I have had a suprapubic catheter since 5/05 when I got too weak to walk again. My home health nurse changes it once a month. When I go out I can change from the big collection bag to a leg bag which hids under my dress easier. They tell my husband could be taught to change it. He should learn since he cut the line to the balloon one night while changing the bandages and we had to get the evening home health nurse to come change it. Before I had this 14 French catheter, I had something that had a tiny metal wire in my bladder but it got stopped up or plugged often and made me bleed a lot since I am on Coumadin. I do have to go to see my urologist next month so he can look inside to make sure nothing bad is happening. I remember one of the risks is that you can get cancer. I don't know if my bladder will work once I start walking again and take this out. Good luck Hildred in NC TM since 1976
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