Tips for using a urinary catheter

Hey everyone, I need some help here. About two weeks ago, I had a procedure to clear a kidney stone from my ureter, and they pulled out the catheter a day later. For about five days after that, I was seeing blood in my urine, but thankfully that finally cleared up. Now, about 15 days out, whenever I get active or walk around too much, I start feeling this uncomfortable sensation in my penis—kind of like an itch—that makes me feel like I have to pee. When I do go, the urine looks pretty red again. It seems to settle down quickly once I sit back down.
I'm wondering if this is actually normal? I've heard that recovering from a catheter can take quite a while and that it might take a long time for everything to fully clear out.
Please let me know what you think. I’d really love to avoid another embarrassing trip to the doctor if I can help it. Thanks in advance!

rapidbear42 said:Hey everyone, I need some help here. About two weeks ago, I had a procedure to clear a kidney stone from my ureter, and they pulled out the catheter a day later. For about five days after that, I was seeing blood in my urine, but thankfully that finally cleared up. Now, about 15 days out, whenever I get active or walk around too much, I start feeling this uncomfortable sensation in my penis—kind of like an itch—that makes me feel like I have to pee. When I do go, the urine looks pretty red again. It seems to settle down quickly once I sit back down.
I'm wondering if this is actually normal? I've heard that recovering from a catheter can take quite a while and that it might take a long time for everything to fully clear out.
Please let me know what you think. I’d really love to avoid another embarrassing trip to the doctor if I can help it. Thanks in advance!

is that red urine still looking like the same shade of "crimson" as before, or does it get way more intense??
does it look kind of like you washed meat in some water or is it more intense than that?? maybe like the color of beef stew???

if you think the bleeding is actually getting darker or heavier, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to check in with a doctor... unless, I guess, they already told you this is totally normal, though I honestly doubt that's the case...

It’s likely just a combination of an insufficient bladder outlet and some irritation in the urethral lining, so things should settle down within a few days... however, if you notice any blood in your urine, you really ought to see a doctor, and the same goes for significant pain or intense burning during urination.

It’s not constantly red, it just happens occasionally now when I push myself a bit too hard or walk more than usual. Once I settle down, it clears up pretty fast—both the redness and that "tingling" sensation. When I’m just resting, everything seems fine. ...I should probably mention that they left some kind of stent in my ureter or kidney during my surgery, I can't quite remember which one, and I still need to go back in to have it removed... could there be a connection there?

Honestly, fifteen days isn't nearly enough time to be feeling 100% after undergoing urological surgery and having them mess around down there... That tube you're talking about is a double-J stent, which they slide through the ureter—right between the renal pelvis and the bladder—just to make sure everything keeps flowing smoothly toward the bladder. Between that stent, the kidney stones they just cleared out, and that recent insitu urinary catheter, you've got more than enough reasons to be feeling pretty miserable right now...

As long as you aren't running a fever or dealing with intense, sharp pain, I don't think you need to panic too much. Just like with most kidney issues, staying super hydrated to help flush everything out is key... plus, you should probably stick to whatever urinary antiseptics your doctor recommended, something like Macrobid...

Thanks so much... I feel a little better now...

I'm really hoping there's still someone out there actually reading these threads who can point me in the right direction.
My dad had to get a permanent catheter placed about three months ago following surgery, and because he was dealing with some nasty pressure sores on his kidneys, we ended up keeping it in. Thankfully, those sores are finally looking better—they’re healing up and shrinking right before my eyes. I guess I'm just wondering what a "normal" or acceptable timeframe is for someone to be stuck with a catheter like this. Once we finally manage to pull it out, what kind of headaches should we be bracing for? I need to know what specifically to watch out for and how often we should be getting his urine checked by a doctor. I'm starting to realize that just ripping a catheter out isn't as simple as it sounds, especially since my dad is disabled and has a hard time communicating clearly.

My boyfriend had his appendix out about ten days ago, and they put a catheter in him during the surgery, though they took it out the very next day. I'm wondering if that catheter could be causing these pale red spots I'm seeing on his pajamas. They aren't really bright red drops or anything, just sort of... pale. There isn't any blood in his urine, but these little spots show up occasionally, mostly when he’s straining to get up. Is there any reason to be worried???

A catheter can cause physical trauma, which often shows up as blood in the urine. Beyond just mechanical irritation, there's the constant threat of infection—and frankly, those odds skyrocket the longer that tube stays in place. It’s a sad reality that in many American hospitals, staff will routinely insert catheters without any legitimate medical necessity, simply because they don't feel like dealing with the hassle of helping a patient use a bedpan. But when a nurse tells a patient they need one, 99.9% of people aren't going to push back or ask questions.

I'm heading in for kidney surgery soon—does anyone know how long I'll actually have to deal with a catheter after the procedure is over?