Urinary catheters - what to ask your doctor

Definition of Urinary catheters - what to ask your doctor:

You have an indwelling catheter (tube) in your bladder. “Indwelling” means inside your body. This catheter drains urine from your bladder into a bag outside your body.

Below are some questions you may want to ask your doctor or nurse to help you take care of your catheter.

Questions:

How do I take care of the skin around the catheter? How often should I clean the area?

How much water or liquid should I be drinking?

Can I take a shower? How about a bath?

Can I walk around or exercise with the catheter in place?

What supplies do I need to keep in my home to care for my catheter? Where can I get them? How much do they cost?

How often do I need to empty the urine bag? How do I do that? Do I need to wear gloves?

How often do I need to clean the urine bag or catheter? How do I do that?

What do I do if there is blood in my urine? If my urine is cloudy? If my urine has an odor?

If I use a leg bag, how often do I need to change it? How do I empty it when I am in a public bathroom?

What do I do if the catheter comes out or off?

What are the signs that I have a urine infection?