• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

My bladder, my life

Bladder management

  • Bladder types
  • Starting with catheters
  • Problems
  • Life hacks
  • Inside the bladder
  • Equipment
Problems
  • Working out what's wrong
    • I normally perform intermittent catheters and have recently started leaking in between
    • I have a suprapubic catheter and have recently started leaking out my penis or urethra
    • I’ve had lots of UTIs lately and they seem to keep coming back after I finish my antibiotics
    • I’m having trouble passing my catheter
  • Other problems
    • Watching your fluids
    • How to avoid a urinary tract infection (UTI)
    • Autonomic dysreflexia
    • Bladder and kidney stones
    • Prostatitis
    • Leaking
    • Bleeding
    • Vesicoureteral reflux
    • Hydronephrosis
    • Stricture
    • False passage
    • Catheter blockages
    • Bladder washout

    I have a suprapubic catheter and have recently started leaking out my penis or urethra

    I have a suprapubic catheter and have recently started leaking out my penis or urethra. What should I do?

    Check if you have a UTI

    • Head to your GP and have a urine specimen taken.
    • If your urine comes back positive, your GP should prescribe you with antibiotics that the bug is sensitive to.
    • Once you have treated the UTI the urine leakage should stop.
    • If, after you have stopped the antibiotics, you are still leaking in between, get a urine test to ensure that the bug is no longer there.

    Check if you have a loaded bowel

    • Have your bowels been opening regularly?
    • Contact the spinal outpatient nurse to talk about the best ways to assist you to empty your bowel.

    Check if you have an overactive bladder

    • Sometimes it takes a while for the bladder reflexes to come back after a spinal cord injury. This is called an overactive bladder and causes you to leak frequently.
    • If you have ruled out a UTI and your bowel being loaded, contact the spinal urology nurse, or get a referral from your GP to see a urologist to discuss.

    I normally perform intermittent catheters and have recently started leaking in between
    I’ve had lots of UTIs lately and they seem to keep coming back after I finish my antibiotics

    Before Footer

    Quick links

    • Bladder types
    • Starting with catheters
    • Problems
    • Life hacks
    • Inside the bladder
    • Equipment

    About this resource

    This web resource is part of a research project to improve bladder management at the Austin, by increasing the use of intermittent catheterisation.

    The research project is funded by TAC.

    Submit your feedback

    Thumbs Up Bladder Man

    Footer

    This research project is brought to you by

    Austin Health
    TAC
    ISCRR
    WorkSafe

    Contacts

    Austin Health
    03 9496 5000
    Victorian Spinal Cord Service
    03 9496 5220
    Spinal Urology Nurse
    03 9496 5904
    spinalurologynurse@austin.org.au
    VSCS outpatient Nurse
    03 9496 5176
    vscsoutpatients@austin.org.au

    Disclaimer

    This information has been developed for Austin Health use and has been specifically designed for Austin Health. This information is intended to support, not replace, discussion with your doctor or healthcare professionals. The authors have made a considerable effort to ensure the information is accurate, up to date and easy to understand. Austin Health accepts no responsibility for any inaccuracies, information perceived as misleading, or the success of any treatment regimen detailed on this website. Written information should only be used in conjunction with advice from the health professional who is looking after you.

    Copyright © 2023 · My Bladder My Life on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in