There are a lot of activities in life that people take for granted. Until you are faced with living with a catheter. Suddenly the mundane things you used to do without a second thought become a real challenge.
Something as simple as going for a swim needs to be planned out and carefully orchestrated. It can really take away a lot of life’s little pleasures. But, only if you allow that to happen. The reality is that even with a lot of challenges, you can enjoy your life as you used to when you have an external catheter.
In this article, we will give you some pointers on how to get the most out of life when you have to use an external catheter.
Exercise
You can still go to the gym and even play some sports when you are wearing a condom catheter. It just takes some planning. Make sure that your bag is empty before exercising to make sure that it is not too heavy and will actually stay in place when you are moving around.
There are items that you can wear that will hold the bag in place and up against your skin so that it doesn’t move around too much. This allows you to do things like go golfing or for walks and even work out at the gym.
You should definitely make sure that you are keeping your lines and bag very clean and disinfected when going to the gym since there are a lot of germs and fungi there that can cause an infection. Follow your doctor’s instructions on keeping the equipment maintained and safe to use to avoid any complications from going to the gym.
Sex
Intimacy usually suffers when somebody has incontinence issues, but it shouldn’t limit you at all. Even when using a catheter, it is possible to still have sex and maintain an intimate relationship with your loved one.
It does take a bit of planning, however. Though intimacy needn’t be sacrificed, oftentimes spontaneity is. You’ll need to have a valve for the bag to close it when removing it for any period of time so it doesn’t leak out.
Make sure that you empty your bladder as completely as possible before closing up the bag and getting intimate to avoid any accidents during sex. We recommend using men’s liberty external catheter, It’s very effective and keeps men dry & comfortable, so you won’t have to worry while you are exercising.
As far as post sex routines, you may want to consider a bladder washout to make sure that there isn’t any blockage of your urethra that may cause problems when you put the catheter back on. And then, it is very important to make sure that everything has been cleaned and is hygienic to avoid an infection caused by the catheter.
Travel
When traveling, you simply have to maintain your typical maintenance routine to ensure there are no problems. Keep your bag emptied a bit more often when you have the opportunity when on the road so you don’t face a situation in which the bag is full and you are not near a facility.
