catheter

How do they decide if you'll be cathed or not? I have read posts out here both ways. Did you find out before surgery or like I just read in the post to general anesthetic, did you wake up with one? I ask because as crazy as it may seem, that is one of my fears for whatever reason. I don't want to be.  Those of you that were, how bad was it??

I have had a cathedar for other surgeries (haven't had my sleeve yet)  For me they put it in after the anesthesia had kicked in.  You dont feel anything while its in even after you wake up.  When they pull it out is another story!  It burns like hell but just for aa short time after they pull it out.  A little discomfort for a couple of days but its not too bad.  The cool thing is that you dont even know you are pee'ing.

Well that makes me feel a bit  better. At least I won't be awake for the intial part. I have my surgery on the 22nd & am just starting to get nervous. Things that I hadn't thought twice about are suddenly popping up & I am very grateful for this site & the people out here that have helped me & others!!

They told be at my nurse pre-op session and I too was nervous about it but tried to put it out of my mind.  They put it in after I was asleep (as someone else said too)  I didn't feel it but the logistics were obnoxious when I got up to walk.  I did NOT have pain when they removed it.  I was amazed! 

That is the one thing I was freaked out the most about also. Its crazy becuase thats what I LOVED when I was in the hospital.. when they took it out, I had to get up and pee every half hour or so, and it hurt so much and was such an inconvienece (sp?). It really it nothing to be worried about, I couldnt even feel that thing!

 I did not have one with the sleeve. I did with both c sections I had. One time it was annoying and one time I never knew I'd had one. It doesn't hurt, so don't worry about it at all. I guess it was less odd with a c section/labor when there is someone in your lady business every two seconds! You just kinda think "what now??". Lol!

I did not have one put in for VSG, just for my c-sections. My surgeon told me before surgery she wasn't putting one in to allow me to get up more frequently and so it wouldn't get in the way of my walking. I can say it was definitely nice not having to worry about hauling one more tube down the hall at the hospital. And I can see how it definitely allowed me to be more active because I needed to use the restroom. I only spent one night in the hospital and went home late the next day.

I didn't have one with the sleeve either. I have had with other surgeries and it was not a big deal. No pain to speak of but it was convenient not to have to get up and pee when you feel so bad. Like I said that was for other surgeries.
Good luck with your surgery! Best wishes.

I did not have one but kind of wished I had when I awakened from surgery and felt like my bladder was about to burst! It took me a good 10 minutes to alert someone that I needed to pee and then another 5-10 minutes to get me unhooked from everything in order to get me to the bathroom. Within an hour and a half of getting out of the OR, I was walking alone to the bathroom and even walked to recovery alone. I didn't have anything to hold onto and didn't need anything. I got up about 4 more times in recovery and went to the bathroom alone there, too. It's possible that you could request not to have one if you don't want one. You might regret not having it though.

 I was like you - I didn't want one.  It scared the **** out of me (forgive the pun).  It went in after the anesthesia.  It didn't bother so much after it came out.  I was glad to not be tethered to the bag and to be able to put on some underwear.

In my case I was told that the surgeon sometimes didnt use it, it just depended on what he thought was needed in surgery.  Some other surgeons in my center always do it.  It comes down to each surgeons preferences.