Using A Foley To Become Incontinent

[Pad]

I have read several times that using a Foley Catheter continuously for a number of years will weaken the sphincter muscle to the point that one becomes incontinent. Has anyone knowledge about this?

[incondl]

Here we go again on the foley issue........ When you use a foley you also need to take medication for UTI's and bladder spasm's also. After long term use of a foley (which need to be changed at times) you will leak some but it will not cause long term incontinence unless you have other issues. You will not like a foley I can promise that. If you are mobile you will have leaks. The leg bag causes rashes. The type of pants you wear pull at the insertion point and cause pain. If you really want to become incontinent the when you get the urge to go...then go. I'm sure that as time passes you will no longer think about it and it will just happen

[BriGuy]

You'll achieve the same thing with about the same frame of time without use of a foley just by wearing and letting go...

[Darkfinn]

Don't do it. You run the risk of massive infection and A LOT of pain.

Just wear 24/7... eventually your body will adjust and you will be incontinent.

[ldatsea]

using a foley HURTS i have had to use them a couple of times when i had surgery to try and correct my incontinence and the longest i had to use it was 3 weeks TRUST ME you don't want one in for any length of time . I ended up with a major infection even following the care and maintence of the doctor and that was the sickest i have ever been. besides getting infections the bladder spasms that WILL happen are painfull the tugging at the insertion point is painful, every time you move your clothing rubs and pulls at the cathiter, god forbid it dosent slip out, even with the balloon fully filled it can slip out and you will wanna cry!

trust me stay continent and enjoy your diapers when you want to, dont put your self thru pain and possibely worse just so you HAVE to wear a diaper its not worth it,

even tho I know you wont listen beleive me when I say , every incon person I know wishes to be dry again and all of them will say if you want to enjoy wearing diapers just do that becuase you will NOT always enjoy them when you have no choice .. lets say a leaking diaper at work or a job interview....

hope it helps ....

my 2 cents

[Baby Brian]

Pad,

Foley's definitely can be a dangerous option for becoming incontinent. I have lived with a very uncomfortable urge incontinence for over 10 years and not a single urologist I've met has been willing to help me get rid of the urge. Being urge incontinent I usually don't just wet my diaper I flood it, so I've been using Abena X-pluses for quite a long while now. These diapers are expensive ($250+ per month), but regardless of what you buy you'll definitely need to get used to wearing a diaper 24/7 before committing to becoming incontinent. Wearing non-stop is a major life style change than even just every night, and the cost will need to be ranked a higher priority than a car or mortgage payment since no diapers would mean a constant trail of pee.

For as many hoops, tests, and drugs I've been put on/through not a single doctor has been able (or willing) to truly help me. Since my auto accident left me urge incontinent I've learned to live with wearing them 24/7 (the really bad rashes lasted for 8 years before my skin adjusted). Now I actually like wearing them and truly feel naked without one. To get rid of the pain and discomfort the urges bring I've also tried hypnosis, reverse potty training (the don't hold it in method), and even off use drugs to induce a full urinary incontinence, but nothing has helped except catheters. The other poster is right about them irritating the entry point and the infections, but I can't comment on the spams since I've all ready lost control of my bladder and spasms are basically what urge incontinence is. At first every time I would try one the burning and irritation was so bad I'd end up pulling it out within a few days. Eventually I was able to leave one in for a week but ran into another problem. An arousal can only be ignored for so long and taking care of one with a catheter in got me a kidney infection. Let me just say it's an understatement to say it hurt so bad I felt like I was going to die.

My personal experience is that catheter use is not something that should be thought of lightly. Make sure you have exhausted every other method before you try this route! That said, I personally have exhausted every other route (and about a dozen urologists). Since then I've once again been using Foley catheters, this time for the past 2 months. If for any reason any one is trying to use a catheter, let me give you some real advice.

1. Try using diapers 24/7 for a minimum of 6 months first. You'll eventually be in them 24/7 with a catheter anyway, and in the mean time you might want to try the "don't hold it in and just let yourself go when ever your body needs to" approach. This might just give you a small idea of what it will really be like so you can make a better informed decision if you want to continue with a catheter later.

2. Since you get what you pay for, buy the best diapers out there you can. This pretty much limits you to Abena X-plus, Molicare, and possibly Bambino if they fit you just right. The new Attends, thinner Abena's, Depends Maximum, and every store brand out there aren't good enough and are guaranteed to leak if you are using a catheter. Even if they are fine for conscious use and limited flooding (think you haven't been drinking but still need to go bad).

3. Drink a lot of cranberry juice (I mean a lot), it works better than any medication a doctor can prescribe for urinary health (unless you all ready have an infection), and it's cheaper.

4. Watch for any blood in your diaper or an infection very closely. Don't wait just because you're not sure if you're sick yet. Get to a hospital at the very first sign of a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) such as excessive tiredness or weakness, or yellowing of the eyes. Haven't peed in more than a few hours even with the catheter, and localized pain around the kidneys (lower sides).

5. Never use a intermittent catheter. Also known as a 1-way catheter they are a simple tube with just one opening at each end. If you are even mildly active these catheters will migrate out of you bladder. You will get a lot of burning, irritation and probably even blood. Instead make sure you use a Foley catheter. Also know as a 2-way catheter they have an opening with an inflatable balloon on one end and two ports on the other (one for filling a 5cc balloon once it is in your bladder and the other for drainage). Don't let the French units (FR size) fool you, a size 12 that is 16" long may be the smallest you can easily get but they are still pretty big. Any bigger and the irritation gets worse.

6. If you have a catheter in and get an arousal, think twice before you try taking care of it. In fact don't even think about it. A catheter will completely block the urethra in your prostrate (where the semen is fed from). Try visualizing a tree falling over the interstate, you think nothing bad will happen with cars speeding down the road and nowhere else to go?

7. In between catheter changes take care of that arousal, when you're done go for it again. Remember sex is completely out unless you ignored the last tip.

8. Change your catheter no more than every 5 days but don't go too long without having one in. I know many people and places say you can go a full week before it becomes too risky, but don't push what little luck you may have. Having it out for more than a few hours might also seem like a good idea to heal any inflammation, but it will just be worse when you put a new one in.

9. Always change your diapers frequently. Even if there's still plenty of capacity left don't stay in a wet diaper for more than 4 or 5 hours max (or overnight). A soaked diaper is a breeding ground for bacteria and the exterior sheath of a catheter can easily pick it up to breed more and give you an infection.

10. Finally; never never never re-use a catheter or try to re-set one that has migrated out too far because it wasn't properly set. The possibility of an infection is quite high with catheters to ever risk re-using one.

Ok let the comments fly, just remember I may be personally using them since I see no other alternative than flying to India to get a sphincterectomy or botox injection, but even I don't recommend using them.

[Guitarzan]

6. If you have a catheter in and get an arousal, think twice before you try taking care of it. In fact don't even think about it. A catheter will completely block the urethra in your prostrate (where the semen is fed from). Try visualizing a tree falling over the interstate, you think nothing bad will happen with cars speeding down the road and nowhere else to go?

7. In between catheter changes take care of that arousal, when you're done go for it again. Remember sex is completely out unless you ignored the last tip.

These two are incorrect. A catheter does not block off semen, unless you're using a catheter that's way too big. I've had as big as a 28fr in and been able to have a full ejaculation. Semen will flow around the outside of the catheter tube. Some people, including me, find it highly arousing to ejaculate with a catheter in.

Sex is also possible. You put a little KY lube on the catheter when it enters the penis so when you get an erection the catheter can slide in the penis. Once you have a good erection you can fold the end of the catheter over the top or bottom of the penis and using white medical tape, tape it to the penis. Then cover the penis with a condom and away you go. I've had sex with a catheter in place many times. My partner at the time did all the prep. She found it arousing to "prepare" me, and also liked the stimulation when the catheter was taped to the top of my penis during sex. We used a bed pad under us to protect for wetness.

Catheter sex was very stimulating and exciting. I never got any infections because I was VERY careful and clean.

[steve in diaps]

1 The idea of something pushed up there is not for me. Have known some people that had to use them for many years and others while in the hospital. Non were very happy to use them and some had scaring that made it worse. I guess if you only play with them for short periods and very careful may not be harmful. Just watch for infections like some of the others mentioned. As far as sex with them I have heard it both ways, good and bad. Size and careful use may make the defference in that.

2 I do have personal experience with spasms 24/7 of almost all my body muscles as well as spasm that come and go with my bladder and digestive track. I can be to the point that is too painful to breath but the bladder spasms suck big time. I tried to not use protection/diapers by tring go more often or to hold it longer. But the spasm always get the best of me. I start leaking while I try to hold on to get to the bathroom and leak on the way only to get there and not be able to relaxe to go and then it can tighten up some more.Very painful!! Curled up on the floor is no fun either or in traffic hoping to make it to a restroom.

3 my best suggestion would be happy to play in diapers and have fun, trust me you will have plenty of oppertunities to become incontinent in the future. I didn`t plan on having 2 back injuries, one friend in highschool had her pelves crushed in a car wreck, they rebuilt her bladder and it never worked well for her and she walked a little funny, now I walk about like she did. I saw how hard it was for her to be in diapers and that was in the 70s. Oh and don`t forget medical complications and old age. A women I meet in therapy had the same types of perm nerve blocks, by the same DOC, didn`t plan on waking up in ICU on a ventilator mostly paralyzed. Im sure she enjoyed having to use diapers for the next 6 to 8 months it took to regain most of her body functions. SHe was about ten yrs older than I am an must be looking forward to having to use diapers in her senior years.

4 But what do I know as I am still new to all this. I can understand the desire for something in each of our lives. But don`t give up on having a choice in life and the freedom that choice gives you in return. I take meds when pain and spasms get too bad or I overdue it with my back == having to use protection or diapers - no choice. If I reinjure or my back degenerates I could end up in them 24/7 and no choice with the chance for a wheel chair thrown in. Yet I still have the desire to be active and work at at higher level than I should and the risk is high enough my employer would not allow me back.

I`ll get off my soapbox now, but i would still like to have choices in life and the freedom that comes with my chosing the choice.

[nappied]

These two are incorrect. A catheter does not block off semen, unless you're using a catheter that's way too big. I've had as big as a 28fr in and been able to have a full ejaculation. Semen will flow around the outside of the catheter tube. Some people, including me, find it highly arousing to ejaculate with a catheter in.

Sex is also possible. You put a little KY lube on the catheter when it enters the penis so when you get an erection the catheter can slide in the penis. Once you have a good erection you can fold the end of the catheter over the top or bottom of the penis and using white medical tape, tape it to the penis. Then cover the penis with a condom and away you go. I've had sex with a catheter in place many times. My partner at the time did all the prep. She found it arousing to "prepare" me, and also liked the stimulation when the catheter was taped to the top of my penis during sex. We used a bed pad under us to protect for wetness.

Catheter sex was very stimulating and exciting. I never got any infections because I was VERY careful and clean.

[Baby Brian]

Nappied,

You are right. At first having an ejaculation was painful and even drew blood. Fortunately, mother nature won't be denied and I eventually found that practice makes perfect. After a month or two I was able to cum without much pain. As for the Folley use, I can definitely say they have improved my incontinence. I went from having a bad urge incontinence for the last 14 years (docs always wanted to "fix" me but that never worked), to a much more normal incontinence in just 3 months:excl: I still have to consciously allow myself to wet or the urges will come back, but I'm hoping with time that too will be reduced.