My husband is now in the severe stage and his mobility and speech are very limited. On Sunday I was aware when I took him to the toilet that he had not passed urine. Last wee was around 11.00pm Saturday night. When he still had not gone by mid afternoon on Sunday I was worried and phoned 111. They got a Dr to ring me who then sent a Dr to visit. She said she was calling an ambulance as he was retaining urine. His abdomen was now quite swollen. He was not complaining of pain and was eating normally although his mobility was even worse than usual and he was very sleepy. Around 8.00pm the ambulance arrived and once we got past the unhelpful triage nurse who would not let me stay with him and was then shouting at him to tell her his name and date of birth which he has been unable to do for the past three years the rest of the staff were very kind. A nurse said he would catheterise but called me in to say he could not do this as the catheter got stuck and he did not want to push any more as there was blood on the end. A doctor then tried,less gently and lots of bright blood came up the catheter. A urologist tried , again only got blood. THey said they would call the consultant as it could not be left as the bladder would burst. Ultrasound revealed a blockage at the entrance to the bladder. They were talking about an emergency procedure to go in through the abdomen to drain the bladder as otherwise it would burst. Throughout all this my husband did not complain of pain save when then were forcing the catheter in and drawing blood. I found myself having to sit down before I fell down. The urologist returned having spoken to the consultant and brought a different catheter with a bend on the end to try. He told me he did not expect to succeed, and this was evident because when he did and there was quite a lot of blood followed by urine he had nothing to catch it in.
They checked the urine for infection which was clear and then talked of the possibility of an enlarged prostate. We were sent home with the catheter, arriving back by ambulance at 3.51am, and this now has to stay in place until we can get a urology appointment which probably will not be until after Christmas. Much to my surprise my husband is coping well with the catheter.
Has anyone else had experience of caring for someone in a similar situation and have you any tips to pass on? One difficulty is that he now seems to have a problem with opening his bowels although I sit him on the loo regularly. He is eating and drinking OK and seems quite bright and his mobility has improved a bit.
I am trying prune juice which has worked in the past and the pharmacist suggested lactulose which he says make take three days to work.
People tell me urinary retention is quite painful so I find it quite worrying that he did not show this.
Any ideas or advice would be welcome
Tre
They checked the urine for infection which was clear and then talked of the possibility of an enlarged prostate. We were sent home with the catheter, arriving back by ambulance at 3.51am, and this now has to stay in place until we can get a urology appointment which probably will not be until after Christmas. Much to my surprise my husband is coping well with the catheter.
Has anyone else had experience of caring for someone in a similar situation and have you any tips to pass on? One difficulty is that he now seems to have a problem with opening his bowels although I sit him on the loo regularly. He is eating and drinking OK and seems quite bright and his mobility has improved a bit.
I am trying prune juice which has worked in the past and the pharmacist suggested lactulose which he says make take three days to work.
People tell me urinary retention is quite painful so I find it quite worrying that he did not show this.
Any ideas or advice would be welcome
Tre