Anyone have experience with this???

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Hello ladies! One of my dear friends recently went through a very traumatic labor and delivery in which she suffered some nerve damage. She wasn't able to urinate on her own, so she had to go home with a catheter. She went back to the doctor after the first week and still wasn't able to go on her own. Has anyone heard of this? If so, what is usually the outcome? I just can't believe a week pp she still has to have a catheter. I feel so bad for her.

As always, any input is much appreciated.

mzimm

After birth of DS1 (30 hours long, vacuum, no sensation pushing etc) I suffered severe pelvic floor trauma. I had a catheter in from the epidural but it seems they took it out too early and I had some (little) sensation re when I wanted to or did urinate. After staying in hospital for 4 days just for this problem, I was discharged self-catheterising. I self catheriterised 4 times a day for 2 weeks, twice a day for another 2 weeks and once a day for a further 2. The program I was on given to me by a specialist nurse was always long term and probably a bit conservative (extreme) BUT I think it was the best thing and meant that I truely got over this issue.

Yes, I still had pelvic floor issues (interestingly at this stage no POP. That came after birth of DS2 via c-section) but I had no urgency or sensation issues again. If I had been led to believe that the problem could resolve itself in a week I would have been bitterly and constantly disappointed. Instead, I thought it would take 6 weeks ( a LONG time to be self-catherising but nonetheless) and so was prepared and thrilled when it properly resolved itself in this time.

It will get better for your friend but I would encourage that she be put in contact with a continence nurse or someone similar attached to the hospital or recommended by her ob/gyn. Much of my problem stemmed from the catheter being removed too soon and therefore the bladder was not able to retrain. If this keeps happening to your friend it will take longer to resolve.

Apparently when I was in hospital another woman had absolutely no sensation whatsoever and had no idea when she was urinating or not. This problem (obviously given interventions) is on the rise according to the nurse looking after me.

HTH.