Thank you Dr. Santos,
I am continuing to hang in there with the procedure (I have no other options at present). I had been using straight-tip catheters, meeting some resistance in the area of the sphincter and prostate, but getting to the bladder neck fairly quickly. However once at the bladder neck I have to back off, poke around, and rotate the catheter in order to gain access atraumatically. I attempted cathing with my one and only one coude catheter and was able to access the bladder less than 60 seconds. Back to struggling with straight tips untils the coude caths arrive. Thank you for your input. I thought I would point out here that in addition to the skill of the technician, the type of catheter used as well as the condition of the individual's urethra are significant factors in the time required to catheterize as well as the amount of pain and trauma experienced. Andy.
How are you?The length of time varies from person to person but may take a few minutes to complete the procedure depending on the expertise of the patient, the presence of pain and other symptoms and the indication of the procedure. Self catheterization is not difficult to do. As long as you follow the directions, you cannot hurt the bladder. It would also help if the materials are already prepared to ease the procedure. Take care and regards.