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Diaperdan

If you have another way around using a Foley catheter you would be wise to take it.

From one that uses a Foley because of a flaccid bladder with sever retention I had to have a way to empty my bladder.
I self cathed for two years but my hands started to give me problems and a Foley became a necessary evil.

I do have to say I do prefer a Foley indwelling catheter over a wet diaper but there are risks involved.

If you had trouble self cathing think of a Foley like self cathing 24/7 you will get sores in the urethra and in the bladder where the balloon on the catheter sits.
Other problems one day you will look at your leg bag and it is full of blood you will learn how to read the color of your urine and look for blood clots then there are the infections.

The one that scares me using an indwelling catheter there is a greater chance of having bladder cancer and you should have a cystoscopy done every year or two so your doctor can look for trouble before it gets a hold. The chance of cancer is about 5% for people using a Foley for the first ten years then it goes up from there.

I don’t want to sound like I am telling you not to use a Foley just make sure you know the risk and problems and it is something you need.

On the bright side it is most convenient using a public restroom to drain the bag it’s a snap and it is easy concealed under clothing.

2lyle

Then there is when the stopper on the bag comes off and the bag was almost full! I haven't had that problem but others have. I tried to use a condom cath but I was too active and the cath blew off as my bladder emptied.

Seems that the condom catheters are a real hit or miss with users. I had some issues with the Hollister latex versions in the beginning of my useage, but after going to Mentor LS silicone, no more worries of a blow off, and I have had only one legbag problem, and that was with a leak/drip at the bottom of the drain valve, never had one open, but some are far better then others. Thankfully all I ended up with was a wet sock before I noticed. I prefer the Hollister bags, and Curity for at night, never had one of those leak yet, Puffy

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Puffy
BC, Canada
Fighting the "Bladder Battle" since 1995

It’s funny I have used condom catheters and leg bags for some 20yrs most of my working years.
I can in all honestly say in all those years I never had a catheter come off or a bag leek or a stopper come off it is usually the cheaper bags that use a stopper most have a valve in all those years and I only had one bag leek and all it did was wet my sock it was a small pinhole. It was my fault I used the bag to long they should be changed at least once a week.
As for the stopper coming off the only way it can is if it was not put on right.

Like Puffy Pants I used Mentor LS to me they were the best.

Now as for being active I work on large machinery I was a millwright mechanic I repaired large machinery most bigger than a house I had to crawl all over it inside of it and never was embarrassed by a bag leaking or catheter come off.
I also hunted all my life did some big game hunting and I loved camping and hiking I also raced motorcycles my wife and I travelled all over the country racing I was a supper active person still no major problem.

Now my bladder went flaccid with sever retention and I have to use a Foley catheter to empty my bladder and leg bag and have for two years now and have not had one leak.

As to date I had nothing but good experiences using catheters both condom and now Foley I can’t say that for diapers. I have had many leeks that leave that telltale wet spot on your pants or totally wet pants. Or changing in a dirty rest room or having a diaper come from the factory with a pin hole in it I had three cases of them.
But remember having a wet spot is usually the wearers fault for not changing in time so I don’t condemn them if they work for you then by all means use them.

Each of us has to pick what works best for us and some like myself have no choice of what we use why try and talk negative we are here to supposed each other not negative talk.

2lyle

update,
I just had a renal ultrasound done yesterday and have a urodynamics test on sept 11. I am holding too much urine and the Urologist is afraid it may hurt the kidneys. Right now I use a condom catheter.
When I was at the Urologist's office the other day I voided and the found about 500 ml of urine in me. I didn't know it was there. My sphincter is messed up and shuts too quick. I don't have a prostate so the sphincter is all I have between the bladder and the outside world!!!!

Well my Urodynamic test didn't go well. Pressure was building up in my bladder and the gal stopped the test. I didn't feel anything. I leaked during the test. She asked me to go and all I got out was about 75-100 ml. She took 750 ml out of me. I got dressed and went to the waiting room. I had to see the Doctor . He came in the room with a bladder specialist. They of course wanted to operate on me. I told them let me try a Foley for a while. So I am now wearing a Foley and a 1500 ml leg bag. So far, so good.
I am warning everybody, if you can't feel when your full, or have to go more than normal. Don't mess around .Get checked out by a Urologist. IF urine backs up to your kidneys, your in trouble!

That's good advice, Dan. It's all to easy to just assume that having to go frequently means an over-active bladder.

For the interest, what operation did they want to do on you? I'm in much the same position as you but the urologist reckoned there was nothing they could do by way of surgery.

Hi Wheels
You know I really didn't listen to them as that is something I don't want to do. I was having spasms when he was talking. The Foley is doing OK and I'm not having much trouble.
I do remember something about a bag being put in me. It didn't sound good.
One step at a time.
Are you in a Foley?

Thanks for replying, Dan. No, I am not using a foley catheter - they get infected far to quickly if I do. I am using intermittent catheters 4 times a day; this keeps me dry in the day. At night I have not managed to keep dry by stopping drinking at 1800hrs or by using Vesicare so I am juts sticking a nappy (diaper in north America) and that covers me until morning. I am using Tena Maxi Slips.

Hi Wheels,
I was not impressed with the Tena Maxi. I thought the tapes were way too small and the leak guards were too little too. It held a lot though. Too much for poor quality.
I am still in the learning curve with this Foley. I'll get used to it. I can't use the intermittent catheters because I bleed easily. I was bleeding from the Urodynamic test