Self cath, does it help with accidents?

So I’ve got an appointment tomorrow and I fully anticipate they will complete the test and suggest I begin to self cath to help with leaks and accidents. I’m currently wearing diapers full time and see no point in cathing if I’m still going to leak. With overflow or overactive bladder what is the chance I’ll get out of diapers and with or without cathing?

if you really want to get out of diaper I would not recommend doing any form of catheterization. Because it might make it worse in the long run. The reason that I know this that I do self catheterization on myself for over the last nine years off and on. I'm coming to the point that there are some days I have to wear a diaper.

Well cathing is as much part of life as diapers, the ultimate goal is to shrink the bladder, which limits the volume of voids , it doesn't eliminate them it just limits how much the bladder can hold and therefor release at one time , no matter how big or small your bladder is you will still have incontinence (smaller volume just means the surge pad in your diaper doesnt have to do much) if you don't empty all the way its still going to be there , i have been cathing almost 10 years 5x's a day and i am still incontinent between emptyings, i just dont hold enough to flood out a diaper in one shot anymore, the good news is i didnt cath using rubber cement for long(when you compare a hydrophylic catheter to KY jelly or surgilube no comparison the KY is glue ) older catheter users built up scar tissue in there urethra from dragging that catheter thru ( they also have gotten a lot better with polishing eyelet holes and such). So not knowing your specific case I can't speak with any certainty about leaving diapers but for most cases that is not in the cards the diapers will still be in life either primary or backup , I do know people who shrank it so much they can use pads instead of diapers , I personally don't see that as anything but roulette with your protection,I have been IC for 20+ years ,I would feel naked as a Jay bird.

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I posted this yesterday, but it looks like that got lost.

IF you have overflow incontinence, then yes, intermittent catheterization can all but eliminate your needing diapers. By keeping your bladder empty, this will allow your bladder to heal and become flexible again. IF it does heal, then yeah you will not need diapers at all (and potentially not need catheters later on either).

There are a lot of variables to all this though, such as how long you've had the overflow incontinence, and how well your bladder responds to the intermittent cathing. Just get with your urologist on this and follow through with his recommendations.

+1 on what Slomo said.

If you have a large volume of retained urine after you or, then you should be cathing, whether or not you're using diapers. Having more than 60-100 ml of urine left in your bladder can lead to urinary tract infections and kidney damage. Even if the rest of your urine leaks out of your bladder and into your diaper, you still need to get your bladder empty, and that's what the catheters are for.

Cathing is a simple, easy procedure for most people. I've been doing it for over two years, and it quickly got to the point that I hardly think about it anymore. It takes a small amount of planning to make sure I have enough catheters to get through the day, and after that it's no more work than just peeing -in fact it's less, since I don't have to work to try to get my bladder all the way empty.

There worst thing about catheters is that they are uncomfortable or even painful when you start using them. That goes away with a few days to a couple of weeks.

Hi i have been self cathing for over 9 years it does help especially before I go to bed I self catheter then put on a adult nappy at night also through the day going out ect self cathing

Take note, there is a difference in self cath for intermittent or indwelling. Intermittent is where you temporarirly insert a cath to drain your bladeer, then remove it. Indwelling is where you insert a cath then inflate a balloon at the tip of the cath so it will stay for up to a month.

Everyone has been talking about the temporary kind of intermittent self cath.