My Douette cather review

[CapnGimp]

Had my stones removed from my bladder on 7 Sept, IV antibiotics during surgery...I saw they were going to use levaquin, told then NO fluoroquinolones so they used something else, can't remember at the moment. No antibiotics after surgery, just went home. Put a 14fr douette in upon getting home and my regular legbag-hose setup, NEW of course. I have a permanent leg bag, first one, for after I watch this for about a month, just in case. So far, no problems, no sediment, no bladder lining material floating around, no mucus, no smell. Just pure, clean pee. Thank God, first time in a while!
Without microcyn/vetericyn around, once I get started on a uti, it's rough lol. Wish I could get a RELIABLE source to flush with to prevent colonization, no signs of it yet. When I started flushing with it back in 2009-2010?, It got rid of colonization for the first time since 1996. I got used to being carefree until about 2013 when I went without it. I may try to order some when the weather cools just a bit but waaaay before it gets a chance to freeze. I would sure LOVE to have another handful of bottles of GOOD EFFECTIVE microcyn. I would treat it like a GOOD wife lol.
The douette caths are apparently working like a champ, I thought they would after watching the videos and reading others reviews here. They are clear so you would be able to see any buildup inside of them. Again, none visible so far. They gave me 3 to sample, when my uro called and asked them, on my initial appointment to set up the surgery, August 11. So around 3 weeks to get them to his office and I picked them up same day, about 2 Sept. All silicone but not as stiff as the regular silicone caths for some reason. I hated using those, only used them twice, years ago. Anyway, if you can try them, duette caths, do so.

[TheRainman]

Thanks for the update. I am also interested in switching to Duette. Please keep us updated.

[HACKNSACK44]

Had my stones removed from my bladder on 7 Sept, IV antibiotics during surgery...I saw they were going to use levaquin, told then NO fluoroquinolones so they used something else, can't remember at the moment. No antibiotics after surgery, just went home. Put a 14fr douette in upon getting home and my regular legbag-hose setup, NEW of course. I have a permanent leg bag, first one, for after I watch this for about a month, just in case. So far, no problems, no sediment, no bladder lining material floating around, no mucus, no smell. Just pure, clean pee. Thank God, first time in a while!
Without microcyn/vetericyn around, once I get started on a uti, it's rough lol. Wish I could get a RELIABLE source to flush with to prevent colonization, no signs of it yet. When I started flushing with it back in 2009-2010?, It got rid of colonization for the first time since 1996. I got used to being carefree until about 2013 when I went without it. I may try to order some when the weather cools just a bit but waaaay before it gets a chance to freeze. I would sure LOVE to have another handful of bottles of GOOD EFFECTIVE microcyn. I would treat it like a GOOD wife lol.
The douette caths are apparently working like a champ, I thought they would after watching the videos and reading others reviews here. They are clear so you would be able to see any buildup inside of them. Again, none visible so far. They gave me 3 to sample, when my uro called and asked them, on my initial appointment to set up the surgery, August 11. So around 3 weeks to get them to his office and I picked them up same day, about 2 Sept. All silicone but not as stiff as the regular silicone caths for some reason. I hated using those, only used them twice, years ago. Anyway, if you can try them, duette caths, do so.

Glad everything is going good. I have been using the Duette catheter and they have been working great.

[SCI-Nurse]

Glad to hear that you are doing well. Please keep us posted on your recovery and the duette's.

ckf

[CapnGimp]

The catheters are still working great for me. Haven't had but one clog up on me due to eating a handful of sugar containing candy my sister gave me a couple months back. Knew better than to introduce the poison into my system but did and paid the price a couple of days later. It made a slight infection that I beat down with peroxide flushes for a few days. Since then, no clogs, but i now have smelly pee and some sediments every two or three days upon waking up. Since I drink ginger root tea continuously while awake, i keep it flushed and thereby no stoppages. I change them every two weeks when I can think of it, last one was almost 30 days but it had not clogged even by then. They DEFINITELY make the difference in a care/trouble free 'catheter life' and living a nightmare of worries and hassles no human should have to go through.
I give a big TWO THUMBS UP to http://www.poiesismedical.com/products/duette/ who manufactures/sales the foley catheters that put everything else in the trash bin of history.
BTW, after calling, talking with me over the phone, asking me what I needed, the ? Comfort company shipped me supplies within a month, took care of the billing medicare and I didn't get a bill at all. They just called me yesterday and were going to send me more but I still have some supplies left, so they will call every thirty days until I say what I need and then ship again, handling all the paperwork. First time in over 20 years, I am finally getting uro supplies paid for AND shipped to me. Always paid for them myself to be sure I had what I needed on hand.

[Vintage]

This is wonderful information. Thanks for the link, capngimp. My saga- After learning to self-cath for my first three months post-sci, I landed (another long story) back in the hospital (different hospital). This hospital didn't have the patience to bring me my cathing supplies, so they stuck in a Foley, telling me that it was completely reversible. Ten months later, two nurses at a nursing home were out of 14f Foleys. They knew 16f was the wrong size,...too big...but they put it in anyway. Two days later, in awful pain,...pain in a really bad spot,...I sat up and saw the 16f size on my cath. Grrrr. "Oh, that was the only size we had. You'd used all the 14f." I had them just TAKE IT OUT! I've used a diaper for the past year and a half, but I can't go anywhere. The old Foleys gave me UTI's and it hurt 'down there' when I would roll around. And now I leak, permanently. Don't believe them when they tell you Foleys are reversible. I'm ready to try the Douette! Less pain. Less propensity to UTI's. And I can drink water, yet be away from home for longer than 4 hours. Good information!

[Scaper1]

Chiming in here to sing the praises of Duette, both the company (Poiesis) and the product. I'm late to the party as I spent a long time under the impression that the catheters were only for men and/or those with a s/p. Nope and nope. After contacting them for clarification they sent me a few samples, and I'm about 4 weeks into changing over from a regular in-dwelling catheter. Prior to that I was having problems with sediment and increasingly scary blood clots. I still get the sediment, though not like before where it would block up the eyelet completely. Most notably, there has been virtually no sign of blood clots, and significantly less of the associated dysreflexia. So I'd say the Duette definitely reduces bladder irritation, not completely obviously, but it's a huge improvement over just waiting for things to get worse using the standard in-dwelling caths. The rep mentioned that it can take up to 60 days for the bladder to heal.

Thanks to everyone here who has mentioned Duette caths. Where is the best place to buy them if you're paying out of pocket?

[CapnGimp]

I went foley over 20 yrs ago and paid out of pocket up until now. I always used allegro medical to get my uro supplies as they were VERY reliable and lowest cost I have ever found. However, here is the lowest cost place with a short search, allegro was 50cents more. If they were not covered my medicare, I could not afford to use them as one costs more than a case of 12 that I normally used. Check with your doc/uro and have them start the order process paperwork for you. That's how I did it. The last 'surgery' to remove stones from me was over 20 grand for the laser alone! http://www.yourhealthsupplier.com/po...r-12-fr-16-fr/ here they are $15.98 ea with free shipping on orders over 35 bucks.
Vintage, the douette is silicone(more slippery than sil coated latex and of a smaller diameter also. Took me a few days for my urethra to adapt without leaking when I got up with a full legbag and backed up a considerable amount. I am a complete so I could saw myself in half and not feel it, but I definitely know these irritate the bladder considerably less and may work well for you 'feeling' them a lot less than standard ones as they are a whole lot more flexible. All the other silicone caths I tried over the years were stiff as a board.
I do things a lot different than most, wear a legbag 24/7, I guess this is why I can hold a legbag full of urine in my bladder at night when the bag fills and my bladder distends, AND during the day when I forget to empty it. NOT saying it is safe, that is just how it worked out over time with me. I started with the standard oxybutinin 60mg 2-3 x day if I remember correctly, IC about 6-10 x day, stopped the pills within about 4 months and IC within 6 months, yada yada. I am a vegan, no GMOs or pesticides, no sugar by any name other than honey in a jar or from the fruits I eat that contain it. No medicines, all natural all the way.I do take kepra once a day for seizure prevention that I am about to stop taking altogether. It never worked anyway. Have weaned myself down this past few months and gonna stop it altogether come 2017. Haven't had a seizure in over a year and I credit that to GOD, prayer and following the diet His wisdom led me to.
Bowel program when I awake and before going to sleep, no suppositories, no dig stim, nothing but a glove/ky go in and get what I can reach and go. 2-3 minutes tops. No leaks or accidents, no wasted time. Been doing it this way for 20+years.

[Vintage]

I've copied your post and saved it to my tablet, capngimp. Thanks for the information. I would like to be able to be gone from home for longer than 4 hours, so eventually I'll have to buy Foley's. ..and I'll need this info. I fought my way out of the nursing homes, in great part, to get away from the "non-food" food that people are fed there. Now that I'm home, I buy my own food and cook for myself. I usually sweeten with maple syrup or agave. I stay away from corn syrup. And I consider all artificial sweeteners as 'toxic chemicals', brain poison. They damage nerves. But back to cathing... I've never used a leg bag. You can't sleep in one, can you?

[jodielynn519]

I've also had good luck with trying these. I am usually IC'd but my spasticity recently increased due to the cold and to take a break from transferring and being cathed we put one in. I'm much less spastic. I know it's not ideal for your bladder to be constantly draining but the break from spasms, pain and transferring has been nice!

[gjnl]

Poiesis is very good at sending our samples of the Duette Catheters. Go to their website and click on contact us. They have a toll free number to call. http://www.poiesismedical.com/products/duette/

All the best,
GJ

[wheelman21]

I called the toll free # and to get some samples. I currently use a 22fr catheter, the largest they carry is 18. What kind of risks are there to putting in a smaller catheter?

[Scott C4/5]

I called the toll free # and to get some samples. I currently use a 22fr catheter, the largest they carry is 18. What kind of risks are there to putting in a smaller catheter?

I was using a 22fr before switching to the Duette and have had better luck with the 18fr Duette. I'm waiting for them to release the 20fr in hopes that leaking will completely end.

[wheelman21]

I was using a 22fr before switching to the Duette and have had better luck with the 18fr Duette. I'm waiting for them to release the 20fr in hopes that leaking will completely end.

OK so leaking is a possibility. I thought that might be a risk. Would it be hard to go to a larger catheter after using a 18fr?

[Scott C4/5]

OK so leaking is a possibility. I thought that might be a risk. Would it be hard to go to a larger catheter after using a 18fr?

Its possible that you'll leak. But I leak less with Duette's 18fr than with a regular 22fr. As far as going bigger, it would depend on how long you've been using a smaller size catheter. I used a 22fr for 16 years and have used a Duette for almost 14 months. I wouldn't think that it would hurt for me to try a 20fr if they make one sometime soon.