This is the second time I’ve had a blocked catheter. The above photo was taken this morning, after the blockage was dealt with. Clearly there’s something going on.
Blockages can be caused by general debris, as in the photo above, or dried blood or kinks in the tube.
At work
Each time I was at work when I realised I had a blockage and I was able to take a medical appointment as the reason for paid leave. For me it is common for me to spend a lot of time sitting at a desk on my computer while I’m at work. Occasionally I need to get up and make a drink, go to the printer, see a colleague working nearby, visit the staff cafe and so on. In fact I welcome these reasons to get up and move about. It is also an opportunity for discreetly being aware of how full the leg bag is.
Just as well; a blocked catheter can be a medical emergency. It’s definitely an emergency if there’s more than 1000mls of urine being held back.
Realising there’s a problem
Yesterday I realised I hadn’t been to the toilet for a couple of hours in spite of drinking plenty. I felt my leg back and it seemed almost empty which surprised me, so I went into the toilets. I checked for any kinks in the tube or any other reason for a blockage. There were none and I was starting to feel uncomfortable. Actually I could feel my trousers were starting to feel a little tighter around the waist and this is a sign something was seriously wrong. I started to feel quite concerned as I knew I needed to be seen quickly as this could become a medical emergency.
I mentioned the issue to my manager, who is very understanding as I said I will have to go home straight away. Before I left I called the District Nurse service. You don’t actually get to speak to a nurse, instead a call handler. Nevertheless they seem to be pretty efficient. I got home at about 4:00pm and the 30 minute wait for the District Nurse to arrive seemed to go on forever.
I didn’t catch the nurse’s name but she was very well prepared with a catheter kit. She asked when I last passed any urine and it was instantly agreed she’d change the catheter. I even suggested I was thinking of doing it myself as it was starting to become painful (I do have some spare catheters). She was quite firm in telling me I shouldn’t do it! If I were to need the catheter permanently, I can be trained to change it myself and even so that is not encouraged.
Pretty painful!
In the 10 weeks since I first had a catheter, it has already been changed twice. At best you wince a little. This time it was quite painful and I think this was because I was already in pain and couldn’t relax easily. Once fitted, a bag was connected and immediately the urine started to flow. Next was the need to use a syringe to inflate the balloon to keep the catheter in place in my bladder.
Within 15 minutes I had passed 2000mls of urine and then it simply stopped. My stomach was reasonably flat again and I felt so much better. At this point I have previously gone into a kind of shock through being shivery, cold and shaky. Hardly anything this time, must be getting used to it.
Firm advice
The nurse used a catheter kit which she brought with her. Just as well really as it contained everything she needed. Unusually the bag is connected to the tube in a way where you can’t disconnect it without tearing off a sealing cover. The bag should be changed in two weeks and the tight time bags must be connected to the tap and this will lower any chance of getting an infection.
This means I can’t (easily) go running which I’ll miss after that period of time. Damn damn damn. I feel so frustrated at having this tube stuck inside me for so long and for all the restrictions and inconvenience it brings.
Relevant – Living with an indwelling catheter Exercising with a catheter