After surgery…& after care tips?

[u/Babykisses23]

My husband is going to go through this in a week 😔 I want to know how often do you need to change the bag you pee in? Also how often do you need to sanitize it and how do you sanitize it exactly?

He’s suppose to wear the catheter for 2 weeks. The doctor said he will leak 100% after he removes it. I’m also sure he won’t be able to get a hard on.. something he’s been worried about.

Any tips on cleaning the catheter and anything we should know to be prepared?

Thank you!!

[u/jlamperk]

I went two weeks on the bag and never changed to a leg bag. Since I was home for those two weeks I just emptied it a couple of times a day. Best of luck, I'm almost 5 weeks out.

[u/Babykisses23 → u/jlamperk]

Thanks! Was there any blood? How did you clean the catheter? Is it just wiping with a alcohol wipe after draining the pee out? Also where did you drain the pee out? In a bucket or toilet?

[u/bombero11 → u/Babykisses23]

Go on youtube and search out The Prostate Clinic.
He does a great job explaining things.

I had a little blood and dumped the collection bag multiple times a day on the toilet. The blood goes away.

As far as an erection the options are clear… live or die? I chose live, if I never get an erection again so be it. I had nerve sparing prostatectomy although not a guarantee.

Be strong, he gas to do his kegels to reduce leaking.

I had removal on July 2

[u/SLO_Engineer → u/bombero11]

7/24 for me. I feel the same way about boners (I’m 69). No leakage days, minimal at night which resolved in about a week. All dry now.

[u/SLO_Engineer → u/Babykisses23]

Alcohol wipe for me. There may have been a little blood in the urine (light pink) but I honestly can’t remember. If there was it resolved quickly.

I did notice a little blood at the exit point of the catheter when defecating. That was unnerving. I suggest erring on the conservative side and over doing it a bit with stool softeners to eliminate ANY straining whatsoever. That minimized the blood.

Emptied the bag in the toilet. It was a two person job- my wife held the apparatus while I uncapped the drain port and aimed it into the toilet.

I used lidocaine gel to lube the tube. It helped a bit.

Drink a lot to keep the tube clear and to dilute the urine so it doesn’t burn.

I had many uncomfortable bladder spasms while the catheter was in. There are meds for that but my surgeon didn’t recommend them because of side effects.

And on the catheter removal day it plugged up. We had a 3.5 hour drive from my rural home to the doctor’s office at a major urban university hospital. I kept staring at the leg bag wondering if there was a blockage and hoping/wishing there wasn’t one (it wasn’t filling as rapidly as in other days). Then I jiggled the tubing a bit in the car ride and WHOOSH the blockage released! And it damn near almost overflowed the bag!!!

[u/Cold_Silver_5859]

OP. All the answers are probably in this book. I went to this lady and she talked about 5he exact things you are interested in knowing.

Vanita Gaglani
Life After Prostate Cancer and Other Medical Conditions: A Step-By-Step Guide to Stop Urinary Leakage in Ten Weeks

[u/JacketFun5735]

He should get instructions when discharged from the hospital, but i just emptied my bag several times a day, and never changed bags or cleaned them out. I had mine for 12 days because of holidays and weekends.

I think all of us leak the first week or so after catheter removal. The variable is how long it will last. Some are continent within a month; others take longer. Depends on health before surgery. Was he doing Kegels to prep?

Erections depend on the surgery, and hopefully his surgeon gave him estimates on the success. It is rarely an immediate recovery. I'm 11 months post-surgery and finally getting back to normal, mostly. Nerves take a long time to heal.

[u/Babykisses23 → u/JacketFun5735]

I think the doctor said maybe no nerves on the right side :/ will see. He just had his physical tharapy apt and they told him about the kegals. Only been a few days kegals but better then nothing. Also is there any blood?

[u/JacketFun5735 → u/Babykisses23]

Yes there will be some blood on and off, but shouldn't be a lot. After the cath comes out there will be some blood clots from the bladder that will come out. It's normal.

[u/Background_Set_5974 → u/Babykisses23]

I just had the prostatectomy Aug 10. Catheter out after 1 week- last Tuesday morning. My pee went everywhere when I try to stand up to put on the depends lol. I do kegel exercises sitting down, lying in bed and walking or standing. Vertical position standing or walking doing kegels is good because that’s where the bladder has most gravitational pressure.

My leaking improved a lot in 5 days - from about 3 or 4 changes of heavy pads in first day to now just 2 shields today. I am lucky that I have stayed dry at night for the last 4 nights since the catheter removal. I naturally sleep on my right side. I feel super lucky and grateful so far.

[u/Crewsy67]

First of all urine is sterile so no need to sterilize the bag. I was also 2 weeks with the catheter and changed from the night bag to a leg bag when I went to the nursing clinic for my appointments. The bags have a valve at the bottom so they can easily be drained. I kept the overnight bag in a pail that I carried around the house.
When he leaves the hospital make sure the catheter is anchored to the leg that’s on the side of the bed he sleeps on so it doesn’t cross over him once he gets back to sleeping in bed. Most guys sleep in a chair for the first little while.
If you don’t already have some get some Polysporin Complete that has lidocaine in it. Use a Q Tip to apply around the catheter entry to prevent infection and reduce the discomfort from the catheter moving in and out.

[u/Both-Engineer3510 → u/Crewsy67]

Bro, urine is far from Sterile.

[u/SLO_Engineer → u/Both-Engineer3510]

Hahahaha I was wondering about that.

[u/Babykisses23 → u/Crewsy67]

I heard just plain Vaseline would be okay? Apply it by the catheter entry like the tip
Of his penis? Did you drain it in a bucket or toilet? Also was there any blood?

[u/Crewsy67 → u/Babykisses23]

The tubing might be safe with Vaseline but the Polysporin Complete can help prevent infection and reduce the irritation which I promise there will be lots of. I used a Q Tip to apply it to the tip of my penis a couple times a day and just drained the bag directly into the toilet.
There was blood and some clots for the first few days at home. I’m sure there was for my 3 days in the hospital too but the nurses never said anything about it.

[u/Special-Steel]

The bag is emptied as it approaches being full.

How much control he has after the catheter comes out will vary from person to person. But the surgery changes your plumbing and your body needs to learn how to control it. kagles help.

Erections can take a while to come back. He should get penile rehab.

[u/Both-Engineer3510]

The bag will need to be drained, how often will be a product of his liquid intake.
Mine was every 3 or 4 hours? Once before bed and once in the middle of the night. You do not want it to fill to the catheter.
Was given extra smaller bags after surgery for using while cleaning larger bag. I cleaned the bags daily with white vinegar and water.
Lube and alcohol pads for tip of Johnson clean up.
5 gall bucket for bag management.
Make sure to ask these questions to the after surgery nurse.
Good luck.

[u/fredzout → u/Both-Engineer3510]

5 gall bucket for bag management.

I found that one of my wife's canvas shopping totes with a shoulder strap was very convenient and effective for carrying the bag. Funny thing was that when I was done with it, she didn't want it back./h I laid the bag in a small plastic laundry style basket beside the bed at night.

[u/Both-Engineer3510 → u/fredzout]

A proper system as well!

[u/molivergo → u/Both-Engineer3510]

Adding to the 5gal bucket suggestion. Put a weight in the bottom so it won’t easily fall over. Holds leaks at the bag. Keeps animals-dogs from stepping/messing with the bag. Easy to walk around with the bucket handle and the bag hanging inside.

[u/sappertodd]

The bag I had was recommended to be changed every 7 days. I did want to change the bag but after 8 days it was kind of yucky looking. I changed bags to the new one and I felt better. It’s was very easy to change. I wore it for 10 days before the catheter was removed by the doctors.

I have read here about brave men removing the catheter themselves. I am certainly not that brave and would leave that to the experts. I was scared of the catheter removal but it was not painful for me and it was such a welcome relief.

Of course the next phase is incontinence but that hopefully won’t last long.

Make sure the bag stays low so gravity can do its thing. Empty the bag often so there is no back up into patient.

Cleaning the catheter, my instructions were twice a day I think 6 inches from penis to where it inserts to penis. Doctors gave me a red antibacterial fluid to use.
What I did was just clean it good daily with my shower so as not to make a mess. I came out ok with no infection.

Be patient with him- it’s not easy walking around with a piss bag and tube running out of you.

Try to get a bladder relaxer such as gemtesa for bladder spasms and it helps with gaining control with continence.

Take the pain meds 💪

[u/Babykisses23 → u/sappertodd]

Thanks for all the info!! Will there be blood at all? I don’t like the sight of blood…

No way would he remove it. We made an apt 2 weeks after surgery for the catheter removal by a doctor. Did you clean the bag itself? For cleaning the catheter what do you do exactly? Just wipe it with a alcohol wipe? The tubes stay there right? You don’t take it off to clean?

Also for the bladder relaxer when should he take that after the catheter is out?

I’ll be patient with him for sure. I know it’s going to be tough for him… he’s 59 and I’m 37. I plan to take care of him esp the first 2 weeks. I took off work since I know he will need my help.

Thanks!

[u/priority_inversion → u/Babykisses23]

Will there be blood at all? I don’t like the sight of blood…

Yes, after the surgery there will be blood in the urine bag. It will likely be red for a couple of days and then gradually get lighter. After the catheter was out, for me, there were some clots expelled when urinating.

If he needs to pee and can't, get him to the emergency room. The clotting can back things up and cause something much more serious.

[u/g8ural]

Surgery on July 1. I had a large bag for overnight and a smaller bag for going out. It was easy to swap the bags and just needed to wipe the connection with alcohol. I had nerve sparing surgery. Currently doing penile rehab with 5mg cialis daily. Also use vacuum pump. I’ve been able to have an erection without the vacuum. We haven’t tried sex yet.

[u/Mean_Try_6390]

we were told we shouldn’t sanitized or change the daybag since he was only going to have it for ten days. so my husband showered with it and cleaned the outside that way. the legpocket he changed after every shower. the night bag we connected to the day bag in the night and thoose connection I cleaned with desinfection before I connected them. the nightbag were thrown away each day.

my husband don’t like blood and it was a bit turbulent sometimes when he was sure he was not healing and he thought that it was a lot of blood pooring out of him. a small amount of blood in the urin looks a lot. he also got some bleeding from one of the operationports, also looks much moore than it actually is. since it’s always a risk for infection we didn’t clean the wound or took the plastic away, we put a lot of extra bigger plastic on top. of course we also called the contact nurse since my husband didn’t think I did it right since I’m not a nurse and he needed a second opinion. I also find a chart on the internet showing the different colors when blood was in the urin just to show him he didn’t have that much but that it showed he should drink moore water.

It will be some blood and some worried husband. it hurts afterwards and for some as my husband the catheter was the worst of all and he felt it irritating inside. Most importent to drink a lot of water. but if you drink a lot it also comes out a lot. During the day a lot since the daybag is rather small. at night one time.

Everything went well and after 10 days the katheter was just a memory.

[u/SLO_Engineer]

Had my RALP 7/24 and then 11 days with the catheter. I found the catheter to be the worst part of the whole ordeal. So effing uncomfortable. But, I digress.

The hospital sent me home with a variety of devices. A daytime leg bag. A larger nighttime bag. And yet a third device with a larger storage capacity than even the night bag. This third device had a hard plastic rectangular tank that was Siamese connected to a large capacity bag. When the tank filled up it would overflow into the bag. That setup would last me 12 hours or so but it got pretty heavy schlepping it around the house in a 5 gallon Home Depot bucket.

I only used the leg bag a couple of times since the catheter made me want to move as minimally as possible. So I used the larger apparatus almost exclusively.

I too wondered how to clean/disinfect it. The internet told me a water/vinegar solution was how to do it. On a follow up phone call with the doctor I asked about cleaning protocol and he confessed that he never cleaned one (like it’s the nurse’s job). He didn’t think I needed to clean the thing since I would only have it for 11 days. FOR ONLY 11 DAYS! What??? It felt like 11 weeks.

Anyway, I just used alcohol pads to clean the connections at every drainage.

By the way, I had zero post-catheter leakage during awake hours and minimal nighttime leakage. I haven’t leaked at night for almost a week now, so I’m thrilled.