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I havent been on here for a while. I have had this problem for as long as I can remember. Anyway about two years ago I was give a prescription for catherters. I practised a few time and was succesful, I though this would be the end to my problem. The problem is I can use one and then I have an empty bladder (although I do feel like i need to pee all the time) but then when I get home and pee normallly me god how it stings. I stopped using then as the pain was far greater then the benefit. Can anyone tell me about their experience, does this pain eventually stop as you get used to them. Also does anyone use any anxiety drugs herbal or prescription and do they work, I worry about everything so these may benefit me. Thanks for your time
The first time I ever used one, I experienced very mild stinging when I went normally afterwards and that was it. Iv probably used them 5-10 times since then (last year) and didnt experience stinging afterwards, only during the actual usage.
Only a thought... Are you mabybe putting the catheter in too quickly? It took me a good 15/20 seconds. Again Pulling out used to to take 10 seconds +.
Is it possible your using too big a size?
Sorry I cant help much, im only going from experience.
Hi Chris,I use catheters and,as Mark said the pain is very ,very,minimal.The catheter slides in and you feel as the tip arrives at the sphincter a slight obstruction.Relax and push slightly harder and it progresses into the bladder.After emptying start to withdraw slowly,its at the start of withdrawal that I feel that slight twinge,but I far,far prefer that to the discomfort and sweating of a full bladder. I have described this because I do not want any potential catheter users to be put off trying by Chris's unfortunate experience.Perhaps Chris you should give it another try.
Hello Chris, I've been using catheters for lond time and never experienced any problem. It's very important although that you use CIC catheters, which are specifically designed for intermittent use. I've always used these ones, I think they are great even if they might not be good for someone else: http://www.flocath-quick.co.uk/
If you have never tried CIC catheters, but you only used standard ones, like those rubber ones used in hospitals, I would suggest you to try them.
I haven't posted on here in ages also, i should maybe find an old post and do an up date, some people may find my progress interesting.
I sympathize with you sir!! I'm getting to a good place with AP now, it's not really holding me back much anymore. When I was 'getting there' I thought it would be a good idea to learn how to use these catheters, being as some people on here say that just knowing they have them helps them go.
That made sense. A big part of it for me was the catastrophizing. "if i can't go now, this is going to happen then this then this..." But by having a sure thing fall back like a catheter... your good right?
I made an appointment to talk about getting one and the good people at Urology proceeded to prod and probe me... Urodynamics is a wonderful thing isn't it? A joy I believe I'm scheduled to repeat later this week at any rate, I finally got some. The nurse made an appointment to show me how to use it.
My lord it was painful! It seemed to be the same catheter as posted by one of the chaps above. It was the weirdest nastiest thing. The worst bit being the final push into the bladder!!! Then of course is the feeling your about to wet your self for hours afterwards. And of course the aforementioned stinging pee.
At first, like you i thought that if i was out and about and ran into a problem I could fall back on this and go about my business and that confidence would eventually lead to me not having to use them at all... But after using one of those it's evident my night would be over and the only place I'm going is home... and to bed!
I went for my urodynamics... Long and short, straight after I was given a box of catheters and instructed to urinate as normal first thing in the morning and last thing at night, but directly afterwards catheterize into a measuring jug and take note of the amount.
I did this for two weeks and it was a flat out nightmare! After the first week I went back to the GP because i literally couldn't go into work. I had to do this thing to my self in the morning and it was long after noon before things started returning to normal. Even after that I was a little messed up. Then I had to do it RIGHT before I was supposed to go to sleep. Trying to fall to sleep through the stinging sensation that your about to wet your self isn't as easy as it sounds let me tell you...
Anyway, the GP gave me these needless syringes... let me stress there is no needle in these things, just a nib at the end. Inside is an anesthetic gel, you shoot about a quarter or more of the contents down your urethra, massage it as far down your penis as you can, wait a couple of minutes for it to take effect then catheterize. This made things a bit better. But the pain of entering the bladder was still pretty massive...
It wasn't a good two weeks for me lol. But it has to be said there was a dropping off of the pain. Towards the end, while it hurt still, it didn't hurt nearly as much as the first few times, and the recovery period became shorter and shorter.
Talking to the male nurse about this, he suggested it was my age. I'm 27 now, and was 25-26 at this stage. He suggested that older people (no offense guys) weren't as sensitive down there so didn't experience as much discomfort.
I'd always thought they down played the amount of pain involved so it wouldn't put people off turning up for appointments. But from your responses it seems I've had an uncommonly bad experience.
My advice would be to hound your GP for some therapy. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the way my friend. AP usually comes with a lot of baggage, a therapist can't be your pee buddy, but they can help you enormously, especially with anxiety and stress. The workshops here are great too, if you haven't been on a couple do so! But meeting up with someone every week who want's to hear about what you've done and is constantly challenging and pushing you is a massive help!
As for the catheter. I made a judgement that the pain was definitely not worth the effect. But I'm in a pretty good place right now. I'd say i'm somewhere below the shy end of the normal spectrum, but it's not stopping me from doing anything anymore. Maybe your in a different boat? Maybe it's worth muscling through the pain? I saw a big decrease in the amount of pain by using twice daily for two weeks. I can reason that after a month or so the pain and effects would probably be as negligible as experienced by the above chaps. It's worth getting some of those syringes though.
Sorry this is a bit long. Hope it helps and good luck!
What a trial you have been put through: and I mean put through, because there is no way the medics should have put you through that. Catheters should be no more than slightly uncomfortable, never painful. There are several manufacturers to choose from, two types of tips - one of which is known to cause discomfort, and a range of diameters. You should have been offered several to try out. I do wonder is this was not an example of hospital practice, rather than a GP practice.
As for younger men being more sensitive! Where's the evidence. One might as well say that older men are tougher as a result of life experience. Its a cop out for not doing anything about it.
The feedback from a survey of users was that for most a catheter is uncomfortable but a huge relief; for one or two like you it was painful, until a different cath was tried.
So reader. insist on trying a different cath if there is any suggestion of pain.
Hey but well done for persevering with the AP side of things and progressing. As yiu say: getting to the point where you dont think about it and dont let it affect your life is the main aim; being a bit shy is then no problem.
at any rate, I finally got some. The nurse made an appointment to show me how to use it.