Hate to be a party pooper Knight but this advice is from a bladder management page
Food and drink Drinking too much can make bladder symptoms worse - increasing the number of visits to the toilet and the urgency to urinate. On the other hand drinking too little can lead to concentrated urine that irritates the bladder and creates a good environment for infection. The general advice is to drink around one to two litres, or six to eight glasses, of liquid per day (more if the weather is hot or if exercising). Food and drink that can irritate the bladder and are best avoided include :
Drinks that contain caffeine - drinks such as coffee, tea, green tea, hot chocolate can cause irritation directly to the bladder lining. Alcohol - particularly white wine. Fizzy drinks - carbonated and highly coloured drinks have been shown to worsen some bladder symptoms. Acidic fruit and juices - citrus fruits including grapefruit, orange, lime, lemons and tomatoes. Spicy foods - studies suggest that people who avoid spicy foods, like curry, chilli pepper and cayenne pepper, may reduce their bladder symptoms. Record when you eat or drink any of these and see if they affect you. Source
DJ...why would wine taste different when your 'older' lol
Well, my bladder says otherwise. *shrug* and of course, only 1-2 glasses. I started to get UTI symptoms, 2 glasses of red moscato with dinner, next morning, no synptoms, and clear urine.
Plus, if we lived by that list, what would we eat? plain mashed potatoes only? I like my spicy stuff, lol!
At my last urology appointment in Nov. my Dr. wrote in his notes, patient has a confirmed neurogenic bladder". Ok,,, well it only took 6 years to finally say it. So with UTI's that I have had, (I was in the hospital for the last one) he recommended to step up the straight cathing. Sooooo, that means more then 6 times per day! He didn't want to put me on a low dose antibiotic, and I wasn't ready for that. But all this is really working on my anxiety. Sure PCP got me all fixed up with Xanax, but what else do I need to accept things?
I'm to the point, I don't like going out much. First you have to have a bag with cathing stuff, and protection too. Guess you just keep going right.
Sorry I haven't been active. Been trying to get a grip on things.
Sending a hug right back to you dannyiel! Straight cathing that many times a day really is a pain. My urologist recommended I cath 4-6 times a day for the longest time since my bladder would empty itself but retain about 200ml which isn't good. Ever since I started cathing through the day for about 4-5 times a day, I feel like I've had less infections and it just feels good not needing to wear the condom catheter and leg bag all the time. It'll be overwhelming at first but try it out, you might end up feeling better from the fewer UTI's!
Sending a hug right back to you dannyiel ! Straight cathing that many times a day really is a pain. My urologist recommended I cath 4-6 times a day for the longest time since my bladder would empty itself but retain about 200ml which isn't good. Ever since I started cathing through the day for about 4-5 times a day, I feel like I've had less infections and it just feels good not needing to wear the condom catheter and leg bag all the time. It'll be overwhelming at first but try it out, you might end up feeling better from the fewer UTI's!
Thanks for the hug back DJ, that is pure medicine to me!
Regarding cathing, I guess I have been doing this off and on for 5 years with Foley's in between, so its not new to me, but 8 times is, and yes less infections would be good. And like you I retain anywhere from 150 - 400ml so yes I need to get those #s down. I love the freedom with straight cathing and not having a indwelling.
Sending a hug right back to you dannyiel ! Straight cathing that many times a day really is a pain. My urologist recommended I cath 4-6 times a day for the longest time since my bladder would empty itself but retain about 200ml which isn't good. Ever since I started cathing through the day for about 4-5 times a day, I feel like I've had less infections and it just feels good not needing to wear the condom catheter and leg bag all the time. It'll be overwhelming at first but try it out, you might end up feeling better from the fewer UTI's!
Thanks for the hug back DJ, that is pure medicine to me!
Regarding cathing, I guess I have been doing this off and on for 5 years with Foley's in between, so its not new to me, but 8 times is, and yes less infections would be good. And like you I retain anywhere from 150 - 400ml so yes I need to get those #s down. I love the freedom with straight cathing and not having a indwelling.
Yeah I thought the condom cath was restricting and I can only imagine how much worse the indwelling cath must be. I think there's a much higher chance of getting UTI's with an indwelling so it'll be nice to catheterize intermittently. 8 times seems like a lot though! Are you taking any medication for your neurogenic bladder? I have one as well and I take Oxybutynin/Ditropan to try to ease the bladder spasms.
Thanks for the hug back DJ, that is pure medicine to me!
Regarding cathing, I guess I have been doing this off and on for 5 years with Foley's in between, so its not new to me, but 8 times is, and yes less infections would be good. And like you I retain anywhere from 150 - 400ml so yes I need to get those #s down. I love the freedom with straight cathing and not having a indwelling.
Yeah I thought the condom cath was restricting and I can only imagine how much worse the indwelling cath must be. I think there's a much higher chance of getting UTI's with an indwelling so it'll be nice to catheterize intermittently. 8 times seems like a lot though! Are you taking any medication for your neurogenic bladder? I have one as well and I take Oxybutynin/Ditropan to try to ease the bladder spasms.
So DJ, my urologist recommended a condom cath to me, but said it would lonely make you busier taking it on and off, you must be going through 6 condoms per day right? Are you sore from that? I only get a Foley when I get to tight down there and he recommended and also my PCP wanted it, so it might be once every 2 months for at least a week, but told me longer would be better. Then its easier for me to cath again. Yes, I take 10mg of Vesicare daily, and 4mg of Flomax to settle things down. But its not enough, I wear a tape diaper also(easier to get off)
Yeah I thought the condom cath was restricting and I can only imagine how much worse the indwelling cath must be. I think there's a much higher chance of getting UTI's with an indwelling so it'll be nice to catheterize intermittently. 8 times seems like a lot though! Are you taking any medication for your neurogenic bladder? I have one as well and I take Oxybutynin/Ditropan to try to ease the bladder spasms.
So DJ, my urologist recommended a condom cath to me, but said it would lonely make you busier taking it on and off, you must be going through 6 condoms per day right? Are you sore from that? I only get a Foley when I get to tight down there and he recommended and also my PCP wanted it, so it might be once every 2 months for at least a week, but told me longer would be better. Then its easier for me to cath again. Yes, I take 10mg of Vesicare daily, and 4mg of Flomax to settle things down. But its not enough, I wear a tape diaper also(easier to get off)
Oh I see, so does your bladder self empty if you didn't have a Foley catheter in? My bladder starts spasming once it gets to around 300ml and the spasms force the bladder to empty some of the urine. It normally emptys 150ml and retains 150-200ml. I normally catheterize in the morning, wear the condom cath the rest of the day then cath again at night before going to bed and putting on a condom cath again. Though relying on the bladder spasm to empty the bladder is not a good idea because the pressure buildup in the bladder could push urine back up to the kidneys which is really dangerous. I finally realized how it's not a good idea to to let the bladder empty itself (4 years later) so now I intermittently cath a few times a day on most days each week but I still sleep with the condom cath.
So DJ, my urologist recommended a condom cath to me, but said it would lonely make you busier taking it on and off, you must be going through 6 condoms per day right? Are you sore from that? I only get a Foley when I get to tight down there and he recommended and also my PCP wanted it, so it might be once every 2 months for at least a week, but told me longer would be better. Then its easier for me to cath again. Yes, I take 10mg of Vesicare daily, and 4mg of Flomax to settle things down. But its not enough, I wear a tape diaper also(easier to get off)
Oh I see, so does your bladder self empty if you didn't have a Foley catheter in? My bladder starts spasming once it gets to around 300ml and the spasms force the bladder to empty some of the urine. It normally emptys 150ml and retains 150-200ml. I normally catheterize in the morning, wear the condom cath the rest of the day then cath again at night before going to bed and putting on a condom cath again. Though relying on the bladder spasm to empty the bladder is not a good idea because the pressure buildup in the bladder could push urine back up to the kidneys which is really dangerous. I finally realized how it's not a good idea to to let the bladder empty itself (4 years later) so now I intermittently cath a few times a day on most days each week but I still sleep with the condom cath.
Yes, I will spasm and it will empty maybe 50%, its seems like about half always stays in. Yes, agree of not waiting for a bladder spasm, so I have set times of cathing, which my Uro likes, but Iam getting tired of all this cathing,I don't want to have a Foley full time, I really don't. My PCP suggested(having the foley) I should. But she isn't in my shoes.
My bladder is getting weaker, but still continues to spasm no matter what. So I need to keep going right
Yes, I will spasm and it will empty maybe 50%, its seems like about half always stays in. Yes, agree of not waiting for a bladder spasm, so I have set times of cathing, which my Uro likes, but Iam getting tired of all this cathing,I don't want to have a Foley full time, I really don't. My PCP suggested(having the foley) I should. But she isn't in my shoes.
My bladder is getting weaker, but still continues to spasm no matter what. So I need to keep going right
Ah ok, sounds like my bladder haha. Do you know what you bladder capacity is approximately? Mines not much, I think it's 300-350ml. Yeah they have no idea what it's like having a foley in. I had one for a month when I was in intensive care and a few months later I had one in for a few days due to a bad UTI and it just sucked. The worry about it getting pulled and the pain it caused when they removed it was just hell. I told myself I'll never use one again unless my life depended on it lol.
When you catheterize intermittently during the day, what catheter do you use? I use the coloplast prelubricated ones and it cuts down the hassle of setting everything up. They're expensive but if you can get them, it might not be as bad to cath intermittently throughout the day!
Yes, I will spasm and it will empty maybe 50%, its seems like about half always stays in. Yes, agree of not waiting for a bladder spasm, so I have set times of cathing, which my Uro likes, but Iam getting tired of all this cathing,I don't want to have a Foley full time, I really don't. My PCP suggested(having the foley) I should. But she isn't in my shoes.
My bladder is getting weaker, but still continues to spasm no matter what. So I need to keep going right
Ah ok, sounds like my bladder haha. Do you know what you bladder capacity is approximately? Mines not much, I think it's 300-350ml. Yeah they have no idea what it's like having a foley in. I had one for a month when I was in intensive care and a few months later I had one in for a few days due to a bad UTI and it just sucked. The worry about it getting pulled and the pain it caused when they removed it was just hell. I told myself I'll never use one again unless my life depended on it lol.
When you catheterize intermittently during the day, what catheter do you use? I use the coloplast prelubricated ones and it cuts down the hassle of setting everything up. They're expensive but if you can get them, it might not be as bad to cath intermittently throughout the day!
According to my last UD, it was 500ml. Yes it is very stressful with a Foley, as you know life changes when you have one. I'm coming up when I will need one, as its getting very difficult to insert my speedicath, so they will insert a Foley and I will need that for a while to dilate me, and it feels huge, but I have to accept, so I can get back to straight cathing. I use Coloplast Speedicath, yes prelubricated, which are really good and don't hurt much with insertions.
According to my last UD, it was 500ml. Yes it is very stressful with a Foley, as you know life changes when you have one. I'm coming up when I will need one, as its getting very difficult to insert my speedicath, so they will insert a Foley and I will need that for a while to dilate me, and it feels huge, but I have to accept, so I can get back to straight cathing. I use Coloplast Speedicath, yes prelubricated, which are really good and don't hurt much with insertions.
Yeah hopefully it won't be too long until you can get back to straight cathing!
Agree with you DJ, I know I have to get better at self cathing, I don't want to lose this option, and I take Vesicare and Flomax, it does help, but feel toxic from it. But we keep going. Sounds like Friday the nurse said the Foley will be arriving!
Agree with you DJ, I know I have to get better at self cathing, I don't want to lose this option, and I take Vesicare and Flomax, it does help, but feel toxic from it. But we keep going. Sounds like Friday the nurse said the Foley will be arriving!
Ohh no, really? That's no fun! Yes you better get that self cathing down pat soon and avoid that damn foley!
Many people with a Spinal Cord Injury will suffer from Urinary Retention because their injury has left them with a Neurogenic Bladder. A Neurogenic Bladder is a bladder that does not function as normal due to damaged nerves.
The central and peripheral nervous systems is responsible for normal function of the bladder The normal function of the urinary bladder is to store and expel urine in a coordinated, controlled fashion.
Urinary retention can cause an inability to empty the bladder of all of urine, even if it is full (acute urinary retention) or can cause difficulty with the initial flow and inability to completely empty. Often after voiding..there can be a feeling of still needing to empty (chronic urinary retention). This can cause the bladder to overstretch which also damages the muscles within the bladder.
Individuals who suffer with retention, either acute or chronic will be taught to either self catheterize at regular intervals during the day or have an indwelling catheter in place. Catheterizing then empties the bladder,
If catheterizing was not already in place then acute retention would be a medical emergency, chronic retention may not seem life threatening but it can cause serious problems.
Below is a diagram showing the Urinary Tract System
Urine retention can cause the bladder to become over full...if this happens then urine can 'back up' to the kidneys which can be a very serious problem. This can then damage the kidneys and cause reduced kidney function. If too much function is lost then dialysis may be needed or even a transplant.
Other issues can be caused from catheterizing due to UTI infections.