weeks was the right period for me. Changes vary from totally painless to Bl***y uncomfortable for a few minutes, you just have to find what works for you. I was so pleased when one of my DNs moved to another job. 

I have a flip flo and leg bag , the flip flo was there to try and keep the bladder operating normally, but I am beyond that. I still keep the flip Flo on the advice of different medics, as closing it for a while,then opening it is supposed flush rubbish out of the catheter.

A full urinary diversion was not an option for me. The advantage of suprapubic catheter over surgical diversion is the the SPC can be removed.

Hope that helps anymore questions please ask.

Thanks Chris 

Added 

Do they know the return is in the prostate ?

Edited by member 08 Mar 2023 at 13:44  | Reason: Not specified

Col , ask as many questions as you like. I developed a stricture after surgery so went back into theatre or treatment rooms on around 13 occasions to have dilatations or incisions .

On one occasion I had a dilatation on the Friday and went into retention on the Saturday, getting a catheter in failed but did release the urine, by the Monday I was back in retention and had the camera,guide wire and Cookes dilators without any anesthetic, not even the gel. I would do it again but not in my bucket list.

On another occasion, again having a dilatation under GA I came round to find a few people milling round me in controlled urgency. They stuck a pen in my  hand and said can you sign this consent form, we need to fit a suprapubic catheter. I had a shot of morphine and under the guidance of an radiographer they stuck a big needle through the abdominal wall into the bladder. I released a fountain of urine and was fitted with my first SPC. The catheter was removed a month later.

Just before the start of salvage RT, they decided to fit another SPC just in case the SRT closed the structure. That SPC was fitted under GA not sure if that was a day case or more probably just an overnight stay.

It might sound a bit daunting but given a choice between the events above or retention, I will go for the events above.

I would personally go for GA if possible, if something goes wrong under GA the surgeon can just carry on and sort it. I had another issue where the bladder fell away from the SPC site, because I was asleep it wasn't a problem.

Hope I haven't put you off ,as said I would do it all again, I love the whole GA experience.

Thanks Chris