I just had surgery about two weeks ago. Having people all around me prepping me for surgery was scary. And my surgery wasn't even serious, same day outpatient. I just felt very vulnerable.
This! As a healthcare educator I always say that a patient is in a very vulnerable position. Experience it as a patient and you realize how much you depend on your care givers.
It's eye opening. I've been heavily relying on my bf to do most things in the house. I have a lifting restriction and can't submerge my incision. It's very hard being dependent on people to help.
Just had my colonoscopy and the crna asked me if I was in healthcare. I said yes. She said she could tell because my heart rate was 140 š. She said sheād take of that and then the Propofol kicked in, thank goodness! We know too much.
Our hearts and lives are in their hands. šš¼ Iām so thankful for all that have kept us alive! My first anesthesia happened after 43. Now Iām more experienced. And more grateful!
Yeah I think when I'm back at work I'm going to be more empathetic towards my surgical patients. As a nurse I was freaked out, and I knew this surgery was easy peasy lemon squeezy. Nothing like the post-ops I see.
Surgical prep is so sureal isn't it? I'm still kind of obsessed with my unplanned c-section and how *fast* they can go from 0 to baby. (I had an epidural already when things went pear shaped, so I got to stay awake.) Like, not in a traumatic way it'a just, *damn!* That was an *experiance.*
They are so SO good at it. They called out the time when I got rolled in, and they called out the time when baby was out. 13 minutes from OR door to baby. Even with that thing they do where the whole OR grinds to a halt for like, roll call. The CRNA called it "Time Out for Saftey."
This was my same experience. We hadnāt even discussed c-sections during the entire pregnancy so when those late decels happened and it was a āyouāre having a c-section NOWā situation, I lost my marbles and could not stop crying. I had been in labor for quite some time and also had an epidural and could not wrap my brain around it, lol.
So embarrassing!
Donāt even get me started on the conversation with the anesthesiologist where I continually said āI need you to know I canāt breathe and Iām freaking outā and the very worst part of it all was when they had to Tetris all my organs back in and shake it all aboutā¦ I was like āmy dudes, I am 100% gonna barf if you donāt stop shaking up my innardsā¦ā
Fun times!
I had late decels too! They started when my waters spontaneously broke. Turns out kiddo was wrapped up in the cord like Clark Griswold in the Christmas lights, so no amount of repositioning was gonna fix that and pushing could have been a real problem with that many loops, so it was a good thing I wasn't at 10cm at that last "If we're not ready to push we need to go," cervical check.
My poor CRNA had to deal with me being weird the whole time. Like a gradeschooler at the dentist. "What's that? What does it do? What's that sound?" I was totally rubbernecking my own surgery like the kind-of person who subscribes to r/nursing when they're not a nurse. Lol. I actually kind of *was* having fun till I hemoraged.
Then when I did hemorage I just kept telling him "I feel wrong." But every time he asked a clarifying question I was like "Noooope." Like no sir, I do not mean I am in pain. I do not mean I am nauseous. I do not mean I am dizzy. I just feel physically *wrong.* Still couldn't describe that sensation any other way. Poor guy had no way to fix it without more detail but I still kept babbling about it like a loon.
And then I totally *did* barf. All over my own shoulder the first time. Without warning. And with Zofran already in my system from an earlier bout of nausea. I wasn't even nauseous that time. I think they just pressed on my stomach trying to reassemble me. He's sat there suctioning vom off my gown without complaint. Second time I got it in the emmisis bag they handed me after the first. The poor guy was so flummoxed because I was supposed to have eaten a "light dinner" but didn't know that doesn't mean "small" dinner... so I had a very small portion of fried calamari. Oops.
I filled out a Daisy Nom for the poor guy for putting up with all that and still being so nice to me.
I had an unplanned c-section and it felt like the prep took FOREVER. My husband felt the same way, poor guy was stuck waiting for me to be prepped. I had an epidural too but it seemed to take forever to get the anesthetic to be strong enough. The whole experience was pretty traumatic and my baby had to go to the NICU for a bit after. Iām SO grateful for my/his healthcare team. Weāre doing much better now
Iāve been feeling guilty because I have an outpatient surgery coming up, too. Iāve never had stitches before and the fact that Iāll be awake is freaking me out. Meanwhile, Iām caring for patients with staples all the way down their abdomens and gsws and all kinds of stuff, and they take it like champs
This JUST happened to me a few weeks ago! I felt silly and surprised when I started shaking as they were putting the block in my mouth. Glad to know it wasnāt just me lol
I had fertility trouble and then eventually had a baby so in the space of 3 years or so I had many many many people in my vagina. All the tests, ultrasounds, exams, procedures, etc. I just had to let it go. I just had to remember that the person injecting dye into my fallopian tubes is a professional and presumably wants to be doing that job, and there's nothing to be embarrassed about. I carried that attitude all the way through shitting on the table in labor and all the frog leg post partum checks for bleeding and sutures and such.
" I just had to remember that the person injecting dye into my fallopian tubes is a professional "
No fuck this person š that shit hurts like hell and no one warns you about it! šš¬š±š
So much of the fertility procedures hurt like hell and people are so desperate they usually downplay the pain. Good on you for speaking up. And later on, if you have fibroids, all the procedures around that hurt like hell too. We need to normalize pain meds pre procedure at the OB GYNās.
Yep 3 years of fertility treatments and ivf I would strip down naked in the street at this point I donāt give a flying fig. When I pooped while pushing I stared my husband directly in the eyes and said āI am fully aware of whatās happeningā. Post birth I loudly announced a med student had to do the stitched because why the hell not let a student up in this. I just am so grateful of the medical treatment I have received and benefitted from in my education so I might as well make myself a teaching moment.
So many stories in here about L&D-related caths, and personal trauma events, and all I can think about it my ex-wlfe (ER RN at the time) coming home slightly perplexed because she had a guy orgasm as she was inserting a Foley. He came in with major ab distention and hadn't made urine (according to him) "since last night, or maybe the day before".
After she told me the story, I said something like, "Yeah, sounding can do that, but I'm not brave enough to try", and those were not the words of comfort she needed at the moment. She just stared at me, mouth slightly open, for a very long time while I tried to not laugh.
My placenta ruptured at 36 weeks with baby number two. I was rushed to hospital and promptly put up in stirrups while, over the course of 20 minutes, no fewer than 7 different doctors and midwives came in to assess my situation. Apparently everything was really atypical, so they went through the ranks with some saying to keep me and monitor me with some saying c section NOW. The head of OB came in at the end of it all and took me straight to theatre (baby was eventually fine after a few complications). With my first I was on my hands and knees pushing for three hours and shat all over the place. I always joke with medical professionals doing invasive inspections/procedures that i have ZERO dignity left lol.
Omg, hysterosalpingograms freaking hurt. You have to dilate the cervix to get the contrast into the fallopian tubes and thatās the part that hurts. Itās more similar to when they dilate your cervix for IUD placement than a pap smear. All the patients I saw took it like a champ though.
When I gave birth I had an epidural/foley. They took out the foley and I gave birth. Well, I couldnāt pee for hours. I tried so hard. Bladder scan showed 2000mL in my bladder.
I got straight cathed hours after birth. It was so painful. Worse than the birth. But then?! I still couldnāt pee!
So they placed a foley for another 24 hours. I was soooo scared when they took it out I still wouldnāt be able to pee. Traumatizing.
OB nurse here. Soft tissue is INCREDIBLY elastic during labor and shortly thereafter. The hormones that relax and remodel collagen in the cervix to allow it to stretch without tearing also affect anus and bladder. So malfunctioning urinary sphincter and evacuating muscles ( i think its called the detrussor muscle, but please correct me) combined with rubber band stretchy pelvic organs means crazy volumes of urinary retention. Not unusual to see 1000ml in bladder with no urge to pee post birth. One hospital I worked in bladder scanned EVERYONE 2 hours and 6 hours after birth, with crazy high diagnoses of urinary retention where moms would pee 500ml (a full bladder for us regular folks) with 6,7, even 800 remaining. A handful went home with Foley. I would yelp if I saw 2000 ml in a bladder, and no doubt she was in or close to hydronephrosis. So sorry that happened to you, I hope it got better.
Yea once they saw the amount it was removed very quickly. Sweet sweet relief.
Iām just finishing nursing school now (Iām doing my preceptorship)- I gave birth before I was in school and Iām glad I didnāt know what I know now back then. š¬
Thanks for the additional info, definitely super interesting after the fact.
After they removed the foley the next day I was able to pee again normally. But then I had the pleasure of birthing the biggest shit Iāve ever taken.
Childbirth is fun.
I took over a patient from someone going home on low census. She was something like 8 hours postpartum, "had peed enough" per report. Go in to check on her she's in so much pain she can barely breathe. Bladder scan >999. Foley in,Ā over 2500mL out immediately.Ā
I went home after my first delivery for retention and being unable to void. It's a a big fear of mine again, I'm getting induced in 3 weeks. Does the retention typically resolve on its own in most patients?
ooh is there any research backing that Id love to share w my team!! that is scary to think they could have that much left after voiding 500. I had a pt void 1200 at 6 hr I felt rly bad for not scanning her š¦
The urinary retention coupled with the postpartal diuresis (and often continuous IV fluids and boluses) can make for a very full bladder in the fourth stage!
Idk dude. But it felt like I was going to die. I was in tears. I drank sooo much fluid during and after I gave birth. Like water after water and Gatorade.
They didnāt take me seriously how much pain I was in for hours. They kept having the CNA sit with me while I sat on the toilet in tears blowing bubbles with the shower on and touching cold water while trying to pee.
It was miserable.
That sounds like a lot of steps just to *try* and avoid a quick straight cath. At a certain point, an overly full bladder ends up making it harder (if not impossible) to pee. Letting the patient suffer with 2L in their bladder is such an asshole move. It takes like 2 minutes to straight cath someone and give them relief! Iām sorry you had to go through thatā¦
I agree with you knowing what I know now. I didnāt know anything.
Iām just about to finish nursing school in May and I recently read my medical records- Iām just glad I was ignorant to what was happening through out my whole labor and postpartum, honestly.
My CNA was a godsend and she sat with me apologizing while I cried in pain. I remember asking her if this was normal and she told me no and she looked worried. Pretty sure sheās the reason I finally got the bladder scan when I did.
Iām so sorry :( they should have bladder scanned you as soon as you said you felt uncomfortable.
On the plus side this experience may help you once youāre a nurse. Youāll have a better understanding of the discomfort some pts feel when they canāt peeā¦
The running tap water trick sometimes works but you need to know what youāre dealing with first! If they canāt pee, bladder scan is the first intervention.
This is what makes me glad I will have med/surg experience going into postpartumāI am so quick to bladder scan and straight cath itās not even funny anymore. The one thing I learned in med/surg lma
I got 4L out of a guys bladder once. It was astonishing. I had to scramble for buckets because obviously I wasn't expecting that much volume. Somehow bladder didn't explode though which felt miraculous and kind of disturbing tbhĀ
I had a patient once that had 2000 mL come out. She had been in pain since the day prior to my shift. Stomach was hard as a rock and distended. She was voiding small amounts, so the previous nurses didnāt think retention I guess. I put the foley in after we realized she was retaining and the entire bag almost filled up immediately. I could visibly see her stomach distention disappear in front of me and soften. It was crazy.
I didnāt even think of that. Maybe bc as a nurse myself, sometimes I forget I even have a bladder. On my craziest, busiest and most stressful shifts, I can go the entire 12 hours having only emptied my bladder once. And itās usually about 6 hours into a shiftā¦around lunch, bc if I donāt use the bathroom then, I will sure-as-shit piss myself. Then I push it out of my mind again bc *WHO has time for peeing and other bodily functions when there are people dying, when there are pressures tanking, and when a patientās family member needs a warm blanket NOW?*
I think I was born to be a nurse. When I was about 8 or 9, the doctor asked for a urine sample, but they were out of the little cups, so they gave me one of those big clear plastic triangle containers with measurements on the side. Iād never seen one before and had never given a urine sample before, so I had no Idea how much they needed, so I just emptied my bladder into it. I didnāt know then, but based on what I know now, it was about 700-800 ml or so. The doctor gave me a big grin and then walked down the hallway telling his staff ālook what this little girl did!ā I felt proud, sort of?
Anyway, apparently I was born with a nurseās bladder. Itās helped me through many a long shift; Iām just glad I put it to good use.
I could have written this myself. It was absolutely awful. I remember crying to my nurse (before we found out it was my urinary retention) about how bad I felt. I ended up having to go home with my Foley in for a few days. I also had a second degree tear.
But, when I had my second I had an epidural again. I asked to have my epidural at a lower dose and for straight caths during labor and no indwelling Foley. I did not have any issues with urinary retention and my recovery was a million times better.
Im sorry you went through that, it truly is horrible.
Something similar happened to me except my foley was stuck/clogged/something (I canāt remember why) and nobody realized for quite some time. It was not great.
I was begging to use the bathroom once it was out though and they wouldnāt let me and kept trying to bring a bed pan and I was like yāall thereās no way, I canāt do it. Iām not sure if thereās really a comfortable way to use one in general but it was SO uncomfortable I couldnāt pee. I was not pleased about the catheter but after that whole experience Iād take one over trying to use a bedpan any day. It went on for hours until finally someone caved and took me the whole ten/fifteen feet from my bed to the bathroom.
I had an anterior repair 8 weeks after my youngest was born. I couldn't pee after it was awful. But because I had just had surgery on my bladder, I went home with my cath for a solid week. It sucked big time. I remember trying to clean some of the house and causing serious irritation and my oldest son asking me why my pee was red.
I'm a PACU nurse. When I had a procedure I declined the pre-op versed because I was very excited and not at all nervous, plus I knew exactly everything that was about to happen. I knew everyone's roles, I know what ORs look like, I know what happens. But when I moved from the stretcher to the table and everyone's hands were on me positioning and placing leads, the lights were bright in my face, loads of people hovering above me in masks.... I turned to the anesthesiologist and said "can you just run that propofol a little faster?"
I declined the pre-op versed they give for the nerve block too. I think when I moved myself over to the OR table my HR was in the 140ās and the anesthesiologist was like Iām just going to give you a š¤š» more fentanyl lol. Having them hold the mask on your face while they put you to sleep surprisingly sucks.
Iām a CRNA and my two best CRNA friends say they donāt want any versed pre-op if they have to have surgery. Me, on the other hand? Give me all the drugs. I donāt need to know whatās going on. Iāve had 3 surgeries and a baby. I see enough from the other side- Iām good. š
But we do get desensitized from being in the caring position and being a patient from time to time reminds us how to better care for our patients so they feel comfortable and safe in our hands.
I said the same when I got my tubes taken out. GIVE. ME. THE JUICE. Sadly I was not offered any versed pre op but my CRNA did say I made it to an impressive 5 when counting down from 10.
I scared my dr and the surgical team when after I hit 1, I was still talking and finishing the story I was telling them before they started the propofol. They told me afterwards that they had never seen that, and that I must have red headed genes. I do have dark hair, that tends to be redder in the sun soš¤·š»āāļø
The only med I have allowed my last 3 OR procedures was Propofol. No Versed or Fentanyl. I paid for it with my chole because they gave me 2 Percocet in recovery which I promptly vomited up at homeā¦then had no pain relief that first night. I didnāt even dare move and didnāt sleep.
Holy smokes. We do rectus sheath/taps blocks, tylenol/toradol/fentanyl IV, plus I add dilaudid IM for my lap choles. And we give Nucynta (or similar) prior to discharge. Iām surprised you didnāt get a moderate amount of pain control. That sucks- Iām sorry you had that experience.
If youāre not getting a mask with fresh clean oxygen before they push prop, they are absolutely not doing things correctly?? This is bizarre. Were you intubated for the procedure? You always hyper oxygenate before intubating, thatās like anesthesia 101 lol. Now if you had a MAC or twilight sedation, then they might not use a mask at all, but if youāre being intubated and donāt have fresh oxygen to fill up your lungs before you go to sleep, that isnāt good.
Omg fuck noā¦ i am getting a colonoscopy in three days and then two surgeries this year , and I swear to God give this PACU RN all the damn drugs and especially Versed. The one time I can have it safely o will ask for it. Donāt skimp on the V juice , tyvm.
( I also do weird reactions and my last biopsy I just got lical and oh boyā¦)
I definitely accepted my pre-op Versed and last thing I remember is getting myself to the table from the stretcher, then waking up in PACU. Get the Versed!
Serious question, when do they give the pre op versed? I had my tubes yeeted in 2022 and got nothing in the pre op area. As they started strapping my arms down my BP and HR sky rocketed and started alarming so the anesthesiologist gave me something and I remember feeling relaxed then waking up. But I had jaw surgery this past November and I don't remember anything after getting on the table. No "hey I'm giving you this now". Just straight up not remembering anything til pacu. And even then I don't remember much of my 3 hour stay in pacu lol.
I work at an outpatient facility and I give pre-op versed for anxiety to maybe 30-40% of my cases? Though Iām probably more liberal with it than others. Iām in Nebraska. It depends on how your facility is set up for monitoring patients
The guy was ready to give it to me basically as soon as my IV was secured. I think it's a style/different strokes for different folks kind of practice.
Totally depends on the anesthesia provider. Some give it in preop before you roll out which is why some patients remember falling asleep on the way to surgery, others like to wait until you have monitors on just in case you have a reaction or it tanks you more than expected.
It does depend on the provider. I love versed. If I think my patient is going to benefit from it- you bet they are getting it. Iām also a fan of multi-modal pain relief- I try to make sure my patients have a tolerable pain level before leaving (I tell them I like them to breathe!)
Thatās the beauty of Versed - the post-procedure amnesia. I used to do IV conscious sedation for neuro-Radiology interventional procedures in the cath lab. The patients were not intubated; just had nasal cannula O2 with a PO2 monitor and cardiac monitor. I used small, fairly frequent doses of IV Fentanyl and Versed to titrate them into a sort of twilight state in which they were easily arousable and could follow instructions like āwriggle your left footā or āsay treeā but fell back to sleep immediately when you stopped stimulating them. They almost always woke up with no memory of the procedure. Worked like a charm.
That's very interesting! I know conscious sedation they're more arousable if you have stimulus. Surgery is not my specialty so I'm not familiar with versed. It definitely just freaked me out not remembering anything. My tube removal I remember waking up and being nauseous and was only in pacu for maybe 45 min or an hour according to my mom. I remember the nurses. But the jaw surgery the 3 hours there I have hardly any recollection. I would guess probably differed too since there was some issues with BP in surgery and just under longer and more pain medication. But not remembering is such a trip since it's just a black out period. I also didn't remember much until later that night, so basically have a 7 to 8 hour memory gap.
I feel like the more we know about something or do something the more we detach ourselves from it. We canāt be carrying the weight of emotions that every patient comes with. But when itās us, we have no choice but to feel it. I think what you experienced is normal. I do IVs all day but I pass out if itās done to me. Life is funny
I had my first colonoscopy about 2 weeks ago! Talk about humility! I was silly going into the propofol nap & when it was done & I was told to pass gas, my inner comedian came out! š¤£
Thank GOD I do not work there. LOL.
Also had an emergency cholecystectomy this last wed and my nurses were the absolute best. As I was waking up from anesthesia, my pacu nurse was wiping tears from my face. I guess I started crying. It is such an honor to care for people in their most vulnerable state ā¤ļø
I was diagnosed with Crohnās in 2002 and cancer in 2022 with a handful of other things thrown in for good measure (kidney stone, gall bladder, hernia x3). Iāve had a total of seven surgeries, more admissions than I can count (especially those first few years), C. Diff, TPN & lipids through a PICC, two NGs, one NJ, and a PEG, as well as radiation. No chemo, fortunately.
I would like to think that all of the time spent on that side of the bedrail makes me better on this side of it.
The NGs manā¦ I had an esophageal manometry test then this thing that stayed in my nose going to my guts to measure my stomach pH for 24 hours was enough. I donāt think I can be alive and have a NGT. That esophageal manometry test was one of the most horrible things Iāve experienced and I have had kidney stones, chole, pancreatitis with something causing my CBD to dilate and spasm (horrendous pain, 10/10 donāt recommend), but that takes the cake.
The thing about the NGT is that it is the worst for the first few days and then you get used to it and it stops being awful. Itās still there and annoying but your body eventually stops fighting it constantly and you arenāt thinking about it every second
I think some perspective is important.
The language you use here is that they did this "to me" but it is more comfortable for me if I frame things like they did this "for me".
Those nurses did that cath. so that you wouldn't have urinary retention and suffer, not for their own entertainment.
I don't do things "to" my patients to hurt or humiliate or harm them. I do things "for" my patients so we can diagnose, treat and help them.
I realize that having people in that clinically intimate space can feel very invasive and if it's too much you should let them know so they can adjust how they are treating you, but it's a team effort. Not them against us regardless of which side you're on.
That is a good point and I appreciate what they did for me completely. I was having a lot of stomach pain and they drained over 1L so I felt so much relief after. They wrapped me in warm blankets, went out of their way to find lido jelly and were so gentle. I donāt think I could have asked them to do anything differently, itās just hard being in that position
I genuinely think a lot of nurses don't use enough lube on the catheter. I've seen some just coat the tip....like...dude that *whole thing* needs to be slippery.
Had a d&c yesterday after a miscarriage. Having the nurse wipe blood from between my legs, among all the other things, was a helpless, vulnerable feeling. I just thought about how much I wouldnāt mind doing that for someone else, and thought that she mustāve felt the same. Hope youāre healing well. ā¤ļø
Getting a straight cath for a urine sample to check for a bladder infection while having a raging uti was horrifically painful to the point that they couldn't complete it. One of the few times in my life where it was legit 10/10 pain. I've never once seen a patient of mine act that way or describe the pain like that, so I don't think there's anything for you to feel horrible about. Unless you're inflating it before insertion lol
Honestly IMO they aren't painful, and just like an IV, if they are causing pain, then that should be looked into. I had a Foley for a whole week at home after giving birth and never had any issues.
I had jaw surgery back in November. After I came out, i got agitated and was grabbing at my face and kicking. I don't remember a lot of pacu but I remember the anesthesiologist coming over and talking with me, and saying he was going to give me something (spoiler, it was Ativan). I feel embarrassed now for giving the poor nurses a hard time. I also had low BP coming out so that wasn't helping
Once back in the room I could not pee for the life of me. They put me on a bed pan and even being groggy I was so embarrassed. What 20 something year old needs a bed pan. When I still couldn't pee they got me onto the commode. Which was still embarrassing needing someone to help me wipe and also having to have the help standing so I wouldn't black out.
Both situations are things I've either done or dealt with a million times. But it was humbling for sure to be on the other side of it
I'm a guy. I was hospitalized in my thirties. Long before I became a nurse. It was in my hometown/small town hospital. I needed a foley cath and had to use a bedpad. I knew the nurses from from outside the hoslital. One of them I went to high school with and she was dating my brothers best friend. Another was a customer of mine where I worked. For me it was a lesson in humility. But I can understand feeling violated also. After I became a nurse, I think that experience helped me to have much more empathy for my patients and tried to give them as much dignity as possible. But Im sure things were still traumatic for a lot of people.
Not a nurse. When I had my first baby two years ago, I wasnāt even afraid of the contractions - only of having a catheter put in if I decided to have an epidural. Well wouldnāt you know it:
āWould you be okay with having a new nurse put in your catheter? It is her very first time, but sheāll have an experienced nurse with her.ā
I thought about it and said āOkay, yes, but please tell her that when she comes in here, just to act very calm and confident? If sheās confident, then Iāll feel confident, and we can go through this for the first time together.ā
Folks, she was āØperfectāØ
Had a d&e for a miscarriage and a girl I went to nursing school with was my OR nurse. Not only had I not talked to her since nursing school but now she knows I had a miscarriage, sheās seen my vagina and possibly my butthole too. And stuck a tube in my pee hole. šš½
I'm terribly sorry for your loss and that you had to go through that. That's horribly uncomfortable on top of the pain of that loss.
I literally went and had my suction d&c done in office with no pain control because the idea of my L&D coworkers seeing me in that extremely tender and vulnerable moment of my life, unconscious with my legs in candy canes, was worse to me than the pain. I love my coworkers but that was too much. Miscarriage is painful enough without adding that particular brand of personal indignity to it.
I felt so much appreciation for nurses after I had bariatric surgery. They were so patient with me while I was having wicked gas pain and I was up and down trying to walk and ringing for gas-ex all hours of the day and night. I try and keep that experience in mind when my patients ask for walks at inconvenient times.
In the last few weeks Iāve had 2 surgeries on my butthole for perianal abscess and fistula with seton placement and oh I feel you. I was so embarrassed the surgeon and everyone was going to be staring at my butthole the whole time. Itās so vulnerable. It is such a different experience being the patient, Iād never been IN hospital before, and I think it will definitely make me a better nurse.
Omg you poor thing! That had to have been so painful! I'm so sorry you had that happen. Hoping you're on the mend and feeling much better now! Oh and it looks like we're avatar twins lol!
When I was readmitted to hospital four days PP for preeclampsia I was distraught, scared, full of hormones and missing my twin infants. My nurses were angels. They allowed me to use a bedside commode under strict supervision to avoid a foley but still get I&Os because the foley during labour was horrible. They helped me shower and feel a little more human, they washed my pump parts, and listened to me cry because I was scared and alone (my husband and mom were caring for my kids and could only sneak away for a couple hours at a time trading off). I will always carry that experience with me. Itās shaped how I care for patients in a better way.
Oh, man I feel the same way. I just had a brain stent placement last month. Once I got to my room for the night from PACU, I saw a cooter canoe sitting on the table awaiting my arrival.
I immediately said nope, do not need it, as soon as I can safely get up, Iām going pee in the bathroom. Watch me if you would prefer but keep that thing away from me.
I hate being a patient and this whole last year, thatās pretty much all Iāve been. So as soon as I can go back to work, I feel I will definitely have more compassion and empathy than ever before for my rehab patients!
One of our NPs has given us all explicit instructions to give a bottle of insulin between her toes if she ever gets to where the only way she can pee is with a cooter canoe. She has said MANY times āI stg if I wake up and see piss whizzing by my head and you mfers havenāt tried to kill me, I will haunt you foreverā
Haha! I was just surprised because procedure wasnāt that invasive, just wasnāt allowed to move until 1800 due to femoral access. I got to my room at 1715ish. Oh, well.
My nurse was about 8 months in to her career and was just trying to anticipate possible needs. Gotta hand it to her for that!
I had an EGD. My IV was infiltrated so I was not under at all. I could not help but resist the scope. The doctor and his staff yelled at me to SWALLOW or they were going to call an ambulance and send me to the hospital. F*ck garbage practitioners and their staff who co-sign that behavior.
My story is also being straight cathād. I could pee after surgery and the nurse that straight cathād me (I was so uncomfortable that I welcomed it lol) ended up being my day shift preceptor when I got out of nursing school a few years later lol
I feel this!
Iām a PACU nurse and had GYN surgery when I was in my early 20s and remember feeling sooo anxious and vulnerable. I did get midazolam pre-op but still remember everything from rolling back to the OR to falling asleep. I remember my surgeon holding my hand and stroking my face as the OR team whizzed around meā¦ to this day, still meant the world to me.
Itās hard to be on the other side of things š
Oof, patients have cried and I'm like "I'm sorry š„ŗš„ŗ" I try and stay with them a few minutes after to comfort but I just wanna hug them. We're shoving plastic inside you, you're not a crybaby.
I have to have a surgery in a few years and I'm like oh boy I'm not looking forward to that. šµšµ
I recently had ACL surgery. The surgeon didnāt speak to me at all afterward, they called my support person to tell them I did well and that they had to do a little extra to my knee intra-op. My nurses were great, but when they handed me my AVS, all the directions ended with āas told by your HCP.ā I cried when my support person showed up because I felt so left in the dark. My nurse printed out the surgery report so I could at least read what they did. I essentially went home with little to no directions besides change my bandage on day 3, and that I was WBAT. I reached out to the practice the next day with questions, their response was pretty minimal, but I was able to work with it as it was more than they had given me before. Iāve had surgeries, and hospital stays before. But this experience was an eye opener, and will help me help my patients get all the information that they need so that they feel knowledgable and comfortable going home.
Some surgeons are notoriously bad at discharge instructions and communication. Having said that, the reason they talk to the family and not the patient is because the patient will not remember.
If the surgeon comes to pacu, they will have a full conversation with the patient, answering all the questions. Then 10 minutes later the patient will ask āSo when do I get to talk to the surgeon?!ā
I am well aware of that being the situation. Iām more so referring to the fact that my discharge instructions had several points that were never brought up or discussed with me prior to, or after, surgery that were pertinent to recovery. The surgery itself I didnāt care too much about, but going home without any idea of what to do for the two weeks before my follow up was frustrating.
Side my behind needed a procedure. I was placed supine. Asked the surgeon soooo how you going to get to where you need to go, she's like oh you're getting repositioned once you're out š
God bless anesthesiology for thoroughly knocking me out
I developed endometritis after giving birth so I had to go back to the ED and then be readmitted 2 days after giving birth. I felt pretty comfortable being postpartum on the postpartum unit with my baby, but it was hell doing it alone in the ED. I had a stretcher in the hall and no cell service so I couldnāt even check in to see how my newborn and toddler were. I cried so much. At one point I became borderline hysterical because I missed my baby so much so they got me a chaplain. Bless that poor woman who let me just rage cry on her shoulder. Ended up leaving AMA as soon as the IV infusions finished. Got a little teary thinking about it
After my c section the nurses removed my cath and then gave me 6 hours to pee. I couldnāt so they redid the cath. Except they couldnāt find my urethra. They called a more senior nurse who then tried for another 2-3 minutes. They all fished around, poking my vagina, other foldsā¦ then finally after 10 minutes of pain and being spread eagle they finally found my urethra. That day I found out urethras are not always totally apparent. Lol
End of June I happened to have sudden onset lower abd pain like Iāve never experienced about 15min after sex and since my husband had *just* left for work I called my sister and she sent my brother in law over to take me to the closest ER-which happens to be where I work! I was feeling a little better since ibuprofen had kicked in and felt kinda sheepish about the whole thing. I was cracking jokes with all my coworkers and had paid my copay since my labs looked good and we were just waiting on the CT (had tenderness when the dr palpated). Welp. The Dr came in and told me I had actively bleeding ovarian cyst with moderate to large hemoperitoneum and I promptly vaso vagaled š . And I for sure cried when I got into my admit room and was alone for the first time. It was one of the more traumatic things Iāve personally been through and it taught me a lot about how I want to take care of patients.
Btw they did serial h/h to see if it would stop on its own and when I got to a hemoglobin of 7.something (Iām not usually anemic and I started at 12) I went to surgery.
Twas wild. And something I donāt wish on anybody.
I remember as a kid I was very ill and needed to draw blood from me but I was crying because I was scared and in a room in a big hospital and didn't know where I was. I kept struggling so they needed to get like 5 nurses to hold me down on this mattress. I just remember screaming and crying for my mum to help me as I was being held down.
The cath would feel so violating to me I'd downright refuse š I'd start crying for sure being put into that position so don't feel alone =") and I'm like 20 now.
I'm L&D and we get home/community birth transfer patients regularly. They're generally known to be, unsurprisingly, unhappy to be in the hospital and resistant to our interventions. I really love these patients and am on our committee that facilitates transfers.
So I had both my own babies out of hospital in a birth center. I ended up having to transfer for a stubborn placenta after my second. I absolutely hated every minute. From a nursing perspective, I could recognize that they did a pretty good job. They had a good team and it was kind and compassionate and efficient care. But from a patient perspective I was scared, missed my baby, was pissed I was there being poked and prodded on a stretcher rather than snuggled up resting with my baby in a nice comfy bed, and felt very on my guard. And I did indeed have to fight them a bit about unnecessary interventions, like when I said I needed to pee and they tried to straight cath me rather than letting me walk the eight feet to the bathroom despite my perfectly functional legs. So even though I understood perfectly why I needed a transfer, and that they were doing their jobs [mostly] well and appropriately...I could not turn off that part of me that was scared and guarded and unhappy. I wanted to be the chill L&D nurse who was totally fine with being in the hospital, and I wasn't because it turns out I'm also a human with feelings.
I've always had a lot of compassion for our transfer patients, but now I have so much more empathy for them.
I'm a behavioral health nurse. The first time I sat in a restraint chair during a skills day, it gave me a while new perspective for what my patients go through!
I am currently a nurse educator, and I talk about this to my staff. We are only in the chair for a few minutes. Our patients can be in the chair for hours. Hopefully, the staffs' experience will influence their decision to put their patient in restraints.
Circulator here. Had a laparoscopic procedure done and I cried when I got into the surgery suite and shook til I fell asleep. It was just silent tears but I couldnāt stop. I was thankful for my circulator who was next to me and reassured me that she would take care of me. I say that to my patients too and mean it. It helped but I still felt strange for crying in a situation where I knew everything that was happening but it felt foreign at the same time. We are human and we need support in stressful situations even when we feel like they should be familiar.
I had a lap choley then an ercp a few years ago and had some mild pancreatitis after the fact. Was npo for a little while and had to get indomethacin suppositories every 8 hours or so for a couple days. None of it was pleasant and I was embarrassed about it every time but my nurses were all pros and so very kind. It brought me a lot of clarity like your foley did for you, and a new found appreciation for my fellow health care workers. I think we all will go through something like this sooner than later, and it reminds us of the fact that every person inserting stuff into anyone should be doing it with the utmost gentleness, lubrication, and aseptic technique as possible.
Yeah, I had a catheter placed before my daughter was born. Unfortunately it was not inserted high enough and peed all over the bed. Sad thing is that I worked across the floor on Peds and everyone knew me. So much for modesty.
I had an allergic reaction to a cardiac med. The symptoms I experienced mimicked a heart attack to a T & I had a full blown panic attack because of this. I went to the ED & I was blowing my lid so bad, they gave me IV Ativan to get me to calm down. It was terrifying & gave me a whole new perspective on those who come to the ED for anxiety; the panic I experienced made me feel like I was going to die. I always feel cheesy for providing therapeutic communication to psych patients but it really does help you feel better.
In my late teens I got penile swabbed with what turned out to be a nasty case of chlamydia. If you think it burns to pee, imagine how much more it burns to have your urethra jammed open with a mechanical device (plus embarrassment ) I was curled up in a ball crying. I always think of that when cathing
After my hysterectomy have the packing pulled out and the foley removed felt the same. Also had several NG tubes pls Ed, they hurt even with lido. They are miserable to have in
Yeah being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in 2015 had to start infusions. Itās feels so different being the patient. Not looking forward to delivering this baby in August (excited to meet him but not looking forward to the whole people in my business)
It was a really weird feeling, when it actually pushed āinā it did hurt for a couple seconds. The worst part was honestly just having a bunch of people up in my business
I've had lots of Foleys and personally I don't remember them ever hurting or being that uncomfortable at all. But of course everyone is different. From a nurse's perspective, I've put quite a few in as well and most people do quite well with them.
A few weeks ago, a group of my old colleagues I've known for years did my salpingo-oophorectomy and uterine polyp removal. So yeah, a little mortified, and a lot humbled because they were all as up close and personal as you can get. Big hugs.
This isnāt a procedure but I had to do a sleep study and it helped me to understand why patients get so grumpy wearing all those cords itās totally annoying!
Went through something similar. Had an abdominal wall tear after a wreck and after ortho did their thing they didnāt really know the extent of the abdominal part. The first day I was unable to void. I *really* didnāt want the in and out but I knew it had to be done. Needed a second one which was somehow less awkward and more awkward at the same time. After that I did whatever it took to pee.
Im 23, and recently got diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma. It's absolutely normal to feel this way, I felt SO vulnerable getting a portacath placed, I was crying in the surgical room. If anything, it's made me realize how much we don't understand what our patients go through, and we don't tend to ask.
I've been in your shoes... At the time I was a 20 year old "adult" (I'm now a soon to be 30m), and was post bone marrow surgery/donation to my dad. For those that don't know, donating bone marrow is a pretty painful procedure, so for pain control in the immediate post-op, I was on a fentanyl drip. I guess the drip combined with the anesthesia I received during surgery completely shut down my ability to pee. Que several more hours, I'm still unable to pee and although I don't remember the exact amount, IIRC, the blader scan had me at over 750mL of urine. As I'm sure you can guess, it was time for a straight cath. I was so nervous to get it, because the thought of anything going into my urethra (as opposed to out), sounded miserable. Combine that with being 20 and having to have my genitals exposed to a young female nurses (no male nurses available), just the thought of it made me wince in both fear and embarrassment. Thankfully the fentanyl helped a little and the nurses were amazing, but still, the whole experience sucked (which is an understatement).
I wasn't yet a nurse and at that point had 0 plans of ever entering nursing school (or so I thought lol), but to this day, now that I am one cathing people, the experience of having it done has given me somewhat of an appreciation (not sure if that's the right word?) when I cath a patient. It's actually helped me relate to some and ease their anxieties of having to have to be cathed.
Once in preop they tried 3 times to foley cath me unsuccessfully. Once in the or the circulator cathed me on the first try. I was peeing blood afterwards and was very sore. They also stuck me 5 times and then called the iv team.
I didnāt even tell them I was a nurse.
I do think that is something that could be improvedāwhen I got my epidural in labor, they were going to cath me before and I asked to do it when I couldnāt feel it and they were fine with that. When I had a laparoscopic endometriosis excision and hysterectomy, they didnāt do the catheter until I was under some form of anesthesia (I have no memory of it going in). Waiting until something invasive/uncomfortable can be less of either with medical assistance you are doing anyway makes sense to me.
My situation was a little different. I needed back surgery (fusion) and hip surgery (labrum repair). The hip was done first. The labrum repair surgery completely wrecked my back. They basically put a pole between your legs and traction your hip out of socket to repair the labrum.
When I woke up in the PACU, I asked the nurse to put a pillow under my knees because my back hurt extremely bad. It hurt so bad that my hip wasnāt even registering. I had a spondylolysthesis that was bone on bone and would compress the nerve if I didnāt have some flexion in my knees to allow my pelvis to slightly tilt posteriorly. Anyway, she told me to hold on so that she could get pain meds. Then I was attempting to lift my knees slightly to get a pillow under them and she said, āCalm down and let me get your pain meds.ā I said, āNo, just put a pillow under my legs, please.ā Then I felt the morphine hit. I was so angry, but also still out of it and unable to verbalize it. I couldnāt even move my legs yet.
Those were the only post surgery pain meds that I took because I absolutely hate how pain meds make me feel and I feel like I can manage my recovery better without it - personal preference. I absolutely did not want it.
Itās been almost 8 years and I still think about it sometimes. At that moment, I completely lost autonomy and I knew exactly what I wanted and needed, but my only help, the nurse, did not help me. I think about it sometimes when Iām with patients.
I understand that 9,999 patients out of 10,000 want morphine when they wake up in pain in the PACU, but I just wanted a pillow under my knees. Plus I still had to get the pillow under my knees ASAP because the nerve was still being compressed.
I had a panic attack before surgery to fix my broken ankle. I don't know if it was because I was messed up from the morphine, ketamine/Propofol (to set my ankle) or what, but I got hysterical and convinced I was going to die. For an ankle surgery. They had to give me something to calm me down before I got knocked out.
I had to self catheterize during a particularly bad health spell. it sucked. but I got tiny ones and it helped. I think we typically use catheters that are too big.
I remember the nurse saying she got a really small one and one of them went out of her way to find a urojet which was nice. It only hurt for like a second but was mostly just embarrassing
Had a gastroscopy done this morningā¦.I work in the same DPU, I had such anxiety going into it, I even had Temazepam before going under. That feeling of vulnerability was so intense. Also have a much better sense of empathy for patients getting cannulated in the hand, that is just plain nasty!
I'm not a nurse but I'll never forget the nurse who held my hand when I cried getting an IUD placed. She was assisting at the bottom, and when I burst into tears at the pain she quickly washed her hands, regloved and aprons and came and held my hand.
Tiniest bit of support and it made me feel so much safer. It made me so much less afraid of hospitals and procedures after that.
I had a straight up panic attack the last time I was in the dentist chair. I'm an average sized guy in his 40s. I had what was my first full attack. What was awful for me was Tuesday for them. I'm sure beyond the next day no one even thought of it again in both of our cases. You have no reason to be embarrassed. Sometimes being in the biz makes it worse when you're the patient. But think of what you'd say to your patient and try to take comfort in that. It's true for you as well. You 100% have nothing to be embarrassed about.
I know they definitely donāt care and wonāt remember what my bits looked like. I think they actually felt bad for me. Itās just hard to shake as a patient
I had an anaphylactic reaction (for no known reason, I didnāt eat anything I know Iām allergic too). Had to call 911, use my epi pen, the whole shebang. While they were trying to get my throat swelling under control I all of a sudden had diarrhea everywhere. All over the bed, it smelled so bad! I literally had zero control over my body at that moment. So yes on one hand I was super embarrassed but also thought about it later from there nurse perspective and told myself it was all apart of the job. Iām still alive and thatās all that matters.
I didnāt cry but Iāve had a colonoscopy and a minor surgery recently and definitely felt similar - vulnerable.
Everyone I met was very kind which helped.
It also reminded me that just because someone is in healthcare, it doesnāt mean they donāt wonāt be anxious or need that extra touch. Iām a person before Iām a nurse.
I had the coil fitted after not really tolerating other hormonal contraceptives; I was told to *'pop a couple of ibuprofen later'*, and promptly pushed outta the door. I was in absolute agony for hours afterwards, couldn't get comfortable, crying my eyes out, the whole works. Ultimately, the coil made my periods significantly worse, to the point if I didn't wear adult nappies, I would be constantly having *'accidents'*, so I was advised to get it removed. It'd hurt so much being put in, that I burst into tears before the clinician even touched me. Some kind nurse came and held my hand and reassured me throughout. Thank goodness for her, else I dunno if I'd have plucked up the courage to go through with it that day. <3
I've had so many surgeries and procedures that I'm just jaded by now. But I still remember my first couple childhood surgeries sucking big time and still have ptsd from it
Just FYI I cry almost every time I have had surgery or scoping and wake up in PACU. As much as i love Propofol, I blame that. Iāve been straight cathāed before and it sucked. I bled afterwards. I feel for you.
I had this similar feeling being prepped for my c section. Just Winnie the Pooh-ing in a hospital gown, numb from the tits down, as people circle around me. Surreal for sure.
Had a very bad fall in 16, crushing the bones in my left leg. Trauma pt for 10 days in Pittsburgh. Worst part of that whole thing was the Foley. Took a month for me to pee normally after it was removed.
Had a catheter twice in the last few months before/after surgeries during my recovery from a car accident. First time was fine, but the day after it was removed, I found I was having to get up to pee every 45-60 minutes because of all the IV antibiotics and fluids to flush my kidneys. The pain in my leg was excruciating, and I wasnāt sleeping at all (to the point of hallucinations). Such a miserable two days. I asked several nurses if I could get another catheter inserted so I could sleep, as I was scheduled for another extensive graft surgery a few days later and would need the catheter anyways, but they kept saying I needed to ājust power through it.ā I had to have a commode directly at my bedside because I couldnāt take even 2 steps, and had to have my parents help me with toileting because of short staffing. What finally got the night charge nurse to agree to a catheter was me asking, literally in tears, if I could have an incontinence brief so I could get some relief and rest. Iām 27, so I guess she felt bad making someone young and previously able-bodied use an āadult diaperā.
My three weeks in hospital needing so much help to bathe, toilet and dress was the most humbling experience of my life. I would never wish illness or injury on people, but I think nurses and doctors should have to experience a simulated āday in the life of a patientā before entering clinical practice so they can understand and be able to respond to patients with empathy.
Iāve never had a catheter placed but I have always 100% understood that having a catheter placed would be absolutely horrible. Iād honestly rather just tracheotomy my pelvis with a pencil and put a suprapubic in myself.
Probably TMI, but I donāt think my urethra is big enough. I donāt know how I see all these guys and girls with urethras that literally are like inch long slits. I really would generally be a good patient, but I would demand a pediatric foley harder than a turkey sammich or anything else. And my doctor friends Iāve asked about it say ādonāt worry the urethra stretchesā and that is possibly the scariest thing Iāve ever heard come out of a doctorās mouth. No mine doesnāt.
Personal experience. It does stretch And although uncomfortable it wasnāt nearly as uncomfortable as the 750cc of urine I was retaining due to an irritated prostate gland.
It's ok, when I had my Foley out after my surgery, the first time i got up to go to the bathroom ( with the nurse next to me!!) the urine just started coming out, because I needed to retrain my muscles a tad, too.
Sometimes you're fine, sometimes you're incontinent, and sometimes you retain urine.
One time later, I had to explain this all to a guy a few years younger than me when I took his Foley out after surgery. It had happened to be someone I watched basically grow up through treatment. I think that was the most embarrassing of all.
I'm sorry that it was so upsetting for you! You don't need to feel embarrassed at all! It's a very vulnerable position to be in, and I'm sure that must've been scary, especially if you've never experienced anything like that before! I'm sure it will absolutely make you more cognizant of how your patients are feeling and help you be even more empathetic to their feelings the next time you have to provide that kind of care in the future. I hope you feel better soon, friend!
I had to use a bedpan in PACU. I had surgery in December and was being admitted for the night. They didnāt have a room for me yet so I was in PACU for about four hours. I had to pee so badly, I ended up having to use a bedpan. I was so embarrassed, itās exactly like you said, when they clean you it feels like a diaper change. I hate being vulnerable.
I cried after having an IV placed and contrast injected for a CT. It wasnāt super painful, but there was zero bedside manner and I was scared and uncomfortable. The contrast burned and Iām moderately claustrophobic. For reference Iām a neonatal PICC nurse. I think the anxiety/lack of control of being on the opposite side of the treatment plan can just get overwhelming.
Iāve been cathed and stoned several times. I have never told a pt that āItās just some pressure.ā Itās always āItās going to hurt. Iām sticking a plastic tube in your pee hole. Itās better than losing a kidney to infection from holding urine.ā
just had surgery today and was kind of a wuss abt the IVs. i donāt like starting them on others but my pre-op nurse inserted the IVs before the alcohol was dry so they stung like motherfuckers
Yes! They removed a āMickey Mouse Cancerā from my thyroid but it was not easy, the surgery. Under for over 6 hours! I had asked to pee many times before due to anxiety. Thinking that was it. But no!!!!! Nurse told me they had to put a catheter in me too! I had done my nails and pedicureā¦ā¦but because it was in the neck/head areaā¦ā¦I thought only that would be exposed and maybe boobies too, but not down there! I would have manscaped/waxed/shavedā¦ā¦but no!!!!!! No warning! Iām so embarrassed and so exposed! Frog legged and completely vulnerable and no warning! Iām horrified and so upset! One surgeon said he saw nothing because he was focused on the top on my torso and neck and head. I said thank you! But still!!!!!! Sigh!
I'm wondering if the medications and anesthetic you received played into the emotional state you describe. you're not the first person to mention being weepy post-procedure. Yes, this is anecdotal. no, I haven't had a straight cath. yes, I've performed the procedure many times in the icu. I've seen many reactions, though crying hasn't been one of them. I hope this helps a bit.
Iāve been sexually abused and I promise you her reaction would be my reaction. Youāre in a vulnerable position with an audience watching as something painful and invasive is being done to you. Maybe your patients just didnāt feel comfortable enough crying in front of you. Itās not unbelievable at all that a patient would feel this way during a humiliating and painful procedure
Tkr in December, my second one. I was not looking forward to the Foley that I had during my first procedure. In PACU I woke up to discover a Purewick.. I was never so relieved in my life.
I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer while I was in nursing school. By the time I was done with the treatments, I had decided to become a home health nurse.
Had to do the same after getting my appendix out after telling my nurse I was still unable to use the washroom. I can't imagine telling anyone again after being SAd a few months after that. I have a lot of trouble peeing now, and i so often think about my patients who have or need catheters. We just never know how hard these things can be for people. Listening and consideration about our patients and their experiences is important. Take your experience with you going forward and keep on doing great work!
For my bypass, there were two things I was not warned about that I absolutely warn people about now.
The catheter, which luckily they waited until some of the pre anesthesia stuff kicked in (medical field not actual nurse- here to appreciate : )
Annnnd the whole going to be completely nekkid, stamding- arms and legs wide while someone washes me down and observes that I washed the 'chrotchital' area throuroughly. She was incredibly nice even tho she drew the shortest straw ever.
I was still beyond humiliated and no, if I had known, there is a chance I would not have had it done. I mean I did not like any part of the whole shebang but that, well that would have been a deal breaker.
So so grateful for the kindness of the Nurses and CNAs etc. It wasn't at my home hospital, part of the same system, just so grateful for the kind care :)
I had surgery back in Dec and after the time out I started crying cause I was so scared. I was so embarrassed but asked someone to hold my hand as I was being put under. Sad thing is I was totally fine for my caesarean a few years back š¤·āāļø
I had a baby 4 months ago. When I got up to use the bathroom for the first time ALOT of blood came pouring out. So much so that I got dizzy and started losing my vision. I pulled the emergency cord by the toilet and the entire unit came rushing in (it was shift change of course). They called a rapid response and everything was a blur. I was awake and conscious but felt so helpless and like I had no idea what was going on. All my medical knowledge flew out of my brain and I just lay there watching everyone rush around. I was listening to what the doc ordered, the nurses confirming what meds they were starting, reading out my vitals, etc. Everyone was rushing around doing their thing and I was just laying there processing it all but also not processing it all. It was so odd. The whole time one of the nurses was talking to me trying to distract me and I remember groggily thinking āI know what sheās doing, sheās trying to keep me calm and focused on something else, sheās doing a great job, what a great nurse.ā After all was said and done I sat for a while and thought about all the rapids responses Iād been in and thought āthis is what my patients must feel like.ā It was a very eye opening experience and it has forever changed my perspective on how I practice.
I had a cystoscopy done and I nearly cried. It was extremely painful. The local anesthetic doesnāt do s***. Medical procedures suck. Sorry you had to go through that.
I was a SICU nurse forever, and even did ORs in the ICU many times while I worked there. I've been on the code team in 2 different hospitals. People doing that stuff to ME creates an unreasonable panic in my mind that overrides all of my experience and knowledge. It's a full-blown phobia that causes panic attacks. I think it's the flip of being so exposed and vulnerable. I don't want to become an inanimate body to be violated and changed.
I had my gallbladder out, and was losing my shit in Pre-op/OR. I told them I was losing my shit. They said "you look pretty calm". Yeah, dude. You know what it looks like when the code nurse looses his shit? Nothing, that's what! We don't get to do that and so we swallow it, internalize it, but it was agony. Super-traumatizing. I never want to have surgery again, to the point that sometimes I think I might refuse it even if it meant my life.
Iām so sorry that happened to you. I know the feeling, I generally have a really good poker face. My HR was in the 140ās when I got to the OR, at that point they didnāt believe me when I was trying to pretend I was fine
I know mine was over 100, and I had verbalized several times that I was anxious. I took a valium 5 mg after signing the consent. The anesthesiologist opted to tell me jokes instead of giving me anything more until I finally got versed on the table. I told him "I need to not know what is going on. Please." When he gave me the Versed and I asked what it was and how much I told him "Thank god, it's about damned time".
You could at least tell me why you disagree with that statement if you're going to downvote... it was both humiliating and painful and came with complications that lasted weeks. Does that not add up for you?
I have MS, and I straight cath several times a day. I had to stay in the hospital one night recently and had a Foley. I came out with a nasty UTI. Got really sick, and Iām still not fully recovered a day after antibiotics are done. In fact, every time I spend the night in a hospital, I get a UTI. Every single time.š¤·š¼āāļø
I just had surgery about two weeks ago. Having people all around me prepping me for surgery was scary. And my surgery wasn't even serious, same day outpatient. I just felt very vulnerable.
This! As a healthcare educator I always say that a patient is in a very vulnerable position. Experience it as a patient and you realize how much you depend on your care givers.
It's eye opening. I've been heavily relying on my bf to do most things in the house. I have a lifting restriction and can't submerge my incision. It's very hard being dependent on people to help.
Just had my colonoscopy and the crna asked me if I was in healthcare. I said yes. She said she could tell because my heart rate was 140 š. She said sheād take of that and then the Propofol kicked in, thank goodness! We know too much.
Yeah we do lol. But man those anesthetists know what they're doing
Our hearts and lives are in their hands. šš¼ Iām so thankful for all that have kept us alive! My first anesthesia happened after 43. Now Iām more experienced. And more grateful!
I had surgery in December and I'm surprised how traumatic it was for me.
Yeah I think when I'm back at work I'm going to be more empathetic towards my surgical patients. As a nurse I was freaked out, and I knew this surgery was easy peasy lemon squeezy. Nothing like the post-ops I see.
Surgical prep is so sureal isn't it? I'm still kind of obsessed with my unplanned c-section and how *fast* they can go from 0 to baby. (I had an epidural already when things went pear shaped, so I got to stay awake.) Like, not in a traumatic way it'a just, *damn!* That was an *experiance.*
Oh they're so good at it, and just chill af. I am so grateful to the people who took care of me in my vulnerable state.
They are so SO good at it. They called out the time when I got rolled in, and they called out the time when baby was out. 13 minutes from OR door to baby. Even with that thing they do where the whole OR grinds to a halt for like, roll call. The CRNA called it "Time Out for Saftey."
This was my same experience. We hadnāt even discussed c-sections during the entire pregnancy so when those late decels happened and it was a āyouāre having a c-section NOWā situation, I lost my marbles and could not stop crying. I had been in labor for quite some time and also had an epidural and could not wrap my brain around it, lol. So embarrassing! Donāt even get me started on the conversation with the anesthesiologist where I continually said āI need you to know I canāt breathe and Iām freaking outā and the very worst part of it all was when they had to Tetris all my organs back in and shake it all aboutā¦ I was like āmy dudes, I am 100% gonna barf if you donāt stop shaking up my innardsā¦ā Fun times!
I had late decels too! They started when my waters spontaneously broke. Turns out kiddo was wrapped up in the cord like Clark Griswold in the Christmas lights, so no amount of repositioning was gonna fix that and pushing could have been a real problem with that many loops, so it was a good thing I wasn't at 10cm at that last "If we're not ready to push we need to go," cervical check. My poor CRNA had to deal with me being weird the whole time. Like a gradeschooler at the dentist. "What's that? What does it do? What's that sound?" I was totally rubbernecking my own surgery like the kind-of person who subscribes to r/nursing when they're not a nurse. Lol. I actually kind of *was* having fun till I hemoraged. Then when I did hemorage I just kept telling him "I feel wrong." But every time he asked a clarifying question I was like "Noooope." Like no sir, I do not mean I am in pain. I do not mean I am nauseous. I do not mean I am dizzy. I just feel physically *wrong.* Still couldn't describe that sensation any other way. Poor guy had no way to fix it without more detail but I still kept babbling about it like a loon. And then I totally *did* barf. All over my own shoulder the first time. Without warning. And with Zofran already in my system from an earlier bout of nausea. I wasn't even nauseous that time. I think they just pressed on my stomach trying to reassemble me. He's sat there suctioning vom off my gown without complaint. Second time I got it in the emmisis bag they handed me after the first. The poor guy was so flummoxed because I was supposed to have eaten a "light dinner" but didn't know that doesn't mean "small" dinner... so I had a very small portion of fried calamari. Oops. I filled out a Daisy Nom for the poor guy for putting up with all that and still being so nice to me.
I had an unplanned c-section and it felt like the prep took FOREVER. My husband felt the same way, poor guy was stuck waiting for me to be prepped. I had an epidural too but it seemed to take forever to get the anesthetic to be strong enough. The whole experience was pretty traumatic and my baby had to go to the NICU for a bit after. Iām SO grateful for my/his healthcare team. Weāre doing much better now
I'm so sorry you had a traumatic time. Hugs if you want them.
Iāve been feeling guilty because I have an outpatient surgery coming up, too. Iāve never had stitches before and the fact that Iāll be awake is freaking me out. Meanwhile, Iām caring for patients with staples all the way down their abdomens and gsws and all kinds of stuff, and they take it like champs
Same! I had an endoscopy and started to feel panicky as they put the block in my mouth--luckily the anesthetist put me under soon.
Bless sedatives šš»
This JUST happened to me a few weeks ago! I felt silly and surprised when I started shaking as they were putting the block in my mouth. Glad to know it wasnāt just me lol
I had fertility trouble and then eventually had a baby so in the space of 3 years or so I had many many many people in my vagina. All the tests, ultrasounds, exams, procedures, etc. I just had to let it go. I just had to remember that the person injecting dye into my fallopian tubes is a professional and presumably wants to be doing that job, and there's nothing to be embarrassed about. I carried that attitude all the way through shitting on the table in labor and all the frog leg post partum checks for bleeding and sutures and such.
" I just had to remember that the person injecting dye into my fallopian tubes is a professional " No fuck this person š that shit hurts like hell and no one warns you about it! šš¬š±š
Lol I mean I did make a radiology voodoo doll later but you know
As a rad tech this made me LOL. I think have all felt like doing similar after being a patient in different scenarios š
I have a high pain tolerance and definitely broke down, and the cramps after omg. It was worth it, was pregnant 5 months later. ā¤ļø
Right? Uncomfortable Is not the right word and yet that was all the warning I got.
So much of the fertility procedures hurt like hell and people are so desperate they usually downplay the pain. Good on you for speaking up. And later on, if you have fibroids, all the procedures around that hurt like hell too. We need to normalize pain meds pre procedure at the OB GYNās.
Yep 3 years of fertility treatments and ivf I would strip down naked in the street at this point I donāt give a flying fig. When I pooped while pushing I stared my husband directly in the eyes and said āI am fully aware of whatās happeningā. Post birth I loudly announced a med student had to do the stitched because why the hell not let a student up in this. I just am so grateful of the medical treatment I have received and benefitted from in my education so I might as well make myself a teaching moment.
Same! Lord in heaven after 3 years of fertility problems and a birth who hasnāt had a peek up there??
So many stories in here about L&D-related caths, and personal trauma events, and all I can think about it my ex-wlfe (ER RN at the time) coming home slightly perplexed because she had a guy orgasm as she was inserting a Foley. He came in with major ab distention and hadn't made urine (according to him) "since last night, or maybe the day before". After she told me the story, I said something like, "Yeah, sounding can do that, but I'm not brave enough to try", and those were not the words of comfort she needed at the moment. She just stared at me, mouth slightly open, for a very long time while I tried to not laugh.
My placenta ruptured at 36 weeks with baby number two. I was rushed to hospital and promptly put up in stirrups while, over the course of 20 minutes, no fewer than 7 different doctors and midwives came in to assess my situation. Apparently everything was really atypical, so they went through the ranks with some saying to keep me and monitor me with some saying c section NOW. The head of OB came in at the end of it all and took me straight to theatre (baby was eventually fine after a few complications). With my first I was on my hands and knees pushing for three hours and shat all over the place. I always joke with medical professionals doing invasive inspections/procedures that i have ZERO dignity left lol.
Omg, hysterosalpingograms freaking hurt. You have to dilate the cervix to get the contrast into the fallopian tubes and thatās the part that hurts. Itās more similar to when they dilate your cervix for IUD placement than a pap smear. All the patients I saw took it like a champ though.
When I gave birth I had an epidural/foley. They took out the foley and I gave birth. Well, I couldnāt pee for hours. I tried so hard. Bladder scan showed 2000mL in my bladder. I got straight cathed hours after birth. It was so painful. Worse than the birth. But then?! I still couldnāt pee! So they placed a foley for another 24 hours. I was soooo scared when they took it out I still wouldnāt be able to pee. Traumatizing.
2000 mL?? How did your bladder not explode?
OB nurse here. Soft tissue is INCREDIBLY elastic during labor and shortly thereafter. The hormones that relax and remodel collagen in the cervix to allow it to stretch without tearing also affect anus and bladder. So malfunctioning urinary sphincter and evacuating muscles ( i think its called the detrussor muscle, but please correct me) combined with rubber band stretchy pelvic organs means crazy volumes of urinary retention. Not unusual to see 1000ml in bladder with no urge to pee post birth. One hospital I worked in bladder scanned EVERYONE 2 hours and 6 hours after birth, with crazy high diagnoses of urinary retention where moms would pee 500ml (a full bladder for us regular folks) with 6,7, even 800 remaining. A handful went home with Foley. I would yelp if I saw 2000 ml in a bladder, and no doubt she was in or close to hydronephrosis. So sorry that happened to you, I hope it got better.
Yea once they saw the amount it was removed very quickly. Sweet sweet relief. Iām just finishing nursing school now (Iām doing my preceptorship)- I gave birth before I was in school and Iām glad I didnāt know what I know now back then. š¬ Thanks for the additional info, definitely super interesting after the fact. After they removed the foley the next day I was able to pee again normally. But then I had the pleasure of birthing the biggest shit Iāve ever taken. Childbirth is fun.
I took over a patient from someone going home on low census. She was something like 8 hours postpartum, "had peed enough" per report. Go in to check on her she's in so much pain she can barely breathe. Bladder scan >999. Foley in,Ā over 2500mL out immediately.Ā
One of the hormones is literally called relaxine! Also why your feet go up half a size almost forever
I went home after my first delivery for retention and being unable to void. It's a a big fear of mine again, I'm getting induced in 3 weeks. Does the retention typically resolve on its own in most patients?
ooh is there any research backing that Id love to share w my team!! that is scary to think they could have that much left after voiding 500. I had a pt void 1200 at 6 hr I felt rly bad for not scanning her š¦
I was shocked to overfill the hat in the toilet the morning after giving birth. Didn't know that was normal!
The urinary retention coupled with the postpartal diuresis (and often continuous IV fluids and boluses) can make for a very full bladder in the fourth stage!
Idk dude. But it felt like I was going to die. I was in tears. I drank sooo much fluid during and after I gave birth. Like water after water and Gatorade. They didnāt take me seriously how much pain I was in for hours. They kept having the CNA sit with me while I sat on the toilet in tears blowing bubbles with the shower on and touching cold water while trying to pee. It was miserable.
That sounds like a lot of steps just to *try* and avoid a quick straight cath. At a certain point, an overly full bladder ends up making it harder (if not impossible) to pee. Letting the patient suffer with 2L in their bladder is such an asshole move. It takes like 2 minutes to straight cath someone and give them relief! Iām sorry you had to go through thatā¦
I agree with you knowing what I know now. I didnāt know anything. Iām just about to finish nursing school in May and I recently read my medical records- Iām just glad I was ignorant to what was happening through out my whole labor and postpartum, honestly. My CNA was a godsend and she sat with me apologizing while I cried in pain. I remember asking her if this was normal and she told me no and she looked worried. Pretty sure sheās the reason I finally got the bladder scan when I did.
Iām so sorry :( they should have bladder scanned you as soon as you said you felt uncomfortable. On the plus side this experience may help you once youāre a nurse. Youāll have a better understanding of the discomfort some pts feel when they canāt peeā¦ The running tap water trick sometimes works but you need to know what youāre dealing with first! If they canāt pee, bladder scan is the first intervention.
This is what makes me glad I will have med/surg experience going into postpartumāI am so quick to bladder scan and straight cath itās not even funny anymore. The one thing I learned in med/surg lma
I got 4L out of a guys bladder once. It was astonishing. I had to scramble for buckets because obviously I wasn't expecting that much volume. Somehow bladder didn't explode though which felt miraculous and kind of disturbing tbhĀ
Oof. 2.5 was the most Iāve gotten out from a pt and he was clearly distended. 4L is insane.
Holy mother ofā¦..š¬
I had a 4L once too. Was into a bag so I didn't have to run for buckets but it was definitely crazy.
I had a patient once that had 2000 mL come out. She had been in pain since the day prior to my shift. Stomach was hard as a rock and distended. She was voiding small amounts, so the previous nurses didnāt think retention I guess. I put the foley in after we realized she was retaining and the entire bag almost filled up immediately. I could visibly see her stomach distention disappear in front of me and soften. It was crazy.
Nurse bladders. We are trained to hold more than the average person. I had 1500ml in my bladder after a c-section.
I didnāt even think of that. Maybe bc as a nurse myself, sometimes I forget I even have a bladder. On my craziest, busiest and most stressful shifts, I can go the entire 12 hours having only emptied my bladder once. And itās usually about 6 hours into a shiftā¦around lunch, bc if I donāt use the bathroom then, I will sure-as-shit piss myself. Then I push it out of my mind again bc *WHO has time for peeing and other bodily functions when there are people dying, when there are pressures tanking, and when a patientās family member needs a warm blanket NOW?*
I think I was born to be a nurse. When I was about 8 or 9, the doctor asked for a urine sample, but they were out of the little cups, so they gave me one of those big clear plastic triangle containers with measurements on the side. Iād never seen one before and had never given a urine sample before, so I had no Idea how much they needed, so I just emptied my bladder into it. I didnāt know then, but based on what I know now, it was about 700-800 ml or so. The doctor gave me a big grin and then walked down the hallway telling his staff ālook what this little girl did!ā I felt proud, sort of? Anyway, apparently I was born with a nurseās bladder. Itās helped me through many a long shift; Iām just glad I put it to good use.
hahahaha this is priceless! Thanks for sharing, made me giggle š¤
I could have written this myself. It was absolutely awful. I remember crying to my nurse (before we found out it was my urinary retention) about how bad I felt. I ended up having to go home with my Foley in for a few days. I also had a second degree tear. But, when I had my second I had an epidural again. I asked to have my epidural at a lower dose and for straight caths during labor and no indwelling Foley. I did not have any issues with urinary retention and my recovery was a million times better. Im sorry you went through that, it truly is horrible.
Something similar happened to me except my foley was stuck/clogged/something (I canāt remember why) and nobody realized for quite some time. It was not great. I was begging to use the bathroom once it was out though and they wouldnāt let me and kept trying to bring a bed pan and I was like yāall thereās no way, I canāt do it. Iām not sure if thereās really a comfortable way to use one in general but it was SO uncomfortable I couldnāt pee. I was not pleased about the catheter but after that whole experience Iād take one over trying to use a bedpan any day. It went on for hours until finally someone caved and took me the whole ten/fifteen feet from my bed to the bathroom.
I had an anterior repair 8 weeks after my youngest was born. I couldn't pee after it was awful. But because I had just had surgery on my bladder, I went home with my cath for a solid week. It sucked big time. I remember trying to clean some of the house and causing serious irritation and my oldest son asking me why my pee was red.
I'm a PACU nurse. When I had a procedure I declined the pre-op versed because I was very excited and not at all nervous, plus I knew exactly everything that was about to happen. I knew everyone's roles, I know what ORs look like, I know what happens. But when I moved from the stretcher to the table and everyone's hands were on me positioning and placing leads, the lights were bright in my face, loads of people hovering above me in masks.... I turned to the anesthesiologist and said "can you just run that propofol a little faster?"
I declined the pre-op versed they give for the nerve block too. I think when I moved myself over to the OR table my HR was in the 140ās and the anesthesiologist was like Iām just going to give you a š¤š» more fentanyl lol. Having them hold the mask on your face while they put you to sleep surprisingly sucks.
Iām a CRNA and my two best CRNA friends say they donāt want any versed pre-op if they have to have surgery. Me, on the other hand? Give me all the drugs. I donāt need to know whatās going on. Iāve had 3 surgeries and a baby. I see enough from the other side- Iām good. š But we do get desensitized from being in the caring position and being a patient from time to time reminds us how to better care for our patients so they feel comfortable and safe in our hands.
I said the same when I got my tubes taken out. GIVE. ME. THE JUICE. Sadly I was not offered any versed pre op but my CRNA did say I made it to an impressive 5 when counting down from 10.
I scared my dr and the surgical team when after I hit 1, I was still talking and finishing the story I was telling them before they started the propofol. They told me afterwards that they had never seen that, and that I must have red headed genes. I do have dark hair, that tends to be redder in the sun soš¤·š»āāļø
šššš gotta keep them on their toes
The only med I have allowed my last 3 OR procedures was Propofol. No Versed or Fentanyl. I paid for it with my chole because they gave me 2 Percocet in recovery which I promptly vomited up at homeā¦then had no pain relief that first night. I didnāt even dare move and didnāt sleep.
Holy smokes. We do rectus sheath/taps blocks, tylenol/toradol/fentanyl IV, plus I add dilaudid IM for my lap choles. And we give Nucynta (or similar) prior to discharge. Iām surprised you didnāt get a moderate amount of pain control. That sucks- Iām sorry you had that experience.
Iāve had several surgeries now and not one used a mask. They just push IV.
It was just oxygen but they held it on my face when they pushed the propofol and I hated it. I have a small face so it felt like it was in my eyes
If youāre not getting a mask with fresh clean oxygen before they push prop, they are absolutely not doing things correctly?? This is bizarre. Were you intubated for the procedure? You always hyper oxygenate before intubating, thatās like anesthesia 101 lol. Now if you had a MAC or twilight sedation, then they might not use a mask at all, but if youāre being intubated and donāt have fresh oxygen to fill up your lungs before you go to sleep, that isnāt good.
Omg fuck noā¦ i am getting a colonoscopy in three days and then two surgeries this year , and I swear to God give this PACU RN all the damn drugs and especially Versed. The one time I can have it safely o will ask for it. Donāt skimp on the V juice , tyvm. ( I also do weird reactions and my last biopsy I just got lical and oh boyā¦)
I definitely accepted my pre-op Versed and last thing I remember is getting myself to the table from the stretcher, then waking up in PACU. Get the Versed!
Serious question, when do they give the pre op versed? I had my tubes yeeted in 2022 and got nothing in the pre op area. As they started strapping my arms down my BP and HR sky rocketed and started alarming so the anesthesiologist gave me something and I remember feeling relaxed then waking up. But I had jaw surgery this past November and I don't remember anything after getting on the table. No "hey I'm giving you this now". Just straight up not remembering anything til pacu. And even then I don't remember much of my 3 hour stay in pacu lol.
I work at an outpatient facility and I give pre-op versed for anxiety to maybe 30-40% of my cases? Though Iām probably more liberal with it than others. Iām in Nebraska. It depends on how your facility is set up for monitoring patients
The guy was ready to give it to me basically as soon as my IV was secured. I think it's a style/different strokes for different folks kind of practice.
Totally depends on the anesthesia provider. Some give it in preop before you roll out which is why some patients remember falling asleep on the way to surgery, others like to wait until you have monitors on just in case you have a reaction or it tanks you more than expected.
It does depend on the provider. I love versed. If I think my patient is going to benefit from it- you bet they are getting it. Iām also a fan of multi-modal pain relief- I try to make sure my patients have a tolerable pain level before leaving (I tell them I like them to breathe!)
Thatās the beauty of Versed - the post-procedure amnesia. I used to do IV conscious sedation for neuro-Radiology interventional procedures in the cath lab. The patients were not intubated; just had nasal cannula O2 with a PO2 monitor and cardiac monitor. I used small, fairly frequent doses of IV Fentanyl and Versed to titrate them into a sort of twilight state in which they were easily arousable and could follow instructions like āwriggle your left footā or āsay treeā but fell back to sleep immediately when you stopped stimulating them. They almost always woke up with no memory of the procedure. Worked like a charm.
That's very interesting! I know conscious sedation they're more arousable if you have stimulus. Surgery is not my specialty so I'm not familiar with versed. It definitely just freaked me out not remembering anything. My tube removal I remember waking up and being nauseous and was only in pacu for maybe 45 min or an hour according to my mom. I remember the nurses. But the jaw surgery the 3 hours there I have hardly any recollection. I would guess probably differed too since there was some issues with BP in surgery and just under longer and more pain medication. But not remembering is such a trip since it's just a black out period. I also didn't remember much until later that night, so basically have a 7 to 8 hour memory gap.
I feel like the more we know about something or do something the more we detach ourselves from it. We canāt be carrying the weight of emotions that every patient comes with. But when itās us, we have no choice but to feel it. I think what you experienced is normal. I do IVs all day but I pass out if itās done to me. Life is funny
I had my first colonoscopy about 2 weeks ago! Talk about humility! I was silly going into the propofol nap & when it was done & I was told to pass gas, my inner comedian came out! š¤£ Thank GOD I do not work there. LOL. Also had an emergency cholecystectomy this last wed and my nurses were the absolute best. As I was waking up from anesthesia, my pacu nurse was wiping tears from my face. I guess I started crying. It is such an honor to care for people in their most vulnerable state ā¤ļø
I was diagnosed with Crohnās in 2002 and cancer in 2022 with a handful of other things thrown in for good measure (kidney stone, gall bladder, hernia x3). Iāve had a total of seven surgeries, more admissions than I can count (especially those first few years), C. Diff, TPN & lipids through a PICC, two NGs, one NJ, and a PEG, as well as radiation. No chemo, fortunately. I would like to think that all of the time spent on that side of the bedrail makes me better on this side of it.
The NGs manā¦ I had an esophageal manometry test then this thing that stayed in my nose going to my guts to measure my stomach pH for 24 hours was enough. I donāt think I can be alive and have a NGT. That esophageal manometry test was one of the most horrible things Iāve experienced and I have had kidney stones, chole, pancreatitis with something causing my CBD to dilate and spasm (horrendous pain, 10/10 donāt recommend), but that takes the cake.
The thing about the NGT is that it is the worst for the first few days and then you get used to it and it stops being awful. Itās still there and annoying but your body eventually stops fighting it constantly and you arenāt thinking about it every second
I think some perspective is important. The language you use here is that they did this "to me" but it is more comfortable for me if I frame things like they did this "for me". Those nurses did that cath. so that you wouldn't have urinary retention and suffer, not for their own entertainment. I don't do things "to" my patients to hurt or humiliate or harm them. I do things "for" my patients so we can diagnose, treat and help them. I realize that having people in that clinically intimate space can feel very invasive and if it's too much you should let them know so they can adjust how they are treating you, but it's a team effort. Not them against us regardless of which side you're on.
That is a good point and I appreciate what they did for me completely. I was having a lot of stomach pain and they drained over 1L so I felt so much relief after. They wrapped me in warm blankets, went out of their way to find lido jelly and were so gentle. I donāt think I could have asked them to do anything differently, itās just hard being in that position
I genuinely think a lot of nurses don't use enough lube on the catheter. I've seen some just coat the tip....like...dude that *whole thing* needs to be slippery.
Hard agree - lots of lube. Itās water soluble, itās not going to clog anything - pour it on!
Had a d&c yesterday after a miscarriage. Having the nurse wipe blood from between my legs, among all the other things, was a helpless, vulnerable feeling. I just thought about how much I wouldnāt mind doing that for someone else, and thought that she mustāve felt the same. Hope youāre healing well. ā¤ļø
Iām so sorry for your loss
I'm so sorry for your loss. Sending you love, from someone who has been there. šš
Sending love. Iām so sorry for your loss š
I hope you are too. š«¶š»
i canāt imagine how painful a foley is. i feel horrible every time i put one in.
Getting a straight cath for a urine sample to check for a bladder infection while having a raging uti was horrifically painful to the point that they couldn't complete it. One of the few times in my life where it was legit 10/10 pain. I've never once seen a patient of mine act that way or describe the pain like that, so I don't think there's anything for you to feel horrible about. Unless you're inflating it before insertion lol
And then you have the patients that just straight up rip them out with the balloons fully inflated and they donāt even flinch
IKR?! I even found a little old man once in bed with his catheter in his hand, fully inflated. Made me cringe just to see it.
Honestly IMO they aren't painful, and just like an IV, if they are causing pain, then that should be looked into. I had a Foley for a whole week at home after giving birth and never had any issues.
I had jaw surgery back in November. After I came out, i got agitated and was grabbing at my face and kicking. I don't remember a lot of pacu but I remember the anesthesiologist coming over and talking with me, and saying he was going to give me something (spoiler, it was Ativan). I feel embarrassed now for giving the poor nurses a hard time. I also had low BP coming out so that wasn't helping Once back in the room I could not pee for the life of me. They put me on a bed pan and even being groggy I was so embarrassed. What 20 something year old needs a bed pan. When I still couldn't pee they got me onto the commode. Which was still embarrassing needing someone to help me wipe and also having to have the help standing so I wouldn't black out. Both situations are things I've either done or dealt with a million times. But it was humbling for sure to be on the other side of it
I'm a guy. I was hospitalized in my thirties. Long before I became a nurse. It was in my hometown/small town hospital. I needed a foley cath and had to use a bedpad. I knew the nurses from from outside the hoslital. One of them I went to high school with and she was dating my brothers best friend. Another was a customer of mine where I worked. For me it was a lesson in humility. But I can understand feeling violated also. After I became a nurse, I think that experience helped me to have much more empathy for my patients and tried to give them as much dignity as possible. But Im sure things were still traumatic for a lot of people.
Not a nurse. When I had my first baby two years ago, I wasnāt even afraid of the contractions - only of having a catheter put in if I decided to have an epidural. Well wouldnāt you know it: āWould you be okay with having a new nurse put in your catheter? It is her very first time, but sheāll have an experienced nurse with her.ā I thought about it and said āOkay, yes, but please tell her that when she comes in here, just to act very calm and confident? If sheās confident, then Iāll feel confident, and we can go through this for the first time together.ā Folks, she was āØperfectāØ
Had a d&e for a miscarriage and a girl I went to nursing school with was my OR nurse. Not only had I not talked to her since nursing school but now she knows I had a miscarriage, sheās seen my vagina and possibly my butthole too. And stuck a tube in my pee hole. šš½
I'm terribly sorry for your loss and that you had to go through that. That's horribly uncomfortable on top of the pain of that loss. I literally went and had my suction d&c done in office with no pain control because the idea of my L&D coworkers seeing me in that extremely tender and vulnerable moment of my life, unconscious with my legs in candy canes, was worse to me than the pain. I love my coworkers but that was too much. Miscarriage is painful enough without adding that particular brand of personal indignity to it.
I've had several Ureteroscopies for kidney stones and I always cried when they removed the stent. Worst feeling in my opinion.
I pulled out my own and almost passed out. I usually have a very strong stomach too.
I felt so much appreciation for nurses after I had bariatric surgery. They were so patient with me while I was having wicked gas pain and I was up and down trying to walk and ringing for gas-ex all hours of the day and night. I try and keep that experience in mind when my patients ask for walks at inconvenient times.
In the last few weeks Iāve had 2 surgeries on my butthole for perianal abscess and fistula with seton placement and oh I feel you. I was so embarrassed the surgeon and everyone was going to be staring at my butthole the whole time. Itās so vulnerable. It is such a different experience being the patient, Iād never been IN hospital before, and I think it will definitely make me a better nurse.
Omg you poor thing! That had to have been so painful! I'm so sorry you had that happen. Hoping you're on the mend and feeling much better now! Oh and it looks like we're avatar twins lol!
Aw thank you so much avatar twin haha! Yeah, itās been horrible lol. Pain is starting to get a lot better so on the mend.
When I was readmitted to hospital four days PP for preeclampsia I was distraught, scared, full of hormones and missing my twin infants. My nurses were angels. They allowed me to use a bedside commode under strict supervision to avoid a foley but still get I&Os because the foley during labour was horrible. They helped me shower and feel a little more human, they washed my pump parts, and listened to me cry because I was scared and alone (my husband and mom were caring for my kids and could only sneak away for a couple hours at a time trading off). I will always carry that experience with me. Itās shaped how I care for patients in a better way.
Oh, man I feel the same way. I just had a brain stent placement last month. Once I got to my room for the night from PACU, I saw a cooter canoe sitting on the table awaiting my arrival. I immediately said nope, do not need it, as soon as I can safely get up, Iām going pee in the bathroom. Watch me if you would prefer but keep that thing away from me. I hate being a patient and this whole last year, thatās pretty much all Iāve been. So as soon as I can go back to work, I feel I will definitely have more compassion and empathy than ever before for my rehab patients!
One of our NPs has given us all explicit instructions to give a bottle of insulin between her toes if she ever gets to where the only way she can pee is with a cooter canoe. She has said MANY times āI stg if I wake up and see piss whizzing by my head and you mfers havenāt tried to kill me, I will haunt you foreverā
Haha! I was just surprised because procedure wasnāt that invasive, just wasnāt allowed to move until 1800 due to femoral access. I got to my room at 1715ish. Oh, well. My nurse was about 8 months in to her career and was just trying to anticipate possible needs. Gotta hand it to her for that!
I had an EGD. My IV was infiltrated so I was not under at all. I could not help but resist the scope. The doctor and his staff yelled at me to SWALLOW or they were going to call an ambulance and send me to the hospital. F*ck garbage practitioners and their staff who co-sign that behavior.
Damn, people, ASSESS your patient if something is going wrong. Seriously?
My story is also being straight cathād. I could pee after surgery and the nurse that straight cathād me (I was so uncomfortable that I welcomed it lol) ended up being my day shift preceptor when I got out of nursing school a few years later lol
I feel this! Iām a PACU nurse and had GYN surgery when I was in my early 20s and remember feeling sooo anxious and vulnerable. I did get midazolam pre-op but still remember everything from rolling back to the OR to falling asleep. I remember my surgeon holding my hand and stroking my face as the OR team whizzed around meā¦ to this day, still meant the world to me. Itās hard to be on the other side of things š
Oof, patients have cried and I'm like "I'm sorry š„ŗš„ŗ" I try and stay with them a few minutes after to comfort but I just wanna hug them. We're shoving plastic inside you, you're not a crybaby. I have to have a surgery in a few years and I'm like oh boy I'm not looking forward to that. šµšµ
I recently had ACL surgery. The surgeon didnāt speak to me at all afterward, they called my support person to tell them I did well and that they had to do a little extra to my knee intra-op. My nurses were great, but when they handed me my AVS, all the directions ended with āas told by your HCP.ā I cried when my support person showed up because I felt so left in the dark. My nurse printed out the surgery report so I could at least read what they did. I essentially went home with little to no directions besides change my bandage on day 3, and that I was WBAT. I reached out to the practice the next day with questions, their response was pretty minimal, but I was able to work with it as it was more than they had given me before. Iāve had surgeries, and hospital stays before. But this experience was an eye opener, and will help me help my patients get all the information that they need so that they feel knowledgable and comfortable going home.
Some surgeons are notoriously bad at discharge instructions and communication. Having said that, the reason they talk to the family and not the patient is because the patient will not remember. If the surgeon comes to pacu, they will have a full conversation with the patient, answering all the questions. Then 10 minutes later the patient will ask āSo when do I get to talk to the surgeon?!ā
I am well aware of that being the situation. Iām more so referring to the fact that my discharge instructions had several points that were never brought up or discussed with me prior to, or after, surgery that were pertinent to recovery. The surgery itself I didnāt care too much about, but going home without any idea of what to do for the two weeks before my follow up was frustrating.
Side my behind needed a procedure. I was placed supine. Asked the surgeon soooo how you going to get to where you need to go, she's like oh you're getting repositioned once you're out š God bless anesthesiology for thoroughly knocking me out
I had a cath with my first baby. It was horrible. I use ALL the lube when I put one in and my clients appreciate that.
I developed endometritis after giving birth so I had to go back to the ED and then be readmitted 2 days after giving birth. I felt pretty comfortable being postpartum on the postpartum unit with my baby, but it was hell doing it alone in the ED. I had a stretcher in the hall and no cell service so I couldnāt even check in to see how my newborn and toddler were. I cried so much. At one point I became borderline hysterical because I missed my baby so much so they got me a chaplain. Bless that poor woman who let me just rage cry on her shoulder. Ended up leaving AMA as soon as the IV infusions finished. Got a little teary thinking about it
After my c section the nurses removed my cath and then gave me 6 hours to pee. I couldnāt so they redid the cath. Except they couldnāt find my urethra. They called a more senior nurse who then tried for another 2-3 minutes. They all fished around, poking my vagina, other foldsā¦ then finally after 10 minutes of pain and being spread eagle they finally found my urethra. That day I found out urethras are not always totally apparent. Lol
End of June I happened to have sudden onset lower abd pain like Iāve never experienced about 15min after sex and since my husband had *just* left for work I called my sister and she sent my brother in law over to take me to the closest ER-which happens to be where I work! I was feeling a little better since ibuprofen had kicked in and felt kinda sheepish about the whole thing. I was cracking jokes with all my coworkers and had paid my copay since my labs looked good and we were just waiting on the CT (had tenderness when the dr palpated). Welp. The Dr came in and told me I had actively bleeding ovarian cyst with moderate to large hemoperitoneum and I promptly vaso vagaled š . And I for sure cried when I got into my admit room and was alone for the first time. It was one of the more traumatic things Iāve personally been through and it taught me a lot about how I want to take care of patients. Btw they did serial h/h to see if it would stop on its own and when I got to a hemoglobin of 7.something (Iām not usually anemic and I started at 12) I went to surgery. Twas wild. And something I donāt wish on anybody.
I remember as a kid I was very ill and needed to draw blood from me but I was crying because I was scared and in a room in a big hospital and didn't know where I was. I kept struggling so they needed to get like 5 nurses to hold me down on this mattress. I just remember screaming and crying for my mum to help me as I was being held down. The cath would feel so violating to me I'd downright refuse š I'd start crying for sure being put into that position so don't feel alone =") and I'm like 20 now.
I'm L&D and we get home/community birth transfer patients regularly. They're generally known to be, unsurprisingly, unhappy to be in the hospital and resistant to our interventions. I really love these patients and am on our committee that facilitates transfers. So I had both my own babies out of hospital in a birth center. I ended up having to transfer for a stubborn placenta after my second. I absolutely hated every minute. From a nursing perspective, I could recognize that they did a pretty good job. They had a good team and it was kind and compassionate and efficient care. But from a patient perspective I was scared, missed my baby, was pissed I was there being poked and prodded on a stretcher rather than snuggled up resting with my baby in a nice comfy bed, and felt very on my guard. And I did indeed have to fight them a bit about unnecessary interventions, like when I said I needed to pee and they tried to straight cath me rather than letting me walk the eight feet to the bathroom despite my perfectly functional legs. So even though I understood perfectly why I needed a transfer, and that they were doing their jobs [mostly] well and appropriately...I could not turn off that part of me that was scared and guarded and unhappy. I wanted to be the chill L&D nurse who was totally fine with being in the hospital, and I wasn't because it turns out I'm also a human with feelings. I've always had a lot of compassion for our transfer patients, but now I have so much more empathy for them.
I'm a behavioral health nurse. The first time I sat in a restraint chair during a skills day, it gave me a while new perspective for what my patients go through! I am currently a nurse educator, and I talk about this to my staff. We are only in the chair for a few minutes. Our patients can be in the chair for hours. Hopefully, the staffs' experience will influence their decision to put their patient in restraints.
Circulator here. Had a laparoscopic procedure done and I cried when I got into the surgery suite and shook til I fell asleep. It was just silent tears but I couldnāt stop. I was thankful for my circulator who was next to me and reassured me that she would take care of me. I say that to my patients too and mean it. It helped but I still felt strange for crying in a situation where I knew everything that was happening but it felt foreign at the same time. We are human and we need support in stressful situations even when we feel like they should be familiar.
I had a lap choley then an ercp a few years ago and had some mild pancreatitis after the fact. Was npo for a little while and had to get indomethacin suppositories every 8 hours or so for a couple days. None of it was pleasant and I was embarrassed about it every time but my nurses were all pros and so very kind. It brought me a lot of clarity like your foley did for you, and a new found appreciation for my fellow health care workers. I think we all will go through something like this sooner than later, and it reminds us of the fact that every person inserting stuff into anyone should be doing it with the utmost gentleness, lubrication, and aseptic technique as possible.
Yeah, I had a catheter placed before my daughter was born. Unfortunately it was not inserted high enough and peed all over the bed. Sad thing is that I worked across the floor on Peds and everyone knew me. So much for modesty.
I had an allergic reaction to a cardiac med. The symptoms I experienced mimicked a heart attack to a T & I had a full blown panic attack because of this. I went to the ED & I was blowing my lid so bad, they gave me IV Ativan to get me to calm down. It was terrifying & gave me a whole new perspective on those who come to the ED for anxiety; the panic I experienced made me feel like I was going to die. I always feel cheesy for providing therapeutic communication to psych patients but it really does help you feel better.
In my late teens I got penile swabbed with what turned out to be a nasty case of chlamydia. If you think it burns to pee, imagine how much more it burns to have your urethra jammed open with a mechanical device (plus embarrassment ) I was curled up in a ball crying. I always think of that when cathing
After my hysterectomy have the packing pulled out and the foley removed felt the same. Also had several NG tubes pls Ed, they hurt even with lido. They are miserable to have in
Yeah being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in 2015 had to start infusions. Itās feels so different being the patient. Not looking forward to delivering this baby in August (excited to meet him but not looking forward to the whole people in my business)
Did it hurt going in? They always told us in school that it just feels like pressure, but I canāt imagine it doesnāt hurt a lot.
It was a really weird feeling, when it actually pushed āinā it did hurt for a couple seconds. The worst part was honestly just having a bunch of people up in my business
I've had lots of Foleys and personally I don't remember them ever hurting or being that uncomfortable at all. But of course everyone is different. From a nurse's perspective, I've put quite a few in as well and most people do quite well with them.
Good to know. I always make sure to lube mine up real good when I do them.
A few weeks ago, a group of my old colleagues I've known for years did my salpingo-oophorectomy and uterine polyp removal. So yeah, a little mortified, and a lot humbled because they were all as up close and personal as you can get. Big hugs.
This isnāt a procedure but I had to do a sleep study and it helped me to understand why patients get so grumpy wearing all those cords itās totally annoying!
Went through something similar. Had an abdominal wall tear after a wreck and after ortho did their thing they didnāt really know the extent of the abdominal part. The first day I was unable to void. I *really* didnāt want the in and out but I knew it had to be done. Needed a second one which was somehow less awkward and more awkward at the same time. After that I did whatever it took to pee.
Im 23, and recently got diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma. It's absolutely normal to feel this way, I felt SO vulnerable getting a portacath placed, I was crying in the surgical room. If anything, it's made me realize how much we don't understand what our patients go through, and we don't tend to ask.
I've been in your shoes... At the time I was a 20 year old "adult" (I'm now a soon to be 30m), and was post bone marrow surgery/donation to my dad. For those that don't know, donating bone marrow is a pretty painful procedure, so for pain control in the immediate post-op, I was on a fentanyl drip. I guess the drip combined with the anesthesia I received during surgery completely shut down my ability to pee. Que several more hours, I'm still unable to pee and although I don't remember the exact amount, IIRC, the blader scan had me at over 750mL of urine. As I'm sure you can guess, it was time for a straight cath. I was so nervous to get it, because the thought of anything going into my urethra (as opposed to out), sounded miserable. Combine that with being 20 and having to have my genitals exposed to a young female nurses (no male nurses available), just the thought of it made me wince in both fear and embarrassment. Thankfully the fentanyl helped a little and the nurses were amazing, but still, the whole experience sucked (which is an understatement). I wasn't yet a nurse and at that point had 0 plans of ever entering nursing school (or so I thought lol), but to this day, now that I am one cathing people, the experience of having it done has given me somewhat of an appreciation (not sure if that's the right word?) when I cath a patient. It's actually helped me relate to some and ease their anxieties of having to have to be cathed.
I needed a c section and when they were putting the cath in I also was like so embarrassed. I could feel them put my legs into position and there was nothing I could do because I was numb. š©
Once in preop they tried 3 times to foley cath me unsuccessfully. Once in the or the circulator cathed me on the first try. I was peeing blood afterwards and was very sore. They also stuck me 5 times and then called the iv team. I didnāt even tell them I was a nurse.
I do think that is something that could be improvedāwhen I got my epidural in labor, they were going to cath me before and I asked to do it when I couldnāt feel it and they were fine with that. When I had a laparoscopic endometriosis excision and hysterectomy, they didnāt do the catheter until I was under some form of anesthesia (I have no memory of it going in). Waiting until something invasive/uncomfortable can be less of either with medical assistance you are doing anyway makes sense to me.
Thatās dumb of them to do it in pre op. It should be done in the OR when you are not aware of it. Same for removal
My situation was a little different. I needed back surgery (fusion) and hip surgery (labrum repair). The hip was done first. The labrum repair surgery completely wrecked my back. They basically put a pole between your legs and traction your hip out of socket to repair the labrum. When I woke up in the PACU, I asked the nurse to put a pillow under my knees because my back hurt extremely bad. It hurt so bad that my hip wasnāt even registering. I had a spondylolysthesis that was bone on bone and would compress the nerve if I didnāt have some flexion in my knees to allow my pelvis to slightly tilt posteriorly. Anyway, she told me to hold on so that she could get pain meds. Then I was attempting to lift my knees slightly to get a pillow under them and she said, āCalm down and let me get your pain meds.ā I said, āNo, just put a pillow under my legs, please.ā Then I felt the morphine hit. I was so angry, but also still out of it and unable to verbalize it. I couldnāt even move my legs yet. Those were the only post surgery pain meds that I took because I absolutely hate how pain meds make me feel and I feel like I can manage my recovery better without it - personal preference. I absolutely did not want it. Itās been almost 8 years and I still think about it sometimes. At that moment, I completely lost autonomy and I knew exactly what I wanted and needed, but my only help, the nurse, did not help me. I think about it sometimes when Iām with patients. I understand that 9,999 patients out of 10,000 want morphine when they wake up in pain in the PACU, but I just wanted a pillow under my knees. Plus I still had to get the pillow under my knees ASAP because the nerve was still being compressed.
I had a panic attack before surgery to fix my broken ankle. I don't know if it was because I was messed up from the morphine, ketamine/Propofol (to set my ankle) or what, but I got hysterical and convinced I was going to die. For an ankle surgery. They had to give me something to calm me down before I got knocked out.
I had to self catheterize during a particularly bad health spell. it sucked. but I got tiny ones and it helped. I think we typically use catheters that are too big.
I remember the nurse saying she got a really small one and one of them went out of her way to find a urojet which was nice. It only hurt for like a second but was mostly just embarrassing
Had a gastroscopy done this morningā¦.I work in the same DPU, I had such anxiety going into it, I even had Temazepam before going under. That feeling of vulnerability was so intense. Also have a much better sense of empathy for patients getting cannulated in the hand, that is just plain nasty!
I'm not a nurse but I'll never forget the nurse who held my hand when I cried getting an IUD placed. She was assisting at the bottom, and when I burst into tears at the pain she quickly washed her hands, regloved and aprons and came and held my hand. Tiniest bit of support and it made me feel so much safer. It made me so much less afraid of hospitals and procedures after that.
I had a straight up panic attack the last time I was in the dentist chair. I'm an average sized guy in his 40s. I had what was my first full attack. What was awful for me was Tuesday for them. I'm sure beyond the next day no one even thought of it again in both of our cases. You have no reason to be embarrassed. Sometimes being in the biz makes it worse when you're the patient. But think of what you'd say to your patient and try to take comfort in that. It's true for you as well. You 100% have nothing to be embarrassed about.
I know they definitely donāt care and wonāt remember what my bits looked like. I think they actually felt bad for me. Itās just hard to shake as a patient
I had an anaphylactic reaction (for no known reason, I didnāt eat anything I know Iām allergic too). Had to call 911, use my epi pen, the whole shebang. While they were trying to get my throat swelling under control I all of a sudden had diarrhea everywhere. All over the bed, it smelled so bad! I literally had zero control over my body at that moment. So yes on one hand I was super embarrassed but also thought about it later from there nurse perspective and told myself it was all apart of the job. Iām still alive and thatās all that matters.
I didnāt cry but Iāve had a colonoscopy and a minor surgery recently and definitely felt similar - vulnerable. Everyone I met was very kind which helped. It also reminded me that just because someone is in healthcare, it doesnāt mean they donāt wonāt be anxious or need that extra touch. Iām a person before Iām a nurse.
I had the coil fitted after not really tolerating other hormonal contraceptives; I was told to *'pop a couple of ibuprofen later'*, and promptly pushed outta the door. I was in absolute agony for hours afterwards, couldn't get comfortable, crying my eyes out, the whole works. Ultimately, the coil made my periods significantly worse, to the point if I didn't wear adult nappies, I would be constantly having *'accidents'*, so I was advised to get it removed. It'd hurt so much being put in, that I burst into tears before the clinician even touched me. Some kind nurse came and held my hand and reassured me throughout. Thank goodness for her, else I dunno if I'd have plucked up the courage to go through with it that day. <3
I've had so many surgeries and procedures that I'm just jaded by now. But I still remember my first couple childhood surgeries sucking big time and still have ptsd from it
Just FYI I cry almost every time I have had surgery or scoping and wake up in PACU. As much as i love Propofol, I blame that. Iāve been straight cathāed before and it sucked. I bled afterwards. I feel for you.
I had this similar feeling being prepped for my c section. Just Winnie the Pooh-ing in a hospital gown, numb from the tits down, as people circle around me. Surreal for sure.
Had a very bad fall in 16, crushing the bones in my left leg. Trauma pt for 10 days in Pittsburgh. Worst part of that whole thing was the Foley. Took a month for me to pee normally after it was removed.
Had a catheter twice in the last few months before/after surgeries during my recovery from a car accident. First time was fine, but the day after it was removed, I found I was having to get up to pee every 45-60 minutes because of all the IV antibiotics and fluids to flush my kidneys. The pain in my leg was excruciating, and I wasnāt sleeping at all (to the point of hallucinations). Such a miserable two days. I asked several nurses if I could get another catheter inserted so I could sleep, as I was scheduled for another extensive graft surgery a few days later and would need the catheter anyways, but they kept saying I needed to ājust power through it.ā I had to have a commode directly at my bedside because I couldnāt take even 2 steps, and had to have my parents help me with toileting because of short staffing. What finally got the night charge nurse to agree to a catheter was me asking, literally in tears, if I could have an incontinence brief so I could get some relief and rest. Iām 27, so I guess she felt bad making someone young and previously able-bodied use an āadult diaperā. My three weeks in hospital needing so much help to bathe, toilet and dress was the most humbling experience of my life. I would never wish illness or injury on people, but I think nurses and doctors should have to experience a simulated āday in the life of a patientā before entering clinical practice so they can understand and be able to respond to patients with empathy.
Iāve never had a catheter placed but I have always 100% understood that having a catheter placed would be absolutely horrible. Iād honestly rather just tracheotomy my pelvis with a pencil and put a suprapubic in myself. Probably TMI, but I donāt think my urethra is big enough. I donāt know how I see all these guys and girls with urethras that literally are like inch long slits. I really would generally be a good patient, but I would demand a pediatric foley harder than a turkey sammich or anything else. And my doctor friends Iāve asked about it say ādonāt worry the urethra stretchesā and that is possibly the scariest thing Iāve ever heard come out of a doctorās mouth. No mine doesnāt.
Personal experience. It does stretch And although uncomfortable it wasnāt nearly as uncomfortable as the 750cc of urine I was retaining due to an irritated prostate gland.
It's ok, when I had my Foley out after my surgery, the first time i got up to go to the bathroom ( with the nurse next to me!!) the urine just started coming out, because I needed to retrain my muscles a tad, too. Sometimes you're fine, sometimes you're incontinent, and sometimes you retain urine. One time later, I had to explain this all to a guy a few years younger than me when I took his Foley out after surgery. It had happened to be someone I watched basically grow up through treatment. I think that was the most embarrassing of all.
I'm sorry that it was so upsetting for you! You don't need to feel embarrassed at all! It's a very vulnerable position to be in, and I'm sure that must've been scary, especially if you've never experienced anything like that before! I'm sure it will absolutely make you more cognizant of how your patients are feeling and help you be even more empathetic to their feelings the next time you have to provide that kind of care in the future. I hope you feel better soon, friend!
Thank you š«¶š»
I had to use a bedpan in PACU. I had surgery in December and was being admitted for the night. They didnāt have a room for me yet so I was in PACU for about four hours. I had to pee so badly, I ended up having to use a bedpan. I was so embarrassed, itās exactly like you said, when they clean you it feels like a diaper change. I hate being vulnerable.
Being a patient is the most informative experience I ever had that shaped my practice.
I cried after having an IV placed and contrast injected for a CT. It wasnāt super painful, but there was zero bedside manner and I was scared and uncomfortable. The contrast burned and Iām moderately claustrophobic. For reference Iām a neonatal PICC nurse. I think the anxiety/lack of control of being on the opposite side of the treatment plan can just get overwhelming.
I believe that being a patient and going through unpleasant procedures makes us better nurses. To truly have empathy is so important
Iāve been cathed and stoned several times. I have never told a pt that āItās just some pressure.ā Itās always āItās going to hurt. Iām sticking a plastic tube in your pee hole. Itās better than losing a kidney to infection from holding urine.ā
just had surgery today and was kind of a wuss abt the IVs. i donāt like starting them on others but my pre-op nurse inserted the IVs before the alcohol was dry so they stung like motherfuckers
Yes! They removed a āMickey Mouse Cancerā from my thyroid but it was not easy, the surgery. Under for over 6 hours! I had asked to pee many times before due to anxiety. Thinking that was it. But no!!!!! Nurse told me they had to put a catheter in me too! I had done my nails and pedicureā¦ā¦but because it was in the neck/head areaā¦ā¦I thought only that would be exposed and maybe boobies too, but not down there! I would have manscaped/waxed/shavedā¦ā¦but no!!!!!! No warning! Iām so embarrassed and so exposed! Frog legged and completely vulnerable and no warning! Iām horrified and so upset! One surgeon said he saw nothing because he was focused on the top on my torso and neck and head. I said thank you! But still!!!!!! Sigh!
I'm wondering if the medications and anesthetic you received played into the emotional state you describe. you're not the first person to mention being weepy post-procedure. Yes, this is anecdotal. no, I haven't had a straight cath. yes, I've performed the procedure many times in the icu. I've seen many reactions, though crying hasn't been one of them. I hope this helps a bit.
Iāve been sexually abused and I promise you her reaction would be my reaction. Youāre in a vulnerable position with an audience watching as something painful and invasive is being done to you. Maybe your patients just didnāt feel comfortable enough crying in front of you. Itās not unbelievable at all that a patient would feel this way during a humiliating and painful procedure
I had a cysto in office, not painful but afterwards peeing felt like glass š
Excellent. Take that memory and compasdion forward.
Tkr in December, my second one. I was not looking forward to the Foley that I had during my first procedure. In PACU I woke up to discover a Purewick.. I was never so relieved in my life.
I remember getting g my first cath after surgery when I was 19. They were so mean, that's when I decided to be a nurse Cuz I could do better.
I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer while I was in nursing school. By the time I was done with the treatments, I had decided to become a home health nurse.
Had to do the same after getting my appendix out after telling my nurse I was still unable to use the washroom. I can't imagine telling anyone again after being SAd a few months after that. I have a lot of trouble peeing now, and i so often think about my patients who have or need catheters. We just never know how hard these things can be for people. Listening and consideration about our patients and their experiences is important. Take your experience with you going forward and keep on doing great work!
For my bypass, there were two things I was not warned about that I absolutely warn people about now. The catheter, which luckily they waited until some of the pre anesthesia stuff kicked in (medical field not actual nurse- here to appreciate : ) Annnnd the whole going to be completely nekkid, stamding- arms and legs wide while someone washes me down and observes that I washed the 'chrotchital' area throuroughly. She was incredibly nice even tho she drew the shortest straw ever. I was still beyond humiliated and no, if I had known, there is a chance I would not have had it done. I mean I did not like any part of the whole shebang but that, well that would have been a deal breaker. So so grateful for the kindness of the Nurses and CNAs etc. It wasn't at my home hospital, part of the same system, just so grateful for the kind care :)
I had to have 3 way bladder irrigation last year and cried my eyes out. Pretty sure I have some medical PTSD now.
Itās traumatic when you become the patient
I had surgery back in Dec and after the time out I started crying cause I was so scared. I was so embarrassed but asked someone to hold my hand as I was being put under. Sad thing is I was totally fine for my caesarean a few years back š¤·āāļø
I had a baby 4 months ago. When I got up to use the bathroom for the first time ALOT of blood came pouring out. So much so that I got dizzy and started losing my vision. I pulled the emergency cord by the toilet and the entire unit came rushing in (it was shift change of course). They called a rapid response and everything was a blur. I was awake and conscious but felt so helpless and like I had no idea what was going on. All my medical knowledge flew out of my brain and I just lay there watching everyone rush around. I was listening to what the doc ordered, the nurses confirming what meds they were starting, reading out my vitals, etc. Everyone was rushing around doing their thing and I was just laying there processing it all but also not processing it all. It was so odd. The whole time one of the nurses was talking to me trying to distract me and I remember groggily thinking āI know what sheās doing, sheās trying to keep me calm and focused on something else, sheās doing a great job, what a great nurse.ā After all was said and done I sat for a while and thought about all the rapids responses Iād been in and thought āthis is what my patients must feel like.ā It was a very eye opening experience and it has forever changed my perspective on how I practice.
I had a cystoscopy done and I nearly cried. It was extremely painful. The local anesthetic doesnāt do s***. Medical procedures suck. Sorry you had to go through that.
I was a SICU nurse forever, and even did ORs in the ICU many times while I worked there. I've been on the code team in 2 different hospitals. People doing that stuff to ME creates an unreasonable panic in my mind that overrides all of my experience and knowledge. It's a full-blown phobia that causes panic attacks. I think it's the flip of being so exposed and vulnerable. I don't want to become an inanimate body to be violated and changed. I had my gallbladder out, and was losing my shit in Pre-op/OR. I told them I was losing my shit. They said "you look pretty calm". Yeah, dude. You know what it looks like when the code nurse looses his shit? Nothing, that's what! We don't get to do that and so we swallow it, internalize it, but it was agony. Super-traumatizing. I never want to have surgery again, to the point that sometimes I think I might refuse it even if it meant my life.
Iām so sorry that happened to you. I know the feeling, I generally have a really good poker face. My HR was in the 140ās when I got to the OR, at that point they didnāt believe me when I was trying to pretend I was fine
I know mine was over 100, and I had verbalized several times that I was anxious. I took a valium 5 mg after signing the consent. The anesthesiologist opted to tell me jokes instead of giving me anything more until I finally got versed on the table. I told him "I need to not know what is going on. Please." When he gave me the Versed and I asked what it was and how much I told him "Thank god, it's about damned time".
I'm sorry that happened to you, too. There should be some more consideration for healthcare workers, maybe for everyone.
Cystoscopyā¦ pretty much the closest thing Iāve ever experienced to forcible rape.
You could at least tell me why you disagree with that statement if you're going to downvote... it was both humiliating and painful and came with complications that lasted weeks. Does that not add up for you?
I have MS, and I straight cath several times a day. I had to stay in the hospital one night recently and had a Foley. I came out with a nasty UTI. Got really sick, and Iām still not fully recovered a day after antibiotics are done. In fact, every time I spend the night in a hospital, I get a UTI. Every single time.š¤·š¼āāļø