How does it feel to have a Foley insertion?

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I've always wondered, but never wondered enough to try it for myself. Lol does it hurt? Is there a stretching, burning or stinging sensation? Ive had a UTI before, so I can only imagine having a foley inserted feels like those last little painful trickles of pee during a UTI. Can someone enlighten me please?

Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

And it can vary from mild discomfort to excruciating pain.

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery.
OP, if you're doing it pre-surgery, you should insist that it's done AFTER the woman is in the OR and gets her spinal. I've worked at both types of facilities, and in my experience, it's barbaric to do it to an unblocked woman. Advocate for your patient.

Thank you for your comment Klone! I will make sure I advocate that this be done post-spinal block. Most of the time it is, but sometimes it isn't.

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It burned when it went in, and I felt like I had to pee the entire time it was in. That sensation never went away, I can't remember anything about the removal aside from vowing never to allow anything that close to my pee hole ever again.

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Horrific...

The first time I had one inserted was while in the ED for a kidney infection with stone. If I had to compare the pain to something then I guess I could say that, had I not been informed ahead of time that it was a cath being inserted, I might have assumed it was a scalpel that was being used instead. After the procedure the nurse proceeded to play down my blood curdling screams that I let out while she was inserting it by explaining to me that the types of catheters that were in use when she was younger were glass and were far more painful than the one I just had inserted.

Oh how I would love to run into that nurse again and just casually mention to her (and yes, I realized that she wouldn't remember me) that only a couple of months after that my urologist, the one who followed up on the stone, also diagnosed me with having a constricted urethra that subsequently needed multiple dilation procedures, which were performed under anasthesia due to the pain involved, to resolve.

So all in all, I guess I'm not your run of the mill case, but I am an example of how bad those things can actually be.

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Didn't feel a thing when inserted but hurt like crazy coming out!!!

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.

Well...I've somehow had the good luck to not have to cath a male since I was a new grad. Maybe I just don't remember....but...whats a Uroject?

Also, were caths really made of GLASS?

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OP, if you're doing it pre-surgery, you should insist that it's done AFTER the woman is in the OR and gets her spinal. I've worked at both types of facilities, and in my experience, it's barbaric to do it to an unblocked woman. Advocate for your patient.

I haven't read the whole thread but YES!

I've had a cath post op rectocele surgery and praised it for managing my post op retention but prior to an ortho surgery scheduled for the next morning, they put one in and even on pain meds strong enough to keep my blunt trauma fracture pain managed I could not tolerate it. I gave it an hour and then asked and was granted having it pulled. Didn't even have it replaced in the morning. And had a straight cath post op without any problem.

I don't really know why I couldn't tolerate the indwelling, the insertion wasn't nearly as bad as just having it. It felt like it was stretching the whole urethral tract without letting up.

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Specializes in ICU.

I have never heard of a Uroject before - didn't even know there was a product available to help numb men up before a foley insertion. No where I've worked has stocked it. You learn something new every day!

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

I wouldn't know about insertion as the two times I had them they waited until I was under anesthesia to out it it. Still it was a bit uncomfortable to have especially when it wasn't tethered to the bag right. I also pushed to have them out as soon a reasonably possible.

Hppy

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Specializes in LTC, Rehab.

I don't know how a Foley insertion feels per se, as the only one I ever had was put in after surgery before I 'came to'... but I know I wanted it out ASAP - uncomfortable feeling, but luckily I only had it in for an hour or hour and a half.

On the other hand, I've had MANY 'cystos' (cystoscopies), unfortunately, and although I'm somewhat used to it, they're never fun going in... probably feels kinda-sorta like a Foley going in.

oh yeah, i meant to add that i've never heard if a Uroject, but after looking it up, i think they do that every year when i have the cysto.

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I had a straight cath 1 time while in labor. I had not had an epidural yet and as soon as it went in i screamed at the pca to take it out now! It felt like a shards of glass. That was the worse pain of the whole childbirth experience for me.

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Specializes in L&D.

I've had several while in labor and also after surgery. Didn't bother me at all.

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