I am laying in bed recovering from this as I write this. As others have said, the surgery is OK the recovery sucks. It took them three years to diagnose my diverticuli (and three urologists, the first two said I was being a baby). It was diagnosed 9 years ago....and I treated it with antibiotics all that time, first going on and off them as needed (usually 3 times a year) and then in the last couple of years taking antibiotics once a day. Finally, I had too many issues with the medication, and hoping that the surgery had improved over the years....I found a surgeon and did it. My diverticulum sits up high, below the bladder, and was shaped like a cashew nut, wrapped around 2/3 of the urethra, with openings into it from both ends of the diverticuli.
SURGERY - He went in through the vaginal wall, the diverticuli was infected (the urine test said it wasn't - ha ha - its always said it wasn't infected - and my white blood count wasn't that high - so they misjudged). The diverticuli was choking the urethra, so it was a complicated surgery to remove it, and then to be careful not to spread the infection. This was Hijaz at University Hospitals in Cleveland, OH. Because of all that I am getting a catheter for 3 weeks (SUCKS!). I trust him, but I had some issues with his staff (such as misjudging the infection). But he is very good, so he is a big part of why I finally decided to go through with this.
POST SURGERY - I haven't had any pain, nor any bladder spasms. I was constipated, and after taking the pills he gave me, and then adding Miralax and Castor Oil, was still not going. So I took something the pharmacist recommended - a fizzy sour drink guaranteed to clean you out. And it did, after three hours. I have been eating light, mostly soup, but once a day I might have half a sandwich. Lots of liquids!! Very important to keep the urine clear and moving.
The first 3-4 days I had vaginal bleeding (light). Then it stopped. I laid around most of the time, kept the night catheter bag in place so as not to be changing bags (I stayed at home). I would get dizzy when I stood up for very long. On the 5th day I was moving around more, and that night I had deep red and dark red vaginal bleeding, I think the "scab" came off. It went away the next day.
OVERALL - I am not leaving the house for a full week. I am going out tomorrow for Thanksgiving, going to switch to the small catheter bag for that. Then low key again for the weekend and the following week I will have to go to meetings.
TIPS - I ordered larger catheter leg bags on Amazon, 32 oz bags, the ones the hospital gave me I will have to empty every hour. You will need one night bag a week (they wear out too) and then depending on how often you are going lots of leg bags. You can clean the bags out, but its very very dangerous that you introduce an infection into your bladder during this, by contaminating the tube when you are chaining the catheter to a different bag. So I am choosing to use new bags, and not change that often.
I also am making a belt (you can buy them online, but its not complicated to make one) that will help hold up the leg bag if it gets heavy (the elastic straps around your legs are not that strong). Its modeled after the ones I saw online, nylon strap around you waist, two pieces that come down and loop (with velcro) over the elastic straps of the leg bag. When I am in mtgs next week, I can't always just walk out to empty it. So the small leg bag they gave me wont work. I also took a couple pair of leggings and cut a slit from my crotch, horizontally over about 5 inches to where the catheter tube is "glued" to my leg. Then I stitched all around the edge of the slit / hole so it wont unravel (leave a little give for the stretchy fabric). So when I pull the leggings on, I can weave the bag and tube through the hole and hang the bag on the outside of the leggings. Then wear a dress or long tunic over it all. Its Ohio, and its cold.
Also, for me sitting upright where the tube comes out was uncomfortable. So I used some of those travel neck rings (for airplanes, to wrap around your neck) that I sit on so that my hips bones are on the pillow, and the center hole is open beneath the tube/catheter so I am not sitting directly on it. That is much better!!
Kim K - I will watch this forum, if you have any questions let me know.
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I am laying in bed recovering from this as I write this. As others have said, the surgery is OK the recovery sucks. It took them three years to diagnose my diverticuli (and three urologists, the first two said I was being a baby). It was diagnosed 9 years ago....and I treated it with antibiotics all that time, first going on and off them as needed (usually 3 times a year) and then in the last couple of years taking antibiotics once a day. Finally, I had too many issues with the medication, and hoping that the surgery had improved over the years....I found a surgeon and did it. My diverticulum sits up high, below the bladder, and was shaped like a cashew nut, wrapped around 2/3 of the urethra, with openings into it from both ends of the diverticuli.
November 25, 2015 - 3:31pmSURGERY - He went in through the vaginal wall, the diverticuli was infected (the urine test said it wasn't - ha ha - its always said it wasn't infected - and my white blood count wasn't that high - so they misjudged). The diverticuli was choking the urethra, so it was a complicated surgery to remove it, and then to be careful not to spread the infection. This was Hijaz at University Hospitals in Cleveland, OH. Because of all that I am getting a catheter for 3 weeks (SUCKS!). I trust him, but I had some issues with his staff (such as misjudging the infection). But he is very good, so he is a big part of why I finally decided to go through with this.
POST SURGERY - I haven't had any pain, nor any bladder spasms. I was constipated, and after taking the pills he gave me, and then adding Miralax and Castor Oil, was still not going. So I took something the pharmacist recommended - a fizzy sour drink guaranteed to clean you out. And it did, after three hours. I have been eating light, mostly soup, but once a day I might have half a sandwich. Lots of liquids!! Very important to keep the urine clear and moving.
The first 3-4 days I had vaginal bleeding (light). Then it stopped. I laid around most of the time, kept the night catheter bag in place so as not to be changing bags (I stayed at home). I would get dizzy when I stood up for very long. On the 5th day I was moving around more, and that night I had deep red and dark red vaginal bleeding, I think the "scab" came off. It went away the next day.
OVERALL - I am not leaving the house for a full week. I am going out tomorrow for Thanksgiving, going to switch to the small catheter bag for that. Then low key again for the weekend and the following week I will have to go to meetings.
TIPS - I ordered larger catheter leg bags on Amazon, 32 oz bags, the ones the hospital gave me I will have to empty every hour. You will need one night bag a week (they wear out too) and then depending on how often you are going lots of leg bags. You can clean the bags out, but its very very dangerous that you introduce an infection into your bladder during this, by contaminating the tube when you are chaining the catheter to a different bag. So I am choosing to use new bags, and not change that often.
I also am making a belt (you can buy them online, but its not complicated to make one) that will help hold up the leg bag if it gets heavy (the elastic straps around your legs are not that strong). Its modeled after the ones I saw online, nylon strap around you waist, two pieces that come down and loop (with velcro) over the elastic straps of the leg bag. When I am in mtgs next week, I can't always just walk out to empty it. So the small leg bag they gave me wont work. I also took a couple pair of leggings and cut a slit from my crotch, horizontally over about 5 inches to where the catheter tube is "glued" to my leg. Then I stitched all around the edge of the slit / hole so it wont unravel (leave a little give for the stretchy fabric). So when I pull the leggings on, I can weave the bag and tube through the hole and hang the bag on the outside of the leggings. Then wear a dress or long tunic over it all. Its Ohio, and its cold.
Also, for me sitting upright where the tube comes out was uncomfortable. So I used some of those travel neck rings (for airplanes, to wrap around your neck) that I sit on so that my hips bones are on the pillow, and the center hole is open beneath the tube/catheter so I am not sitting directly on it. That is much better!!
Kim K - I will watch this forum, if you have any questions let me know.
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