Question about catheters (for writing research)

[ruthmadison]

I keep reading these devy books where the SCI guy is concerned that if he doesn't cath in time he'll wet himself.

And it pulls me out of the story because I keep thinking...isn't the opposite of not cathing that your bladder would explode like a burst appendix? I mean if your bladder could empty itself without help, why would you need a catheter?

Am I way off base, is the writing accurate or is that just an assumption that dev writers are making?

[wonk]

Your body has some pretty good self defense mechanisms, which stop things exploding

[Ismael]

The urethral sphincter Can only hold so much pressure, So at some point it just can't hold the urine back. and usually SCI patient's bladders are not as pliable, Which makes them more likely to spasm.

[Braced4Impact]

Feb 9, 2022 14:35:57 GMT -5 wonk said:

Your body has some pretty good self defense mechanisms, which stop things exploding

Tell that to Tycho Brahe

www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna49858043

[britishtetra]

In my case it happened like this. In 2006 I was getting lots of sweating and my bladder wasn’t emptying properly. I had urodynamics and they found out I had a kink in my urethra. At the time I was wearing a convene, which is like a condom with an open end which goes into the leg bag on the leg. I had an operation to straighten the urethra but it didn’t work. in the end I had a suprapubic catheter fitted, and he gets changed every four weeks.

Pete 👍

[someonerandom]

Yes, usually the bladder will eventually drain without a catheter (can still back up into the kidneys though), but the issue you is that you can’t choose when or how much.

[Nate]

Before I was diagnosed with having a neurogenic bladder and began catheterizing intermittently, my bladder would vacate spontaneously and in varying quantities. It still gives me trouble sometimes, particularly when I'm standing in my prone stander or even just for a quick transfer, despite cath'ing when I feel full and at fairly regular intervals otherwise.

[lyon11]

In my case, I don't catheterize by time or schedule.
When I get a slight chill, my skin bristles or grinds, that's the sign that I need to use the catheter to empty my bladder and I've rarely gotten wet, and when it has happened to me it's because I get infected or because it takes me too long to use the catheter once I get the feeling of urinating (it chilled, my skin bristles or grinds).
And if I know that I am going to go out, receive a visit or do something important and that requires time, I prefer to use the catheter before, regardless of whether I have little time to have used it, since that will give me enough time (more than 4 hours)

[ruthmadison]

Thank you so much, guys! I appreciate the honest responses.

Looks like the authors are close enough and I’m the one who is wrong!

[infinatedreams]

Feb 9, 2022 14:30:49 GMT -5 ruthmadison said:

I keep reading these devy books where the SCI guy is concerned that if he doesn't cath in time he'll wet himself.

And it pulls me out of the story because I keep thinking...isn't the opposite of not cathing that your bladder would explode like a burst appendix? I mean if your bladder could empty itself without help, why would you need a catheter?

Am I way off base, is the writing accurate or is that just an assumption that dev writers are making?

So there are these 3 para guys at the footy ......

No it isnt the start of a bad joke or a particularly saucy devy fantasy, its real and as it happens we were talking about this very subject only the other week.

So all 3 of us give or take a couple of years all the same age and similar level injuries.

I left rehab with a 'reflex' bladder, it would fill to 500ml (ish) and empty, I could stimulate it by tapping lightly on my pubic area.  This worked well for about 15yrs then for 'whatever' reason my bladder started to retain too much urine (roughly 1L) this showed up on kidney scans with back flow from my bladder to kidneys.  Switched to intermitent cath and have been ever since.  No major accidents, its all about routine and monitoring what you drink as what goes in must come out!  So for me its cath first thing, around lunchtime, dinner time and before bed 500 - 700ml a time.  With another cath thrown in if ive had more to drink than usual. An odd careless insertion of cath has led to some 'bleeding' which is scary as fuck but only done that twice in 15yr.  Same as other dude has said if my bladder has got 'too full' I know about it, legs go tight and i feel 'full' thats always a clue im close to leaving it too late.

One mate went straight on indewelling cath, regular infections and cath bypassing.  Last incident he had left him with 'urine burns' as he hadnt noticed his cath had bypassed.  Burns led to a wound, that got infected, sepsis, bone infection and he is pretty fucked up right now. But hey he is still with us and takes the ribbing we give him for not feeling his nuts enough to check everything is in working order!

Last mate took same journey as me, but his bladder wont retain more than 200ml so he went supa pubic as otherwise he would be intermitent cath all the time.  It works for him.

Have to say I prefer the intermitent way as it does give me more freedom, as in been able to lay in bed naked not attached to a drainiage bag.  Sometimes the little things matter the most.

So when it gets to devy story time I think any descriptor fits, it could be 'god i need to cath to avoid it emptying/spasming/back pressure to kidneys/going pop or whatever

we are all different ... three SCI guys all sameish ages and injuries 3 different ways for bladder management.

[kwhi13]

Hi Ruth,
Glad you got some many good responses regarding the bladder. I wanted to add my experience though I not SCI. This summer due to massive infection leading to the removal my second toe, I experienced a distended bladder in the recovery room after surgery. No fun at all I had to be cathed a couple of times, then post op cathed about three days. Never experienced pain quite like that. Any questions please feel free…

I know you are married, but we live so close-I’back in Arlington after caring for my mom for eight years in Daytona-it might be nice to have coffee and chat a little. I used to be up your way quite a bit, I like the Columbia branch library. Too bad libraries are not quite what they once were, but that is a different discussion all together. Not a huge fan of the disability genre but I am interested in reading your work to get a feel for you and your perspective. Ciao…