Puggsley

Hi there, I agree with Wetman. It sounds like you've triggered the reflex to void, so the bladder has contracted. But the sphincter hasn't allowed anything to pass, is probably gone into spasm with the sudden pressure. Its not comfortable at all for me, and for someone with full feeling down there I'd expect to be quite awful. I think its a good sign for your goals. In my opinion it sounds like your body is trying to go at night. You just have to get around a mental block. Puggsley

Hi there, Thanks for the advice. I hope your feeling better Foundout. I'll have a look around for some better cranberry juice. Currently Im using Oceanspray, but I'll check the heath food stores for something better. Cranberry juice isn't that common down here though, Im a little limited in what I can use. One Dr suggested supplements, as the juice we get here is pretty expensive. I'd try AZO, but I cant find anything similar down here. After talking to my specialist, I've gone onto a two month course of antibiotics to try and return things to normal. Nitrofurantoin for one month, and something else for a second. Its the same stuff they used when I was in the hospital cathed full time after the accident. Apparently, using catheters the way I've been instructed (at least four times a day to deal with retention issues), you can expect a higher bacterial content in the bladder in any case. The deal is keeping things from building up. Your right Huggie, I need to be drinking more. I think Ive been drinking less recently because my bladder has shrunk, and unconsciously I've been drinking less to reduce the frequency of urges and needing to go. Oh, if anyones interested, lofric.com is the brand of catheter supplied by my insurer, and their site has some interesting how to vids. The antibiotics have settled things down somewhat. Thanks again. Puggsley

It was fantastic! There were some great one liners in there. This season is shaping up to be awesome!

Add me to the list. I guess I was expecting this change, but it was a bit of a shock to wake up last night soaked. Its supposed to be a positive change - nerve pathways are repairing or something, but I still cant get too excited about it.

Hi Brian, Thanks for the update, and its good to hear you're making some progress. You've wanted the botox for a while, so I've got my fingers crossed for the results your after. All the best!

Hi Brian, How are things coming along with you? I hope your making progress with your urologist, and your goals.

Thanks Brian. Sorry to hear about your UTI, but its nice to hear that you managed to use catheters without adverse affects. Is there anything else you did while you had your catheter in to maintain your health? I've been trying to do the basics, keeping clean, doing things the way they taught in the hospital, and drinking plenty of cranberry juice. Im sure looking forward to not needing to use the catheters anymore, but have to use them until Im retaining less then 100ml after peeing. Currently, I can only pee a little when Im really full, but like yourself I don't get much warning, and if I don't get to the toilet quickly I leak. Thanks again.

Hi all, Does anyone have experience with UTI's? I thought I'd got over one, and now its back again. Thankfully I've not got too much feeling down there, so Im missing out on much of the discomfort. Im feeling off, and the frequency of needing to go as well as the urges are a lot worse then normal. One thing Im puzzled by, My GP this time round gave me an effervescent drink to reduce the acid content of my urine (along with the antibiotics). I thought the point of drinking cranberry juice was to keep the acidity level up to make life harder for bugs down there. Im obviously either not being quite clean enough when using my catheters, or just a bit run down at the moment, but I was wondering if anyone had experience with UTI's and could offer some advice on what worked for them. Thanks in advance! Puggsley

Hi Brian, Thanks for the info. I had gathered you would have researched this pretty completely. I've not had a good sit down with my urologist, I only had what she told me while doing the urodynamic test, so I hope I wasn't sticking my nose in. I hope things are coming along well with you now, and you are making progress with your urologist. All the best, Puggsley

Thanks for sharing Brian. At least you gave it a try, its the only way to discover if something doesn't work for you. It sounds like you are the sort of person who does research prior to a procedure, but I'd make sure you double check about the botox. It was suggested that when I become incontinent after my spinal injury, they can use botox to revert my sphincter back to the way it is currently, keeping me reliant on intermittent catheters. Hence, I'm not too keen to tell them about the changes, and the overflow incontinence I've started experiencing, as I know how to deal with it. All the best. Puggsley.

I guess not. I ordered just under three weeks ago, and got em last Saturday. I love em, and will probably order more.

Got some of these this week in blue. I think they're great. Very comfortable. Also got some plastic pants. Your not wrong about the exact sizing though. Large doesn't mean the same size through the whole range. I got mine in a large, and they're almost too large, but exactly what the sizing on the page says. Still, they wear well, and I love them. They ship very discreetly as well. When I get a chance, I'll upload a photo of the packaging. Puggsley

After my spinal accident, they pulled on my catheter to assess what feeling I had. Luckily at that time I didn't have a lot!

Hi, Well things are progressing quite well I guess. I've managed to release the bladder a couple of times now. Not completely, but its a start. I still had to drain with a catheter to make sure I was empty. The second time was this morning, when I was lying in bed luckily with a diaper on. When the urge to go comes, its very sudden, and insistant. I really didn't want to get out of bed, and was a little surprised when I managed to drain enough to get rid of the need to pee. There was still plenty left when I cathereised about an hour later but at least I got that extra hour in bed! Its also handy I had a bit of a diaper stash from before the accident. The urologist suggested that the next step for me would probably result in urge or overflow incontinence, I can see where she was coming from now that I'm getting that full sensation now. Puggsley

Just wait until the US dollar is back where it should be, and they'll be like half the price. And dont forget to change the currency to US dollars, I think it defaults to NZ Dollars. We're having a shopping spree at the moment, as the Kiwi is high against the Greenback, but it'll turn back around soon enough. It always does.

Has anyone seen these guys? http://www.thunderpants.co.nz/Mens/Original_Thunderpants.htm I wear them. They're really comfy. I was hoping for something a little thicker when I ordered them, but they really last, and the company is awesome to deal with. I really recommend them. And the adult prints are pretty much exactly the same as the ones on the kids pants! When I had my accident and my favorite pair got cut off, they even replaced them for me! How cool is that?! Puggsley

Hi Brian, Nice to hear that your healing. I hope the device works out for you considering the pain involved getting it put in. It's good to hear that you've noticed some improvement. Hopefully you'll get a bit more as everything settles down. All the best! Puggsley

I was cut off by an SUV while riding a pushbike. I ended up on the guys windscreen, and got thrown down the road 20 yards with all the force being dissipated up my spine, burst out my T12. I currently have a flaccid bladder and bowel. I have no control of my bowels, but Im managing them with diet and emptying them manually every morning. This doesn't stop accidents but it helps. My bladder won't release on its own, and I've got to empty that manually as well with a catheter four to five times a day. I think Im getting close to the over active bladder that my urologist suggested would be the next progression. Im getting sudden feelings of being full, but still can't release. Diapers seem to carry so much of a stigma here. They suggested that they could treat it with botox, reverting the bladder back to not being able to release by itself! I've always had a thing for diapers, and had a pretty big stash leading up to the accident and I think I'd rather treat with diapers. The risk of infection from inserting something into your bladder that often just seems way to high. Im in a chair most of the day, but I can walk around short distances which is great. I've been lurking for years, mostly just using Daily Diapers for the stories and pictures. It took a long time before I stumbled on the forum. Id mostly been using aby.com for that sort of thing, but Im glad I found the forums here. There seems to be a lot of experience here, and hope I can make use of some. Cheers! Puggsley

Your not wrong about the state of Handicapped stalls diapered chris, there is never anywhere to leave my catheters and wipes, and I end up trying to stuff em in the sanitary towel disposal thing... They're not well thought out at all.

Hi there, I've had a recent back injury (T12 Burst) and noticed there are quite a few members with the same sort of injury. I'm currently self catheterising four times a day, as my bladder wont release on its own. Has anyone else been through this, how long before you moved onto urge incontinence or such? Thanks in advance! Puggsley

Hi there, where in NZ are you? Im curious as to what you think of the Breezers. I've seen them on trademe, but not tried them yet. Cheers