Catheter

[chuck172]

Is having urinary catheterization mandatory or can I opt out for this procedure?
I will be having a spinal with nerve blocks for my TKR.

 

[referee54]

I don't know if you can opt out of it or not. I had a cath--it was no big deal---as a matter of fact, it actually made things much easier in the days immediately following my BTKR.

 

[Josephine]

Why would you want to opt out? Quite likely they will put it in while you are asleep or spinal anaesthetised anyway. I didn't have one and I got urinary retention a few hours after after return to the ward. It was pure agony and I was begging the nurse to get on and catheterize me. Wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. Take my advice and have the catheter.

 

[Jaycey]

I had the same experience as Jo after spinal surgery. Let me tell you it was agony! Catheders really make the early hours post-op much more comfortable.

 

[referee54]

It made my life so much easier for the next few days. IT was done while I was under and taken out a few days later---it was one less thing that I had to worry about.

 

[chuck172]

I'm just trying to calm the biggest fears of my upcoming (july 18) TKR.
Spinal, catheter, more to follow!

 

[Jaycey]

Totally understand Chuck! I was more scared about the spinal than about the surgery. But honestly the spinal turned out to be a non event.

Please keep posting. We can help you through all this!

 

[Tykey]

If you need a catheter, what's the alternative? The reason you sometimes get one is because your bladder is the last thing to wake up from the spinal, and you can't "go" until it does. If you gotta go, you gotta go!!

I guess you could take your chances and wait and see if your bladder wakes up before you need to go. That was the approach in my hospital, where I was told they didn't fit one automatically, but wait until you decide if you need one.

It's nowhere near as bad as your imagination is probably telling you, and neither is the spinal. Try to relax.

 

[skigirl]

I just told my doctor that I did not want one and he said, fine, no problem. He did suggest that I would have a GA then---which I did. I guess sometimes your legs do not wake up for a few hours and then you might need a catheter. I hated the thought of getting one as well---mostly because I could not imagine having to stay in bed!! I prefer to get up, in fact my antsy body does not know how to be still. Kelly

 

[koolma]

Chuck, my 2 biggest fears were the catheter and the spinal. I don't remember having the spinal, just vaguely being asked to sit up. I must have been in lala land. Catheter was put in when I was asleep and coming out was no biggie. My hubby has had one toom and said it was nothing to remove. Once the darn thing came out, I had to use a commode for a day until I could walk to to the bathroom....hated that so much! Take the catheter!

 

[rerodriguez]

Chuck,

I had never had a catheter and was really worried about it, but I ended up really liking it. They put it in when I was out of it, and getting it removed was painless. When I was in the hospital with it in, I just kept thinking of all the time I could save if I didn't have to go to the bathroom whenever I had to go. You'll be fine.

 

[cotton1958]

Totally pro-catheter for myself. Hated when it went away.

 

[Jamie]

We've had a number of our BoneSmartie guys who have worried about the cath just like you. Not a one has said it was any problem and, frankly....all reported that the worry was for nothing. It will be inserted when you are asleep and you will have no discomfort while it's in.

 

[kneeper]

^what Jamie said. I wasn't thrilled with the idea either & had never had one, but really I think it made life so much easier. No problems at all.

 

[BigGene]

I was not thrilled about the prospect either. It was gone the next morning and I actually don't remember it being taken out. (Thanks to being well medicated for pain)

Don't sweat the small stuff. The recovery is the part you can focus on.
Your arthritis pain will be gone. You will get your life back.

It is easily worth 24 hours of a catheter.