I made another catheter tips video that you can watch here 😊: th-cam.com/video/uNHGqTWDzB4/w-d-xo.html & a video about how to prevent & reduce UTIs: th-cam.com/video/sOVSQrbYjI8/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for sharing even if it seemed weird! Having EDS I have seen my health gradually decline and it's nice to see how other people are able to manage and still live independent lives. It gives hope and a vision for what life might be like, which is much less scary than the unknown.
Thank you Georgina. I genuinely appreciate you giving such detailed advice. Your courage is very uplifting. About a month ago I had to go to the emergency room because I couldn’t urinate. I thought I had a stubborn, lingering UTI but the hospital tests said I didn’t. They sent me home with a Foley leg catheter and scheduled me to see a urologist who then scheduled me for urodynamics and cystoscope. I’ve had to wait 2 months for these tests so have had to learn to live with the Foley catheter. They have changed it once and told me I will likely have to self catheter going forward which is why I watched your story. You really calmed my heart as I’ve been terrified. God bless you for being so unselfish in sharing something so private. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Thanks for this video lovely. I've been self catheterising for quite a few years now. I started with a urethral catheter and bag that was left in and then learnt to self-catheter use. Your catheters look so much nicer than the ones I use! Also I had no idea you could get self-catheters with bags! Might have to see if I can get some for when I'm more unwell/in hospital. I have a similar bag that I take out with me. Love your storage - mine is just in the delivery boxes they come in, so I think I need to up my game! I found the same with learning to do it on the toilet. Found using a mirror impossible, but doing it by feel worked really well xx
Lauren Robinson you’re welcome, thank you for taking the time to watch, I’m sure your patients will really appreciate it. My nurses also gave me advice that they had learnt from their other patients, so tips from first hand sources are definitely helpful with this.
Just recently it was suggested to me (61) by my urologist that I use a catheter to help me empty my bladder once a day. I have been having constant uti infections (30+ years)that medicine does not work anymore. It is interesting to see the reaction of my family members from the look of horror to the look of sympathy. I had to explain to them that I was excited about this and looked forward to starting it. However I do understand their feelings. I did my first catheterising myself this morning and it went smoothly (lol). I hope this helps my problem. Thank you so much for your video. It certainly helps knowing we are not alone in this.
Hope it goes well for you! Let me know if the infections persist as I may have some ideas for you, my infections actually got much worse when I started using catheters, but I have found some things that helped a lot 😊
Thankyou so much! Im preparing myself for this and i had a quick look and its so tiny i literally couldnt find it! These tips are so detailed! Which i havnt found anywhere else. Ive managed to see it now so feel more prepared for my appointment!
I'm so glad this helped a little! Hope it goes well for you 🤞🏽I have videos on reducing catheter related infections too if you end up needing help with that later down the line 💕
I just re-watched this video and your other videos on catheterizing. As a fellow zebra, I wanted to thank you so much for making this video sharing your experience and tips. The many realistic tips you gave have helped me a lot as I figure out what works best for me and solidarity that it's a hard process at first has been reassuring. The learning process has been really stressful and frankly painful, and your videos have helped build my confidence.
This was such a good video, I have catheterised for 5.5 years (since I was 14 and am now 20) so am pretty clued up but would have loved a video like this 5 years ago so feel this could be very helpful to newbies. I used to use eve catheters and noticed your broken one. Often if you open it and then put the end you have just taken off back into the hole at the top of the handle this pushes it enough that it puts it back into place so it doesn’t drop. Interestingly, I have never been able to catheterise with a mirror when I’m not laying down and now can’t use a mirror at all as I’m so used to it, all the best x
Katie thank you so much Katie! And thanks for the tip :) That’s so interesting about the mirrors! I can’t use one on the toilet as I said, but I wonder if I’ll also not be able to use one while lying down/ sitting on the floor in the future since I’ve not used one for quite a while now 😂 It’s funny how it’s there to help but yet I found it like mission impossible trying to use one on the toilet 😂😂
Georgina's Journey yeah at the start the mirror was helpful and now I just can’t understand how I ever did it with a mirror! I use Infyna Chic, similar to the eve just a slightly longer tube which I have found to be easier, and I use the speedicath compact set with bag when needed! x
Thanks for sharing Georgina. I have an ileostomy which I've had for several years now so I was absolutely gutted when I had to start catheterising as well (I'm only in my 30s). I have had acute retention 4 times now and have been given the speeidcath set with the bags attached as I failed my trial without catheter and am still retaining. It was so scary and difficult at first but I'm getting better at it. Its great that you're able to share all this information it's so useful thank you.
Thanks for sharing I managed to do it without a mirror a few yrs ago. Then stopped now started again and I'm struggling so very grateful for your tips thankyou. Xx
Another great video :) one tip I heard someone used for finding the right hole (from someone who is paralysed so hasnt got all the feeling) is that you can put your finger in the wrong hole and use that as a guide - I've never tried it but could imagine it working. The other reassurance rather than tip is that for me at least, once I had it I just had it - now, even though I've had an SPC for 3years and so only ever use ISC if my catheter is blocked and I need to drain my bladder in an emergency, I can still get it straight away, 1st time every time - no mirror or feeling, I just get it, so I do think it's a skill like anything and especially if you need to do it frequently you'll pick it up pretty quickly. Makes all the crying and pee-on-the-bathroom-floor worth it 🤣
Sophie Hobley thank you! I’ve heard of that tip too! But my nurses said it increases the infection risk quite a bit so I wouldn’t recommend it except in last resort type situations Yeah, it does seem to be a skill! That must be quite reassuring to know you’ve still got that as a temporary option if you ever have a problem with your spc! I wonder if the lack of feeling actually helps you out in some ways as you can probably push the catheter a bit harder than someone with feeling- it’s always a bit painful for me, which sometimes impacts how long it takes me to get it in properly 😅
@@GeorginasJourney ah no, I do have feeling I meant I don't have to feel around - I'd love if it didn't feel like stabbing myself with a knife 😅😅 that's a big part of why I have an SPC rather than still using ISC. My urethral sphincter is in constant spasm so the catheters often stick, pulling them out can take both hands and often a lot of bleeding - owchie!! But it's a good way to drain my bladder if it's full when i realise my catheter is blocked (flushing means adding 100mls to my bladder and so if my bladder is already full then that can be agony as well - you get to play pain top trumps!!) I didnt know that about the infection risk, thankyou for letting me know - i guess you could probably adjust whether it's a big infection risk by using different fingers or a different hand, but i guess it's a last resort like you say :)
Sophie Hobley oh gosh that sounds horrific, I’m glad you have the SPC now then, that actually made me cringe thinking of the pain! I used to bleed a lot from it towards the end of 2018 (& I couldn’t do it myself then, so nurses had to do it due to the spasms and stuff) so I can empathise with what you’re going through, it really is horrible 😕
@@GeorginasJourney yeah, it was a bit like something out of a horror film 🤕 I remember trying to convince a&e that I absolutely couldn't ISC anymore and they didnt take a lot of convincing once they saw it!! But yeah - anytime my SPC is being painful or annoying, I really really try to remember how much better it is that the alternative!
I’m really anxious. I haven’t been diagnosed with any bladder-like problems but I’m having bladder retention. It mainly happens whenever I over think it, I have a horrible fear of not relieving my bladder and it’s getting worse. Knowing that this tool exists relieves my mind. I’m worried about my future because I’m 15 and I’m dealing with this.
Talk to a doctor about it if you think you have retention. Catheters are not a quick fix, they are usually a last resort & only used when absolutely necessary due to the risks of recurrent UTI’s which puts you at higher risk of kidney problems and urosepsis. If your problem is from overthinking, then treating your anxiety around it would be more suitable than catheters
Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video ❤️ I suffer from diastomatomyelia and now have to self catheterise. I have my first training appointment coming up and I’m so nervous! This has helped so much!
Amy Louise Mataczynski you’re welcome Amy! It’s challenging to start with, but soon becomes second nature, so don’t worry if it’s a bit tricky in the beginning! Hope your training goes well 💕
Georgina's Journey I feel so defeated 😣 it was so difficult and the nurses were so unprofessional. I felt so humiliated. And when I finally got it in the right place it hurt so much I couldn’t keep it in. I’m really scared to try it again by myself now 😢
Amy Louise Mataczynski can you call the department and say you need more help and have someone else train you? That’s so bad on their part that they weren’t professional. I also find it extremely painful, but it definitely does get better in time! But there’s not really a way around the pain and I just brace myself for it every time 😕
Georgina's Journey oh man 😣 I was hoping it would get easier as I go along but the pain was so intense I’m scared to try it again. The whole situation was so humiliating with everyone prodding about trying to find the right place I just wanted to go home and hide 😩 it’s a big thing I’m really pleased you are able to do it, it takes a lot of courage and strength. Well done, G❤️
Amy Louise Mataczynski it hurts a lot less when you do it yourself, but if I’m being honest, it is still really painful for a lot of people :( They do it everyday and it’s just a part of their job, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about and they certainly aren’t there to humiliate you. Thanks, it gets a lot better with practice and perseverance 😊 I would say to try again before you give up, as I know some other options like a Foley catheter are even more painful 😌
Thank you... I have looked everywhere.. n only yourself made me feel more comfortable n confident.. I get taught tomorrow morning!! I have days with no urine. N days where I'm constantly on toilet.. although whilst peeing it feels like it's a needle sized hole I'm trying to squeeze my urine out... I can scream in agony... Teddy bear had something to do with making me feel more comfortable.. I get taught yo self catheterize... I will admit I am scared.. yet I'm also looking forward to emptying with no pain or anymore retention... thank you n thank your Teddy... xx
Thank you for that, you where very informative. I see my catheter nurse for the very first time. I'm so embarrassed at having to do this in front of her. Any tips to get over the embarrassment please. Thank you.
I know exactly what you mean, but just try to remember they do this all day, everyday, so it’s only embarrassing for you & the nurse won’t even bat an eyelid!
Great video on tips and ideas when needing to self catheterise. Thank you - Im a nurse that teaches my female clients to do this I have learnt a lot to pass onto new clients Thank you again for sharing this video
I self Cath too due to incomplete bladder emptying,I have hEDS,Ive been cathing for years and in books for a mitrofanoff,a procedure they use appendix to make a stoma to Cath out of,cathing hurts all time,you are a warrior hunny!!
Jessica's Journey I hope the mitrofanoff helps reduce your pain! I’ll be hoping (and praying if it’s okay with you) that it goes as smoothly as possible when you get it done! I’d heard of it before but didn’t know how it differed from a supra public catheter, so thanks for explaining! Thank you so much, you are too!
@@GeorginasJourney thanks so much honey I'll be praying for you,my urologist said a mitrofanoff even though it's major surgery is better than a supracath because of less infection..
Thank you for sharing your story. I use the same fancy catheters and have been self-cathing for 5 years. I feel the thing that bothers me most, are all the uti's that go with cathing. You can actually get special mirrors designet for cathing. I do many things similar to you. I really like the antibacterial bin. Thanks for the tip.
I agree, I find that to be the worst part of it too. D-mannose tablets can help to some extent and there’s a prescription medication called Hiprex which can also be really helpful for recurrent UTIs
@@GeorginasJourney I take dmannose in powder form and I've tried haiprex, but it hasn't really helped me. I use it anyway, because it gives me the feeling that I'm doing something. I'm on prophylactic antibiotics at the moment and I'm also waiting for a permanent sacral nerve pacemaker implant. I've had the first stage of the surgery and could come from cathing 8times/day, to only 2. After watching your video, I've though a lot about how and what I can do to make my bathroom more sterile. You called it overkill, but I don't think you can be too careful. Your video has been a eye opener for me. I'm also at university and will be getting my bachelor next year. You have to be strong and persistent to get through your studies and battling infections and pain at the same time. I don't have EDS, but I have tethered cord, and from there, my bladder problems. I also know many EDS patients have tethered cord too. Best of luck to you.
@@PinkPanther70 Hey, sorry for replying to an old post but have you find a way to control your UTIs? I'm still straggling with mine and I don't know how to handle the situation
Hi Georgina, thanks so much for making this video, it has helped me so much!! Very grateful and so courageous of you to share your story and advice on youtube. I also have urinary retention and no bladder sensation after a surgery for endometriosis. I am 3 months post op now. For the first month, I had an in-dwelling catheter, and then have been self catherising 6-7 times a day for the past 2 months now. It was excruciatingly painful at first, and I felt so down and defeated. It is better now.. I was wondering if you have any tips for being able to catheter without a mirror? I'm trying to learn that next, but still struggling, as I need a mirror every time. Also, I wonder if there are any support groups you've found helpful?
Hi Liz! Regarding the mirror, it’s easiest to do it completely on feeling it- so you want to just keep practising every time you go to catheterise- it’s very much like diving in the deep end, but you just have to go for it For me, I know I’m in the right place if I feel some pain- & as counter intuitive as it feels, pushing through the pain leads me to my bladder 9/10 times, as your urethra is likely to be one of the most sensitive parts down there. Or if it’s not a pain feeling, you should feel the familiar feeling that you get when you catheterise at least! So yeah, you just have to go for it! Good luck 💗
Support groups- try Facebook 😊 You could search for urinary retention, catheterising or even a group for Fowler’s syndrome (a urinary retention condition found in females) as even though you may not have Fowler’s, your symptoms & experiences with catheters will be very similar x
@@GeorginasJourney thank you so much for this!! Very helpful, okay I will try this and persevere! Btw, not sure if this is helpful for you.. but initially I was using the same coloplast products as you but it was so excruciating, I couldn't.. so, I spoke to my nurse and she suggested switching products to Lofric size 8 and size 10s. The size 8 is completely pain free for me. Maybe you can try and see if that helps with the pain?
@@GeorginasJourney okie dokie, I will try facebook groups. I joined one for bladder and bowel support, but it seems most of the comments are about incontinence or bowel, so I feel shy speaking up. And yup, only found out about Fowler's syndrome last week, I will read it up and see if i can find a support group for Fowler's. Thanks so much!!
I have just recently become aware that what I thought was fibromyalgia is probably actually EDS and have been having trouble going lately. Not looking forward to the possibility of this in my future, but thank you for sharing and making not seem so bad.
Great video. I've been self catheterising for the past 3 years and I'm still straggling with UTIs. Mind if I ask if you have any tips for reducing the frequency of UTIs? Doctors say I should just wash my hands very well but that just isn't enough
Hi where did you buy the mirror please. My bladder muscles have stopped working and I have to do self Catheterisation 2 times a day. When I'm out I need a mirror that will help. Thank you.
I just started doing catheterization. My nurse never told me about throwing it away after the wrong hole. Even when i practiced in the office with her we just used the same one in and out many times 🤦🏼♀️
Ah, I’m so sorry 😞 you will probably find out for yourself going forward that that’s not okay to do. If you do still run into problems with frequent infections like I did regardless of using a clean technique, let me know as I have a video with some tips for infection prevention & management also 😊
Hello..I know this video had been posted 1 year ago but I just started to do self catheterising and I would like to know your first time catheterising, do you get a little bit of bleeding on the catheter's tip after pulling one out? I have only been trying to do self catheterising twice but I bleed and I feel so defeated 😢
Hi! The first few times I was catheterised in hospital, I bled. But I haven’t bled from self-catheterising I don’t think. Hopefully your body will get used to it soon 🤞🏽Talk to your doctors or nurses if it continues or if it becomes too painful for you 💗
Just wanted to say thank you for posting this video. My ic has been acting up since October and the last catheter meds didn’t work.. going to the uro on Tuesday to talk over options, the bladder retention is driving me nuts.. a tad better but not great.
Thanks very much for doing this! What kind of wipes do you use to clean the area? They looked like regular baby wipes, which would mean they don't have to be sterile.
Yep, they’re regular baby wipes as that’s what my nurses advised me to use. Self-catheterising is not a sterile procedure, although I have to be honest, I wish it was. UTIs are so common with catheters, I wish I was prescribed something to make it more sterile
www.shinecharity.org.uk/bladder-and-bowel-care/clean-intermittent-self-catheterisation You can read in the second paragraph of that about how self cathing needs to be clean but not sterile and it’s stated in many other sources online, that was just the first one that came up for me when I googled ‘does self catheterisation have to be sterile’ as I wanted you to see it written somewhere rather than just taking my word for it
Just started catherization (retention MS bladder) but I'm very dissapointed :( I can't empty my bladder. After using the catheter I instantly feel an urge to pee and when I go again I pee a lot. I don't understand how is this possible :(((
So sorry, only advise it to insert catheters 1cm further in, then out, then in, then as you take it out for good, make sure to go extremely slowly, we’re talking like over 30 seconds as that’s the only way to drain the very base of your bladder
Great video. I have an over active bladder and the urologist is treating it with botox. The most recent round of botox has left my bladder paralysed so I am having to use a catheter.
You're welcome! Mine is a Tommee Tippee Twist & Click, you can get them from the John Lewis website and at the time I purchased it, you could also get them from Amazon, so it may be worth looking on there too :)
I have self catheterisation training today and it's so traumatising! This is the second time! Plus I'm slightly red and inflamed and itchy down there making it worse. 🤕😩
In theory, you should get less UTIs, but the reality is usually that catheterising gives you more UTIs. If you think about it, you are creating a passage straight into the bladder from outside, so it is a big UTI risk. For example, I had never had a UTI before, but then I got 4 UTIs in my first 3 months of catheterising. I’m going to do a video about what I do to lessen that risk soon, as I haven’t had a UTI for a several months now, although my method is most helpful for people who can go to the toilet naturally at least a bit
@@GeorginasJourney Due to botched surgery, i have been self-catheterising for 24 years.. The only time i have suffered UTIs is when i have been hospitalised and a nurse inserts a catheter, attached to a bag. My training in the use of a catheter was being shown a poster, of a woman's anatomy. i told the nurse i know where all my bits are. i inserted the catheter, produced urine, was declared competent and left to get on with it.. i use a different catheter to the one illustrated, Lofric Sense, produced by Wellspect. i've never encountered any problems with these catheters.
@@kelsangjorlam5770 that’s so good, I don’t know anyone else who catheterises and doesn’t get frequent UTIs (I know a lot of people from the chronic illness community on instagram), so it’s good to know that not everyone struggles with it
How were u diagnosed with EDS? I have dysautonomia and Sjögren’s syndrome and major bladder issues. Where did I get ur thumb brace? I have issues with mine too
And I talked about my thumb braces at this video (there’s a time stamp for that part of the video in the description & in a pinned comment) th-cam.com/video/mgdkjQuAwq4/w-d-xo.html
Hello Georgina. I am given disposable catheters from the NHS and they are awful. I have had two bad water infections because of the design of them. Do you get your catheters through the NHS or do you personally pay for them. I have purchased my own ( furan lady) but they are really expensive. Sorry if this to much of a personal question. I just cannot cope with using the prescribed ones. Thank you for any advise you can give.
Hi! Mine are in the nhs, so I just pay the prescription price, they’re called SpeediCath catheters & the supply company is coloplast, so you could ask your GP or urology nurses about them 😊 Although sadly, I don’t think they will reduce your infection risk much at all. I got 3 infections in my first month or so of catheterising, even when I took so many precautions. I do have a video on reducing urinary tract infections from catheters that you might find helpful :)
I’ve had swollen kidneys and unable to empty my bladder for 17 months. Begging for health care. I’m so desperate that I guess I’ll have to try this on my own. But I have terrible anxiety and I’m so nervous I’m going to hurt myself or give myself an infection.
Sorry you’ve been struggling so much. I wouldn’t advise it without medical guidance as you have to be taught how to do it safely to not hurt yourself & minimise infection risk (although infections are inevitable for a lot of people sadly). Can you go to the ER/A&E if no one is helping you? If you have more than 500ml of retention they will typically catheterise you then and there
So my mom had the catheter inserted for just 5 minutes.... because her bladder wasn't getting fully empty . But after that she hasn't been able to urinate which she was able to before. Can a catheter cause blockage like that?
@@mariloumallari2161 in England you don’t buy them, you get them prescribed by your consultant and then pay the prescription fee as normal, the same way you pay for your prescription medication
I have interstitial cystitis and I am getting to the point of having to self cathing..it takes a long time to not get it in the vagina instead of the bladder.
@@ivyedan7183 if it’s your only option, keep trying & it’ll get easier! Most people have more of a chance getting in the right place the first time by sitting on the floor/bed with a mirror, but it’s not very practical annoyingly
Hi there my relative had a catheter fitted in hospital after being treated for a uti.after about a week it was removed and she had a bladder scan.the scan showed urine still in the bladder so it's not being emptied from the bladder properly and urine is being left in there.so now the catheter has been put back in.the hospital say we just have to wait and see and are now giving oral antibiotics. My relative says its very uncomfortable and its getting her down.have you heard of this? And what is likely to happen? Thanks Rosie x
I’ve heard of urinary retention, yes, what happens next will depend on the severity of it. She will either continue with an indwelling catheter, be taught to self-catheterise, or if the problem gets better (as catheters can make the bladder shrink back down and function better in some cases) she may not need to catheterise in the future. It all depends on how bad her urinary retention is and also how easy she is to catheterise (as intermittent catheterisation isn’t always possible for people who are hard to catheterise). Sorry it wasn’t just one clear answer, but I hope this helps!
@@GeorginasJourney thanks Georgina you explain it nice and clearly and very well.you may well be right with shrinking the bladder back down as they say they are doing it as they dont want to hurt her bladder. She is normally incontinent previously and wore pads and pants.i will be going to the hospital soon to visit so I'll see if I can get any more info.yesterday they said she will probably have to have the catheter for a good few weeks yet.ive not seen them empty it yet ,when I visit it's just always in there permanently and the tube has urine in and is quite wide,I haven't seen any bag just a long thick tube
@@Sidney-q7p do you know how her UTI cause? Maybe she has underlying condition. I had indwelling catheter after my spine surgery for 11 months that was 10 years ago because I cant pee supposed to be should not stay indwelling catheter for long periods of time I only change it once a week it gives me a urinary stone
Even though my doctor wants me to have a goal of not being on it permanently right now not focusing on that I'm just focusing on getting my bladder taken care of I don't care if I do have to be on that permanently
The biggest downside to it is the infections so that’s probably why they don’t want it to be a long term thing, but I think just focusing on right now is a good idea, and whether it’s needed long term isn’t fully in your control anyway
Very informative video and your soft way of explaining things is very appreciated. I have a question regarded the case where a women has vaginal mycosis, does this cause a problem ? For exemple if the tip touches the vulva. Looking forward for your answer, thank you !
You should ask your doctor, but I’d imagine you would be advised to wash the area extremely well beforehand and try to avoid touching the rest of the vulva as much as possible when you insert it Infections develop very easily with catheters, so if I were to bring this situation, I would call my doctor for for advice
I get that too, I don’t think there is a way around it- I just push it in quickly so it doesn’t hurt for as long. There is a lubricant and numbing agent called Instillagel which you may be able to buy or get prescribed, but I personally found that to sting just as much as the catheter itself and it also didn’t work for me
I m from india..m suffering this problem since born..N now m 30 years old..still having this issue..i used catherine prescribed by my doctors..but till now i got no permanent solution of this problem..or may b no doctor invent any treatment for this kind of issue..
@@GeorginasJourney actually from by birth my urine pipe is kind of squeezed..urine normally dont come out..i dnt feel any sensation..is it the same story with u also?
@@learntogether6393 urethral dilation can sometimes help with that. However, if you don’t have sensation, that suggests you have problems with your bladder too. And no, my problem is just the bladder itself
@@GeorginasJourney yes and when only i feel pain in my tummy dat shows my bladder is full.. bt before that i use catherine to release it out..as doctor said to use it aftr every 3-4 hrs by urself..dont wait for any pain..as it only infects internally.
I’m not certain, but I would guess that she is retaining more urine than they are comfortable with, and so are using the catheter so that her bladder does not get stretched too much from being in retention Other guesses would be that she has bleeding that they are trying to heal by keeping her bladder empty
Hi there thanks for reply. You're right on both counts I think.when they removed it after 11days there was bleeding they did the bladder scan and it showed urine retention so have had to put a catheter in again and now say that it needs to remain in for a good few weeks due to urine being retained and risk of infection.
Hi Georgina, thank you so much for making this video. I have neurogenic bladder as well (caused by spina bifida) and it is so difficult to keep my recurrent UTIs away. Came across your videos cos I'd like to find out where did I go wrong with my self cath that caused my UTI. It has been difficult cos it is causing me a lot of anxieties. I really like your anti bac bin and might consider getting one. I used to self cath without a mirror but I think it caused me to get my UTIs so am gonna use mirror all the way now. I placed my mirror on the toilet bowl (lid covered ) and do it standing up with a cup on the floor to hold my urine. I do get spillage sometimes, but it gets the job done. It has been difficult and stressful keeping UTIs at bay as much as possible, but watching your video gave me hope and I really want to thank you for that! 🥰
Hi! UTIs are so common with catheterising, and especially with urethral catheters like self caths & Foley catheters, so I really don’t think you’re doing anything wrong. Frequent UTIs are pretty much inevitable with self cathing unfortunately. The only thing that’s helped me with the recurrent UTIs is taking d-mannose tablets & emptying my bladder naturally as much as possible. So I take a 500mg tablet of d-mannose (which I buy from amazon) 2-3 times a day & I try to empty my bladder naturally in between self-cathing
@@GeorginasJourney I'm already in medications they have lots of side effects too ...and last yr I had tried botox 200 units and it lasts for 3 months only ..will u pls tell me can we use botox for multiple times in our entire life ??
How did you know you had this? I pee then at the very in it don’t come out. Then I will come back 2 more times and only a little comes out. I constantly feel like I have the urge to pee 😞
You would need urodynamics or a bladder scan after emptying your bladder to see if it is incomplete bladder emptying or overactive bladder, as symptoms can be similar even though the conditions are different. I was diagnosed with incomplete bladder emptying after having urodynamics testing
No matter how clean I am I get infections. My insurance won’t give me speedycaths. I have to touch them and one a week so bad I know. I have tethered cord syndrome. I’m on so many antibiotics.
Try d-mannose tablets! They work best if you can go naturally sometimes, but you still should have some improvement from it even if you can’t- it works by preventing the bacteria from sticking to your urinary tract so much. There are guides online for dosages, it’s the only thing that got my infections under control :)
0:14 What is self catheterising & why it’s used 0:55 my self-catheterising story 3:06 what I use while out & in hospital 6:03 my medical storage at home 9:28 my self-catheterising tips!
I use the coloplast bag ones in hospital as well but otherwise I use the coloplast 10f speedycath way smaller like normal ones.. I have never seen your triangle caths by coloplast over the years, maybe it's a UK specific coloplast product
Service Dog Rosie I had to ask to try it before I got them prescribed so maybe see if you can get some samples to try it! I find these a lot less painful than the green, circular SpeediCath ones (although I’m also more experienced now so maybe that’s also contributing to it!), but there’s videos on the SpeediCath Eve (the name of the triangular one) in a lot of different languages and stuff on here so I don’t think it is specific to the UK!
@@GeorginasJourney believe it or not coloplast in the USA will not give samples out unless the dr writes for that specific type if catheter and the ones the dr office gave me are literally like a frigging ng feeding tube ugh
Service Dog Rosie it’s the same here- could be potentially harmful if not as you might need slightly different training for it. So I phoned up the company and then it went back and forth between my doctors surgery until the doctor had approved it! It doesn’t matter which doctor at least, which is helpful for me as I don’t see my consultant very often
@@GeorginasJourney it can be very harmful if a patient does not know what the r doing.. thankfully I went to nursing school.. and unfortunately I dont dumb it down enough around drs and they get upset with me.
The mirrors I use are part of my medical equipment, so they’re supplied by my supply company- I don’t buy them online. And no, I don’t have links because most of it is prescribed by a doctor and supplied by a home health company- the catheters, disposal bags, mirror and hand sanitiser are all on prescription.
The lady from India if you go to urologist they can help you I have the problem but I am feeling sorry for myself but can't give up I hope you will be alright
zoologist1992 I’ve considered gloves, but I don’t know how to put them on without touching the outsides of them 😅 So I usually use a disabled toilet so I can wash my hands right before (& I usually turn the taps off with my elbow or wrist), so that I haven’t touched anything first. Do you have any tips with using gloves?
@@GeorginasJourney I wash my hands first of course. The gloves I use are sterile with prerolled cuffs. So I just unroll them as i put them on. Allowing me to touth only the inside.
wow! I have never had any problems before but it sounds kind of interesting how for me it would bypass my and directly bladder - toilet And do you have to set it up every time you need to pee? You must have a lot of patience
Test_ Fujiwara what do you mean ‘in public’? This is for people who physically cannot pass urine naturally, whether you’re in public or not isn’t a factor
Bert Visscher again, I can’t tell which bits of the video you’re referring to, but thanks. And obviously no one likes germs, when people say things like that, it means there’s an implicature behind what is explicitly said- here it was that I’m especially cautious of them, more so than normal.
You could when learning, but I personally wouldn’t do it long term, for a few reasons -I’d find it a waste of tampons & money -pulling the tampon back out dry is a bit uncomfortable -the catheter could still go in that hole accidentally, as the tampon & catheter combined are still smaller than…a couple of the functions that hole is for 😉😂
@@kynnediijohnson no I am getting surgery for take my thing off no period no baby ....I like self catheter and my bladder got messed bc of my daughter hurt me when she was in my tummy ...I just want to have step kids olny
@@richardtony1999 Putting on gloves requires you to touch the gloves & so defeats the point. Any bacteria on your hands will be transferred to the gloves while you’re putting them on.
I made another catheter tips video that you can watch here 😊: th-cam.com/video/uNHGqTWDzB4/w-d-xo.html & a video about how to prevent & reduce UTIs: th-cam.com/video/sOVSQrbYjI8/w-d-xo.html
The teddy bear made me smile. So much friendlier than some other videos that feel too medical for such a sensitive topic.
Thank you for sharing even if it seemed weird! Having EDS I have seen my health gradually decline and it's nice to see how other people are able to manage and still live independent lives. It gives hope and a vision for what life might be like, which is much less scary than the unknown.
I'm glad you found it helpful :) Declining health is scary, but you find ways to adapt and make it better in the end, hope you're doing okay
Thank you Georgina. I genuinely appreciate you giving such detailed advice. Your courage is very uplifting. About a month ago I had to go to the emergency room because I couldn’t urinate. I thought I had a stubborn, lingering UTI but the hospital tests said I didn’t. They sent me home with a Foley leg catheter and scheduled me to see a urologist who then scheduled me for urodynamics and cystoscope. I’ve had to wait 2 months for these tests so have had to learn to live with the Foley catheter. They have changed it once and told me I will likely have to self catheter going forward which is why I watched your story. You really calmed my heart as I’ve been terrified. God bless you for being so unselfish in sharing something so private. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
You’re welcome, Mary! Thanks so much for your kind words 😊 I hope self catheterising goes well for you if you are able to try it in the future 😊
Thanks for this video lovely. I've been self catheterising for quite a few years now. I started with a urethral catheter and bag that was left in and then learnt to self-catheter use. Your catheters look so much nicer than the ones I use! Also I had no idea you could get self-catheters with bags! Might have to see if I can get some for when I'm more unwell/in hospital. I have a similar bag that I take out with me. Love your storage - mine is just in the delivery boxes they come in, so I think I need to up my game! I found the same with learning to do it on the toilet. Found using a mirror impossible, but doing it by feel worked really well xx
Thank you so much for sharing your tips. I am a nurse and you have helped me better assist my lady patients who are self-cathing for the first time.
Lauren Robinson you’re welcome, thank you for taking the time to watch, I’m sure your patients will really appreciate it. My nurses also gave me advice that they had learnt from their other patients, so tips from first hand sources are definitely helpful with this.
Just recently it was suggested to me (61) by my urologist that I use a catheter to help me empty my bladder once a day. I have been having constant uti infections (30+ years)that medicine does not work anymore. It is interesting to see the reaction of my family members from the look of horror to the look of sympathy. I had to explain to them that I was excited about this and looked forward to starting it. However I do understand their feelings. I did my first catheterising myself this morning and it went smoothly (lol). I hope this helps my problem. Thank you so much for your video. It certainly helps knowing we are not alone in this.
Hope it goes well for you! Let me know if the infections persist as I may have some ideas for you, my infections actually got much worse when I started using catheters, but I have found some things that helped a lot 😊
@@GeorginasJourney Super. Thanks so much.
Thank you so so much for this video. It has helped me with my anxiety over this tremendously. Wishing you well
Hope it gets easier for you soon 🤞🏽
Thankyou so much! Im preparing myself for this and i had a quick look and its so tiny i literally couldnt find it!
These tips are so detailed! Which i havnt found anywhere else. Ive managed to see it now so feel more prepared for my appointment!
I'm so glad this helped a little! Hope it goes well for you 🤞🏽I have videos on reducing catheter related infections too if you end up needing help with that later down the line 💕
I just re-watched this video and your other videos on catheterizing. As a fellow zebra, I wanted to thank you so much for making this video sharing your experience and tips. The many realistic tips you gave have helped me a lot as I figure out what works best for me and solidarity that it's a hard process at first has been reassuring. The learning process has been really stressful and frankly painful, and your videos have helped build my confidence.
You are so welcome! Glad it helped a little bit 💕 your definitely not alone in all this 💕
@@GeorginasJourney 💕🦓
This was such a good video, I have catheterised for 5.5 years (since I was 14 and am now 20) so am pretty clued up but would have loved a video like this 5 years ago so feel this could be very helpful to newbies. I used to use eve catheters and noticed your broken one. Often if you open it and then put the end you have just taken off back into the hole at the top of the handle this pushes it enough that it puts it back into place so it doesn’t drop. Interestingly, I have never been able to catheterise with a mirror when I’m not laying down and now can’t use a mirror at all as I’m so used to it, all the best x
Katie thank you so much Katie! And thanks for the tip :) That’s so interesting about the mirrors! I can’t use one on the toilet as I said, but I wonder if I’ll also not be able to use one while lying down/ sitting on the floor in the future since I’ve not used one for quite a while now 😂 It’s funny how it’s there to help but yet I found it like mission impossible trying to use one on the toilet 😂😂
Katie do you mind me asking what catheters you use now btw?
Georgina's Journey yeah at the start the mirror was helpful and now I just can’t understand how I ever did it with a mirror! I use Infyna Chic, similar to the eve just a slightly longer tube which I have found to be easier, and I use the speedicath compact set with bag when needed! x
Thanks for sharing Georgina.
I have an ileostomy which I've had for several years now so I was absolutely gutted when I had to start catheterising as well (I'm only in my 30s). I have had acute retention 4 times now and have been given the speeidcath set with the bags attached as I failed my trial without catheter and am still retaining. It was so scary and difficult at first but I'm getting better at it. Its great that you're able to share all this information it's so useful thank you.
Hope you’re getting on okay with it all, Emily 💕
Thanks for sharing I managed to do it without a mirror a few yrs ago. Then stopped now started again and I'm struggling so very grateful for your tips thankyou. Xx
You’re welcome, that’s reassuring you managed it before! 🤞🏽 You can do it! 🫶🏽
Thank you so much you are very sweet!I have MS and just started self catheterization...you helped me a lot with your video!🌺
I’m glad you found it helpful, it definitely gets easier with practice!
Another great video :) one tip I heard someone used for finding the right hole (from someone who is paralysed so hasnt got all the feeling) is that you can put your finger in the wrong hole and use that as a guide - I've never tried it but could imagine it working.
The other reassurance rather than tip is that for me at least, once I had it I just had it - now, even though I've had an SPC for 3years and so only ever use ISC if my catheter is blocked and I need to drain my bladder in an emergency, I can still get it straight away, 1st time every time - no mirror or feeling, I just get it, so I do think it's a skill like anything and especially if you need to do it frequently you'll pick it up pretty quickly. Makes all the crying and pee-on-the-bathroom-floor worth it 🤣
Sophie Hobley thank you! I’ve heard of that tip too! But my nurses said it increases the infection risk quite a bit so I wouldn’t recommend it except in last resort type situations
Yeah, it does seem to be a skill! That must be quite reassuring to know you’ve still got that as a temporary option if you ever have a problem with your spc! I wonder if the lack of feeling actually helps you out in some ways as you can probably push the catheter a bit harder than someone with feeling- it’s always a bit painful for me, which sometimes impacts how long it takes me to get it in properly 😅
@@GeorginasJourney ah no, I do have feeling I meant I don't have to feel around - I'd love if it didn't feel like stabbing myself with a knife 😅😅 that's a big part of why I have an SPC rather than still using ISC. My urethral sphincter is in constant spasm so the catheters often stick, pulling them out can take both hands and often a lot of bleeding - owchie!! But it's a good way to drain my bladder if it's full when i realise my catheter is blocked (flushing means adding 100mls to my bladder and so if my bladder is already full then that can be agony as well - you get to play pain top trumps!!)
I didnt know that about the infection risk, thankyou for letting me know - i guess you could probably adjust whether it's a big infection risk by using different fingers or a different hand, but i guess it's a last resort like you say :)
Sophie Hobley oh gosh that sounds horrific, I’m glad you have the SPC now then, that actually made me cringe thinking of the pain! I used to bleed a lot from it towards the end of 2018 (& I couldn’t do it myself then, so nurses had to do it due to the spasms and stuff) so I can empathise with what you’re going through, it really is horrible 😕
@@GeorginasJourney yeah, it was a bit like something out of a horror film 🤕 I remember trying to convince a&e that I absolutely couldn't ISC anymore and they didnt take a lot of convincing once they saw it!! But yeah - anytime my SPC is being painful or annoying, I really really try to remember how much better it is that the alternative!
Sophie Hobley oh that’s so horrible for you :( At least you don’t have to deal with that for the most part anymore!
I’m really anxious. I haven’t been diagnosed with any bladder-like problems but I’m having bladder retention. It mainly happens whenever I over think it, I have a horrible fear of not relieving my bladder and it’s getting worse. Knowing that this tool exists relieves my mind. I’m worried about my future because I’m 15 and I’m dealing with this.
Talk to a doctor about it if you think you have retention. Catheters are not a quick fix, they are usually a last resort & only used when absolutely necessary due to the risks of recurrent UTI’s which puts you at higher risk of kidney problems and urosepsis. If your problem is from overthinking, then treating your anxiety around it would be more suitable than catheters
Georgina's Journey Ah, alright thank you for letting me know!❤️
Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video ❤️ I suffer from diastomatomyelia and now have to self catheterise. I have my first training appointment coming up and I’m so nervous! This has helped so much!
Amy Louise Mataczynski you’re welcome Amy! It’s challenging to start with, but soon becomes second nature, so don’t worry if it’s a bit tricky in the beginning! Hope your training goes well 💕
Georgina's Journey I feel so defeated 😣 it was so difficult and the nurses were so unprofessional. I felt so humiliated. And when I finally got it in the right place it hurt so much I couldn’t keep it in. I’m really scared to try it again by myself now 😢
Amy Louise Mataczynski can you call the department and say you need more help and have someone else train you? That’s so bad on their part that they weren’t professional. I also find it extremely painful, but it definitely does get better in time! But there’s not really a way around the pain and I just brace myself for it every time 😕
Georgina's Journey oh man 😣 I was hoping it would get easier as I go along but the pain was so intense I’m scared to try it again. The whole situation was so humiliating with everyone prodding about trying to find the right place I just wanted to go home and hide 😩 it’s a big thing I’m really pleased you are able to do it, it takes a lot of courage and strength. Well done, G❤️
Amy Louise Mataczynski it hurts a lot less when you do it yourself, but if I’m being honest, it is still really painful for a lot of people :( They do it everyday and it’s just a part of their job, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about and they certainly aren’t there to humiliate you. Thanks, it gets a lot better with practice and perseverance 😊 I would say to try again before you give up, as I know some other options like a Foley catheter are even more painful 😌
Thank you... I have looked everywhere.. n only yourself made me feel more comfortable n confident.. I get taught tomorrow morning!! I have days with no urine. N days where I'm constantly on toilet.. although whilst peeing it feels like it's a needle sized hole I'm trying to squeeze my urine out... I can scream in agony... Teddy bear had something to do with making me feel more comfortable.. I get taught yo self catheterize... I will admit I am scared.. yet I'm also looking forward to emptying with no pain or anymore retention... thank you n thank your Teddy... xx
Good luck for tomorrow morning! Let me know if you have any questions! And thank you ☺️ x
Thank you for this. I have EDS and have been told I need to start doing this. I'm very nervous due to pain etc. This has made it feel more human!
Glad it was helpful! Hope it’s going well!
@@GeorginasJourney thank you! Self catheterisation didn't work for me so I now have a Suprapubic catheter
Thank you for that, you where very informative. I see my catheter nurse for the very first time. I'm so embarrassed at having to do this in front of her. Any tips to get over the embarrassment please. Thank you.
I know exactly what you mean, but just try to remember they do this all day, everyday, so it’s only embarrassing for you & the nurse won’t even bat an eyelid!
Great video on tips and ideas when needing to self catheterise. Thank you - Im a nurse that teaches my female clients to do this I have learnt a lot to pass onto new clients Thank you again for sharing this video
Glad it was helpful!
I self Cath too due to incomplete bladder emptying,I have hEDS,Ive been cathing for years and in books for a mitrofanoff,a procedure they use appendix to make a stoma to Cath out of,cathing hurts all time,you are a warrior hunny!!
Jessica's Journey I hope the mitrofanoff helps reduce your pain! I’ll be hoping (and praying if it’s okay with you) that it goes as smoothly as possible when you get it done! I’d heard of it before but didn’t know how it differed from a supra public catheter, so thanks for explaining! Thank you so much, you are too!
@@GeorginasJourney thanks so much honey I'll be praying for you,my urologist said a mitrofanoff even though it's major surgery is better than a supracath because of less infection..
I was offered mitrofanoff surgery but too scared🙀🥶
Thank you for sharing your story. I use the same fancy catheters and have been self-cathing for 5 years. I feel the thing that bothers me most, are all the uti's that go with cathing. You can actually get special mirrors designet for cathing. I do many things similar to you. I really like the antibacterial bin. Thanks for the tip.
I agree, I find that to be the worst part of it too. D-mannose tablets can help to some extent and there’s a prescription medication called Hiprex which can also be really helpful for recurrent UTIs
@@GeorginasJourney I take dmannose in powder form and I've tried haiprex, but it hasn't really helped me. I use it anyway, because it gives me the feeling that I'm doing something. I'm on prophylactic antibiotics at the moment and I'm also waiting for a permanent sacral nerve pacemaker implant. I've had the first stage of the surgery and could come from cathing 8times/day, to only 2.
After watching your video, I've though a lot about how and what I can do to make my bathroom more sterile. You called it overkill, but I don't think you can be too careful. Your video has been a eye opener for me.
I'm also at university and will be getting my bachelor next year. You have to be strong and persistent to get through your studies and battling infections and pain at the same time.
I don't have EDS, but I have tethered cord, and from there, my bladder problems. I also know many EDS patients have tethered cord too.
Best of luck to you.
@@PinkPanther70 Hey, sorry for replying to an old post but have you find a way to control your UTIs? I'm still straggling with mine and I don't know how to handle the situation
@@burai647have you seen my video about how to prevent and reduce UTIs when you use catheters?
You did a great job! xxxxxxxxx
Penelope Polins née Meyer thank you Penny! We really are night owls haha, hope you can get a good night’s sleep soon xxx
thank you for this video love this !!! you are very brave xx
Lucie Jane Feltham thank you! So are you! xx
🥰xx
Hi Georgina, thanks so much for making this video, it has helped me so much!! Very grateful and so courageous of you to share your story and advice on youtube. I also have urinary retention and no bladder sensation after a surgery for endometriosis. I am 3 months post op now. For the first month, I had an in-dwelling catheter, and then have been self catherising 6-7 times a day for the past 2 months now. It was excruciatingly painful at first, and I felt so down and defeated. It is better now.. I was wondering if you have any tips for being able to catheter without a mirror? I'm trying to learn that next, but still struggling, as I need a mirror every time. Also, I wonder if there are any support groups you've found helpful?
Hi Liz! Regarding the mirror, it’s easiest to do it completely on feeling it- so you want to just keep practising every time you go to catheterise- it’s very much like diving in the deep end, but you just have to go for it
For me, I know I’m in the right place if I feel some pain- & as counter intuitive as it feels, pushing through the pain leads me to my bladder 9/10 times, as your urethra is likely to be one of the most sensitive parts down there. Or if it’s not a pain feeling, you should feel the familiar feeling that you get when you catheterise at least! So yeah, you just have to go for it! Good luck 💗
Support groups- try Facebook 😊 You could search for urinary retention, catheterising or even a group for Fowler’s syndrome (a urinary retention condition found in females) as even though you may not have Fowler’s, your symptoms & experiences with catheters will be very similar x
@@GeorginasJourney thank you so much for this!! Very helpful, okay I will try this and persevere!
Btw, not sure if this is helpful for you.. but initially I was using the same coloplast products as you but it was so excruciating, I couldn't.. so, I spoke to my nurse and she suggested switching products to Lofric size 8 and size 10s. The size 8 is completely pain free for me. Maybe you can try and see if that helps with the pain?
@@GeorginasJourney okie dokie, I will try facebook groups. I joined one for bladder and bowel support, but it seems most of the comments are about incontinence or bowel, so I feel shy speaking up. And yup, only found out about Fowler's syndrome last week, I will read it up and see if i can find a support group for Fowler's. Thanks so much!!
@@angelizz88 how are you doing now,?
I have training Monday and freaking out. Please guide me. I m really 😓 😟 😰
I have just recently become aware that what I thought was fibromyalgia is probably actually EDS and have been having trouble going lately. Not looking forward to the possibility of this in my future, but thank you for sharing and making not seem so bad.
Let me know if you do start cathing and if you have any questions 😊
Thank you for posting this helpful video
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching!
Great video. I've been self catheterising for the past 3 years and I'm still straggling with UTIs. Mind if I ask if you have any tips for reducing the frequency of UTIs? Doctors say I should just wash my hands very well but that just isn't enough
I’ll try to get some tips together and will make a video on it 😊
What do u feel when you have UTI.. I just started my intermittent self catheterization here in US.
@@juliewisconsin3840 stinging pain, constantly feels like you need the toilet, & often makes your urine smell really bad too
@@GeorginasJourney thank you...
Hi where did you buy the mirror please. My bladder muscles have stopped working and I have to do self Catheterisation 2 times a day. When I'm out I need a mirror that will help. Thank you.
The catheter company sent me the mirror, could you ask your catheter company if they have one? Or your continence (catheter) nurse?
I just started doing catheterization. My nurse never told me about throwing it away after the wrong hole. Even when i practiced in the office with her we just used the same one in and out many times 🤦🏼♀️
Ah, I’m so sorry 😞 you will probably find out for yourself going forward that that’s not okay to do. If you do still run into problems with frequent infections like I did regardless of using a clean technique, let me know as I have a video with some tips for infection prevention & management also 😊
You are very brave thoughtful person thank you.
Hello..I know this video had been posted 1 year ago but I just started to do self catheterising and I would like to know your first time catheterising, do you get a little bit of bleeding on the catheter's tip after pulling one out? I have only been trying to do self catheterising twice but I bleed and I feel so defeated 😢
Hi! The first few times I was catheterised in hospital, I bled. But I haven’t bled from self-catheterising I don’t think. Hopefully your body will get used to it soon 🤞🏽Talk to your doctors or nurses if it continues or if it becomes too painful for you 💗
@@GeorginasJourney thank you so much for the reply 🥰. I really appreciated it
Just wanted to say thank you for posting this video. My ic has been acting up since October and the last catheter meds didn’t work.. going to the uro on Tuesday to talk over options, the bladder retention is driving me nuts.. a tad better but not great.
You're welcome! & I hope Tuesday goes well, keep me updated if you want someone to talk to who gets it
Yes. Message me on insta!!
Rebecca Clavette I don’t know your Instagram account. Mine is @Georginas_journey if you want to message me :)
Thank you for doing this video
You’re welcome!
hi
can u tell where can i find one of those catheters online plz
W F I have no idea, mine are prescribed by my urologist. You shouldn’t use them without the proper training anyway though
Thanks!! This was very useful.
You’re welcome ☺️
Thanks very much for doing this! What kind of wipes do you use to clean the area? They looked like regular baby wipes, which would mean they don't have to be sterile.
Yep, they’re regular baby wipes as that’s what my nurses advised me to use. Self-catheterising is not a sterile procedure, although I have to be honest, I wish it was. UTIs are so common with catheters, I wish I was prescribed something to make it more sterile
www.shinecharity.org.uk/bladder-and-bowel-care/clean-intermittent-self-catheterisation
You can read in the second paragraph of that about how self cathing needs to be clean but not sterile and it’s stated in many other sources online, that was just the first one that came up for me when I googled ‘does self catheterisation have to be sterile’ as I wanted you to see it written somewhere rather than just taking my word for it
Just started catherization (retention MS bladder) but I'm very dissapointed :( I can't empty my bladder. After using the catheter I instantly feel an urge to pee and when I go again I pee a lot. I don't understand how is this possible :(((
So sorry, only advise it to insert catheters 1cm further in, then out, then in, then as you take it out for good, make sure to go extremely slowly, we’re talking like over 30 seconds as that’s the only way to drain the very base of your bladder
Great video. I have an over active bladder and the urologist is treating it with botox. The most recent round of botox has left my bladder paralysed so I am having to use a catheter.
Hope you’re doing okay, that sounds like a big change! It should hopefully wear off a bit in a couple of months
I have been offered the same Botox treatment but I’m terrified of the catheterization. Would you still recommend the Botox treatment?
I too am going for bladder botox. Will having to self cath be all the time?
@@carolgreen5586it varies for everyone! Only 1/5 need to cath afterwards though :)
Thank you for the tips.. where did you get the nappy bin ?
You're welcome! Mine is a Tommee Tippee Twist & Click, you can get them from the John Lewis website and at the time I purchased it, you could also get them from Amazon, so it may be worth looking on there too :)
I appreciate the teddy bear model. Such a good sport to pose for us!
Haha, glad she could help!
I have self catheterisation training today and it's so traumatising! This is the second time! Plus I'm slightly red and inflamed and itchy down there making it worse. 🤕😩
Hope it went/goes okay 💗
Great video! My question is while catheterization will help decrease chance of a UTI, what meds do you take to also lessen that possibility? thank you
In theory, you should get less UTIs, but the reality is usually that catheterising gives you more UTIs. If you think about it, you are creating a passage straight into the bladder from outside, so it is a big UTI risk. For example, I had never had a UTI before, but then I got 4 UTIs in my first 3 months of catheterising. I’m going to do a video about what I do to lessen that risk soon, as I haven’t had a UTI for a several months now, although my method is most helpful for people who can go to the toilet naturally at least a bit
@@GeorginasJourney Due to botched surgery, i have been self-catheterising for 24 years.. The only time i have suffered UTIs is when i have been hospitalised and a nurse inserts a catheter, attached to a bag.
My training in the use of a catheter was being shown a poster, of a woman's anatomy. i told the nurse i know where all my bits are.
i inserted the catheter, produced urine, was declared competent and left to get on with it..
i use a different catheter to the one illustrated, Lofric Sense, produced by Wellspect. i've never encountered any problems with these catheters.
@@kelsangjorlam5770 that’s so good, I don’t know anyone else who catheterises and doesn’t get frequent UTIs (I know a lot of people from the chronic illness community on instagram), so it’s good to know that not everyone struggles with it
How were u diagnosed with EDS? I have dysautonomia and Sjögren’s syndrome and major bladder issues. Where did I get ur thumb brace? I have issues with mine too
I talked about my EDS diagnosis and how to go about getting diagnosed in this video :) th-cam.com/video/1js7uDxCSkI/w-d-xo.html
And I talked about my thumb braces at this video (there’s a time stamp for that part of the video in the description & in a pinned comment) th-cam.com/video/mgdkjQuAwq4/w-d-xo.html
Hello Georgina. I am given disposable catheters from the NHS and they are awful. I have had two bad water infections because of the design of them. Do you get your catheters through the NHS or do you personally pay for them. I have purchased my own ( furan lady) but they are really expensive. Sorry if this to much of a personal question. I just cannot cope with using the prescribed ones. Thank you for any advise you can give.
Hi! Mine are in the nhs, so I just pay the prescription price, they’re called SpeediCath catheters & the supply company is coloplast, so you could ask your GP or urology nurses about them 😊 Although sadly, I don’t think they will reduce your infection risk much at all. I got 3 infections in my first month or so of catheterising, even when I took so many precautions. I do have a video on reducing urinary tract infections from catheters that you might find helpful :)
Thank you for your help Georgina, it's really appreciated.
Excellent presentation Thank you
Thank you!
I’ve had swollen kidneys and unable to empty my bladder for 17 months. Begging for health care. I’m so desperate that I guess I’ll have to try this on my own. But I have terrible anxiety and I’m so nervous I’m going to hurt myself or give myself an infection.
Sorry you’ve been struggling so much. I wouldn’t advise it without medical guidance as you have to be taught how to do it safely to not hurt yourself & minimise infection risk (although infections are inevitable for a lot of people sadly). Can you go to the ER/A&E if no one is helping you? If you have more than 500ml of retention they will typically catheterise you then and there
So my mom had the catheter inserted for just 5 minutes.... because her bladder wasn't getting fully empty . But after that she hasn't been able to urinate which she was able to before. Can a catheter cause blockage like that?
I don’t think so, my guess would be that her condition of not being able to empty her bladder fully has just deteriorated
@@GeorginasJourney ohh🙁 thanks for the reply!
Thats so awesome having that special access key dont think ive ever heard of anything like that in Australia 😮😮
MrsPark no one really knows about the scheme here either, so it might be worth googling it and seeing if there is anything like that there!
where can i buy this kind of catheter
@@mariloumallari2161 in England you don’t buy them, you get them prescribed by your consultant and then pay the prescription fee as normal, the same way you pay for your prescription medication
I have interstitial cystitis and I am getting to the point of having to self cathing..it takes a long time to not get it in the vagina instead of the bladder.
@@ivyedan7183 if it’s your only option, keep trying & it’ll get easier! Most people have more of a chance getting in the right place the first time by sitting on the floor/bed with a mirror, but it’s not very practical annoyingly
Hi there my relative had a catheter fitted in hospital after being treated for a uti.after about a week it was removed and she had a bladder scan.the scan showed urine still in the bladder so it's not being emptied from the bladder properly and urine is being left in there.so now the catheter has been put back in.the hospital say we just have to wait and see and are now giving oral antibiotics. My relative says its very uncomfortable and its getting her down.have you heard of this? And what is likely to happen? Thanks Rosie x
I’ve heard of urinary retention, yes, what happens next will depend on the severity of it. She will either continue with an indwelling catheter, be taught to self-catheterise, or if the problem gets better (as catheters can make the bladder shrink back down and function better in some cases) she may not need to catheterise in the future. It all depends on how bad her urinary retention is and also how easy she is to catheterise (as intermittent catheterisation isn’t always possible for people who are hard to catheterise). Sorry it wasn’t just one clear answer, but I hope this helps!
@@GeorginasJourney thanks Georgina you explain it nice and clearly and very well.you may well be right with shrinking the bladder back down as they say they are doing it as they dont want to hurt her bladder. She is normally incontinent previously and wore pads and pants.i will be going to the hospital soon to visit so I'll see if I can get any more info.yesterday they said she will probably have to have the catheter for a good few weeks yet.ive not seen them empty it yet ,when I visit it's just always in there permanently and the tube has urine in and is quite wide,I haven't seen any bag just a long thick tube
@@Sidney-q7p do you know how her UTI cause? Maybe she has underlying condition. I had indwelling catheter after my spine surgery for 11 months that was 10 years ago because I cant pee supposed to be should not stay indwelling catheter for long periods of time I only change it once a week it gives me a urinary stone
Even though my doctor wants me to have a goal of not being on it permanently right now not focusing on that I'm just focusing on getting my bladder taken care of I don't care if I do have to be on that permanently
The biggest downside to it is the infections so that’s probably why they don’t want it to be a long term thing, but I think just focusing on right now is a good idea, and whether it’s needed long term isn’t fully in your control anyway
Very informative video and your soft way of explaining things is very appreciated. I have a question regarded the case where a women has vaginal mycosis, does this cause a problem ? For exemple if the tip touches the vulva. Looking forward for your answer, thank you !
You should ask your doctor, but I’d imagine you would be advised to wash the area extremely well beforehand and try to avoid touching the rest of the vulva as much as possible when you insert it
Infections develop very easily with catheters, so if I were to bring this situation, I would call my doctor for for advice
@@GeorginasJourney Thank you for your quick message ! And good luck at university !
Georgina you are so beautiful and amazing you inspire me
Ibn Washington thank you so much!
Hi Georgina how many times you catch yourself in a day? Sorry I have more questions..
The number of times a person needs to cath in a day depends on their volume of residual urine, speak to your doctors if you need advice about this :)
@@GeorginasJourney thanks,
Hi. Ive just started using. I’m getting stinging when it goes in. Any tips? Or gels I can use to numb
I get that too, I don’t think there is a way around it- I just push it in quickly so it doesn’t hurt for as long. There is a lubricant and numbing agent called Instillagel which you may be able to buy or get prescribed, but I personally found that to sting just as much as the catheter itself and it also didn’t work for me
Is there any damages that could happen to the urethera over long time or it is safe to use for life .
It is safe to use for life
I m from india..m suffering this problem since born..N now m 30 years old..still having this issue..i used catherine prescribed by my doctors..but till now i got no permanent solution of this problem..or may b no doctor invent any treatment for this kind of issue..
Catheters are the only treatment for urinary retention currently
@@GeorginasJourney actually from by birth my urine pipe is kind of squeezed..urine normally dont come out..i dnt feel any sensation..is it the same story with u also?
@@learntogether6393 urethral dilation can sometimes help with that. However, if you don’t have sensation, that suggests you have problems with your bladder too. And no, my problem is just the bladder itself
@@GeorginasJourney yes and when only i feel pain in my tummy dat shows my bladder is full.. bt before that i use catherine to release it out..as doctor said to use it aftr every 3-4 hrs by urself..dont wait for any pain..as it only infects internally.
@@learntogether6393 yes, you have urinary retention and catheters are the only treatment
A nurse said that they are keeping the catheter in at the moment cos they dont want to hurt the bladder?no idea what this means,?
I’m not certain, but I would guess that she is retaining more urine than they are comfortable with, and so are using the catheter so that her bladder does not get stretched too much from being in retention
Other guesses would be that she has bleeding that they are trying to heal by keeping her bladder empty
Hi there thanks for reply. You're right on both counts I think.when they removed it after 11days there was bleeding they did the bladder scan and it showed urine retention so have had to put a catheter in again and now say that it needs to remain in for a good few weeks due to urine being retained and risk of infection.
You are amazing thank you for sharing this
You're welcome 😊
Hi Georgina, thank you so much for making this video. I have neurogenic bladder as well (caused by spina bifida) and it is so difficult to keep my recurrent UTIs away. Came across your videos cos I'd like to find out where did I go wrong with my self cath that caused my UTI. It has been difficult cos it is causing me a lot of anxieties. I really like your anti bac bin and might consider getting one. I used to self cath without a mirror but I think it caused me to get my UTIs so am gonna use mirror all the way now. I placed my mirror on the toilet bowl (lid covered ) and do it standing up with a cup on the floor to hold my urine. I do get spillage sometimes, but it gets the job done. It has been difficult and stressful keeping UTIs at bay as much as possible, but watching your video gave me hope and I really want to thank you for that! 🥰
Hi! UTIs are so common with catheterising, and especially with urethral catheters like self caths & Foley catheters, so I really don’t think you’re doing anything wrong. Frequent UTIs are pretty much inevitable with self cathing unfortunately. The only thing that’s helped me with the recurrent UTIs is taking d-mannose tablets & emptying my bladder naturally as much as possible. So I take a 500mg tablet of d-mannose (which I buy from amazon) 2-3 times a day & I try to empty my bladder naturally in between self-cathing
Thanks you so much xx 💝💝
You’re welcome 😊
I'm facing lots of bladder spasm..is there anything to get rid of them??
Yes, talk to your doctor and they can prescribe a medication, or potentially try Botox injections in the bladder
@@GeorginasJourney I'm already in medications they have lots of side effects too ...and last yr I had tried botox 200 units and it lasts for 3 months only ..will u pls tell me can we use botox for multiple times in our entire life ??
@@sumitgupta-pj4qo yes, you can get Botox many times, most people get it every 6 months if they need it
@@GeorginasJourney thanx for your valuable advice..is there any other way to communicate with u further??
@@sumitgupta-pj4qo you’re welcome. My Instagram is @Georginas_journey
How did you know you had this? I pee then at the very in it don’t come out. Then I will come back 2 more times and only a little comes out. I constantly feel like I have the urge to pee 😞
You would need urodynamics or a bladder scan after emptying your bladder to see if it is incomplete bladder emptying or overactive bladder, as symptoms can be similar even though the conditions are different. I was diagnosed with incomplete bladder emptying after having urodynamics testing
@@GeorginasJourney thank you so much. I wouldn’t need a ct scan right? I was thinking I could do some other test before I did a ct scan
@@kristymarie6065 no, it would be an ultrasound scan of your bladder or urodynamics testing
@@GeorginasJourney ok, thank you I will look into that!!!
Thankyou so much for sharing
You're welcome 😊
Thank you so much
You're most welcome
❤
Thank you so much🎉
😊😊😊
No matter how clean I am I get infections. My insurance won’t give me speedycaths. I have to touch them and one a week so bad I know. I have tethered cord syndrome. I’m on so many antibiotics.
Try d-mannose tablets! They work best if you can go naturally sometimes, but you still should have some improvement from it even if you can’t- it works by preventing the bacteria from sticking to your urinary tract so much. There are guides online for dosages, it’s the only thing that got my infections under control :)
Helo sister need help for my daughter for self catherator.plz how can i contact u??i am from nepal.
You can send your messages here!
Thanks soo much 😍
You’re welcome!
would I able to buy these kind of catheters from India? I cannot get this kind of catheters in India.
I don’t know. I don’t buy them, I get them on prescribed by my doctor.
0:14 What is self catheterising & why it’s used
0:55 my self-catheterising story
3:06 what I use while out & in hospital
6:03 my medical storage at home
9:28 my self-catheterising tips!
I use the coloplast bag ones in hospital as well but otherwise I use the coloplast 10f speedycath way smaller like normal ones.. I have never seen your triangle caths by coloplast over the years, maybe it's a UK specific coloplast product
Service Dog Rosie I had to ask to try it before I got them prescribed so maybe see if you can get some samples to try it! I find these a lot less painful than the green, circular SpeediCath ones (although I’m also more experienced now so maybe that’s also contributing to it!), but there’s videos on the SpeediCath Eve (the name of the triangular one) in a lot of different languages and stuff on here so I don’t think it is specific to the UK!
@@GeorginasJourney believe it or not coloplast in the USA will not give samples out unless the dr writes for that specific type if catheter and the ones the dr office gave me are literally like a frigging ng feeding tube ugh
Service Dog Rosie it’s the same here- could be potentially harmful if not as you might need slightly different training for it. So I phoned up the company and then it went back and forth between my doctors surgery until the doctor had approved it! It doesn’t matter which doctor at least, which is helpful for me as I don’t see my consultant very often
@@GeorginasJourney it can be very harmful if a patient does not know what the r doing.. thankfully I went to nursing school.. and unfortunately I dont dumb it down enough around drs and they get upset with me.
Is uti common with cic?
Yes, extremely common
Where can I get the mirror? Do you have links for everything?
The mirrors I use are part of my medical equipment, so they’re supplied by my supply company- I don’t buy them online. And no, I don’t have links because most of it is prescribed by a doctor and supplied by a home health company- the catheters, disposal bags, mirror and hand sanitiser are all on prescription.
The lady from India if you go to urologist they can help you I have the problem but I am feeling sorry for myself but can't give up I hope you will be alright
Sorry, who are you talking to? You have to reply to people directly for them to see it!
I self catheterize due to hypotonic bladder. When I catheterize in public I use gloves along with lockable stalls.
zoologist1992 I’ve considered gloves, but I don’t know how to put them on without touching the outsides of them 😅 So I usually use a disabled toilet so I can wash my hands right before (& I usually turn the taps off with my elbow or wrist), so that I haven’t touched anything first. Do you have any tips with using gloves?
@@GeorginasJourney I wash my hands first of course. The gloves I use are sterile with prerolled cuffs. So I just unroll them as i put them on. Allowing me to touth only the inside.
@priya dhingra yes urinary retention and bph.
@priya dhingra 6-8. first time is when I wake. Last time is when I go to bed.
oh my! it sounds so painful...
Test_ Fujiwara it is quite painful 😬😅
wow! I have never had any problems before but it sounds kind of interesting how for me it would bypass my and directly bladder - toilet
And do you have to set it up every time you need to pee? You must have a lot of patience
Test_ Fujiwara I don’t set anything up anymore as I don’t need a mirror or anything now, I just sit on the toilet and insert the catheter :)
Is definitely sounds weird to basically shove a straw into my bladder 😬 well it solves the problem of needing to pee in public
Test_ Fujiwara what do you mean ‘in public’? This is for people who physically cannot pass urine naturally, whether you’re in public or not isn’t a factor
I'm so glad you don't need those catheterization bags anymore! :-)
Nobody likes germs.
Bert Visscher again, I can’t tell which bits of the video you’re referring to, but thanks.
And obviously no one likes germs, when people say things like that, it means there’s an implicature behind what is explicitly said- here it was that I’m especially cautious of them, more so than normal.
@@GeorginasJourney Silly me! I'll edit my comment to make it clearer. Also, I'm sorry I tend to miss what is (only) implied.
you are wonderful
Thank you!
I think you're a pretty young lady
thanks
The only time I wish I had girl parts... my cath is 12in long
At least you can easily see where to put it, pros and cons to both! When I was first learning, I really wished I had boy parts for that reason 😅
@@GeorginasJourney thats true very true.. i wouldn't like being a girl anyway id be horrible at it.
Use tampon. Then there's only one hole
You could when learning, but I personally wouldn’t do it long term, for a few reasons
-I’d find it a waste of tampons & money
-pulling the tampon back out dry is a bit uncomfortable
-the catheter could still go in that hole accidentally, as the tampon & catheter combined are still smaller than…a couple of the functions that hole is for 😉😂
Is you going have that for rest of your life
Probably
@@GeorginasJourney I have mine forever
@@beatricejuarez7081 I’m sorry to hear that
Beatrice Juarez can you still have children
@@kynnediijohnson no I am getting surgery for take my thing off no period no baby ....I like self catheter and my bladder got messed bc of my daughter hurt me when she was in my tummy ...I just want to have step kids olny
i can help you ;)
Thanks
@@GeorginasJourney gloves or not
Why are you asking?
@@GeorginasJourney important i guess
@@richardtony1999 Putting on gloves requires you to touch the gloves & so defeats the point. Any bacteria on your hands will be transferred to the gloves while you’re putting them on.
Too bad we didn’t see a demonstration
Here’s a demonstration.
th-cam.com/video/0-IeIwOTagE/w-d-xo.html