Do Not Try This at Home

Now i am sure some of you wil find this to be funny and someday I to hope to be able to laugh about this.

After my TURBT onthe 13th I was released to go home with a cathetor, and because of the distance back to Vanderbilt, we were instructed on how to remove the cathetor at home. On Friday my wife followed there instructions and removed the exact amount of sline sollution that we were told was in there hlding the cath in. well it wouldld not slide out, so she removed more sollution utill she had removed nearly twice as much as we were told would be in there, and then she began to pull. Well before I could yell "STOP" the cath popped out with a balloon slightly larger than a marble still in the line. I dont have to tell you that this was very painfull.

Next time I will goto the ER if I have to , because I will never attempt this at home again,

Ron

The whole reason I decided to share this with all of you was to hopefully change the mood around here a bit. Last few days I logged on you could cut the tension with with a spork. Hope this helped.

Me and my wife both learned a lot from this experience, the problem was that they told us there would only be 10 cc of saline in there. but there was actualy 20 cc. I am doing fine and every thing is still in place.

And have loved all the replies Thanks
Ron

By honcho2
Posted October 21, 2009 at 7:34 am
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Way too much info on this forum lol. I am hoping I can learn from your mistake but it did give a chuckle to start my day, thanks Ron

By meema5
Posted October 21, 2009 at 7:53 am
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OUCHY!!! My Daughter took hers out with no problem, she has taken 2 out really. But she is a Surgical veterinary tech & caths animals all the time, she is in orthopedic surgery so she does large dogs a lot. Dr. should not advise patients that are not experienced in procedure to remove their own cath!

By GSM
Posted October 21, 2009 at 10:46 am
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Ron,

Nothing funny about that! I've had a catheter twice and the second time I took it out at home with no problem.

The first time I went to my Uro and I asked him if he was going to pull it out slowly because I had read in this forunm that that was best. He replied that he wasn't going to "pull it out like I'm starting a lawn mower". Sounds like you got the lawn mower treatment!

By nancynursez637
Posted October 21, 2009 at 11:07 am
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Wonder if it was a double balloon or if wife was removing fluid from wrong port? Usually they come out with balloon deflated if fluid is removed. And it is a safe procedure to do at home, however rare problems do crop up.

Nancy

By Kyle-MO
Posted October 21, 2009 at 11:41 am
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OMG, I feel for ya Ron !!!!
I agree that I will go to a professional to have mine removed, if I should ever have to have it done again.
After my turbt I went back to the Uro's office, they instilled a certain amount of saline into my bladder, pulled the foley cath out, and I could hardly wait to void what they put in my bladder, and they did remove the cath rapidly, and it was painful !!!
Take care,
Kyle

By roadrunner
Posted October 21, 2009 at 1:50 pm
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Ron,
After my husbands first turbt they also told me I can just take it out at home.......the catheter......I had no instuctions........a step by step picture.you know step 1).........STEP 2).......I opted for the doctors office..
I just new with my background things would prove to be questionable as to my success.....high five to your wife....she gave it her best shot........

By jj803
Posted October 21, 2009 at 3:24 pm
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Ron,

Sorry for the foley trouble. Another method to remove the saline in a foley catheter with the balloon is to simply cut the end off the catheter (the outside end with all the ports). Doing that should allow the saline to leak out of the balloon and for it to deflate (or so I have been told). Then the catheter may be removed. I was too chicken to try that and had my local uro or his nurse remove mine.

JJ

By Shiz
Posted October 21, 2009 at 6:22 pm
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Hey Trapper,

I took mine out last time....kinda tickled. It came out pretty easy actually. Sorry you had such a traumatic experience. There must have been something blocking the drain?

By Keith1
Posted October 21, 2009 at 6:29 pm
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Hi Ron,
I have taken mine out using JJ's method. Did it standing in the shower. Just cut the end off and it fell right out. The visual you gave us hurt me too. I wish you well. Keith

By mycopper
Posted October 21, 2009 at 10:51 pm
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Thanks for the chuckle. There is alot of things i have helped my husband do but I am pretty sure that would be where he would draw the line. Unfortunately we get the giggles to easily.

By SailorMan
Posted October 21, 2009 at 11:24 pm
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Due to a blockage in my urethra, I currently am using a catheter through my suprapubic. We use a regular foley and for the last few changes, my wife and I do it ourselves about once a month. I generally take it out and my wife installs the new one. About a month and a half ago, we were doing this and she poked it and pushed it and it was not going in. Meanwhile it just did not feel right on my end. Finally, I realized that she was trying to push the foley into my belly button (navel).
Once we identified the correct spot,. things went quickly.

By honcho2
Posted October 21, 2009 at 11:39 pm
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I chuckled because my surgeon told me that I would be doing this daily to irrigate my neo bladder for the first month and then maybe on a regular basis, it was a nervous chuckle I'm sure. So much change in a short period of time.

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