Do you need a cathiter to pee?

Liza · Dec 10, 2008

Hi Alyssa, my oldest daughter Anna had a double lung transplant just last year. I wanted to let you know that she had many of the same feelings at your age as you do now. We all know without a shadow of a doubt that Anna would not have agreed to have a transplant at 15 or 16 or even 17. She pretty much just came out and said she'd rather die, and she will admit that it was because of the scar.

Urinary catheters are a tough thing to deal with for a young lady. Not so much because it's another medical procedure you have to endure but what it is and where it is. But as time goes by it isn't as big a deal. I really believe alot of it has to do with maturity and realizing there is some unpleasantness involved with keeping you and all women healthy. But back to tranplant... Anna had a quick recovery. She was out of ICU in two days, her pain was managed very well until about day 3 or 4. Her problem though was that she had built up a tolerance. She'd been on morphine and morphine solutabs for about 7 months. She tried getting off of them and each time she'd end up back in the hospital and the doctor told her to not try and wean herself off of them. She needed them. Now don't get me wrong, she wasn't dependent on them and didn't need more and more to get past her lung pain, she was on a decent low dose and sometimes didn't even need the solutabs. Sure enough though, she'd developed a tolerance and by about day 3 or 4 they could not control her pain. Mostly because they didn't prescribe enough to make up for that tolerance. They prescribed the norm for her weight and size. Then of course it took a bit to get things straightened out and time to get the meds into her at the right dose. Not everyone has that problem though. One night during that time she really thought it would be her last and if she'd made the wrong decision to get a transplant. But she will be the first to tell you, she'd do it all over again.

To be honest I can't even remember her having a catheter but I'm sure she did. She was up and walking to the bathroom the day she got out of ICU.

I will have to be sure Anna see's your post. I am sure she would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

But Alyssa, I wanted to let you know, that your feelings right now might change. You are doing the right thing by looking into it and asking questions. A time may come that you change your mind. How is your health right now? Are you exploring transplant because it might be coming up soon or are you just looking to the possibility of maybe, one day, if you need it? Try and keep an open mind and learn all you can and hear other peoples experiences.

Liza · Dec 10, 2008

Hi Alyssa, my oldest daughter Anna had a double lung transplant just last year. I wanted to let you know that she had many of the same feelings at your age as you do now. We all know without a shadow of a doubt that Anna would not have agreed to have a transplant at 15 or 16 or even 17. She pretty much just came out and said she'd rather die, and she will admit that it was because of the scar.

Urinary catheters are a tough thing to deal with for a young lady. Not so much because it's another medical procedure you have to endure but what it is and where it is. But as time goes by it isn't as big a deal. I really believe alot of it has to do with maturity and realizing there is some unpleasantness involved with keeping you and all women healthy. But back to tranplant... Anna had a quick recovery. She was out of ICU in two days, her pain was managed very well until about day 3 or 4. Her problem though was that she had built up a tolerance. She'd been on morphine and morphine solutabs for about 7 months. She tried getting off of them and each time she'd end up back in the hospital and the doctor told her to not try and wean herself off of them. She needed them. Now don't get me wrong, she wasn't dependent on them and didn't need more and more to get past her lung pain, she was on a decent low dose and sometimes didn't even need the solutabs. Sure enough though, she'd developed a tolerance and by about day 3 or 4 they could not control her pain. Mostly because they didn't prescribe enough to make up for that tolerance. They prescribed the norm for her weight and size. Then of course it took a bit to get things straightened out and time to get the meds into her at the right dose. Not everyone has that problem though. One night during that time she really thought it would be her last and if she'd made the wrong decision to get a transplant. But she will be the first to tell you, she'd do it all over again.

To be honest I can't even remember her having a catheter but I'm sure she did. She was up and walking to the bathroom the day she got out of ICU.

I will have to be sure Anna see's your post. I am sure she would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

But Alyssa, I wanted to let you know, that your feelings right now might change. You are doing the right thing by looking into it and asking questions. A time may come that you change your mind. How is your health right now? Are you exploring transplant because it might be coming up soon or are you just looking to the possibility of maybe, one day, if you need it? Try and keep an open mind and learn all you can and hear other peoples experiences.

Liza · Dec 10, 2008

Hi Alyssa, my oldest daughter Anna had a double lung transplant just last year. I wanted to let you know that she had many of the same feelings at your age as you do now. We all know without a shadow of a doubt that Anna would not have agreed to have a transplant at 15 or 16 or even 17. She pretty much just came out and said she'd rather die, and she will admit that it was because of the scar.

Urinary catheters are a tough thing to deal with for a young lady. Not so much because it's another medical procedure you have to endure but what it is and where it is. But as time goes by it isn't as big a deal. I really believe alot of it has to do with maturity and realizing there is some unpleasantness involved with keeping you and all women healthy. But back to tranplant... Anna had a quick recovery. She was out of ICU in two days, her pain was managed very well until about day 3 or 4. Her problem though was that she had built up a tolerance. She'd been on morphine and morphine solutabs for about 7 months. She tried getting off of them and each time she'd end up back in the hospital and the doctor told her to not try and wean herself off of them. She needed them. Now don't get me wrong, she wasn't dependent on them and didn't need more and more to get past her lung pain, she was on a decent low dose and sometimes didn't even need the solutabs. Sure enough though, she'd developed a tolerance and by about day 3 or 4 they could not control her pain. Mostly because they didn't prescribe enough to make up for that tolerance. They prescribed the norm for her weight and size. Then of course it took a bit to get things straightened out and time to get the meds into her at the right dose. Not everyone has that problem though. One night during that time she really thought it would be her last and if she'd made the wrong decision to get a transplant. But she will be the first to tell you, she'd do it all over again.

To be honest I can't even remember her having a catheter but I'm sure she did. She was up and walking to the bathroom the day she got out of ICU.

I will have to be sure Anna see's your post. I am sure she would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

But Alyssa, I wanted to let you know, that your feelings right now might change. You are doing the right thing by looking into it and asking questions. A time may come that you change your mind. How is your health right now? Are you exploring transplant because it might be coming up soon or are you just looking to the possibility of maybe, one day, if you need it? Try and keep an open mind and learn all you can and hear other peoples experiences.

Liza · Dec 10, 2008

Hi Alyssa, my oldest daughter Anna had a double lung transplant just last year. I wanted to let you know that she had many of the same feelings at your age as you do now. We all know without a shadow of a doubt that Anna would not have agreed to have a transplant at 15 or 16 or even 17. She pretty much just came out and said she'd rather die, and she will admit that it was because of the scar.

Urinary catheters are a tough thing to deal with for a young lady. Not so much because it's another medical procedure you have to endure but what it is and where it is. But as time goes by it isn't as big a deal. I really believe alot of it has to do with maturity and realizing there is some unpleasantness involved with keeping you and all women healthy. But back to tranplant... Anna had a quick recovery. She was out of ICU in two days, her pain was managed very well until about day 3 or 4. Her problem though was that she had built up a tolerance. She'd been on morphine and morphine solutabs for about 7 months. She tried getting off of them and each time she'd end up back in the hospital and the doctor told her to not try and wean herself off of them. She needed them. Now don't get me wrong, she wasn't dependent on them and didn't need more and more to get past her lung pain, she was on a decent low dose and sometimes didn't even need the solutabs. Sure enough though, she'd developed a tolerance and by about day 3 or 4 they could not control her pain. Mostly because they didn't prescribe enough to make up for that tolerance. They prescribed the norm for her weight and size. Then of course it took a bit to get things straightened out and time to get the meds into her at the right dose. Not everyone has that problem though. One night during that time she really thought it would be her last and if she'd made the wrong decision to get a transplant. But she will be the first to tell you, she'd do it all over again.

To be honest I can't even remember her having a catheter but I'm sure she did. She was up and walking to the bathroom the day she got out of ICU.

I will have to be sure Anna see's your post. I am sure she would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

But Alyssa, I wanted to let you know, that your feelings right now might change. You are doing the right thing by looking into it and asking questions. A time may come that you change your mind. How is your health right now? Are you exploring transplant because it might be coming up soon or are you just looking to the possibility of maybe, one day, if you need it? Try and keep an open mind and learn all you can and hear other peoples experiences.

Liza · Dec 10, 2008

Hi Alyssa, my oldest daughter Anna had a double lung transplant just last year. I wanted to let you know that she had many of the same feelings at your age as you do now. We all know without a shadow of a doubt that Anna would not have agreed to have a transplant at 15 or 16 or even 17. She pretty much just came out and said she'd rather die, and she will admit that it was because of the scar.
 
 Urinary catheters are a tough thing to deal with for a young lady. Not so much because it's another medical procedure you have to endure but what it is and where it is. But as time goes by it isn't as big a deal. I really believe alot of it has to do with maturity and realizing there is some unpleasantness involved with keeping you and all women healthy. But back to tranplant... Anna had a quick recovery. She was out of ICU in two days, her pain was managed very well until about day 3 or 4. Her problem though was that she had built up a tolerance. She'd been on morphine and morphine solutabs for about 7 months. She tried getting off of them and each time she'd end up back in the hospital and the doctor told her to not try and wean herself off of them. She needed them. Now don't get me wrong, she wasn't dependent on them and didn't need more and more to get past her lung pain, she was on a decent low dose and sometimes didn't even need the solutabs. Sure enough though, she'd developed a tolerance and by about day 3 or 4 they could not control her pain. Mostly because they didn't prescribe enough to make up for that tolerance. They prescribed the norm for her weight and size. Then of course it took a bit to get things straightened out and time to get the meds into her at the right dose. Not everyone has that problem though. One night during that time she really thought it would be her last and if she'd made the wrong decision to get a transplant. But she will be the first to tell you, she'd do it all over again.
 
 To be honest I can't even remember her having a catheter but I'm sure she did. She was up and walking to the bathroom the day she got out of ICU.
 
 I will have to be sure Anna see's your post. I am sure she would be happy to answer any questions you might have.
 
 But Alyssa, I wanted to let you know, that your feelings right now might change. You are doing the right thing by looking into it and asking questions. A time may come that you change your mind. How is your health right now? Are you exploring transplant because it might be coming up soon or are you just looking to the possibility of maybe, one day, if you need it? Try and keep an open mind and learn all you can and hear other peoples experiences.

summer732 · Dec 10, 2008

Alyssa,

Everyone's transplant experience is different. I know Patti said her pain was a 15...mine was around a 4 at worst. It was more uncomfortable than painful for me. Jenn above said that everyone is on the heart/lung machine during the transplant...while that is a possibility it is not the norm for everyone. I was not on the heart/lung machine during the surgery at all.

And the catheter...I had the same feeling you did. I was like no way, no how. Then I was like fine, as long as it's put in when I'm sedated. The catheter was the last thing on my mind. For a young woman it seems like the worst place in the world for tube. To be honest, I didn't even feel it when I woke up. And it was super convenient to not have to move to go to the bathroom.

I woke up with a central line in my neck, a couple of IVs and 4 chest tubes. The IVs were removed once I was up, the central line was quickly replaced with a Picc and as I continued to improve the chest tubes were removed.

Was it uncomfortable? Sure it was. But you have to watch the clock, make sure you are ahead of your pain with the pain meds and fight through it. Believe me, I would never have traded the second chance I got at life and that I am so humbled by and thankful for because of any of the reasons above. And remember, to the doctors and nurses who take care of you, you are another patient. They are not looking at you, they've seen it all! You get used to it and comfortable with yourself and it's just no longer a big deal.

If it's any testament to what a transplant can do, I was unable to walk more than 4 ft, or up three steps without struggling, I was on oxygen 24/7, life was pretty awful at times. Now, I'm on track to run a half marathon in May. Life is a gift. Don't rule it out yet!

summer732 · Dec 10, 2008

Alyssa,

Everyone's transplant experience is different. I know Patti said her pain was a 15...mine was around a 4 at worst. It was more uncomfortable than painful for me. Jenn above said that everyone is on the heart/lung machine during the transplant...while that is a possibility it is not the norm for everyone. I was not on the heart/lung machine during the surgery at all.

And the catheter...I had the same feeling you did. I was like no way, no how. Then I was like fine, as long as it's put in when I'm sedated. The catheter was the last thing on my mind. For a young woman it seems like the worst place in the world for tube. To be honest, I didn't even feel it when I woke up. And it was super convenient to not have to move to go to the bathroom.

I woke up with a central line in my neck, a couple of IVs and 4 chest tubes. The IVs were removed once I was up, the central line was quickly replaced with a Picc and as I continued to improve the chest tubes were removed.

Was it uncomfortable? Sure it was. But you have to watch the clock, make sure you are ahead of your pain with the pain meds and fight through it. Believe me, I would never have traded the second chance I got at life and that I am so humbled by and thankful for because of any of the reasons above. And remember, to the doctors and nurses who take care of you, you are another patient. They are not looking at you, they've seen it all! You get used to it and comfortable with yourself and it's just no longer a big deal.

If it's any testament to what a transplant can do, I was unable to walk more than 4 ft, or up three steps without struggling, I was on oxygen 24/7, life was pretty awful at times. Now, I'm on track to run a half marathon in May. Life is a gift. Don't rule it out yet!

summer732 · Dec 10, 2008

Alyssa,

Everyone's transplant experience is different. I know Patti said her pain was a 15...mine was around a 4 at worst. It was more uncomfortable than painful for me. Jenn above said that everyone is on the heart/lung machine during the transplant...while that is a possibility it is not the norm for everyone. I was not on the heart/lung machine during the surgery at all.

And the catheter...I had the same feeling you did. I was like no way, no how. Then I was like fine, as long as it's put in when I'm sedated. The catheter was the last thing on my mind. For a young woman it seems like the worst place in the world for tube. To be honest, I didn't even feel it when I woke up. And it was super convenient to not have to move to go to the bathroom.

I woke up with a central line in my neck, a couple of IVs and 4 chest tubes. The IVs were removed once I was up, the central line was quickly replaced with a Picc and as I continued to improve the chest tubes were removed.

Was it uncomfortable? Sure it was. But you have to watch the clock, make sure you are ahead of your pain with the pain meds and fight through it. Believe me, I would never have traded the second chance I got at life and that I am so humbled by and thankful for because of any of the reasons above. And remember, to the doctors and nurses who take care of you, you are another patient. They are not looking at you, they've seen it all! You get used to it and comfortable with yourself and it's just no longer a big deal.

If it's any testament to what a transplant can do, I was unable to walk more than 4 ft, or up three steps without struggling, I was on oxygen 24/7, life was pretty awful at times. Now, I'm on track to run a half marathon in May. Life is a gift. Don't rule it out yet!

summer732 · Dec 10, 2008

Alyssa,

Everyone's transplant experience is different. I know Patti said her pain was a 15...mine was around a 4 at worst. It was more uncomfortable than painful for me. Jenn above said that everyone is on the heart/lung machine during the transplant...while that is a possibility it is not the norm for everyone. I was not on the heart/lung machine during the surgery at all.

And the catheter...I had the same feeling you did. I was like no way, no how. Then I was like fine, as long as it's put in when I'm sedated. The catheter was the last thing on my mind. For a young woman it seems like the worst place in the world for tube. To be honest, I didn't even feel it when I woke up. And it was super convenient to not have to move to go to the bathroom.

I woke up with a central line in my neck, a couple of IVs and 4 chest tubes. The IVs were removed once I was up, the central line was quickly replaced with a Picc and as I continued to improve the chest tubes were removed.

Was it uncomfortable? Sure it was. But you have to watch the clock, make sure you are ahead of your pain with the pain meds and fight through it. Believe me, I would never have traded the second chance I got at life and that I am so humbled by and thankful for because of any of the reasons above. And remember, to the doctors and nurses who take care of you, you are another patient. They are not looking at you, they've seen it all! You get used to it and comfortable with yourself and it's just no longer a big deal.

If it's any testament to what a transplant can do, I was unable to walk more than 4 ft, or up three steps without struggling, I was on oxygen 24/7, life was pretty awful at times. Now, I'm on track to run a half marathon in May. Life is a gift. Don't rule it out yet!

summer732 · Dec 10, 2008

Alyssa,
 
 Everyone's transplant experience is different. I know Patti said her pain was a 15...mine was around a 4 at worst. It was more uncomfortable than painful for me. Jenn above said that everyone is on the heart/lung machine during the transplant...while that is a possibility it is not the norm for everyone. I was not on the heart/lung machine during the surgery at all.
 
 And the catheter...I had the same feeling you did. I was like no way, no how. Then I was like fine, as long as it's put in when I'm sedated. The catheter was the last thing on my mind. For a young woman it seems like the worst place in the world for tube. To be honest, I didn't even feel it when I woke up. And it was super convenient to not have to move to go to the bathroom.
 
 I woke up with a central line in my neck, a couple of IVs and 4 chest tubes. The IVs were removed once I was up, the central line was quickly replaced with a Picc and as I continued to improve the chest tubes were removed.
 
 Was it uncomfortable? Sure it was. But you have to watch the clock, make sure you are ahead of your pain with the pain meds and fight through it. Believe me, I would never have traded the second chance I got at life and that I am so humbled by and thankful for because of any of the reasons above. And remember, to the doctors and nurses who take care of you, you are another patient. They are not looking at you, they've seen it all! You get used to it and comfortable with yourself and it's just no longer a big deal.
 
 If it's any testament to what a transplant can do, I was unable to walk more than 4 ft, or up three steps without struggling, I was on oxygen 24/7, life was pretty awful at times. Now, I'm on track to run a half marathon in May. Life is a gift. Don't rule it out yet!

Marjolein · Dec 10, 2008

I didn't have much pain at all. I think this is because I had an epidural. Not one in my lower back like you see on tv a lot, that women get sometimes to control the pain when they give birth. Mine was set between my shoulderblades. That way I didn't feel any pain where they had done the incision and also not where they chest tubes were.
Getting an epidural on tv always looks like it hurts very much. I can tell you it really does not hurt that much. The numbed the area, that did hurt a little, but was over before I knew it. And it worked wonders cause we were talking and I didn't even feel it when they put the actual epidural in. I asked when he was going to and he said he already did.

Marjolein · Dec 10, 2008

I didn't have much pain at all. I think this is because I had an epidural. Not one in my lower back like you see on tv a lot, that women get sometimes to control the pain when they give birth. Mine was set between my shoulderblades. That way I didn't feel any pain where they had done the incision and also not where they chest tubes were.
Getting an epidural on tv always looks like it hurts very much. I can tell you it really does not hurt that much. The numbed the area, that did hurt a little, but was over before I knew it. And it worked wonders cause we were talking and I didn't even feel it when they put the actual epidural in. I asked when he was going to and he said he already did.

Marjolein · Dec 10, 2008

I didn't have much pain at all. I think this is because I had an epidural. Not one in my lower back like you see on tv a lot, that women get sometimes to control the pain when they give birth. Mine was set between my shoulderblades. That way I didn't feel any pain where they had done the incision and also not where they chest tubes were.
Getting an epidural on tv always looks like it hurts very much. I can tell you it really does not hurt that much. The numbed the area, that did hurt a little, but was over before I knew it. And it worked wonders cause we were talking and I didn't even feel it when they put the actual epidural in. I asked when he was going to and he said he already did.

Marjolein · Dec 10, 2008

I didn't have much pain at all. I think this is because I had an epidural. Not one in my lower back like you see on tv a lot, that women get sometimes to control the pain when they give birth. Mine was set between my shoulderblades. That way I didn't feel any pain where they had done the incision and also not where they chest tubes were.
Getting an epidural on tv always looks like it hurts very much. I can tell you it really does not hurt that much. The numbed the area, that did hurt a little, but was over before I knew it. And it worked wonders cause we were talking and I didn't even feel it when they put the actual epidural in. I asked when he was going to and he said he already did.

Marjolein · Dec 10, 2008

I didn't have much pain at all. I think this is because I had an epidural. Not one in my lower back like you see on tv a lot, that women get sometimes to control the pain when they give birth. Mine was set between my shoulderblades. That way I didn't feel any pain where they had done the incision and also not where they chest tubes were.
 Getting an epidural on tv always looks like it hurts very much. I can tell you it really does not hurt that much. The numbed the area, that did hurt a little, but was over before I knew it. And it worked wonders cause we were talking and I didn't even feel it when they put the actual epidural in. I asked when he was going to and he said he already did.

Transplantmommy · Dec 10, 2008

I think that part of the reason that I was in so much pain was because I did not have an epidural like some patients do. The only way that I had to control the pain was the morphine drip that I had and had to push the button. When I would fall asleep, I of course could not push the pain button, and I think that's when my pain got the worst.

Transplantmommy · Dec 10, 2008

I think that part of the reason that I was in so much pain was because I did not have an epidural like some patients do. The only way that I had to control the pain was the morphine drip that I had and had to push the button. When I would fall asleep, I of course could not push the pain button, and I think that's when my pain got the worst.

Transplantmommy · Dec 10, 2008

I think that part of the reason that I was in so much pain was because I did not have an epidural like some patients do. The only way that I had to control the pain was the morphine drip that I had and had to push the button. When I would fall asleep, I of course could not push the pain button, and I think that's when my pain got the worst.

Transplantmommy · Dec 10, 2008

I think that part of the reason that I was in so much pain was because I did not have an epidural like some patients do. The only way that I had to control the pain was the morphine drip that I had and had to push the button. When I would fall asleep, I of course could not push the pain button, and I think that's when my pain got the worst.

Transplantmommy · Dec 10, 2008

I think that part of the reason that I was in so much pain was because I did not have an epidural like some patients do. The only way that I had to control the pain was the morphine drip that I had and had to push the button. When I would fall asleep, I of course could not push the pain button, and I think that's when my pain got the worst.

Do you need a cathiter to pee?

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