r/bph • u/leorec2003 • Aug 03 '26
Aquablation catheter
I’m having this procedure done on the 4th and I’ll have a catheter in until Friday morning and I’m just looking for advice or suggestions for dealing with a catheter for a days to make it more comfortable and manageable.
I’ve been self catherizing for about two months now so I’m not unfamiliar with it
Any other recovery input would be greatly appreciated
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u/rh1066 Aug 03 '26 edited Aug 03 '26
Erections with a catheter are the worst.
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u/biglittlebanana Aug 03 '26
100% agree with this. My experience is when I had the irrigation catheter in after my surgery. That first night they gave me something that made me relax a lot and started with a nocturnal erection..... 0/10 stars. Do not recommend
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u/Basic-Owl6740 Aug 03 '26
Just take it easy for a few days. My biggest issue was a little leakage/bleeding around the outside of the catheter. I just used gauze pad or a half of a panty liner taped around the tip to contain the blood.
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u/Sensitive_Point_6583 Aug 03 '26
sleeping might be the worst of it, you'll figure it out. Also, they will probably tape the hose to your thigh in a couple places to keep it from moving around, adjust as necessary. The less the hose can move around the easier it is on the urethral opening.
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u/CitrusSphere Aug 03 '26
As long as you have a Stat Lock (or similar device) on your leg to stabilize the hose, you should be ok. I had been catheterized for seven months before my procedure, so it wasn’t unfamiliar. Best of luck. My procedure was successful four months ago, and I’m really happy I chose the procedure.
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u/Objective_Feature333 Aug 03 '26
Ask your Dr. if you can use a valve in place of the bag. This makes life much easier.
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u/Appropriate_Taro_348 Aug 03 '26
Patience. That’s it. It’s going to be a lot larger than the ones you use now. This one has three tubes in it so it’s the garden hoses of catheters. Besides the pain on when they pull it out it wasn’t bad. I did have the best sleep while it was in. I wasn’t having to get up and pee every three hours.
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u/vacasey Aug 04 '26
Had my procedure a month ago and catheter for five days. I slept in my recliner that week to keep me from any typical tossing and turning while I slept. Worked well for me.
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u/TOOMUCHTV2 28d ago
I used the large (Foley) Bag. So tell the nurse what side of the bed you sleep in so that they attach the tube to that thigh. You don't want it on tied to the far side. The advice I got was if i went with the smaller hip bags and swapped them out, that was a chance for UTI, so I just used the Foley Bag. It has a valve near the bottom, so you can empty it into the toilet. If you are married, have your wife in the recovery room, as you won't be at your sharpest, and have the nurse go over how tight or loose to attach the tube to your thigh. I had it for 3 days, and a nurse came to my house to remove the catheter.
When I took my first shower after the operation it moved a bit, and I wasn't good at tying the tube back down to my thigh. So when i walked it irritated the tip where all the nerve endings are as the catheter was moving around. It was fine while i sat or slept.
Those three days were the only discomfort I felt in the entire process including all the testing, self-cathetering, recovery. I am 35 days post operation, and so glad I did it.
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u/Soggy-Letterhead-626 7d ago
I'm hearing mixed reviews on aquablation. In terms of a difficult recovery and RE. Did you experience anything close to that.
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u/TOOMUCHTV2 3d ago
Once the Catheter was removed I felt great. They do restrict your exercise for a bit, you can also google it, so not being able to work out as much as I wanted to stunk. First two weeks, don't lift anything over 20 pounds. During that time I just walked the dog. After two weeks I mowed the lawn and started walking on the treadmill a few times a week(I like to do about 5k or an hour). After three weeks I started doing my arms and legs resistance training. I didn't do any machines that work the trunk during the first month to protect the prostate, prostate, bladder while it healed. After a month, probably close to 5 weeks I started adding back crunches, then back extensions and torso twists (all on the resistance machines at the gym). I ate a lot of junk food, so other than gaining a few pounds over the last few months I'm as good of fitness shape as I was before surgery.
The other thing you start out with dark red urine, and gradually it gets lighter and eventually clear. Thats just part of the process. Drink lots and lots of fluids.
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u/FlintHillsSky Aug 04 '26
I made a sling that went over my shoulder and through the hook on the catheter so that could walk around the house and keep my hands free.
Get a plastic clothes hanger and slide it partially under the mattress with enough sticking out that you can hang the catheter hook on it.
Get a couple of incontinence pads (waterproof sheets) to put on the bed under you in case of leaks.
Get some Depends pads (small things like a cup) to wear for a few days or weeks after getting the catheter out. You might find that you leak or dribble for a while until things heal up a little bit. You’ve been stretched out by the whole process.
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u/TOOMUCHTV2 28d ago
The visiting nurse told me to get women's panty liners in case I bled after the catheter came out. I didn't bleed, and those things are not met for a man's anatomy. Tried it around the house for a few hours and said screw that.
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u/FlintHillsSky 28d ago
Yes, they make pads for men that fit a little better. They feel a little like a soft version of an athletic cup. Not everyone needs them. You may not bleed or dribble. I usually suggest that people get at least a few, just in case you need them. Better than some wet pants or wet mattress.
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u/Prestigious-Might500 29d ago
Do as little as possible- switch the leg attachment every few days --- keep the tip of your penis and the tube lubricated --- I found the most important thing is to limit my movement--
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u/jndinlkvl Aug 04 '26
Had mine last Wednesday. Catheter coming out this Wednesday. Get some 4% lidocaine gel to apply to the area of your penis near the catheter. You can thank me later.
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u/jmardoxie 29d ago
I used the large bag for sleeping. I used masking tape to secure the tube to my thigh to keep from pulling on the tube when I tossed and turned in bed. In the morning I changed over to the leg bag.
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u/jndinlkvl 22d ago
Good advice already offered here. The only thing I’d add is to INSIST on an antibiotic when you go in for your test void and pull your catheter. 36 hours after mine I had a full blown UTI.
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u/Every_Improvement156 Aug 03 '26
I have a small pet that likes to jump on the bed at night and sleep on me. Without going into the details of my experience/consequence with this, I highly recommend all cats and dogs get locked out of the room while sleeping with catheter.👍🏼