Bladder self-determination: Self-catheterization (Male)

Have to self-catheterize for bladder cycling. Sounds extremely painful/uncomfortable. Any suggestions to ease discomfort? Or any techniques to apply?

Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I’m female and I’ve never had to self catheterize so can’t be of much help. But there are many other members and perhaps mentors who have experience with this kind of thing and can offer some encouragement soon.

Hello,

I had to begin self-cathing in Jan 2024, I thought too it would be a horrible experience and didn't believe I could go through with it. My urologist told me many find it a liberating experience because you're finally able to void the bladder completely, find relief and mostly get a good nights rest. I had trouble believing it. Here we are about 18 months later, I would have to say he was right. That being said, finding the right cath for comfort and I believe your body PH, is important. I used one brand for about 6 months, had mixed success, had to throw many of them away. The supplier (introduced by the urologist) listened to my issues and suggested another brand. They took a little getting used to, but are working fine. Coloplast is the brand I'm using, they are loaded with lubricant, which has to be drained before use, but much of it remains on the cath. They are very easy to use, they have the IV ports (twist-screw couplings) in a vinyl sleeve - the beauty of this design is not having to touch the catheter, which may prevent bacterial infections. There is a little discomfort at times, but not real bad. The process gets easier over time. I have to cath 4 times per day. Hope this is helpful and not too much information.

@gwladj76 Thank you for the explanation. Personally, I do not feel it is "too much information"! It really helps when our members step up to share their own experiences. Having that information and support will no doubt encourage others to think all the way through a situation. Understanding that if something is not working for you, you might need to reach out and try a different avenue.
Ginger

i agree with the above as I was extremely embarrassed and scared, but after self-cath for about 18 months, it's much better than before. i had a Eurolift done for prostate, then my bladder stopped working. Not sure why, but needed to empty, so did self-cath. Compared to getting up 4 times a night before the operation, this is much better, and I have more control. That being said, I am still looking for some answer to bring back the bladder, even a little bit. The worst part of doing self-cath is forgetting them when traveling or out....it becomes part of nature, but if there was some new method to overcome emergencies like that, I am still waiting and looking.

Thanks for the encouragement!

Hello!
Definitely not too much info! In fact, it was much needed. Thanks for sharing your experience!

My supplier provided a small backpack to carry supplies. I don't bring it along on every outing such as shopping, church events, golf outings, but if I know I'm going to be away from home more than 5 hours I make sure I have it along. Sometimes it can be difficult to find bathroom facilities that are private enough and 'clean' enough. Porta potties don't seem to rise to those standards anymore.

As for bladder function, my urologist said it is rare to regain full bladder control. Many get bladder control back to, let's say, 50%. For me, I have regained some function, but it varies greatly by day. Not sure if it the amount of activity, foods I eat or other factors and combinations. They don't seem to have answers on that.

Thanks - what products did they recommend, or are you using? Also - Penn Medicine said there is some sort of electrical stimulation available, but only a small % seems to work. They said some newer stuff in down the line.....i was hoping acupuncture or something else would help. mean time self cath is the avenue....again no issues just what you mentioned above.

The brand I ended up switching to was Coloplast - Luja. I had started with a Hollister brand, but found the lubricant seemed to dry up toward the end of my 90 supply, many had to be tossed, they were unusable. The supplier had never heard of this happening, they thought perhaps my body PH wasn't a good match for that brand. So, they took care of switching me to the Coloplast, haven't had any issues.

A friend had the Urolift, didn't seem to work for him, then had the TERP procedure. I believe that was successful. In my case, urologist didn't believe TERP would provide any benefit. I have a back injury - tho' minor - he believes this may have led to my issue. He says that is a very common cause.