Post-Op Urination Issues

[cbdheartman]

Sorry to be so frank here, but I was wondering if anyone else had issues with urination post-surgery, post-Foley catheter. I was released out of the hospital today, but I almost had to stay because ever since the Foley was removed on Sunday, I've had issues with urination. I don't have an infection. Basically I can urinate, but it takes me 15-30 minutes to evacuate everything, and sometimes I just stand there forever before I can go. Today I was tested post-urination and I had nothing in the bladder, so I am able to eliminate what is in there, but it takes very long to eliminate everything. I was prescribed Flomax and I hope this helps with the issue. If you had this issue, what sort of solution did you find? Any thoughts on what might be causing this? I thought it was performance anxiety, but it is an issue here at home too. It is really annoying and I don't want to end up at the urologist.

Sorry to be so up front, but I thought someone here might have dealt with this.

Thanks,

CBDHeartman

 

[realkarl]

We all had catheters, so it shouldn't be a problem discussing this.. I had a very similar problem, one of the two notable bumps in my recovery so far. After my catheter was removed on day 3 or so, I could not urinate at all, no matter how much I tried, waited, or needed. The same night they tried to re-catheterize me, two different nurses, but both failed and could not figure out why, leaving me in a slight state of panic. Finally, the next morning, on the surgeon's visit, he himself managed it without much trouble, but he had to puncture some kind of blockage. These experiences were rather painful, but I was just happy to have an empty bladder again. After another 3 days, it was removed yet again, and then I could urinate without problems. Phew.. I took Flomax for 3 weeks, but no problems since.

They never explained the reason for the blockage, but they did say post-op urination issues were somewhat common.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Option 1 - Call your surgeon / PA / Nurse and tell them of this issue.

Option 2 - See a Urologist

 

[cbdheartman]

Well, I did tell my PAs for 4 straight days and only today as I was supposed to be released did they decide to focus on it. I am hoping that the flomax and a few days correct the issue. It is very annoying among the other possible complications, not so bad, I think.

 

[Ross]

I'm a bit different because mine was in a whole lot longer, but your muscles tend to relax and it takes some time for them to tone up and get in tune again. I don't know what's worse, not being able to go or going when your not ready. Loss of control can happen too.

 

[Nancy]

I am pretty sure your urethra is inflamed and swollen from the insertion of the catheter or even the removal of it. I can remember Joe having blood in his urine from the catheter after one rather rough insertion. So that will take some time to reduce. However, you do not want urine to pool in your bladder, since that is a source of possible bladder infection. Maybe you should keep a good eye on what is happening, and start measuring your input and output.

And you should probably be calling your doctor and at least discussing this problem with him/her.

 

[JeffM]

If you had this issue, what sort of solution did you find? Any thoughts on what might be causing this?

I have an enlarged prostate and take 2 flomax doses a day. For some reason, they were only giving me one initially after my surgery and I remember going through a similar experience to yours. I think the anesthesia and pain meds also effect your ability to urinate normally.

 

[Jeffrey_B]

Hi,

Your post raises and interesting question.

My apologies as this is my first post, and have not introduced myself yet. I am facing mitral valve replacement in ~ 2 years or less, according to my cardiologist.

Frankly, the urinary catheter aspect of the procedure frightens me terribly; after experiencing a painful infection during my teens (for an unrelated procedure). With an already overactive bladder, I feel the prospect of painful urination is already enough to contend with, without the added woes of OHS recovery! The potential for further complications, particularly difficulty to urinate, is even less encouraging.

On this forum, I have read occasional instances of complications with catheters... though, admittedly, not many. Although, the thought of requesting diapers (instead of catheterization) has personally crossed my mind, I would simply dismiss the idea thinking the staff needed to track renal output.

If you couldn't urinate, how then, could they keep track of your kidney function? Were they not concerned this could not be measured - especially following OHS?

I hope the rest of your recovery went without additional problems.

Jeff

 

[cbdheartman]

Just to be clear. I could and can urinate. From the moment the Foley Catheter was removed, I have been able to produce urine and empty my bladder, it just has often taken 20-30 minutes of standing in the bathroom with the water running and trying to find other tricks to get going. Day 2 of Flomax seems to have improved things as my response time in the bathroom is getting better. But in the hospital, I could produce urine and they saw the kidneys were working well.

The second thing I want to make sure you aren't freaked out by my experience Jeff because it hasn't involved any pain. It doesn't hurt to urinate. There was only the slightest of discomfort when the Foley was removed, but besides that I have had no pain in my urinary tract, bladder, penis, etc.

Thanks for your responses.

 

[Jeffrey_B]

Thank you for clarifying. As you can probably already tell from my post, my experience as a teen was personally traumatizing; perhaps, because of both the intensity and the fact that it was unexpected?

If the flomax helped on Day 2, this seems to provide support to Nancy's earlier post regarding swelling/inflammation... and posibly irritation? [Thank you Nancy, for your input!] Nevertheless, I can only imagine the nuissance (and patience required) to simply find relief.

Thanks again for the clarification - it's much appreciated!

 

[Maryka]

First, Welcome Jeffery_B! The foley catheter is really a minor deal, if you can believe that. I saw CDHeartman in the hospital and he was jumping up and dashing around. It was disgusting how well he appeared!

To CDHeartman: You probably now know that the urge to pee with nothing there is one of the classic bladder-infection symptoms. I had hundreds of those infections in my wild-youth (don't ask...) and what you describe is one of my least favorite infection symptoms.

I got a bladder infection from my Foley also and, after I was home from OHS, I told Dee, at last, and she scolded me for not telling her sooner. She called in an RX for Cipro to Leisure World Giant and it was free (because they had an antibiotics-are-free campaign) and I was well in no time.