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I talked to an ER doctor yesterday. My CBC is good. My stats were also good. The doctor said to come back if the blood was the consistency of milk. She suspects I was overdoing it. I was sent home with lidocaine gel. My urology nurse will get a copy of my visit with a request to call me after the weekend to see how I'm doing.

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When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade.

Sorry to hear about you're problem doug.But didn't they give you option of using a flow valve so don't need to use a bag all the time?.
Bard's one's called a flipflow.then you don't get so many problems with build up of crusties onit as it flush through like a toilet pain thing.
Over in uk they are maybe doing things a bit diff as theres some changes in way they look at it now.was reading a RCN forum other day and recommending to use valves now when user's can as less infections/problems? as bladder fills like normal then you let it out.
where as bag just drains constantly and waterworks ends up with problems.
check some of the post's/forums on google etc
what i do is ask a question then cross question it and reverse the question and get some good info!

watch having too much cranberry juice as acidic along with citrus fruits pineapple etc also coconut juice is a diuretic along with caffine/chocolate/etc
and spicy foods etc all can irritate bladder which is not realy something you want?
Also blood must be comming from in bladder/kidney area realy and not down penis where caths in that area as not way for it to get from there unless balloon is irritating bladder neck?
The nets a wonderfull place sometimes? mind you can be a real pain when it takes you round and round in circles?
As funny enough just had a chat today with nurse from B&BF about some options as i'm finding i'm sometimes not getting urge to empty and holding too long? plus leaking without knowing but then others time im ok.
And she mentioned about things like your getting.
If you would like i'l see what our side of ponds net will give answers if any help?

All the best and get well soon Doug

The bag and tubing is made by Bard. The instructions I received say "This is designed as a closed loop system. It is not to be left open to drain unless it is only to change bags." There is no valve in the catheter or tubing above the valve. They did not give me any options as it was in the ER.

Today I am being as lazy as possible to get some rest. It is helping so far. I have only had one pain attack.

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When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade.

Hi ok you have that one.you can ask for a flipflow valve which is bards name.they do prefer you to use them now instead of bag as i put above.
when you go there ask for it if you feel would be better for you? don't think they have to change cath unless that ones got a non standard end onit where tubing connects to it to bag? as FFV just pushes into end of cath instead of tube.Have a looksy on net or bard.com

In the US product line from Bard I didn't see the Flip Valve for the catheter. They only list the leg bag with the Flip Valve already attached. You can't remove the valve to relocate it.

The pain continues. I haven't noticed any drainage for several hours. Every time I feel severe pain I get blood in the bag. The last two times I did not. I also get severe pain every time I empty the bag. I'm not sure is that is from a reflex action or something else. My instructions said if no drainage is noticed for 6 to 7 hours go to the hospital to have the catheter checked. I am at around 4 or five hours right now. I will be heading back to the VA in a few more hours if nothing happens or I feel cramps return. I have been drinking plenty of water tonight. I am on my second 26oz bottle of water in last 4 hours.

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When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade.

The bag started flowing but pretty slowly for the amount of water I have been drinking. I guess I will see by morning how things are going.

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When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade.

I think the problem is the amount of gunge in the bladder. All the bits of blood and clots, all the cells shed from the bladder lining start to stick to the eye of the catheter and can start to occlude it. If left too long the catheter will then completely fail to work. before that happens, though, you might find the flow stops for as while until there is enough pressure to push the urine through the occluded catheter eye. You will need to watch this, though, as your urine can only go one way with the catheter blocked - back to the kidneys.

Hi doug i'd personally go back there pronto and get alot more help and make sure they look into it properly!
And do make sure that they do look into it fully and ask about valve as that stops build up so much from flushing out reg when you open it.
Has wheels said that sounds correct as normal urine cath is only 12-18ch/fr so would block up more easily.
I think you have a problem with bladder/kidney area than uretha as bleeding from that area wouldn't show as cath is in place.

It's a 16 fr.

Would the minor leaking be from a clogged tip? It is very little leakage and it only happens when I get the intense pain, meaning that the salt in the urine is probably causing the pain when it gets inside a scratch. I usually see a few very thick ribbons of blood in the tubing just after the pain subsides.

I'm going to call the urology nurse tomorrow to see what she says about it.

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When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade.

Either way toy look at it Doug, I am still cringing! It has not even been in a week? I doubt it is a clogged tip, but anything is possible. I hope you get it all sotrted out, and the sooner you can get that thing removed and be ABLE to go freely, the better. Need to figure out why you backed up in the first place... take it EASY! Puffy