How to deal with catheter while recovering after prostate surgery?

Although I have not had prostate surgery, I do have an indwelling Foley catheter for a bladder problem indirectly related to my enlarged prostate. I have been wearing Foley catheters for over two years and have done a lot of trial and error experiments to find what works best (for me). I started like most people with a leg bag, an adhesive "stat-lok" to keep strain off the proximal catheter and a night bag.
I soon decided that the adhesive thing is a bad idea. If it isn't in just the right place you can't change it. I swapped it for an elastic strap with velcro. But the thin ones slide down on your leg, so if you use one get a wide version. One inch should work.
But the most important change I made was to start using a valve on the end of the catheter. I have been getting the Ugo brand from Amazon. (Clever name). It is life changing. You can wear it 24 hours. It just tucks up in your underwear. I like snug fitting boxer briefs which keeps the catheter and valve from moving around. No bags. No elastic straps. Wear whatever you want.
My routine is to change the valve once a month and go in for a catheter change every three months. ( I know - most urologists recommend every 4-6 weeks but a CDC infectious disease panel recommends NOT changing catheters at prescribed intervals, but only if there is an indication - like a UTI). I have not had any infections in 2 1/2 years. With regard to the question about sitting on a toilet, I double a long piece of toilet paper to hold under the catheter and prevent it from touching any part of the toilet. Don't know if this is necessary, but I figure that is the location most prone to contacting bacteria.
Hope this helps some people. Happy to answer any questions.

Thanks @windrider354 . You have provided lots and lots of tips based on years of experience with catheters!

I need to re-read carefully so I can formulate my questions.

I can see the benefits of Velcro vs adhesive from the perspective of ability to adjust. Also, it is easier to remove without possibly taking your skin with it. But in our situation (post prostate surgery), I believe we need to use a leg bag or a night bag since the urine has to collect somewhere. I just can’t see (or don’t understand) how a valve can replace the bags.

The bag is tied at the leg, called leg bag. It has two buttons. One for drain and the other for shutting. You raise the leg and keep it on the side of the seat. Now the opening and shutting of the value become easy. Just drain it and shut. One can do it when ever necessary without outside help. Is it clear? Feel free to ask.

I was in the same situation I live alone and I was worried about it and that’s what made me decide to get my prostate removed and not get to Radiation. Once you get the Prostate out you may need radiation afterwards if you have cancer outside of the Prostate in the lymph nodes. When you go to the bathroom at night just drain the bag as much as possible clean and close it, you may have to sit to avoid any hernia issues later. you don’t need To change the bag until morning keep the tips wiped off. Don’t rush at all.I had a nurse 2 days a week to clean the wounds and pt2 weeks later

I could be wrong but I think I now understand the function of the Uro valve. It is is a tap-like device fitted into the end of a urethral catheter which allows the bladder to fill and then be emptied into a toilet or container at regular intervals. Or it could be direclty connected to the leg bag. In your case, I am assuming it is directly connected to your bag. Is that correct? If yes, how exactly are you using the valve? What it the benefit of having the valve when you are also using the bag. That is not clear to me. Also, was the use of the valve approved by your urologist? Couldn't it place a strain on a bladder which is still healing?

The point of a valve is to avoid the need for a leg (or night) bag. As you said, urine collects in the bladder as it would normally and you just open the valve over a toilet whenever you feel the need (or every few hours). I have not had prostate surgery so I'm not sure about putting strain on the bladder but that doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Just ask your urologist.

I'm not a medical professional but I did have RARP and my care team really stressed keeping the bag below your bladder so the urine can freely drain into the bag so it doesn't back up into your bladder and put stress on the stitches. Also, that's why the night bag is so big is so it won't fill up and stop the draining. It's also why I used the night bag during the day at home so I could lay around with my feet up and have the bag on the floor below my bladder. So I agree with @windrider354 that using it to go without a bag sounds like a real bad idea to me. My care team did give me a clamp (looked like dull scissors) to clamp the catheter for about 30 seconds when changing bags, but not for continuous use. If you do want to pursue this, definitely ask your care team before you do it, and make sure they understand how you intend to use it. But even if you didn't plan to go without a bag, having a valve that could get left shut accidentally (or get accidentally closed somehow) seems like a bad idea for a recovering RP patient. Just my 2 cents. Best wishes.

Soli - you have to use bag after the surgery since the whole point of catheter after RP is to make sure that urine drains constantly without any delay. There should be no strain on your bladder since your urethra was cut off and than reattached to your bladder. There will be a lot of blood in your initial urine and possibly some small cloths also. All of that junk needs to drain, drain , drain. This gentlemen was kind enough to explain his way of dealing with catheter placement and attachment. The rest does not apply for RP.

I agree with you a 100%. Those of us who will have prostate surgery need to use the bag (leg bag or night bag) to drain the urine that comes out of the bladder, as it comes out, not after it accumulates. So, I can't imagine urolgists will agree if we request to replace the bag with a valve.