SP and bladder shrinkage!

sits2much · 12-15-2008, 07:19 PM

I was reading an old post from 05 on here and saw that some of you have had bladder shrinkage after having a SP for a few years.

My problem seems to be related to my bladder shrinking on me. I never really had problems after I changed out my SP catheters until this last time. I put in a new catheter, using the same size I have been for two years now (20 fr 30cc.) I noticed a lot of what looked like flesh in my urinary tube, which I discounted at first. I was just hospitalized last month with another severe kidney infection and I have a bad UTI now. It is way to close together for me, so I started to look at what I did wrong or what had changed in my methods and life style. I have done nothing different and my lifestyle has really stayed the same, so I started to look at the symptoms I had during this last UTI.

I had increased back spasms, that I now think started in my bladder and have worked there way up my back. I don't have feeling in my stomach so I am not for sure on this. I saw trace amounts of blood when wiping, again didn't connect the dots, I wrote this off as maybe spotting between monthly's. I saw fleshy pieces coming through my tube and also small chunks that had blood on them, usually only saw these after a bad spasm. My theory is that my bladder has shrunk and that the balloon in the catheter I use now is too big and it causes the catheter to rub against my bladder wall. I have ordered catheters with 5cc balloons to see if my theory is correct. I don't see a urologist right now but will be in Feb of next year, I have really bad insurance right now. I will have them do a test to see how much my bladder holds now and how big it is.

I have read tons of posts both on this forum and on apparelyzed's forum and it seems to me that bladder shrinkage is not that uncommon. I was shocked to find this out since no one told me about this side effect when I had my tube placed 2 years ago. I guess it makes perfect sense when you figure the hole they cut into your bladder to make the SP line closes up fairly fast. Why would your bladder stay stretched out if there is no urine accumulating in it.

Has anyone gone through this or had the same symptoms?
My worry now is that if it is rubbing and causing irritation which in turn is causing UTI's for me now, how do I control it.
So please if you have any information or comments post them, please.
Thanks for listening to me babble on.

RAFS · 12-15-2008, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sits2much

I was reading an old post from 05 on here and saw that some of you have had bladder shrinkage after having a SP for a few years.

My problem seems to be related to my bladder shrinking on me. I never really had problems after I changed out my SP catheters until this last time. I put in a new catheter, using the same size I have been for two years now (20 fr 30cc.) I noticed a lot of what looked like flesh in my urinary tube, which I discounted at first. I was just hospitalized last month with another severe kidney infection and I have a bad UTI now. It is way to close together for me, so I started to look at what I did wrong or what had changed in my methods and life style. I have done nothing different and my lifestyle has really stayed the same, so I started to look at the symptoms I had during this last UTI.

I had increased back spasms, that I now think started in my bladder and have worked there way up my back. I don't have feeling in my stomach so I am not for sure on this. I saw trace amounts of blood when wiping, again didn't connect the dots, I wrote this off as maybe spotting between monthly's. I saw fleshy pieces coming through my tube and also small chunks that had blood on them, usually only saw these after a bad spasm. My theory is that my bladder has shrunk and that the balloon in the catheter I use now is too big and it causes the catheter to rub against my bladder wall. I have ordered catheters with 5cc balloons to see if my theory is correct. I don't see a urologist right now but will be in Feb of next year, I have really bad insurance right now. I will have them do a test to see how much my bladder holds now and how big it is.

I have read tons of posts both on this forum and on apparelyzed's forum and it seems to me that bladder shrinkage is not that uncommon. I was shocked to find this out since no one told me about this side effect when I had my tube placed 2 years ago. I guess it makes perfect sense when you figure the hole they cut into your bladder to make the SP line closes up fairly fast. Why would your bladder stay stretched out if there is no urine accumulating in it.

Has anyone gone through this or had the same symptoms?
My worry now is that if it is rubbing and causing irritation which in turn is causing UTI's for me now, how do I control it.
So please if you have any information or comments post them, please.
Thanks for listening to me babble on.

I've had my sp cathether since 2/05. When it is changed only 5cc's is put in the balloon per order of one of the urologists in the Urology Clinic because when he did my cystoscopy he noticed that if the balloon has more then 5cc's in it it irritates my bladder. As far as bladder shrinking I don't know if that is the case so far with mine or not.

SCI-Nurse · 12-15-2008, 10:34 PM

All indwelling tubes,SPtubes and catheters, will have a ciontinuous drain and the bladder relaxation due to filing wil ot occur. Also ,very common for sci injury is the overactive bladder which keeps contrating and can have a smal capacity.
Oxybutynin or other meds might help keep the bladder from shrinking because they cause relaxation. But many feel the reason the tube is permanenty in is to keep the bladder decompressed and the shrinkage of the bladder capacity doesn't matter.

CWO

Rollin Rick · 12-16-2008, 11:09 AM

I had my SP since 02, I can no longer hold any more than 300 CC without it leaking around the stoma. I have also experienced bladder irritation where I would see blood and skin as well. Getting a good strap to hold the catheter from tugging all the time was the cure for me.

12-15-2008, 07:19 PM	#1
sits2much Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 3	SP and bladder shrinkage! I was reading an old post from 05 on here and saw that some of you have had bladder shrinkage after having a SP for a few years. My problem seems to be related to my bladder shrinking on me. I never really had problems after I changed out my SP catheters until this last time. I put in a new catheter, using the same size I have been for two years now (20 fr 30cc.) I noticed a lot of what looked like flesh in my urinary tube, which I discounted at first. I was just hospitalized last month with another severe kidney infection and I have a bad UTI now. It is way to close together for me, so I started to look at what I did wrong or what had changed in my methods and life style. I have done nothing different and my lifestyle has really stayed the same, so I started to look at the symptoms I had during this last UTI. I had increased back spasms, that I now think started in my bladder and have worked there way up my back. I don't have feeling in my stomach so I am not for sure on this. I saw trace amounts of blood when wiping, again didn't connect the dots, I wrote this off as maybe spotting between monthly's. I saw fleshy pieces coming through my tube and also small chunks that had blood on them, usually only saw these after a bad spasm. My theory is that my bladder has shrunk and that the balloon in the catheter I use now is too big and it causes the catheter to rub against my bladder wall. I have ordered catheters with 5cc balloons to see if my theory is correct. I don't see a urologist right now but will be in Feb of next year, I have really bad insurance right now. I will have them do a test to see how much my bladder holds now and how big it is. I have read tons of posts both on this forum and on apparelyzed's forum and it seems to me that bladder shrinkage is not that uncommon. I was shocked to find this out since no one told me about this side effect when I had my tube placed 2 years ago. I guess it makes perfect sense when you figure the hole they cut into your bladder to make the SP line closes up fairly fast. Why would your bladder stay stretched out if there is no urine accumulating in it. Has anyone gone through this or had the same symptoms? My worry now is that if it is rubbing and causing irritation which in turn is causing UTI's for me now, how do I control it. So please if you have any information or comments post them, please. Thanks for listening to me babble on.

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12-15-2008, 10:34 PM	#3
SCI-Nurse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: USA Posts: 41,306	All indwelling tubes,SPtubes and catheters, will have a ciontinuous drain and the bladder relaxation due to filing wil ot occur. Also ,very common for sci injury is the overactive bladder which keeps contrating and can have a smal capacity. Oxybutynin or other meds might help keep the bladder from shrinking because they cause relaxation. But many feel the reason the tube is permanenty in is to keep the bladder decompressed and the shrinkage of the bladder capacity doesn't matter. CWO

12-16-2008, 11:09 AM	#4
Rollin Rick Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: B ville, New York, USA Posts: 826	I had my SP since 02, I can no longer hold any more than 300 CC without it leaking around the stoma. I have also experienced bladder irritation where I would see blood and skin as well. Getting a good strap to hold the catheter from tugging all the time was the cure for me.