RE: I would be so grateful for some practical advice.

[Guest guest]

Dear Colette,

We went through a similar problem with my dad after my mom torn her rotator

cuff in both shoulders trying to take care of my dad during late stage PSP.

We found her could use a Texas catheter much easier that a common one, but

it does cause infections if the patient is not properly cleaned after using

the TC over night. Urine the may collect next to the patient can cause

irritation and sores if left on too long. Dad had a problem with it at

first, but he got more and more comfortable later.

Rick

New Mexico

I would be so grateful for some practical advice.

I am in bad of need of some advice. My father, age 76, has been diagnosed

with Pure Autonomic Failure, but, as of August of this year, has declined

rapidly. He went from walking on his own, although swaying at times, to not

being able to walk even assisted for more than 5 feet without sitting down.

His legs are numb and his inability to walk and his confusion has been

heartbreaking. He is getting visibily worse every day and is totally

confused. (For example, last night, I told him that I had placed a chair

behind him to sit, when it loked like his legs weren't holding him any

longer, and he asked, " What does 'behind me' mean? " )

My most pressing question is this: At night, he has to get up to urinate

about 8 to 10 times. My mother, who is his caretaker (and unfortunately a

fastidious housekeeper), is totally frazzled and stressed and the sleep

deprivation is making her very tense and depressed. My father is wetting

the bed several times a night (requiring a change of sheets) and is so

confused that he can't even use a urinal or a bedside commode. Even with my

mother helping him to walk, he does not always make it to the bathroom.

Depends do not seem to work either. I have heard of self-catheterization,

but don't know much about it.

He takes detrol long-acting in the evening but it does not seem to do much.

He also takes prozac and proamatine during the day at 4-hour intervals. He

is not given much to drink before bed and the head of the bed is elevated

about 5 inches.

What do MSA patients (more and more, it looks like my father has MSA) do at

night for urinary incontinence, urgency, and frequency?

This support group is a wonderfully special group made up of warm, caring,

and altogether outstanding people. I have learned a lot since I joined a

few weeks ago and appreciate everyone's support and strength of spirit when

it sometimes feels like we can barely make it to the next hour.

Colette (from D.C.)

If you do not wish to belong to shydrager, you may

unsubscribe by sending a blank email to

shydrager-unsubscribe

[Guest guest]

Dear Colette,

We went through a similar problem with my dad after my mom torn her rotator

cuff in both shoulders trying to take care of my dad during late stage PSP.

We found her could use a Texas catheter much easier that a common one, but

it does cause infections if the patient is not properly cleaned after using

the TC over night. Urine the may collect next to the patient can cause

irritation and sores if left on too long. Dad had a problem with it at

first, but he got more and more comfortable later.

Rick

New Mexico

I would be so grateful for some practical advice.

I am in bad of need of some advice. My father, age 76, has been diagnosed

with Pure Autonomic Failure, but, as of August of this year, has declined

rapidly. He went from walking on his own, although swaying at times, to not

being able to walk even assisted for more than 5 feet without sitting down.

His legs are numb and his inability to walk and his confusion has been

heartbreaking. He is getting visibily worse every day and is totally

confused. (For example, last night, I told him that I had placed a chair

behind him to sit, when it loked like his legs weren't holding him any

longer, and he asked, " What does 'behind me' mean? " )

My most pressing question is this: At night, he has to get up to urinate

about 8 to 10 times. My mother, who is his caretaker (and unfortunately a

fastidious housekeeper), is totally frazzled and stressed and the sleep

deprivation is making her very tense and depressed. My father is wetting

the bed several times a night (requiring a change of sheets) and is so

confused that he can't even use a urinal or a bedside commode. Even with my

mother helping him to walk, he does not always make it to the bathroom.

Depends do not seem to work either. I have heard of self-catheterization,

but don't know much about it.

He takes detrol long-acting in the evening but it does not seem to do much.

He also takes prozac and proamatine during the day at 4-hour intervals. He

is not given much to drink before bed and the head of the bed is elevated

about 5 inches.

What do MSA patients (more and more, it looks like my father has MSA) do at

night for urinary incontinence, urgency, and frequency?

This support group is a wonderfully special group made up of warm, caring,

and altogether outstanding people. I have learned a lot since I joined a

few weeks ago and appreciate everyone's support and strength of spirit when

it sometimes feels like we can barely make it to the next hour.

Colette (from D.C.)

If you do not wish to belong to shydrager, you may

unsubscribe by sending a blank email to

shydrager-unsubscribe

[Guest guest]

Thank you, Rick, for your helpful e-mail. Where does one purchase a Texas

catheter?

---Colette (from DC)

[Guest guest]

Thank you, Rick, for your helpful e-mail. Where does one purchase a Texas

catheter?

---Colette (from DC)

[Guest guest]

Hello Colette: Try a condom catheter for your father at night. It may

take a night or two for him to become used to it--that is, just to go ahead

and urinate instead of trying to get up, but it works well, and is easy to

use--get the self-stick kind of condoms, and will save your mother an

enormous amount of time and make things easy and DRY at night. We got

started with a referral from a urologist==the medicare nurse arrived the

next day with supplies, and now I call up a supplier each month and they

are quickly mailed out at no cost to us. I imagine another doctor could

make the same referral for you. It's a blessing. Like many illnesses, this

is a tough one, but there are many suggestions and solutions given by this

very competent group. I have gotten so much help from everyone. Good

luck. Lou Reynolds At 11:43 AM 10/28/2002 -0500, you wrote:

>I am in bad of need of some advice. My father, age 76, has been diagnosed

>with Pure Autonomic Failure, but, as of August of this year, has declined

>rapidly. He went from walking on his own, although swaying at times, to

>not being able to walk even assisted for more than 5 feet without sitting

>down. His legs are numb and his inability to walk and his confusion has

>been heartbreaking. He is getting visibily worse every day and is totally

>confused. (For example, last night, I told him that I had placed a chair

>behind him to sit, when it loked like his legs weren't holding him any

>longer, and he asked, " What does 'behind me' mean? " )

>

>My most pressing question is this: At night, he has to get up to urinate

>about 8 to 10 times. My mother, who is his caretaker (and unfortunately a

>fastidious housekeeper), is totally frazzled and stressed and the sleep

>deprivation is making her very tense and depressed. My father is wetting

>the bed several times a night (requiring a change of sheets) and is so

>confused that he can't even use a urinal or a bedside commode. Even with

>my mother helping him to walk, he does not always make it to the

>bathroom. Depends do not seem to work either. I have heard of

>self-catheterization, but don't know much about it.

>

>He takes detrol long-acting in the evening but it does not seem to do

>much. He also takes prozac and proamatine during the day at 4-hour

>intervals. He is not given much to drink before bed and the head of the

>bed is elevated about 5 inches.

>

>What do MSA patients (more and more, it looks like my father has MSA) do

>at night for urinary incontinence, urgency, and frequency?

>

>This support group is a wonderfully special group made up of warm, caring,

>and altogether outstanding people. I have learned a lot since I joined a

>few weeks ago and appreciate everyone's support and strength of spirit

>when it sometimes feels like we can barely make it to the next hour.

>

>Colette (from D.C.)

>

>If you do not wish to belong to shydrager, you may

>unsubscribe by sending a blank email to

>

>shydrager-unsubscribe

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hello Colette: Try a condom catheter for your father at night. It may

take a night or two for him to become used to it--that is, just to go ahead

and urinate instead of trying to get up, but it works well, and is easy to

use--get the self-stick kind of condoms, and will save your mother an

enormous amount of time and make things easy and DRY at night. We got

started with a referral from a urologist==the medicare nurse arrived the

next day with supplies, and now I call up a supplier each month and they

are quickly mailed out at no cost to us. I imagine another doctor could

make the same referral for you. It's a blessing. Like many illnesses, this

is a tough one, but there are many suggestions and solutions given by this

very competent group. I have gotten so much help from everyone. Good

luck. Lou Reynolds At 11:43 AM 10/28/2002 -0500, you wrote:

>I am in bad of need of some advice. My father, age 76, has been diagnosed

>with Pure Autonomic Failure, but, as of August of this year, has declined

>rapidly. He went from walking on his own, although swaying at times, to

>not being able to walk even assisted for more than 5 feet without sitting

>down. His legs are numb and his inability to walk and his confusion has

>been heartbreaking. He is getting visibily worse every day and is totally

>confused. (For example, last night, I told him that I had placed a chair

>behind him to sit, when it loked like his legs weren't holding him any

>longer, and he asked, " What does 'behind me' mean? " )

>

>My most pressing question is this: At night, he has to get up to urinate

>about 8 to 10 times. My mother, who is his caretaker (and unfortunately a

>fastidious housekeeper), is totally frazzled and stressed and the sleep

>deprivation is making her very tense and depressed. My father is wetting

>the bed several times a night (requiring a change of sheets) and is so

>confused that he can't even use a urinal or a bedside commode. Even with

>my mother helping him to walk, he does not always make it to the

>bathroom. Depends do not seem to work either. I have heard of

>self-catheterization, but don't know much about it.

>

>He takes detrol long-acting in the evening but it does not seem to do

>much. He also takes prozac and proamatine during the day at 4-hour

>intervals. He is not given much to drink before bed and the head of the

>bed is elevated about 5 inches.

>

>What do MSA patients (more and more, it looks like my father has MSA) do

>at night for urinary incontinence, urgency, and frequency?

>

>This support group is a wonderfully special group made up of warm, caring,

>and altogether outstanding people. I have learned a lot since I joined a

>few weeks ago and appreciate everyone's support and strength of spirit

>when it sometimes feels like we can barely make it to the next hour.

>

>Colette (from D.C.)

>

>If you do not wish to belong to shydrager, you may

>unsubscribe by sending a blank email to

>

>shydrager-unsubscribe

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Most medical supply stores carry this form of catheter. It is essentially a

condom like sleeve of latex open ended to attach a drain to a collection

bag. The is a Velcro strap that will hold the condom in place if your father

moves around alot in his sleep. dad didn't have that problem, it was hard to

roll over at all. We came across this from glider pilots who would fly for

hours and couldn't use a bottle because of the tight cockpit area.

Good luck with your father.

Rick

RE: I would be so grateful for some practical advice.

Thank you, Rick, for your helpful e-mail. Where does one purchase a Texas

catheter?

---Colette (from DC)

If you do not wish to belong to shydrager, you may

unsubscribe by sending a blank email to

shydrager-unsubscribe

[Guest guest]

Most medical supply stores carry this form of catheter. It is essentially a

condom like sleeve of latex open ended to attach a drain to a collection

bag. The is a Velcro strap that will hold the condom in place if your father

moves around alot in his sleep. dad didn't have that problem, it was hard to

roll over at all. We came across this from glider pilots who would fly for

hours and couldn't use a bottle because of the tight cockpit area.

Good luck with your father.

Rick

RE: I would be so grateful for some practical advice.

Thank you, Rick, for your helpful e-mail. Where does one purchase a Texas

catheter?

---Colette (from DC)

If you do not wish to belong to shydrager, you may

unsubscribe by sending a blank email to

shydrager-unsubscribe

[Guest guest]

You can also get good " blue pads " for the patient to sleep on that saves

wear and tear on the sheets. Mecical supplie stores should have them, I

ordered from MOMs cataloge. Or you can get plastic backed ones at any drug

store.

Ginger

I would be so grateful for some practical advice.

> I am in bad of need of some advice. My father, age 76, has been diagnosed

with Pure Autonomic Failure, but, as of August of this year, has declined

rapidly. He went from walking on his own, although swaying at times, to not

being able to walk even assisted for more than 5 feet without sitting down.

His legs are numb and his inability to walk and his confusion has been

heartbreaking. He is getting visibily worse every day and is totally

confused. (For example, last night, I told him that I had placed a chair

behind him to sit, when it loked like his legs weren't holding him any

longer, and he asked, " What does 'behind me' mean? " )

>

> My most pressing question is this: At night, he has to get up to urinate

about 8 to 10 times. My mother, who is his caretaker (and unfortunately a

fastidious housekeeper), is totally frazzled and stressed and the sleep

deprivation is making her very tense and depressed. My father is wetting

the bed several times a night (requiring a change of sheets) and is so

confused that he can't even use a urinal or a bedside commode. Even with my

mother helping him to walk, he does not always make it to the bathroom.

Depends do not seem to work either. I have heard of self-catheterization,

but don't know much about it.

>

> He takes detrol long-acting in the evening but it does not seem to do

much. He also takes prozac and proamatine during the day at 4-hour

intervals. He is not given much to drink before bed and the head of the bed

is elevated about 5 inches.

>

> What do MSA patients (more and more, it looks like my father has MSA) do

at night for urinary incontinence, urgency, and frequency?

>

> This support group is a wonderfully special group made up of warm, caring,

and altogether outstanding people. I have learned a lot since I joined a

few weeks ago and appreciate everyone's support and strength of spirit when

it sometimes feels like we can barely make it to the next hour.

>

> Colette (from D.C.)

>

> If you do not wish to belong to shydrager, you may

> unsubscribe by sending a blank email to

>

> shydrager-unsubscribe

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

You can also get good " blue pads " for the patient to sleep on that saves

wear and tear on the sheets. Mecical supplie stores should have them, I

ordered from MOMs cataloge. Or you can get plastic backed ones at any drug

store.

Ginger

I would be so grateful for some practical advice.

> I am in bad of need of some advice. My father, age 76, has been diagnosed

with Pure Autonomic Failure, but, as of August of this year, has declined

rapidly. He went from walking on his own, although swaying at times, to not

being able to walk even assisted for more than 5 feet without sitting down.

His legs are numb and his inability to walk and his confusion has been

heartbreaking. He is getting visibily worse every day and is totally

confused. (For example, last night, I told him that I had placed a chair

behind him to sit, when it loked like his legs weren't holding him any

longer, and he asked, " What does 'behind me' mean? " )

>

> My most pressing question is this: At night, he has to get up to urinate

about 8 to 10 times. My mother, who is his caretaker (and unfortunately a

fastidious housekeeper), is totally frazzled and stressed and the sleep

deprivation is making her very tense and depressed. My father is wetting

the bed several times a night (requiring a change of sheets) and is so

confused that he can't even use a urinal or a bedside commode. Even with my

mother helping him to walk, he does not always make it to the bathroom.

Depends do not seem to work either. I have heard of self-catheterization,

but don't know much about it.

>

> He takes detrol long-acting in the evening but it does not seem to do

much. He also takes prozac and proamatine during the day at 4-hour

intervals. He is not given much to drink before bed and the head of the bed

is elevated about 5 inches.

>

> What do MSA patients (more and more, it looks like my father has MSA) do

at night for urinary incontinence, urgency, and frequency?

>

> This support group is a wonderfully special group made up of warm, caring,

and altogether outstanding people. I have learned a lot since I joined a

few weeks ago and appreciate everyone's support and strength of spirit when

it sometimes feels like we can barely make it to the next hour.

>

> Colette (from D.C.)

>

> If you do not wish to belong to shydrager, you may

> unsubscribe by sending a blank email to

>

> shydrager-unsubscribe

>

>

>

>

>