Getting Surgery in Mexico

Diapered Dave · February 19

Wow.... That's crazy! Though I think BrownBobby mentioned blood clots somewhere around here a while back. Well, I'm sure the 14fr is more comfortable than the 22fr was. My only thought is could urine possibly leak around the 14fr cath, since the surgery "opened you up" down there. You might have to wear a diaper to catch any leakage. I'm assuming you will have a leg bag now, for the next 10 days?

Reddy · February 19

Just now, Diapered Dave said:

Wow.... That's crazy! Though I think BrownBobby mentioned blood clots somewhere around here a while back. Well, I'm sure the 14fr is more comfortable than the 22fr was. My only thought is could urine possibly leak around the 14fr cath, since the surgery "opened you up" down there. You might have to wear a diaper to catch any leakage. I'm assuming you will have a leg bag now, for the next 10 days?

Ah I forgot to mention. I don't have a leg bag attached. I have one available, but the catheter is very short and wouldn't work well with a bag. We just put a plug into the cath instead. I can take the plug out when I want to leak into the toilet. However the plug leaks. We noticed that, and there is a 2nd plug I can put in that would work better. But for now I am using a diaper to deal with the leaks.

superabsorbantpolymer · February 19

Oh no I'm sorry to hear that! Hopefully the tissue can heal around the catheter and you won't have any more issues with retention. I tried out catheters for the first time this week actually, partially motivated by this thread. I got 18f inside me alright, but walking around with it was difficult. When I turned on the tap, I got an urge and my bladder started to spasm, I doubled over and had to breathe deeply until I could compose myself. I don't envy you having to use a catheter for two more weeks! What anti spasm medication have they given you? Does it help?

rusty pins · February 19

Problems after surgery in Mexico to become incontinent that many people warned you about? Imagine that!

superabsorbantpolymer · February 19

If there's any silver lining to having to wear the catheter for two more weeks, it's that your incontinence is likely to be even more guaranteed when it comes out. It'll be three whole weeks of your resected tissue healing rigidly in place without your sphincter being able to try and shut or scar tissue to grow.

Reddy · February 19

1 hour ago, rusty pins said:

Problems after surgery in Mexico to become incontinent that many people warned you about? Imagine that!

Not very hard to imagine for me, as all were discussed in advance. However I don't recall you providing insight, help, or discussion about residual blood clots, while plenty of other more constructive members did. No one here was surprised. Yes, you go work on your imagination. It might help you.

superabsorbantpolymer · February 19

4 minutes ago, rusty pins said:

Problems after surgery in Mexico to become incontinent that many people warned you about? Imagine that!

Please be kind to Reddy. He knew the risks going into this and is being kind enough to share very private details of his personal situation during a very vulnerable time.

TheSuperDiaperBoy · February 19

Do you have a urologist lined up for any problems you might get in the US? What kind of transparency if any would you share with that doc about your procedure in Mexico?

superabsorbantpolymer · February 19

On 1/30/2024 at 5:14 AM, Reddy said:

I think these are fine options and some people might want to be open and honest, but what might stop people is there is a risk that insurance will not pay for follow up care for an elective surgery.

I definitely won't be open and honest because I just don't think that would make me comfortable. I'm pretty set on not sharing the real reasoning behind the surgery. It would contradict what I already told my primary doctor (I told him a procedure was recommended by a urologist and I'm thinking through that) and besides it would just make me uncomfortable to tell them.

I appreciate that people point out that I can be honest, and I agree that I can. But at this point I just truly don't want to.

But I will still keep that in mind. 👍

He's already answered this, he's got a urology referral back home and his doctor is aware he's getting treated by another urologist. (Just not the full extent). There's been a lot of discussion in the thread already on the topic. He plans on telling the urologist he had the surgery but just not being open that he desired incontinence.

Reddy · February 19

I want everyone who is considering a similar procedure to understand the risks involved, which is why I have been so vocal about sharing the known complications (stricture disease, sexual side effects, acute retention from temporary blockages, etc) that I have learned through other patients generously sharing their experiences. Residual blood clots are one of the things I expected the most. I certainly don't make a recommendation of surgery. But I do suggest always to keep an open mind and a willingness to learn, and a full look at risks. Genuine concern and hypothetical risk discussion is welcome and important.

Unhelpful posts from those who don't meaningfully contribute to the discussion, and which offer only snark, nastiness, and manufactured schadenfreude are not welcome, and will continue to be reported.

superabsorbantpolymer · February 19

51 minutes ago, Reddy said:

Ah I forgot to mention. I don't have a leg bag attached. I have one available, but the catheter is very short and wouldn't work well with a bag. We just put a plug into the cath instead. I can take the plug out when I want to leak into the toilet. However the plug leaks. We noticed that, and there is a 2nd plug I can put in that would work better. But for now I am using a diaper to deal with the leaks.

Are you going to have another consult with the doctor before you leave? Seeing as you will have the catheter for an extended period of time, have they said anything about taking antibiotics to prevent infection? Is plugging the catheter and leaking into a diaper potentially going to increase the risk of infection? You can get extension tubes for catheters if the leg bag you have isn't long enough.

Again so sorry you're going through this, hope it all resolves soon ❤️

Reddy · February 19

2 minutes ago, superabsorbantpolymer said:

Are you going to have another consult with the doctor before you leave? Seeing as you will have the catheter for an extended period of time, have they said anything about taking antibiotics to prevent infection? Is plugging the catheter and leaking into a diaper potentially going to increase the risk of infection? You can get extension tubes for catheters if the leg bag you have isn't long enough.

Again so sorry you're going through this, hope it all resolves soon ❤️

I'm still halfway through my antibiotics course. I'll be switching to the better sealing plug as recommended. I agree about the leaky one not making sense. No other in-person consult but I do have active messaging with the surgeon.

jeremy12312 · February 19

42 minutes ago, rusty pins said:

Problems after surgery in Mexico to become incontinent that many people warned you about? Imagine that!

I don’t think Mexico has anything to do with blood clots, post-surgery. Plenty of people have surgical complications everywhere. Unless eating tortillas makes blood clots worse

In fact, the close and rapid personal attention paid by the clinic staff is probably better than at some hospitals in the US.

Diapered Dave · February 19

37 minutes ago, Reddy said:

Unhelpful posts from those who don't meaningfully contribute to the discussion, and which offer only snark, nastiness, and manufactured schadenfreude are not welcome, and will continue to be reported.

Schadenfreude?? Great... Another big-ass German word I can't pronounce!!! It took me YEARS to say "Fahrvergnugen" !!! 😆😆

43 minutes ago, jeremy12312 said:

I don’t think Mexico has anything to do with blood clots, post-surgery. Plenty of people have surgical complications everywhere. Unless eating tortillas makes blood clots worse.

It's the Salsa.... Those little bits in the Salsa pass right thru ya, into the bladder. I know, weird, right??

Elfy · February 19

I think my wife could empathise with you a bit.

She had a mild UTI a while back and one morning woke me up telling me she had terrible bladder pains. She thought it was a kidney stone, something I've hd lots of experience with. In the end it turned out to be a blood clot and when that came out everything was OK. She went to the doctor's just in case but it was just determined to be an after-effect of the UTI.

Obviously I'm not a doctor but since the bladder is designed to store liquid and then let it out one way, when there is a reaso for blood to be in there, be it after surgery, a UTI or anything else, and it's there in amounts large enough to clot and cause problems there is unfortuately only one way for it to come out!

Similarly, again talking about my wife's experience, she had GRS (gender reassignment surgery) and a few days afterwards they took the catheter out. She was completely unable to pee and ended up in a lot of discomfort. They put the catheter back in, something that was extremely painful due to the swelling, and then got a nurse to visit to take it out a week or so later at home. Which it sounds like is what they are doing for you.

I think these sorts of issues are just a common side-effect of having surgery on that part of the body. Hopefully the clots will all be gone by the time the catheter comes out.

I'm glad you were able to get help. It sucks that you have to wait even longer to experience the incontinence you've been waiting for. Hopefully it'll just be all the sweeter when you finally feel it properly. And hopefully there are no more complications because going to a hospital in the USA and explaining what's going on may raise a few eyebrows :lol:

padded-nightly · February 19

1 hour ago, Diapered Dave said:

Schadenfreude?? Great... Another big-ass German word I can't pronounce!!! It took me YEARS to say "Fahrvergnugen" !!! 😆😆

superabsorbantpolymer · February 20

4 hours ago, Reddy said:

Ah I forgot to mention. I don't have a leg bag attached. I have one available, but the catheter is very short and wouldn't work well with a bag. We just put a plug into the cath instead. I can take the plug out when I want to leak into the toilet. However the plug leaks. We noticed that, and there is a 2nd plug I can put in that would work better. But for now I am using a diaper to deal with the leaks.

How are you doing now? How's the smaller cath feel, more comfortable than the big one they had in you after surgery? Have you experienced any leakage around the cath now that you have a smaller diameter and you are plugged? How is it when you sneeze/cough/clench?

I've been thinking of you all alone and probably scared about the clot. I hope you're not in too much pain/discomfort ❤️ Just remember this will pass and in a few weeks you'll be happily uncathed again. This is just a minor hurdle on your journey to a lifetime of incontinence. Do you have a syringe in case you need to take out the catheter in an emergency or when you return home?

Reddy · February 20

2 minutes ago, superabsorbantpolymer said:

How are you doing now? How's the smaller cath feel, more comfortable than the big one they had in you after surgery? Have you experienced any leakage around the cath now that you have a smaller diameter and you are plugged? How is it when you sneeze/cough/clench?

I've been thinking of you all alone and probably scared about the clot. I hope you're not in too much pain/discomfort ❤️ Just remember this will pass and in a few weeks you'll be happily uncathed again. This is just a minor hurdle on your journey to a lifetime of incontinence. Do you have a syringe in case you need to take out the catheter in an emergency or when you return home?

Yes, it is a million times more comfortable than the one I had in before. I have had the true plug in for most of the day, and I did have some leakage. It was when I went to the bathroom to empty it and I couldn't figure it out quickly, and my bladder devided it wanted to go... so there was some leakage around the catheter from that pressure. I guess that's a redeeming quality of the larger catheters. But I have the plug down pretty well now.

Now that I have the catheter (and two extras) I'm not scared about the clot, so that's good. 😊 But I am kind of apprehensive about actually keeping it in for 10 days. Still, it feels better than retention does, so I can survive it. And it's not that uncomfortable. Partly because it's a much more comfortable size, and partly because I don't have the annoying bag to be tethered to. Yes, in the long run this catheter won't last very long at all. 👍

I do have syringes here and at home, and additional caths in this size, and insertion kits (lube, providone-iodine solution). So I can be completely flexible with what's needed. 👍

superabsorbantpolymer · February 20

That's great to hear. Do you have much experience self cathing? I've been watching nursing training videos lately and tried myself a couple times. Seems easy enough but you gotta be very careful to maintain sterility. I was wondering if you'd be alright flying with the catheter seeing as the balloon might expand, but it shouldn't as it's filled with water of course. Looks like it's fine to do.

If it helps you at all while you wait to remove the catheter, you've kind of already achieved your goal. You have no control over your urinary output and are reliant on a catheter to drain and a diaper to catch the leaks. So you've accomplished that much and should be proud you've come this far!

Also you can get catheter caps with valves that make it easier to release your catheter when it's time to void. You can get on Amazon or specialist catheter sites.

Reddy · February 20

58 minutes ago, superabsorbantpolymer said:

That's great to hear. Do you have much experience self cathing? I've been watching nursing training videos lately and tried myself a couple times. Seems easy enough but you gotta be very careful to maintain sterility. I was wondering if you'd be alright flying with the catheter seeing as the balloon might expand, but it shouldn't as it's filled with water of course. Looks like it's fine to do.

If it helps you at all while you wait to remove the catheter, you've kind of already achieved your goal. You have no control over your urinary output and are reliant on a catheter to drain and a diaper to catch the leaks. So you've accomplished that much and should be proud you've come this far!

Also you can get catheter caps with valves that make it easier to release your catheter when it's time to void. You can get on Amazon or specialist catheter sites.

I hadn't done it recently, but I've at least self-cathed enough times over the years that I lost count. I know the feeling of getting it close, having to relax and push it in, and seeing the urine come out. Then using the syringe to expand the foley. So I'm not too worried about it.

Yeah, with the various states I've been in since the surgery, you're right - not one of them has been a state of continence 😄

BrownBobby · February 20

5 hours ago, rusty pins said:

Problems after surgery in Mexico to become incontinent that many people warned you about? Imagine that!

Problems after surgery that I've also seen in both my surgeries happening in the US? Wow, imagine that! (I don't have to - I've been to the local ER for the same issue for much, much less involved procedures. It's an easily predictable and treatable complication. But that isn't NEARLY as snarky, is it?)

It's *almost* like those were known issues that Reddy mentioned he was aware of. You know, almost like a competent adult individual making a decision while knowing the very real risks involved! Imagine that!

I'm so glad @Reddy has been willing to share so much - it's *exactly* reactions like this that led to me not bothering to mention what i was doing to others when I had my procedure. I'm beyond amazed most peoples' reactions have fallen somewhere between "concerned yet curious" to "supportive yet intrigued."

This procedure is a serious matter. It has VERY real risks. I've said the entire time (well, I did until multiple threads were deleted because of "helpful" comments like this) that this is something most people probably shouldn't pursue. And I'd love nothing more than to have a fully above-board option for this.

In the meanwhile, we work with the options we have - and I'm glad to hear @Reddy's doing alright. It's never fun to see complications, even expected and predictable ones. But for anyone reading this and thinking about doing it themselves - this is part of the package deal. It's not like the stories. It's a serious procedure, with serious risks. And yet, I do believe there are several people out there who would still benefit from it.

Diapered Dave · February 20

BrownBobby... I think you mentioned blood clots somewhere around here. Did you have blood clots too? Did you also have to wear a catheter for an additional period of time?

coloxtrm · February 20

I've been a member on here for awhile and I rarely commit but I felt compelled to add "my two cents."

I also love uncontrolled incontinence, I personally use a stent but I also have a career that would never facilitate a permanent procedure. I also envy @Reddy at being able to connect reality to an internal desire.

Nothing in life worth doing is without risks. I'm not saying what he has done is wrong, right, good, bad or otherwise. I'm neutral in my judgment. I also will say there are all different levels of judgment by others in this community. I personally would like to see more constructive and positive comments. With that said sometimes writing one's thoughts do not properly translate their feelings or judgments.

I can say in regards to a previous comment I catheter balloon or any other sealed vessel with any fluid be it air or liquid will not expand or contract on board an aircraft. Do to cabin pressurization. With an exception a vessel sealed at low altitude. Say sea level then transported to high altitude will experience a pressure differential. The same is also true if you flip the circumstances high to low. This is only a factor when air is in that said vessel. Say a small shampoo bottle, not a catheter balloon with 99% water.

My last comment I only wish @Reddy the very best after all how many of us would love to do what he has done. And how many of us can do what he has done. He has shared a great personal experience. I just ask folks to take a step back and show more respect in their comments.

BrownBobby · February 20

1 hour ago, Diapered Dave said:

BrownBobby... I think you mentioned blood clots somewhere around here. Did you have blood clots too? Did you also have to wear a catheter for an additional period of time?

Oh, yes.

The first time (stateside, only removing part of the external sphincter) my catheter blocked up twice. The first time needed an ER visit to fix. The second time, the doctor just told me to remove the catheter early since it was so close to when it was supposed to come out anyway.

The next time (in Mexico, like @Reddy), it threatened it a few times but never got there. I did start retaining urine, but was able to eventually get the clots to pass with time. Still scary when it happens - especially when you swear it must mean you still can hold it just fine. You know, until you can't.

The most recent time (local doctor, literally right now, to fix the stricture that developed), the catheter started blocking before I could even be discharged from the hospital. They fixed it, but it'd keep blocking up for the next two days. At this point, I'm rather skilled in flushing and clearing catheters, so I've been keeping things operational. Still not fun, though.

I haven't had to wear caths for additional length any of the times, but there's a reason I keep a stock of indwelling and Foley caths on hand - makes it much easier in case it's needed. I've only really needed it a handful of times for getting the stricture to play nicely. Since starting treatment locally for it, I haven't needed to intervene on my own. After finishing this last surgery, I will have to cath weekly just to make sure the stricture stays stretched out - the side effect of making sure those bladder muscles get used to being stretched is just a nice bonus.

Diapered Dave · February 21

Well Reddy should be getting home sometime this evening... Wondered how everything went today?? Any catheter issues? Leaking into the diaper? Problems with the flight? Did the doors stay on the plane? (Hey, that's an issue now days!) 😄😲🙏

Getting Surgery in Mexico

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