Belly Bags?

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Hello,

Does anyone have an experience using a Belly Bag as a catheter bag?

I noted in a previous post the issues we are having with my father and his catheter bag leaking. We are trying to minimize the changing of the bag twice a day (we also discovered he has a UTI, which i suspect is due partially to bad catheter bag maintence and cleaning). The Belly Bag looks like it may be a good solution - larger than his standard leg bag, but smaller than a night bag and less awkward to hid under his clothing (the night bags are just so big I can't figure out how they would fit under his pants).

Thanks in advance.

 

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I have used a belly bag with my external catheter for over 4 years.

I think you have been poorly instructed on use of urine collection bags. The standard leg bag is for during the day and is strapped to the thigh above the knee. The night bag is for overnight use in bed with tubing long enough to hang on the side of the bed and allow you to roll over. Large capacity necessary.

The belly bag I use is the Simplicity Hi-n-Dry bag which only holds ~400 cc. I empty it about every 3-5 hours and restrict fluid intake from dinner time on. In the past I've detected it's quite full and get up to empty as early as 530am. Yes, I've had an occasional accident.

There's a larger belly bag out there but I'm handicapped and could not manage the valve.

 

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Are belly bags ok to use with a Foley catheter? I have thought of trying them but heard they were not good with Foley as it made urine back up to due being higher riding.

 

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Can't fully answer since I use my belly bags with an external condom catheter (much shorter than a foley). The bag is under my briefs connected to me at the condom AND at the valve end where I have a tether attached to help keep that end from slipping down my leg. I position the valve just below the waistband so the bag hangs down without any folds. If properly positioned, all the urine ends up in the bag. The bag has its own valve to retard backflow.

Foley + belly bag? I'd worry about the longer length of the Foley catheter leading to tube kinking. That concern might be obviated by wearing the bag lower along the upper thigh with a longer tether.

 

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I used a Belly Bag, with a Foley catheter for 2 years straight. I loved the convenience, but my bladder would not push hard enough (urologist said my bladder is wore out) to get all the urine into the bag. So I suffered with several UTI's. My urologist told me I either had to present myself for a suprapubic or go back to straight cathing. I elected the straight cathing with a Foley as needed, basically when I want a Foley I go in and the place and either I go home with a leg bag or bed bag.

 

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reply to Boomersway:
I'm confused by your post. If indeed your Foley is indwelling, then it is an open conduit to the bag. No reason for the bladder wall musculature to have to push the urine out. Sounds like you nevertheless have bladder stasis leading to UTIs.
My situation is open pipe with external catheter and belly bag. I've had no UTIs even though my urinalyses are junky.
And asymptomatic bacteriuria is not to be treated.

 

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@mel , the belly bag still is a bit above the bladder as he explained, and no matter how it drained, it did not fully empty, thus urine stayed in the bladder, causing UTI's. That urologist never liked the belly bags and warned me you will only have trouble as you bladder even thou as you mention was a open conduit, it could not empty the last of the urine. I did as he told me and went back to a leg bag. That corrected the issue. And yes it was a Foley catheter, which is indwelling. I cannot use a external catheter as I have urinary retention, and that is the reason I must straight cath or Foley.