Need advise, am I hurting progress of my SCI husband

[NARIDEVOLI]

Thanks Shelly!

[betheny]

Originally Posted by NARIDEVOLI

I have a question about not cathing in the middle of the night as everyone has suggested. We were sent home from rehab with a 4 hour intermittent schedule. I believe he has a flaccid bladder not spastic. We have gone to 6 hours now unless he feels like he has to go sooner. Is it safe for him to go 8 through the night?

How much is he peeing after 6 hours? Is he restricting fluids for a few hours before bed? Is the condom cath an option? (I always envied men that possibility. So easy to strap one on at night, attach a leg bag, and sleep straight thru!)

They sent me home on a 4 hr. schedule initially too.

SCI Nurse will probably have good advice on this. This early I'm sure he needs a lot of sleep. When his body has healed more, 6 or 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep won't feel so much like sleep deprivation.

About 6 months out I had to start skipping naps (had to ride a bus downtown for experimental PT, then back, cook supper, tend to house/kids, etc., it all took the full day, husband was working out of state), that's when I learned to go 6 hours at night w/out cathing. You also learn to catch up on your rest on the weekends.

I'm c5-6 incomplete btw.

[NARIDEVOLI]

It varies. Sometimes 300cc sometimes 600-800. Occassionally more. How does the condom cath work? DOes the cath get inserted and sit there all night? Sorry I don't know this stuff...

[darkeyed_daisy]

Keep in mind that next year when you are looking back on this year.....you will be amazed. No matter how slow your husband has to take it to get independent just dont give up. As I said, he is already amazing for having returned to work so soon. It is different for all of us so we have to judge our own situations.....

Just take care of yourself and your kids and dont be afraid to ask for help. People alot of times are willing to help if they are just asked. I know that is hard for an independent person and your husband must be very independent or he would still be in bed!

[betheny]

Condom cath doesn't go in, it goes on the penis just like a condom, has adhesive at the top to keep it on. I'm no expert LOL, but I believe that some have a hole and tubing at the bottom connecting it to a nightbag that hangs on the side of the bed. I guess it won't work if his urine all stays in until he caths. I'm a little clueless about the finer points of male sci peeing.


Again, need to wait for sci-nurse. Seems to me that if he would notice his fluid intake before bed, see how much he caths given various intakes, he should eventually be able to gauge it. If he doesn't drink after 6:00 p.m., caths 300 ml 4 hours after bedtime, he should be safe going 8 hours?

Seriously, I'd start a chart and try to find the pattern.

Possibly a lot of health professionals will tell you not to do this, but an awful lot of us do it. We're also told to get plenty of sleep nightly, so like everything, you'll have to weigh the pros/cons.

Daisy is right, in a year you'll be so glad this year is over, and amazed by how far you've both come.

[NARIDEVOLI]

Yeah, I'm not sure with the flaccid bladder. We were told that since his pee just doesn't come out on it's own, the danger is that it could back up into the kidneys. We did try last night to limit fluid intake. He cathed at 10 and he went until 6am and then only voided about 600cc.

[Obieone]

Nari .. I don't know if Bill is the best example or not but ... he wears a condom cath day and night ... because after exhausting all other options and meds its what works best for him. However he does do an intermittent cath every 4 hours throughout the day to keep his bladder in shape . At night he just hooks up to a night bag and lets it go all night (sometimes as long as 8 hours ) . The problem with this system is having to be vigilant of the skin on the penis that it doesn't break down from the on again off again of the condom ... in Bill's case for what ever reason he has had zero problems with that ..... however he is meticulous about his self care and uses a skin prep that works well and found condom caths that stay in place without too much muss and fuss !

I'm thinking the clapper thingee is a great idea fo sho .......

Obieone

[Obieone]

Did you say he could feel when he has to go?? If so you might not want to mess with that .... cause thats a good thing ... Bill can't tell when he has to go and was leaking all over all the time anyhoo .....

Obieone

[NARIDEVOLI]

Yeah, He can feel if he's is really full, but again it only has leaked a few times in 9 months.

[ergvepeog]

Obieone is right on... Nari... if your hubby hasn't had urodynamics then he should before you use a condom catheter. Don doesn't have problems with backflow to the kidneys so he uses one at night but does IC during the day.

Let us know how it goes!

Sieg