(snip)

FWIW, I know a fellow whose wife removed the catheter -- after getting
some instruction from the medic's staff. Mainly need to make sure that
the balloon is deflated...

My suprapubic catheter was removed by the uro (who had botched my
cryosurgery, another story).

Regards,

Steve J

"Well, I've wrestled with reality for thirty-five years, Doctor, and I'm
happy to state I finally won out over it."
-- James Stewart as Elwood P. Dowd in "Harvey"

<snip>

<snip>
In my primitive 'burb' d/under, we have a Continence Educator/Nurse
who supervised  the voiding trials over 2 days and removed mine, plus
also gave me a brown bagful of DIYs plus another Foley if things got
bad. She's 5 mins drive from home :)
She also reports back to the Uro.

It's no "biggie" except a YELP when they draw the air out of the
balloon and then drag out the tube.

BTW: I'm having a Cystoscopy this morning to see if I can have another
TURP so I can pee reasonably after the HDRB in July 2005, where they
boiled and blistered my Candy-Melon sized 72cc Prostate beyond belief!

My PSA is currently Undetectable, but I'm looking for the 'bounce' say
6 mths on to see where and if it settles.


-- Reader to complete...
-- Please reply to this ng as my email adress is fake:

-- Regards

-- CC

Ron - I too live in the Jersey suburbs.  My  local uro diagnosed my PCa via
bloodwork and later biopsy.  After hearing him tell me I had a 50/50 chance
of regaining potency, I decided to visit MSK in NYC.  Dr. Scardino suggested
that I had a 90% chance or regaining potency - after getting rid of the
cancer and regaining continence.  I too chose to have my RRP done at MSK.  I
went back once after my surgery and Dr. Scardino's nurse removed my cath.
When I had told my local uro that I wasn't going to use him for my surgery,
but that I still considered him my uro, he said that when he was younger, he
got upset about such things.  Now, he doesn't.  He's my urologist for
everything - however, I did go into the city to have my cath removed.

Sandy K.
Diagnosed 2/2004 - age 47
9 of 12 cores malignant - Gleason 3+3, PSA 4.89
RRP 6/2004
Post RRP PSAs - all <0.01
Off pads at teh 3-month mark
regaining potency - however 50 mg V works wonders!!

[snipped for brevity]> Would appreciate comments or advice.

Ron,
I had brachytheraphy and did not know until the morning of the procedure
that I was going to leave with a foley and keep it for a couple of days, in
the same breath that the Dr. told me I was going to leave with more plumbing
than I came in with, he also told me that his office makes arrangements for
a visiting nurse from Meridian (Monmouth and Ocean Counties) to come to your
home and remove the catheter. I actually had two visits, one late  the same
afternoon following the procedure and the next day to remove it. There was a
lot of needless aprehension on my part concerning the removal, I never felt
a thing. I don't have any idea where you're located,  but I'd bet that MSK
is able to make similar arrangements.

Tom

Removing the cath isn't a big deal.  My doctor's office nurse took mine
out.  She cut the tube with a scissors about six inches below little
Willie.  This drained out the fluid (deflated the bulb in the bladder).
She told me to take a deep breath, she slid it out, and it was all
over.  She did have me hold a small pan under Willie to catch the small
amount of urine that will follow the catheter on the way out.  Removing
the tape on my leg holding the tubing in place was a much bigger deal.
That hurt!  You or your spouse could probably do it yourself except
that if you're someone who sweats everything, you may be more
comfortable with a pro.  As for your doctor, apparently you're not on
good terms with him but it's hard to imagine he could (or would) do
anything to make removal more difficult for you.  Still, I'd give him
the cold shoulder simply because of his attitude.  As for "all the time
he spent ---" remind him that he was paid one way or another for every
minute of his precious time.  You might call around to clinics in your
area to see if they will do it.  Or, you could probably go to any
urologist's office and have them do it.  Of course you'll have to pay
for an office visit, etc..  How about your regular physician?  I'm sure
lots of people have surgery elsewhere and have to have followup things
like this done.  It should be pretty easy to find someone.  Good luck.
Dave Perry

Ron,

It sounds to me like the local uro is not a trustworthy
fellow.  Your experience confirms the validity of your
decision to get the operation done at MSK.

For future local treatment, I'd explain to your GP why
you have lost confidence in the uro and ask him, or
your insurance company, or whoever you have to see
for a reference, for a reference to a different urologist.

As to the removal of the catheter, you can call MSK
and ask them what should be done.

Now, if you'd like to try it yourself, here's the simple
procedure that's guaranteed to get it out:

Step 1: Drain the bag.

Step 2: Open the door to your bed or bathroom and walk
inside.

Step 3: Tie the bag end of the catheter to the door knob.

Step 4: Hold your breath, close your eyes, and slam the
door.

I've been recommending this procedure for years.  Not one
person has yet told me that they tried it and had a problem.

    Alan

Hello Ron.
   Very similiar circumstances with my local Urologist...
He was ready to do orinthology..(remove testicles) or external beam
radiation at another hospital with an older machine...
My Dr. said I was going to die, and I was not doing very well, and when we
had a visit to him with my wife I had tears in my eyes, and he threw the
kleenex box at me.
   Now, he did the biopsy, and found cancer. (that was another story)
   I went into his office for treatment for radiation to recieve a Lupron
shot.  I walked into his dark office, and he had this huge needle on his
desk, asked me to drop my pants, gave me a shot, and off I went.
   So after future evaluation, I went to other Dr.s...was very happy with
their service, and since my RP was over 200 miles from home, I bit my
tongue, and had my Urolgist in my small town remove the catheter.  He did it
matter of factly, and I thanked him and left.  Since then he has quit the
urology business...
I hope this answers the question.
John Loomis

You urologist has one of those "I am Doctor, I am God" attitudes.  Well they
are not gods, and they should be able to take a patient seeking a different
doctor with no emotional breakdown!  I think you are well to be rid of him.

The removal of the catheter is no big deal, as most have told you here.  My
urologist was going to be on vacation when my cath was due to come out.  He
came very close to just telling me to remove it myself, but I am sure he was
afraid I would not wait the entire two weeks that he was wanting the cath to
stay in. Pretty smart fellow on that one, cause I would have been tempted to
pull it early.  The urologist shares an office with a cardiologist, so he
told me to come in and have that doctor remove the catheter.   Well, this
cardiologist had obviously never removed a Foley catheter.  I showed him the
tube to cut to drain the balloon, and he grabbed the scissors and cut it.  I
had not had time to tell him that saline was going to drain out of the tube,
and some urine may flow upon removal. Anyway, it made a pretty good puddle
in his office.  Also had me hopping over to a sink with my pants around my
knees!  I was the one who gave it a pull after the balloon had drained. The
next time (yes I had a next time), the urologist had me remove the catheter
myself. No big deal.  I did it standing in the shower so as not to worry
about the water flow.  If it is too far to drive for the removal of the
catheter, I would think that your primary care doctor's office would have no
problem doing it.  May well just see a nurse for the removal. Your surgeon
will most likely have seen you for follow up and staple removal at one week
post op.  The catheter usually stays in for two weeks, but may vary by the
surgeons discretion.

A point can be made here that you are the patient, and the one whose life is
on the line.  Do not go into things that you are uncomfortable with and
doctors your are uncomfortable with.  You have a right to be well informed
on all procedures, to pick the doctor you want (within your insurance
network) and to expect to be accommodated as best as possible when possible
as to travel, etc..  If you are not being treated that way, then put your
foot down.  And if a doctor's feeling get hurt along the way, so be it.

Dale P
Denver, CO

I've had catheters removed 4-5 times over 2-3 surgeries. Done right -- empty
the in-bladder bulb and sliiiiiip it out with a smooth motion of the hand --  
it's barely perceptible and totaly painless. Done too quickly -- with a
quick yank (AFTER DEFLATING THE BULB!!!!!) -- it hurts like hell for about
0.6 seconds (that's how a senior ER nurse did it, and next time I see him
I'll educate him.)

When I got tired of my catheter and my doc agreed over the phone (from 220
miles away) that it was safe to remove it, I just called a nurse over the
phone, followed his instructions, and had it out in 30 seconds, as easily
and comfortably as peeing. It takes a simple syringe (no needle), 5-6
seconds to deflate the bulb, and a 1-2-second wave of the hand -- I could do
it now safely and imperceptibly in 15 seconds. ANY nurse -- heck, "probably
many hospital janitors" -- could do it.

I.P.

Do it yourself.  Just not too soon.  I had mine removed in 8 days by the
uro's nurse.  After my male sling surgery, I was told I should remove it the
second day.  It's easy and painless, duck soup, piece of cake, etc.

I would certainly dump your current uro.  What an a.s!

I would ask your new surgeon to make arrangements with someone close to your
home to remove the catheter.  We recently did that for an employee who
suffered an on-the-job injury to her cheek.  She was going to Orlando.  I
talked to the boss doc at the local ER and he made some contacts in Orlando
for her followup there.

the guy that put it in took it out.

dalej