Caution! Neobladder Ahead!

Flyer,

Unfortunately, the cathing is likely to be permanent. It is for me. I cath every time. It is fast and easy and I know I'm empty when I'm done. Hard lesson for any of us to learn about the Foley. I always make it very clear now if I have to go to the hospital for a procedure. I tell them I have condom catheters and can use them if they need. Rather do that then have an in-dwelling catheter anyway.

That mucous thing comes and goes with me. Infection can cause a change as well but that is usually also accompanied by a stronger/ different odor as well.

Best!
Mike

Two and a half months after AAA and the stint is working fine. Unfortunately the neobladder isn't. I've gone from cathing occasionally to two to three times a day. Sometimes my bladder feels full only minutes after the cath. A few times I cathed again and only got 20-30 ml, so I feel I'm getting it empty.

My neobladder seems to occupy itself with trying to set the mucus record. I wonder if that is causing the full feeling. Anyone else have this sensation? Thanks,
Flyer

Either fortunately or unfortunately there are not enough of them for nurses to get familiarity.

I had hernia surgery and the foley was clogged and my neobladder got over stretched. Now I have to use a catheter to go. Since then I bring a condom catheter.

It is up to us to explain it to the nurses and doctors. If it is clogged too long it can shut down the kidneys and cause death so it is very serious business.

Mike

I am amazed every time my Dad has to be put in the hospital how little is known about a urostomy! Invariably, before any procedure, they ask if Dad needs to "go to the bathroom and empty his bladder". This is after we have told them he has a urostomy and no bladder. We have learned to always bring our own supplies with us including the connector to go from Dad's pouch outlet to the foley bag they use at night at the hospital. They never have had the proper (or any for that matter!) connector. Why aren't nurses trained about this?!

A recent surgical procedure (AAA, but that’s another forum) required use of a Foley catheter – a Fr 14. The procedure went as planned and I awoke feeling fine – and hungry from not being allowed to eat for nearly two days. A few hours after wolfing down a salad and something they called pot roast, I developed pain in my abdomen.

My first thought was the salad was having trouble passing through my intestines. Soon I was calling for painkillers as the pain worsened.

Finally a x-ray was taken and my neobladder alerted them to the fact that something wasn’t right. This information was on my chart but because I was not on a urological floor, nobody knew what a neobladder was. They attributed the lack of urine collection to kidney shutdown.

Fortunately the staff urologist was called and within two minutes he realized the Foley was clogged and extending my bladder, causing the pain. He removed 1,100 CCs of urine, the first 200 of which were mostly mucus. My pain went away and nurses were given orders to flush the catheter twice per shift.

Unfortunately, the nurse the urologist showed the procedure went off shift and neither of the night shift nurses who replaced her knew how to flush the catheter. I finally ended up doing it myself.

The lesson is that medical professionals know little outside their field of specialty. My vascular surgeon and his merry team were clueless. Whoever put in the Foley was unaware that a neobladder produce mucus and went with too small a catheter. Nurses are not trained in all aspects of patient care.

The patient must know his or her conditions and insist on proper care. If you have a neobladder you certainly know how to flush it. If a healthcare professional isn’t doing a procedure correctly, be forceful in explaining it to them or even demonstrating how to do it.

On my part, I had never experienced abdominal pain due to urine retention but had previously had pain after eating raw vegetables. If it happens again, I’ll know.

I hope this helps someone avoid experiencing excruciating pain.