Question:
Do you have to be catheterized
when you have surgery? — rosemary H. (posted on May 12, 2001)
May 11, 2001
Catheters are used to monitor kidney output. Generally, they are inserted
while you under anesthesia...if you are concerned about this, request that
your doctor wait until you're under. Usually, they are removed within 24
hours. It is essentially painless and very quick to remove, although you
might feel a slight tug and/or some pressure in your bladder. The key to
removal is relaxation.
— Allie B.
May 12, 2001
Rosemary~As the previous post said, this is almost always done while you're
under anesthesia. The removal is a breeze! I'm just writing to remind you
that a post-op catheter is a blessing those first 24 hours, (if you get to
keep it that long). Remember, you may (or may not) be drinking fluids, but
that IV fluid is going in and the catheter saves you many trips to the
bathroom! LOL! PLEASE don't sweat the small stuff with this surgery or
any pre-op tests that seem scary. In the whole scheme of things, you won't
even remember that stuff. I promise.~Laurie
— [Anonymous]
May 12, 2001
Not everyone has a catheter. My doctor does not use any tubes at all. No
G-tube, drainage tube, ng tube, or catheter. When I woke up the only thing
that I was connected to was my IV (and I loved the IV!!!). My doctor
believes that we should be mobile ASAP and one way to encourage this is to
"force" his patients to walk to the bathroom. With the IV going,
these trips are quite frequent I had a little help the first time I needed
to get up and then I was on my own. It really was a breeze!(open RNY 1/8/01
-87)
— Shelley.
May 12, 2001
My surgeon has the operating room staff insert a catheter after the patient
is asleep and remove it before they wake up. He deliberately removes the
catheter in the Recovery Room so that his patients are
"motivated" to get up to the bathroom early that first day. The
first time out of bed was the most difficult, and it was easier every time
after that. The more you move, the less sore you will be. Good luck!
— Diana T.
May 12, 2001
I had a cathater post op. The most important thing is to get them to remove
it asap. My cath was in for several days and they were emptying it several
times per day. It was convient not to worry about extra trips to the
bathroom for a few days post op. But I started having bladder spasms
several days after the surgery and continued for a few days after it was
removed. The cath for the first few days is good but not for too long.
— Jan M.
June 5, 2002
I did not have to be catheterized. I went to the bathroom almost as soon
as I got up from surgery. It does depend on the doctor though so i'd be
sure to ask! Good luck!
— Keri W.
March 1, 2003
I did not have a catheter...and thank GOD I didn't. When I had my baby,
they made me have one and it was just awful. My wonderful surgeon didn't
ask for one, and I just peed a few minutes before I went under, and then
got up afterwards and went. They did have us pee in a thing which sat on
the toilet (a "hat") so that they could monitor the output, but
absolutely no catheter. :)
— Mrs B.
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