Posted by Anna on 3/3/2009, 7:02 pm, in reply to "Re: backflow to kidneys?"

When I went to see the urologist, I asked if there were any dangers of not going for a long time. He said that it could cause a weak bladder and hence incontinence in later life, but wasn't immediately damaging and that you would just end up urinating if you were in any danger. That said, I'm not sure he quite understood the nature of the condition, in that as painful and as much as you do need to go, you just /can't/. As for the catheters, I was given several different brands to use and have found it horrible. When the nurse did it for me the first time I was almost in tears, and despite many attempts by myself have never succeeded because I simply can't bring myself to push it up. I found it a hugely invasive, and also painful process. It doesn't help that if you get nervous about doing it then your muscles clench making it a harder process. (I don't mean for this to scare you or anything, just so that you know you're not alone in finding self-catheterisation painful.)

270