How To Ask For A Stent To Be Placed?

[StenCoil]

Hey...Neat Site!!

This week I have to go to the uro for a checkup. I've been incon about 18 months after a severe E Coli infection of my prostate, and it has given me a bladder that is completely unpredictable. Either I can't pee, and have to use a straight cath, or I can't NOT pee and flood my diaper with a painful spasm. I have taken Cipro, tried Vesicare, Detrol, Flowmax, Cardura, Diropan...etc., etc. The drugs don't help much. Even though I was a DL beforehand, I am getting sick of the painfull spasms. The docs look inside and can only find a mildly inflamed prostate, and write it off to the CIC cathing.

What I'd like is if these guys would quite messing around and just give me a Botox injection (Which I'm pretty sure the write-up here was complete baloney) or just give me a temporary stent. I'm not sure I want the permanent solution of sphincterotomy, I'd like to have something possibly reversible in the future.

They tried condom-caths on me...and boy do those SUCK big time, especially of you are DL to begin with. But I had to jump through the hoops and gave it a try, and it sorta worked until I had a "blowoff" while trying to get to an airplane bathroom...Never again. Now I just tell them I am allergic to the adhesive and they quit trying to make me wear one.

Over the past year the most comfortable I ever was was when I spent 4 weeks wearing a Foley - after I complained about the leg bag and tubing tugging at me all the time, I just fashioned a one-way valve for the end of the tube (to help keep the discharge end somewhat sterile) and started using a diaper (instead of leg bag) - to maximum use - 24/7. I got along with that arrangement just fine. No more spasms, and after a few days I forgot I was wearing one. I felt completely at ease using a diaper 24/7. Cloth or a quality disposable. No UTI's. And since everyone around me knew I was fighting a severe prostate infection (with lab results to prove it) I finally was comfortable in my lifestyle. No longer hiding it is such a relief! My wife even happily purchases diapers for me. Its like before, if I was DL for entertainment, it was almost taboo. But if I'm "medically sick", wearing diapers is OK. So I guess whatever it takes...

When I went to the uro to have them remove the Foley I walked in with no leg bag and a diaper instead...They got all worried that the tube was open into the diaper, but I showed them the sterile valve I made in my machine shop...and they were cool with that. All they wanted to know was that the tube was still sterile, and wasn't allowing bacteria from the diaper back-flowing.

But what I'd like to really get is just a urethral stent to just gain 100% incontinence, and to not have the "tube" hanging out. I am about 50% incon now, and in pain the other half of the time...If I can be out of pain and totally incon that's fine by me, if I have to make a choice.

Has anyone here done this, and if so, what do you have to tell the uro docs to have them consider giving you one?? How successful was the stent and did it give you UTI's? I'm pretty sure my doc won't go for the Botox, given the cost...

[seanwets]

I have only seen the stent used with people who cannot open their bladder...especially people with DSD (Detruser Sphincter Disernigia) where the Detrusor muscle and the sphincter are uncoordinated. This creates a lot of pressure on the kidneys and one of the few ways of relieving that pressure is a sphincterotomy or the stent. The stent is only removable after about six months.

Getting someone to do this procedure is difficult. I imagine you would have to consult quite a few doctors.

[alwayssoaked2004]

I have only seen the stent used with people who cannot open their bladder...especially people with DSD (Detruser Sphincter Disernigia) where the Detrusor muscle and the sphincter are uncoordinated. This creates a lot of pressure on the kidneys and one of the few ways of relieving that pressure is a sphincterotomy or the stent. The stent is only removable after about six months.

Getting someone to do this procedure is difficult. I imagine you would have to consult quite a few doctors.

I had one inserted for DSD by a urologist. He was quite comfortable with doing it.I still had some control but leaked a little.

Problem was that it became encrusted after about 12 months and restricted flow- and also ended up "migrating" or moving. It had to be removed quite quickly as it was blocking every thing.

General anaesthetic was needed to remove it as it "was stubborn" to retrieve.

I would not hesitate to suggest it to your urologist but, after my experience, would not really recommend one.

[StenCoil]

I had one inserted for DSD by a urologist. He was quite comfortable with doing it.I still had some control but leaked a little.

Problem was that it became encrusted after about 12 months and restricted flow- and also ended up "migrating" or moving. It had to be removed quite quickly as it was blocking every thing.

General anaesthetic was needed to remove it as it "was stubborn" to retrieve.

I would not hesitate to suggest it to your urologist but, after my experience, would not really recommend one.

Was this the wire mesh type or the shape-memory alloy type? Or another type?

I have read that the wire mesh ones are hard to remove, and that tissue is intended to grow thru the mesh in order to avoid crustation - but this doesn't happen in all cases.

But the shape-memory types look interesting as they can be removed with ice-water. In other words at any temperature above freezing it is a coiled shape and is retained in the urethra. But apply ice water and it straightens out somewhat and becomes pliable enough to remove.

Was your DSD caused by spinal cord injury, if I might ask?

[alwayssoaked2004]

Was this the wire mesh type or the shape-memory alloy type? Or another type?

I have read that the wire mesh ones are hard to remove, and that tissue is intended to grow thru the mesh in order to avoid crustation - but this doesn't happen in all cases.

But the shape-memory types look interesting as they can be removed with ice-water. In other words at any temperature above freezing it is a coiled shape and is retained in the urethra. But apply ice water and it straightens out somewhat and becomes pliable enough to remove.

Was your DSD caused by spinal cord injury, if I might ask?

It was the wire mesh type.

DSD caused by:

car accident and back injury and aggravated by a fall

regards.

[seanwets]

It was the wire mesh type.

DSD caused by:

car accident and back injury and aggravated by a fall

regards.

What method do use now for your DSD and what were your symptoms? I may have it. I'm going back to the urologist in about a week.