Looking for a Foley catheter that I can use
August 5, 2016 4:15 AM Subscribe
I'm a morbidly obese male, 56. I have problem with recurring UTI's, about once every six months. (Way too much detail inside.)
After some undignified tests, my doc seems to think an enlarged prostate is blocking off my bladder from fully draining, leftover urine brews nasty bugs, we're right back where we started.
This last UTI was particularly nasty, urine that looked like chocolate yoo-hoo drink, along with the usually fever and shaking. This led to a 6 hour trip to the ER, where I got a liter of fluid and IV antibiotics, as well as a script for Augmentin. Then got a phone call a few days later, they were sorry, they had given me the wrong antibiotics, I should replace the Augmentin with Macrobid. Fine.
Of course I get a call monday, my regular urologist is back from vacation, he tells me Macrobid is used primarily in women, I'll probably be fine but stop in some time for a chat.
So we chat. He recognizes that due to my obesity self catheterization is out. His plan is to put in a Foley for "a few days" to give the bladder some time to rest empty. The alternative plan is with the next UTI, several day hospital visit for IV antibiotics.
OK, I sort of understand the plans, and I'm all about dodging the hospital (I've got an 80 year old mom to take care of) so plan one.
One problem: the last time he had me wear a Foley, he expected 3 days, I couldn't last 12 hours. Because the hose was so short, every time I moved the hose was yanking things. It has very painful.
So I've been looking for a Foley with a longer hose. I know they must make them, wheelchair and bedridden patents have longer tubes. Any reason I couldn't just buy a 6" piece of rubber tubing, cut the catheter and splice it together? It might help some.
tl/dr Anyone know of a Foley catheter with a hose longer than the stock 17"? The doc didn't.
After some undignified tests, my doc seems to think an enlarged prostate is blocking off my bladder from fully draining, leftover urine brews nasty bugs, we're right back where we started.
This last UTI was particularly nasty, urine that looked like chocolate yoo-hoo drink, along with the usually fever and shaking. This led to a 6 hour trip to the ER, where I got a liter of fluid and IV antibiotics, as well as a script for Augmentin. Then got a phone call a few days later, they were sorry, they had given me the wrong antibiotics, I should replace the Augmentin with Macrobid. Fine.
Of course I get a call monday, my regular urologist is back from vacation, he tells me Macrobid is used primarily in women, I'll probably be fine but stop in some time for a chat.
So we chat. He recognizes that due to my obesity self catheterization is out. His plan is to put in a Foley for "a few days" to give the bladder some time to rest empty. The alternative plan is with the next UTI, several day hospital visit for IV antibiotics.
OK, I sort of understand the plans, and I'm all about dodging the hospital (I've got an 80 year old mom to take care of) so plan one.
One problem: the last time he had me wear a Foley, he expected 3 days, I couldn't last 12 hours. Because the hose was so short, every time I moved the hose was yanking things. It has very painful.
So I've been looking for a Foley with a longer hose. I know they must make them, wheelchair and bedridden patents have longer tubes. Any reason I couldn't just buy a 6" piece of rubber tubing, cut the catheter and splice it together? It might help some.
tl/dr Anyone know of a Foley catheter with a hose longer than the stock 17"? The doc didn't.
Were you using a Foley stabilization device? They're designed to mitigate a lot of the yanking problems.
posted by makonan at 4:37 AM on August 5, 2016
posted by makonan at 4:37 AM on August 5, 2016
Re: splicing in some extra tubing, this is unfortunately not a good idea, as Foley catheters are sterile. Obviously once they're inserted and in active use the outside part is touching all the germs, but the inside of the system (from you to tube to bag) remains sterile. Splicing in some extra tubing DIY-style would lead to a risk of getting a UTI from the catheter system.
There should be multiple different external tubing lengths available, but they may come in a set along with the bag. I've seen sets for a leg bag (shorter external tubing) and sets for a bag designed to hang from a hospital bed (longer external tubing). Unfortunately I'm not sure about the terminology to find this stuff (as a student nurse, I just run to the supply room on the hospital floor I'm working on). Is there a medical supply store in your area? A phone call or visit might help?
posted by snorkmaiden at 6:23 AM on August 5, 2016 [3 favorites]
There should be multiple different external tubing lengths available, but they may come in a set along with the bag. I've seen sets for a leg bag (shorter external tubing) and sets for a bag designed to hang from a hospital bed (longer external tubing). Unfortunately I'm not sure about the terminology to find this stuff (as a student nurse, I just run to the supply room on the hospital floor I'm working on). Is there a medical supply store in your area? A phone call or visit might help?
posted by snorkmaiden at 6:23 AM on August 5, 2016 [3 favorites]
Any reason I couldn't just buy a 6" piece of rubber tubing, cut the catheter and splice it together?
It might not sound serious, but this isn't a good idea. It's not just sterility issues, it's material compatibility and biocompatibility. Those things are assessed for medical devices (like foleys) in a very controlled, regulated way. You don't want contaminants from industrial tubing coming close to your mucous membranes for a prolonged period.
You can very certainly insist to your doctor that your previous experience was an experience in inadequacy and discomfort because of the tubing length. This should absolutely not be a problem for your physician to address. If it is burdensome to them, that's a red flag. Like, your doctor's office should have no problem contacting their suppliers and asking this question--it's shameful and embarrassing for their practice that they didn't do this. Call them up and put it back on their shoulders if you can.
I'd also ask the doc about options for resolving the presumed issue with your prostate inflammation. Did this come up? Expecting to treat a recurrent infection on a recurring basis, instead of its presumably established root cause, is not good medicine.
Sorry to hear about your situation, man, foleys indeed suck.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 9:39 AM on August 5, 2016
It might not sound serious, but this isn't a good idea. It's not just sterility issues, it's material compatibility and biocompatibility. Those things are assessed for medical devices (like foleys) in a very controlled, regulated way. You don't want contaminants from industrial tubing coming close to your mucous membranes for a prolonged period.
You can very certainly insist to your doctor that your previous experience was an experience in inadequacy and discomfort because of the tubing length. This should absolutely not be a problem for your physician to address. If it is burdensome to them, that's a red flag. Like, your doctor's office should have no problem contacting their suppliers and asking this question--it's shameful and embarrassing for their practice that they didn't do this. Call them up and put it back on their shoulders if you can.
I'd also ask the doc about options for resolving the presumed issue with your prostate inflammation. Did this come up? Expecting to treat a recurrent infection on a recurring basis, instead of its presumably established root cause, is not good medicine.
Sorry to hear about your situation, man, foleys indeed suck.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 9:39 AM on August 5, 2016
It doesn't sound like a problem with the catheter so much as with the catheter bag? (From what you're describing, anyway)
There are lots of longer catheter bags on the market, you can also wear the leg bag as high up your leg as you need to for it to be comfortable, or use one of these dressings as makonan mentioned to keep a bit of looseness in the tubing. Worst case you could use a flip/flow valve and have no bag at all (which is pretty close to self-catheterising). Incidentally I don't have any shares in Bard, they just happen to have nice pictures. Other catheter manufacturers have similar product ranges.
Honestly just go back to your urologist or catheter nurse, this is a pretty common complaint with catheters and not related to your weight at all.
posted by tinkletown at 10:23 AM on August 5, 2016
There are lots of longer catheter bags on the market, you can also wear the leg bag as high up your leg as you need to for it to be comfortable, or use one of these dressings as makonan mentioned to keep a bit of looseness in the tubing. Worst case you could use a flip/flow valve and have no bag at all (which is pretty close to self-catheterising). Incidentally I don't have any shares in Bard, they just happen to have nice pictures. Other catheter manufacturers have similar product ranges.
Honestly just go back to your urologist or catheter nurse, this is a pretty common complaint with catheters and not related to your weight at all.
posted by tinkletown at 10:23 AM on August 5, 2016
Not a foley solution but a tip about recurrent UTIs -- someone I know was hospitalized with a UTI and the infectious disease doc suggested that he take high dose Vitamin C routinely, with the rationale being it would help to make the urine more acid and therefore less hospitable for bacterial growth. So that might be something to ask your doc about, as you're trying to get the rest of it sorted out.
posted by LobsterMitten at 10:23 AM on August 5, 2016
posted by LobsterMitten at 10:23 AM on August 5, 2016
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posted by _Mona_ at 4:31 AM on August 5, 2016