supra pubic

[julian q]

how often do people here have their supra pubic cathater changed out? I change mine once a month but was thinking ao doing it twice a month. The reason is that after 3-4 weeks the cathater, turns dark in color and starts to smell bad. is this normal?
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[SCI-Nurse]

Julian -- Although our center does not see many of these, it is recommended that they be changed every 3-4 weeks with the majority of folks doing it once a month. If you start to notice a change in the appearance of your catheter along with an increased odor you should go ahead and change it sooner. Does your urologist know about the changes you are experiencing? You may want to let them know as well. PLG