If you want your Catheter to last it’s 10 -12 week life cycle without any blockages, follow my five tips. *Disclaimer I am not a doctor but a catheter user myself*
- Drink a tall glass of warm water to flush through any sediment that builds up in the pipe overnight.
- To stop your catheter balloon sticking to the bladder wall, twist it slowly clockwise every other day. But don’t pull too hard because you could cause bleeding both in the tube and with your catheter site. By doing this method repeatedly you can avoid any discomfort when deflating the balloon and changing the catheter. It makes the overall process a lot smoother for both your nurse and yourself (Especially, if your new to life with a catheter)
- Try to avoid carbonated drinks like coke, herbal tea and citrus drinks – these irritate the bladder and can cause spasms which result in bypassing.
- Don’t change your bag everyday, this opens you up to the risk of infection both in your urinary tract and catheter site. Instead try to change it every five days. If you leave it until day seven the backing of the bag will eventually grow weaker causing urine to leak out.
- If your catheter blocks, try changing the bag first, try and flush out the blockage with fluids or preform a bladder wash before calling the district nurse.
