Hi, new here.
I've been seeing urologists for about 10 years. Nothing has helped. I get up 20 times a night and had zero to 1/2 hour a night.
I asked about a cath and he said no, that will give me an infection.
Ok, so I've gotten no help and he's "out of options" as they all say.
I'd like to try a catheter on my own. Can anybody give me advice on them. What kind, where to buy, size, lube, re-usable.
I want to at least find out for myself if this could help me.
Patrick
Stop drinking anything with Caffeine, Diet Soda's and Any other sodas for one week
and report back in one week
i'll give it a try. Thanks
Presume youve had a cystascope to see if a cause can be found, have they ruled out intersticial cystitus for cause of frequency. Catherters can cause infections, but many use them and manage, for whatever reason, sure someone who uses one will reply. You could check out c.o.b cystitus and overactive bladder foundation, site, they specialise in bladder probs and have a forum with lots of info and advice, l think they also have a helpline to ring for advice help, good luck
Thanks I will do it next
Lynne, I don't know, but you'd think my drs would have told me if that was it or not by now. Current one is the head of several urologists under him and he's pretty much telling me he doesn't see anything..emptying bladder well, etc etc..He just gives me pills and i can't tolerate any of them, so now he tells me to come back in 6 months (obviously he's just letting me go slowly). I've had two cyst turp procedures done in the past, i have a inter stem device which doesn't help one bit (i turned it off two months back and it's no different). I get up 20 times a night and zero sleep ..occasionally i fall asleep for half an hour. It's been this way for almost 10 years and i guess the drs. don't seem to take it too serously.
hi . ig youve had cystascopes they should have seen if there,s intersticial cystitus, it causes inflammation, seen, pin point hemmorages and scar tissue, if enough scar tissue the bladder can shrink, but again they should know the size and how much your bladder can hold, leaving many with ic the need to go frequently. l,m not too bad with it, if its aggrevated l can go every hour day time, and 2 or 3 times a night and thats drag enough, trying to get back to sleep, some are worse than l am with frequency. l guess theyve tried amitriptylene, commonly given to ic patients, calms nerve endings, reduces frequency and helps with sleep. Lot of things dr,s dont take seriously unless its classed terminal, but difficult for them knowing what to do next for you, but some patients do get catheters, l dont know criteria, but cob site will have people on forum who have them, a rare few even have urostomy,s if there life has become intollerable over many years. Check out the c.o.b site they know a lot about it and will advice. l cant imagine what a pain it must be getting up 20 times a night, bad enough a few times, best wishes.