How to deal with catheter while recovering after prostate surgery?

I found the design of the bags that I bought easier to drain.

That is funny 🙂

Sorry if this is off topic but I’d like if possible to get some feedback at removing a catheter at home. I’m consider IRE treatment out of state. The norm is to have the catheter for 5 days after treatment. The Urologist said that I could travel home the day after treatment and remove the catheter myself after 5 days. Has anyone removed theirs and if so is it easily tolerated?

I think it is a brilliant idea to throw used bags instead of cleaning the tips and reusing them. I am thinking of doing the same. It is less hassle and reduces the chance of infection. This of course assumes the catheters used by the hospitals have a tip with a universal standard able to mate with a bag of any manufacturer.

That seems reasonable to me but I will try to verify during my pre-op.

Yes and no. I removed my own catheter after one day last February when I had outpatient surgery for a urinary sling. It was easy. However, I did NOT remove my catheter after my RALP surgery in 2023. I had it in for a week and wanted a medical person to do it for sure. I had no idea if adhesions had developed and certainly wouldn't have been able to handle any problems had they occurred. I also wanted to be told if my incisions were healing properly. As it turned out, I was fairly incontinent at that moment of removal, so being in the doctor's office was better situated for handling that issue. I would think your own GP's office could remove your catheter if you asked them.

I was hoping for active surveillance, but the combination of my unfavorable intermediate risk NCCN category based on the pathology report, combined with a high genomic GPS score made it very risky not to seek definitive treatment now. If I had a very low GPS score (say, less than 20), I would have probably decided on active surveillance.

Key is Inside the prostate or outside and how aggressive it is. Ultimately it is your decision and life. We all have to count our blessings and calculate our risks and age is also a factor. I feel blessed to still be standing with continence after going on 17 years. All the best wishes and best of luck.

You are very lucky! I wish you all the best for the future.

I have a question for those who have had a post-surgery cathether experience. I suspect there are pros and cons for each, but if given a choice, would you select a velcro strap or an adhesive device like a Statlock. And why?

I had RARP 13 months ago at age 70. I used an adjustable elastic strap (with a plastic buckle like clip; I don't remember any velcro on it) as that's what the hospital gave me. I liked that it didn't grab the hair on my leg and I could adjust the tension to my preference. One short-coming of the elastic strap was it would slowly slide down my leg during the day if it wasn't tight enough, so I needed to keep an eye on it so it didn't allow the tubing to start pulling on the catheter. Once I realized I needed to occasionally check it to make sure it wasn't sliding down, I never had a problem with it. I never tried an adhesive strap so I can't say which is best. Best wishes.