Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Support Group
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Hi all,
First off if this thought embarrases or scares you dont read on.
I got taught how to do the self catheters last Wednesday by a continence nurse & when she was here got it 1st go & it drained a bit.
Since then I have usually got the right spot, minimal amount of drainage (between 10-50ml), thats how I think I am doing it right. I know my bladder is not emptying fully as I still feel like I need to go so soon after & still got lot of leakage between. Sometimes there is blood in the catheter when I take it out too.
I spoke to the continence nurse on friday & she said to continue trying as maybe because I am contipated (again) it is bocking it. She said the blood is simply from trauma to the area as it is not used to the catheter. I use disposable.
I am taking 20ml actilax 2 times a day, movicol 2-3 times a day, metamucil at least once a day & eating a lot more fruit & vegetables. All of this is supposed to help food be processed. I am also having a lot of cordial, yogurt every day, weetbix or porridge for breakfast with soy milk. Even tried the trusty licorice again & that did nothing. I am having very small & few bowel motions. I know enemas wont work as I compact further up. For every litre of intake I am probably only voiding 300-400ml which is a low ratio I was told.
I have sat there for time waiting, have kneeded the abdomen to try to get it to work, stood up (with it still in), tried doing it standing & laying down rather than sitting. Still no luck to any extent.
I am on a soft food diet due to swallowing & speech problems when I was in hospital, see speech lady on Thursday but I am still chiking on some food so not changing before then.
The only other thing they put me on is 1/2 of a 5mg ditropan when I started catheters. Could this be stopping it? When I took ditropan, 5mg previous it caused difficulty going.
I am still getting spasms & pain in lower back (since hospital it has eased but still there), also got abdo pain which I have had for long time & is being investigated along with the diverticular disease.
I feel like I am wasting my time doing the catheters when I still have to wear continence pads etc & no real result. I never liked the thought of doing it anyway, have got over that & now frustrated.
I know I have put a lot of different things in here, but trying to give the full picture. Any advice, ideas, thoughts etc will be appreciated.
Thanks in advance, Sue
First off if this thought embarrases or scares you dont read on.
I got taught how to do the self catheters last Wednesday by a continence nurse & when she was here got it 1st go & it drained a bit.
Since then I have usually got the right spot, minimal amount of drainage (between 10-50ml), thats how I think I am doing it right. I know my bladder is not emptying fully as I still feel like I need to go so soon after & still got lot of leakage between. Sometimes there is blood in the catheter when I take it out too.
I spoke to the continence nurse on friday & she said to continue trying as maybe because I am contipated (again) it is bocking it. She said the blood is simply from trauma to the area as it is not used to the catheter. I use disposable.
I am taking 20ml actilax 2 times a day, movicol 2-3 times a day, metamucil at least once a day & eating a lot more fruit & vegetables. All of this is supposed to help food be processed. I am also having a lot of cordial, yogurt every day, weetbix or porridge for breakfast with soy milk. Even tried the trusty licorice again & that did nothing. I am having very small & few bowel motions. I know enemas wont work as I compact further up. For every litre of intake I am probably only voiding 300-400ml which is a low ratio I was told.
I have sat there for time waiting, have kneeded the abdomen to try to get it to work, stood up (with it still in), tried doing it standing & laying down rather than sitting. Still no luck to any extent.
I am on a soft food diet due to swallowing & speech problems when I was in hospital, see speech lady on Thursday but I am still chiking on some food so not changing before then.
The only other thing they put me on is 1/2 of a 5mg ditropan when I started catheters. Could this be stopping it? When I took ditropan, 5mg previous it caused difficulty going.
I am still getting spasms & pain in lower back (since hospital it has eased but still there), also got abdo pain which I have had for long time & is being investigated along with the diverticular disease.
I feel like I am wasting my time doing the catheters when I still have to wear continence pads etc & no real result. I never liked the thought of doing it anyway, have got over that & now frustrated.
I know I have put a lot of different things in here, but trying to give the full picture. Any advice, ideas, thoughts etc will be appreciated.
Thanks in advance, Sue
I am also concerned that you have not had enough instruction with the catheters. it's not a comfortable thing but it should not be causing bleeding either.. please see your Dr.. hugs..
I am contipated & it is usually a high impaction so enemas dont work at all for me. I am on stuff for it & still waiting to see the collarectoral (bowel) specialists next month, have been waiting since last year. Have seen gastroenterologists & they dont have any more answers as have done tests etc. I had this happen several years ago & nothing showed up on xrays tests etc. It wasnt until they did a laparoscopy that turned into major surgery that they found I had a blocked & twisted bowel. Ended up in icu & then when they took my stitches out it hadnt healed so my stomach popped out so I had another 6 weeks attached to a vaccum machine (taking junk out of stomach), with district nursing etc & a long healing process.
I am already on the laxatives & nothing is clearing it fully which I think is affecting the bladder lots. Noticed today that both my abdomen & upper rib area are bloated again which is not good.
I am drinking lots of cordial/water etc & not going with the bladder as much as usual either.
I decided I would see if catheters are working by using one before I voided & still only got 200ml first thing this morning. When I was keeping a bladder chart I would average between 400-700ml at that time. So definately not going right but the catheter is in the right spot at least.
I am going to stop taking ditropan as last time I took it I had trouble going too.
I am wondering if the back spasms are stopping bowel & bladder working too. Will go to my local Dr on Wednesday, today was a public holiday & I already have a full day tomorrow with physio at 9 followed by massage at 9.45, home care in the afternoon & mri of head at 8pm. I can feel the tightening of the bladder/bowel passages when I am having spasms during the day.
I had a bad night with spasms & my body jamming up & then the back has been bad today esp when we went for a drive to visit mum (1 hour each way).
The Dr's didnt work out why my back is having the spasm, it could be muscular or neurological which doesnt answer anything.
I guess I am at the point where there is now bladder, bowel, back spasms, as well as ms symptoms all going mad at once. Its hard to know which one to attack first & all the specialists have waiting lists. I am due to see the gastroenterologist in June I think. I know I have had enough & struggling to think clearly to work out what to do.
Any advice or ideas will be appreciated.
So as far as the constipation goes you may want to speak to doc about probiotics and digestive enzymes which can help you degrade food without nerves. You still need nerve impulses to move the food through GI BUT these things help to degrade the food so it is easier to move and requires less strength to do it.
As far as the urination goes...cath is the only thing I can think of to help.
All my best to you and hopes this flare will subside soon.
EP