Need help with my Urine Report

[smashms]

why are you using both a external cath and a intermittent cath you should only be using 1 or the other

[gjnl]

Originally Posted by smashms

why are you using both a external cath and a intermittent cath you should only be using 1 or the other

There are many accounts in threads and posts here of men using external catheters and intermittent catheterization. When you are wearing a male external catheter, you wear a leg bag that can catch leakage or you can try to extend time between intermittent catheterizatons to suit a personal schedule.
That said, it is a tricky business.

"Reaton," if you are leaking between intermittent catheterizations you need to find out why and/or take an appropriate amounts of anticholinergic medications to stop leaking.

Basically, "smashms" is right, your really can't have it both ways. Once upon a time, I don't know if they are even made any more, there was a male external catheter that had a removable end/tip. The end/tip could be removed from the portion of the catheter that adhered to the penis and a relatively clean cath could be performed. But, wearing an external catheter and trying to cath through the catheter is not a viable method, when trying to stay infection free is the goal.

All the best,
GJ

[reaton]

The reason I wear an external is that when my bladder gets to a certain volume it triggers. If I am out and about I don’t want to take the risk. About 99.9% of the time I cath is a dry cath……by that I mean there is NO urine in the condom that would result in me pushing bacteria back into urethra. I wash and use SurgiLube for lubricant. My alternative is to simply NOT to cath at all and just go with the external only, but everything I have read on this board suggest it is better to cath and have an empty bladder then to carry residuals.

[gjnl]

Originally Posted by reaton

The reason I wear an external is that when my bladder gets to a certain volume it triggers. If I am out and about I don’t want to take the risk. About 99.9% of the time I cath is a dry cath……by that I mean there is NO urine in the condom that would result in me pushing bacteria back into urethra. I wash and use SurgiLube for lubricant. My alternative is to simply NOT to cath at all and just go with the external only, but everything I have read on this board suggest it is better to cath and have an empty bladder then to carry residuals.

It all depends on what the residual urine is. Have you had urodynamic studies to determine how much urine is left in the bladder after you finish a catheterization.

I understand what you are trying to accomplish, completely empty your bladder and keep dry in between caths if you can't get to a convenient place to cath. Many folks manage their bladder with intermittent cath only by carrying supplies with them to perform cath when necessary, and skipping the external catheter. There are drip collectors you can wear that will absorb up to 200cc of urine to give you a little extra time to get to a restroom to cath. But, you are running a higher risk of getting urinary tract infections by cathing through the external catheter.

All the best,
GJ

[smashms]

ok sorry i am female and don't cath anymore anyway i have an ileal conduit so i will just step out of this thread.

[reaton]

Thanks everybody for your help and advice. As the latest report shows, I am now UTI free. It looks like the Keflex (14 days, 3/per day) was the antibiotic that cleared everything up. Now that I am clear here are some of the changes I am going to make:

1. Started taking Vesicare……..this allows me to go 6 to 8 hours without cathing, instead of the normal 4 hours I was doing.
2. Only wearing an external catheter at night now.
3. Bought a case of Clorox Broad Spectrum Cleaner and cleaning all surfaces that could possibly harbor bacteria. Night bags, legs bags, shower bench, shower faucets, etc…. This stuff kills just about every strain of bacteria that has caused me UTIs within 2 minutes.
4. New catheter for just about all my caths……….occasionally will reuse.
5. Carry hand sanitizer everywhere I go.