I seem to spend a disproportionate amount of time on things to do with bladder and bowel function. Its the real bain of my life, it gets no better and I really wish it would just all go away. Ive been doing a bit of an ostrich impression about my bladder recently, not wantting to have to deal with the fact that its all going horribly wrong. Despite my best efforts the current regime isn't working and hasn't for over a year now. So last week I had an appointment with my urologist. I like her but she is way scary which is sort of good as she's blunt and tells it like it is, but also manages to be humorous too and I think this is probably a good sign in a doctor. When you are dealing with the sensitive subject of incontinence as she is, I'm sure humour helps at times.
So what to do, what to do? There is no ideal solution, the only ideal would be to wake up one morning and miraculously find that it all works again. Miraculous indeed. But as neither of us expect that then we need to go on to Plan B. So first of all its possible that my bladder is sitting at a bit of an angle, which makes DIY catheterisation a bit more difficult and less successful. So Ive got to go for a scan so they can take a look. Secondly we need to try and kick these UTIs out once and for all. Ive got absolutly wonderful cultures floating around! So finally we have decided to go for a long term indwelling catheter with a long term course of antibiotics. This isn't ideal, but then we are running out of options really, so I'm willing to give it a go. Funny thing is, if you had said this to me last year I would have been adamant that Oh No I wasn't going to do this, not for me thank you. now though I'm worn down from UTIs so Ive got to the point whereby I'm just willing to give it a go.
hiya, I use a silver catheter at home instead of my comopacts or emteva. With long term internal foleys, over the last ten years, I've found I got Uti's within days of putting them in, and I take anti's whenever I use them anyway. My silver catheter, although it sound like *old school* took a bit of getting used to, but i've not had a UTI since I've had it for 3 months. I've just reached my 10 year post accident date this month. Bowels are at last almost sorted after 10 yrs struggle with meds and different systems. I now use the Coloplast irrigation system, which has cut my bathroom time from two hours to around 20 mins. TVT will be done this yr at stoke to help my bladder. If you are going the Foley route, Never go latex as you cant see if thy're blocked or not you end up doing more washouts, try asking for silicone or the bard one that contains silver. They dont like either, as they are expensive the bard one is about 25 quid!
ReplyDeleteWell thats my experience, I wish you luck, my first few years were hell for bladder and bowel, I hope you can sort yours out.
emma.
L,
ReplyDeleteHave you considered a mitronoff?