Thanks guys.

Sorry I have been all over the place in my mind the last few days. Been to hospital 3 times and on to my doctor's what seems to be every day. The hospital have told me that I have to keep the catheter in for 2 weeks while I try and get some mental health support. I think my anxiety has been fueling my paruresis and perhaps turning it into some kind of OCD like behaviour. I feel pretty low in myself and absolutely exhausted after several days of no sleep and full bladders and panic.
My doctor has prescribed me sertraline which I have just started taking, though I know it will take a while to work on my anxiety. I'm also looking to get some councilling support. Because of the nature of me ending up in A&E 3 times in a week they are referring me to the mental health team.
Honestly I never thought it could get this bad. I'm going to talk to my GP about self catheterisation. Having had it performed on me 3 times in a week now I think I could do it. It would certainly relieve the stress of having to go to hospital and try explaining this again and again.

Chris

If you want something to take to the GP with you about self-catheterisation, look at our website at menu item Professionals, then For General Practitioners, then the fourth section down headed "Intermittent self-catheterisation for managing urinary problems". That gives an intro, and a link to an article from the Professional Nurse magazine recommending self-catheterisation, based on research by a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Urology.
Cheers
Andrew

Thanks Andrew.

I'm going to get on top of this. I'm not gonna let it beat me any more. I think you are right when you say that even having the 'nuclear' option, so to speak, will free me from the anxiety. I think doing it myself if needed will be a lot easier that going into casualty and having someone else do it. The last two times it literally took less than 3/4 secs. And you are right. It's not painful, just and odd feeling when it goes through into the bladder. I guess you would get used to it.

Excellent, good lad. It will put you in control and once you have proved to yourself that it works by using it in a public cubicle, the world is your oyster again. You can start practicing true peeing knowing that if it does not work you can fall back on the cath.
Keep in touch
Andrew

Hi Andrew, Just a bit of an update and I was wanting some advice. I am due to get this catheter out this week and I've been taking Sertraline which have been lowering my anxiety some what. Though i have been feeling a bit anxious about when this Catheter is removed. I spoke to my doctor who I asked about self catheterisation and she wouldn't prescribe me them. I told her that I am anxious about all this and it would allow me some agency over the urine retention problem. Im really not sure what my next move should be. I could ask at the hospital maybe when i have this removed but I'm not sure if that will work or not. I just don't want to end up back there again with this problem. Do you have any ideas how I could get some catheters beyond my GP?

Thanks

HI Chris

You are really being badly served by your GP!

I don't know how you can get catheters elsewhere: the manufacturers will only post a sample. You could try getting sample and then see if you can order them from abroad?

Or change your GP: either a different GP in the same practice, or change of GP practice.

Or can you get back to your urologist: hopefully they would be more amenable.

Andrew