Male Catheter Question

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Hi, all. I couldn't find a good answer on google, so maybe you can help. I will have to wear a catheter for a finite period. The last time I had one was very very brief.

(Warning about TMI ahead)

The issue that occurred was the tip of my penis. The lubricant would dry up in that area, and the catheter would virtually become adhered to my skin. There would be 100% friction and subsequent irritation leading to spasms.

Is this common? How does one keep that area lubricated? I am completely without guidance on this.

(It was a Bard Lubri-something catheter.)

Thanks!!

 

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I use Vaseline recommended by my Urology PA and Dr. but have use antibacterial ointment too. But first clean up and do that lets say every 3 hours till your penis adjusts to the new visitor. lol (we need go lighten up sometimes!)
I receive wonderful care, so when I have issues, I ask. But here is a wonder source too. Boom

 

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One tip is to use sticky ace bandages to wrap the bag to your leg so the bag doesn't slip and pull on the tip of the penis. Good luck!

 

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This is one of the reasons I had to stop using them. It’s very common for a guy to experience substantial size changes in a 24 hr period, especially at night. Due to the extreme bladder spasms at times it wasn’t uncommon for the whole thing to blow off taking my skin with it. The last time I used one the leg connector popped off over the Atlantic on the way to London, and I didn’t know it until I woke up. I forgot about the pressure differential at 35,000 feet, I was used to maxing out about 12-15,000 feet in smaller airplanes I used to fly. Lucky for me it looked like a drink fell off my tray table, but I still had to explain to a crew member as I exited as I didn’t want someone thinking they were wiping up “Ginger Ale”….
Just another day in the life!

 

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You could ask urologist if they can give a script for " UROJET" it's a combination of lubricant and lidocaine. Might make things a little more comfortable.

 

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After Roboctic RP Surgery and before I was discharged, I had catheter maintenance training by the attending nurse.

Used witch hazel pads (TUCKS) to clean tip first then applied a small amount of Cortizone(1%) with Aloe

Worked well to keep irritation at bay.

 

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Wow, that was a lot of advice really quick. Thanks for the good ideas. Much better than I could find on the web

 

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Wow, sounds tricky, not to mention painful. Thanks for the TMI warning.

 

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JustAGuy, you must be using an internal catheter. (?)

BUT...If it's an external catheter that fits OVER the penis, make sure you are clean and dry (use low heat of a hair dryer). Then use SKIN PREP (or some such)and dry it with a hairdryer. This will provide an adequate surface for the glue inside the external catheter. Unroll the catheter and squeeze it to press against the skin. This should function ok for several hours and go through the various size changes.

IF YOU USE VASELINE ON THE SKIN, THE EXTERNAL CATHETER WILL COME OFF IN NO TIME. USE VASELINE ON THE SKIN ONLY IF YOU ARE NOT GLUING SOMETHING ON THE SKIN. Sounds like you are using an internal catheter and that's above me, it's been 14 years since my surgery. I did have an internal catheter for 2-3 days to keep the urethra from sticking together and blocking the flow of urine.

 

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I don’t know much about Foleys, but I do know that for my 7-days-long estradiol and buprenorphine patches, both of which come pre-glued/sticky, they won’t stay on for more than one day, unless I do the following, as advised by my dermatologist and my spine doctor:

-Clean the skin
-Hand-dry then blow-dry the skin
-Wait a few more minutes to make sure the skin is really dry.
-Squirt on enough Flonase to cover the area of the skin that the patch must be affixed to (Flonase, as in, the nasal allergy spray - your doctor may even be willing to prescribe it to you for this purpose alone; if not, it’s available over-the-counter). I guess what this does is really dry out your skin so the glue will stick best.
-Wait five minutes for the Flonase to dry really well. Don’t blow dry to rush it unless you really have to. Be careful not to let other skin touch the sprayed area or it can remove the Flonase.
-When very dry to the touch, affix the patch.
-Cover the patch with four Tegaderm patches so the sticker doesn’t move for the necessary seven days it must stay affixed.

It looks so stupid but I’ll tell you what: it works! If I don’t use the Tegaderms, it doesn’t work. If I don’t use the Flonase, it doesn’t work. It takes the combo of those two things to told a patch in place on my dry skin.

I realize what you’re talking about is a completely different area of the body and I’m not sure really what you’re dealing with, but if you have to stick something to your body, long-term, maybe these suggestions can help you. What you’re going through sounds excruciating!

 

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SNOW: Your suggestion is new to me and worth trying. THANKS.

 

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You could ask urologist if they can give a script for " UROJET" it's a combination of lubricant and lidocaine. Might make things a little more comfortable.

They use 2 Urojets to Foley cath me, and obviously this leaks out for a while, but the petroleum or the ointment sticks there so its really best for me.

 

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My Pelvic floor therapist advised me to use coconut oil around the tip of my penis if this occurred. It never happened so I don't know if it works or not.

 

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Ask your doctor for a prescription for lidocaine ointment. Many doctors and pharmacists don't know about this stuff, but it's not hard to find if you know to ask for it. Don't confuse it with lidocaine gel - that's the stuff that's like KY jelly that dries up and gets sticky. Lidocaine OINTMENT is a thicker water-based stuff that's got a consistency like Vaseline, but it's safe for use on catheters.

I had a Foley catheter for over a month several years ago, and the lidocaine ointment was a lifesaver. I had to reapply it every few hours, but it made the catheter so much easier to deal with.

I wouldn't suggest Urojets for use with a Foley catheter. The gel in them is the KY-type stuff that dries up, and trying to get a Urojet applicator into the urethra correctly when you've got a catheter in place would be difficult. They're awesome if you are using an intermittent catheter, though.

 

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@donegatf Coconut oil was recommended to me by my OB-GYN as the only natural or unnatural lubricant that doesn’t dry out during sexual intercourse, and in my experience, that’s true. So I guess if you need something to stay lube-y, it could be a good choice.

 

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Lidocaine cream is available over the counter in concentrations of 3% and 4%. It is available from a physician and 5%. In the big box stores, the three and 4% are typically located near braces like ace bandages.

 

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I would also advice an sterile ointment you get from the urologist. I applied it once or twice a day during the first days of a new catheter. From my experience a new catheter sticks more. I don't know if it is the skin getting used to it or a change of the surface of the catheter. But even after a longer period of time having to use one continously it occured again after a catheter change. That's one reason i wanted them to stay as long as possible.

Good luck and i wish you well!

 

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Thanks again, everyone!

The Flonase solution is fascinating. It makes a lot of sense.

I’m curious regarding items like coconut oil: does sterility matter?

I imagine any of the solutions like Vaseline and coconut oil will be secret to getting through this period of treatment. I find it very wierd that I couldn’t find any mention of this problem or solution in general search results.

I will definitely ask for the urologist to provide a numbing ointment for the real irritating moments. Or, if the script is too expensive,I will opt for OTC lidocaine or benzocaine.

 

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I’m going to highjack my own thread and add a topic change:

Do people recommend wearing a thin diaper with the catheter in case of leaks?

I’ve heard spasms can cause urine to be expelled around the tube.

 

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To my knowledge sterility does matter. Doctors are ver cautious about it and i was told i should not use a package of ointment longer than 2 weeks.

I always used a pad, even when after a while i did not have spasms anymore. During the day i always had some kind of moisture dripping out. Sorry for the explicity. A pad is better to drap aroud the right area.

What's also important for not getting irritation around the entrance is to properly fixate the catheter and catheter bag to your leg. It prevents movement while walking even when size doesn't change much during the day.