How do I perform an intermittent catheter myself?
Check out my video – Beau Vernon quadriplegic self catheterising
I think a quadriplegic would definitely need the cord that I use or something similar. I have started to use tubing with water and Milton and I reuse my catheters for roughly a week. This saves a lot of money.
How do I go to the pub with I’m using intermittent catheters?
As anyone else would. It takes me four or so minutes to go to the toilet at a public place. Alcohol makes it harder for me to feel my bladder. But I still know when I need to go.
How do I have sex when I’m using an intermittent catheter?
Like anyone else.
For me I felt It’s not very attractive to have a bag of piss on your leg and a tubing coming out of your stomach. ICs give me a lot more confidence with my image and makes me less self-conscious.
How do I go out for the day?
Pretty easily.
Sometimes health care staff have put the thought in your mind that it’s hard to go out for the day. It’s not. After the initial stages of learning when you need to go to the toilet, it’s no harder than anyone else going out for the day.
How do I travel with intermittent catheters?
I go on quite a fair few long car trips, which are no different to anyone else.
On a long flight (over four hours) I put an indwelling catheter in for the trip.
When I was in Europe I found it easier to have an indwelling in, because of the lack of disabled toilets.
Am I stuck with my first choice of catheter?
Intermittent catheters weren’t my first choice. In the beginning I didn’t know I had a choice. I previously had an SPC for a couple of months. This wasn’t a choice I knew I even had until I got out of rehabilitation. I found this bloke a similar level to me on YouTube doing IC, and I knew that would be a better option for me.
What do I do if I get an infection?
Usually go to the doctors and get some antibiotics. It is a bit harder with IC when I get an infection because I need to go to the toilet all the time. I should be more diligent in being cleaner when I pass catheters so I don’t get infections.
Lately I have started taking Hiprex and that has helped enormously.
What’s the best equipment available?
I use SpeediCaths. I have a bit of a false passage and every now and then I can’t pass the SpeediCaths. If this happens I have a few IQ caths that I use.
