Refusing a catheter

[jayne191284]

I cant understand why anyone would want to refuse one! Its put in after the spinal so you don't feel it and TBH when they take it out you hardly feel anything.

I had my section at 10.30am on the Thursday and had my catheter removed the next morning and had to walk to the toilet....I thought I might die!! I would have kept the catheter in for another day if i could x

 

[Sew_Sweet]

The catheter is a preventative measure which also to keeps your bladder empty during the surgery, therefore reducing the risk of trauma whilst they are cutting you etc. As well, the catheter reduces the risk of urinary retention which is high if you have no sensation to your bladder to empty it, you don't necessarily wet yourself when you have had a spinal/epidural, the bladder will just retain and fill to burst so to speak. The bladder is the last to receive sensation back post anaesthesia. So if you go into retention you will require long term catherisation. Not nice.

So just bear this in mind when it is 6-12hrs post caesarian section and you still haven't been up for the toilet. All that time your bladder has filled, all the fluids they put into you etc.

Ahhh - Exactly as she said ^^

They didn't bother catheterizing me and my labor was SLOW. I didn't have a section - just an epidural. But guess what? After labor I was not able to pass urine on my own. I can't even explain it. It's like I was unable to just "go" on my own. I ended up with a catheter for 2 weeks because of it. They tried to remove it twice and sent me home to see if I'd be able to go and I ended up in the emergency room twice to get it put back in. Thank god eventually I was able to go again.

I'd say - don't screw around with it. Dr's do what they do for a reason. If they recommend the catheter - you should get it.

If it's any comfort, I didn't get an infection from the catheter even having one in for that long - and having it redone those couple times too.

 

[LouLou78]

Sew Sweet, thank you for sharing that with us. That is a good example of what can happen. At my unit if you have an epidural the same policy applies for the same preventative reasons, put in a catheter, as it maybe hours before the patient is up to go to the toilet.

 

[Kyliem87]

If I need a c-section I'll be having the catheter. I understand they come with their risks but as does every single medical assisted thing that they give you lol. As I'd be numbed from waist down I won't know when I need to pee and I'd be mortified about weeing myself during the time I am numb rather than having the catheter inserted while I can't feel it.

Obviously I think it's just preference and if you REALLY don't want it then as anything medical you can refuse it. No one can ever make you have something you don't want (even if it would save your life you're entitled to refuse it)

 

[ryder]

loulou78 is right... and honestly, the other people who are nurses SHOULD know all of the info!

Having a catheter in for a short period of time WILL NOT cause a UTI... prolonged use of a catheter can though.

When you get a c-section or the epidural it is strongly recommended to have one inserted because like Loulou78 said, your bladder will not empty on its own and if it become overfull you can actually cause serious damage to your bladder.

I would think most people would see that having a catheter inserted for a few hours is the lesser of 2 evils if you were to permenantly damage your bladder and be incontinent for the rest of your life ?

 

[Charlie_x]

Can i ask how do they put it in and also does it go in the bit where you properly pee from?? If so how do they get it in something so small???

 

[ryder]

They arn't very big, its inserted into the urethra up to the bladder, once it is inserted a small amount of saline is inserted into a part of the catheter tubing to creat a balloon so the catheter wont come out on its own.

Its all done with sterile equipment and you are properly cleansed down there with betadine. They use a lubricant when inserting it, and even if you could feel it going in (you cant if you have an epidural or spinal) it isn't something that hurts.

To remove it the saline is drawn from the balloon and its pulled out. We have had patients who discontinue their own catherters and pull the baloon out through their uretha LOL OWIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mum2b2009]

I cant imagin anyone not wanting one after a c section!
Getting up to pee will be the last thing you want im sure. Each to their own tho

 

[crazylilth1ng]

I had surgery to remove an ectopic pregnancy 12 months ago and they didn't insert a catheter attached to a bag, they used the one they just slip in and empty the pee into a bowl. I just couldn't get the pee out for hours after the surgery! If not for the catheter I would have been in agony with a distended bladder! I'm certainly not going to make a fuss about the catheter during my section, they are a god send!

 

[babyblog]

They arn't very big, its inserted into the urethra up to the bladder, once it is inserted a small amount of saline is inserted into a part of the catheter tubing to creat a balloon so the catheter wont come out on its own.

Its all done with sterile equipment and you are properly cleansed down there with betadine. They use a lubricant when inserting it, and even if you could feel it going in (you cant if you have an epidural or spinal) it isn't something that hurts.

To remove it the saline is drawn from the balloon and its pulled out. We have had patients who discontinue their own catherters and pull the baloon out through their uretha LOL OWIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Haha, see this is what makes me feel sick ! Hate the thought of the tube going in such a small hole, makes me feel like I can't breathe. I have them a few times ad each time I have felt a tugging when i have moved my legs, I can't imagine anyone wanting to keep one in! X

 

[Sew_Sweet]

I know it sounds awful but it really isn't that painful. It stings for a moment at best. The distended bladder feeling is 100% worse and can actually damage you. Not worth it. You're really taking chances not getting one IMO.

 

[Snuffy]

Like others have said, I didn't feel it going in as they did it after my epidural (first time) and spinal (second). I didn't feel any tugging sensation after I got my lower body feeling back.

It was removed first thing the follow morning both times and the most I felt was a quick and very slight pull, not painful in the slightest.

 

[ryder]

With my first baby I had one once I got the epidural. It was only left in until I started the pushing atage and they took it out. After I had my daughter I was let to try and get up to a wheelchair to go to the bathroom and try peeing on my own. I had a walking epidural so luckily I managed to pee and didn't need the catheter re-inserted.

 

[mtnprotracy]

I'm a 2nd trimester lurker......I'm 25 weeks....but, as others have said, I really feel like I am in trimester limbo.

I had a catheter during a previous c-section. I really felt no pain with the insertion or removal. I remember being relieved that I didn't have to get up and go pee every hour...lol. I had a lot of fluid, and I feel like the catheter was an effective way of helping remove it.

 

[rory83coyotes]

There is also the possiblity that if you bladder is not fully empty the dr could nick it in the process of the c section. I would say go ahead an get it. you won't have it for that long anyway and it really helps. I had about 15 liters of fluid during my last section as it was an emergency and I was already swollen. I would have been up every 10 mintues to pee if it hadn't been for the catheter. The nurse had to empty about 2500-3000 every 1.5 hours from the catheter so for me it was a life saver. They put mine in before the spinal as I asked them to because I needed some relief after not being up to the bathroom for the last 3 hours.