Can anyone tell me about catheters please? For uro investigations.

[Mortifiedleaker]

I'm a regular but have namechanged.

I am having urodynamics investigations next week and I would like some advice about what will happen. The hospital has given me some leaflets, which I've found informative, but the bit which I'm terrified about is the catheter. Does it hurt? Do they use a local anaesthetic first? Any advice about how to handle it?

I have had a few appointments following on from me seeing my GP about stress incontinence. One of them led to a vulval biopsy, for which I was sedated, and which I found very difficult to cope with. I am absolutely terrified about the whole thing and reduced to incoherent, weeping panic. I've been having palpitations and trouble sleeping, and am really a mess. I can give birth with no problem but this has defeated me .

The appointment will take less than an hour so surely it can't be that bad?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

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Hi there, I've had urodynamics done and it actually wasn't too bad. It was done on a one to one basis with a uro-gynae nurse and the room was kept to a nice warmth (She told me this is to help relax the patient). I had to undress lower half of body and lay up on the couch. I had to cough to help her find my urethra and then she then inserted a small gauge catheter - much like a small fine tube into my bladder, then another small kind of little gel bag thing into my back passage. This is measure the pressure inside the body I think.
She then taped the catheters to my legs so they didn't fall out and I had to stand up, then sit down on a special commode. She then proceeds to fill the bladder with water. It felt cold, but not uncomfortable - then at intervals she asked me to cough, stand up etc this was to see if I leaked and at how much was in my bladder at whatever time. This went on until I told her my bladder was full. She then asked me to pee - with the catheters still in. I have to tell you I had a catheter in whilst PG and the one used in urodynamics was a lot smaller with no strange ball on the end of it.
back in a mo - baby crying

I didn't have any leaks as such but I had a very painful uncontrolable urge that I had to pee all the time. I was referred to a pelvic floor physio and she examined me and asked me to contract my pelvic floor and it was found to be weak, as in - I couldn't hold the contraction for more than a count of 4. I was given exercises to do and I did them. There are also pills that can help with bladder weakness, I have tried these too.
But, back to your original q, no I didn't find the cathether hurt, but maybe later on that day when I did a pee it was a bit nippy, but I reckoned it's better to get checked out and see if they could help than live in misery. I really hope you can get some sleep and not worry so much. It's easy for me to say that now as I have calmed down a lot and my bladder doesn't give me any where near as much trouble. When you are in the thick of it, it's a different story. Giving birth is a one time event, peeing or probs with waterworks is an everyday reminder of something if it's not working the way it should. I didn't give a second thought to peeing until it became a problem and then I obsessed over it no end. I really feel for you and hope they can get you some help. Chin up, it won't always be this bad xx

Indigobarbie thank you . I have never had anything stuck up my urethra and can't imagine it being anything other than agony. Do they numb the area first?

hi no I don't think so, but honestly it's not so bad, just a little uncomfortable x

I agree. I have to catheterise myself once a day due to surgery I had as a child. Have done it every day for 16 years and it doesn't hurt - honestly. Good luck. Hope they can sort it out for you.

Thank you so much for this. I really appreciate your comments