Hi UK, I'm glad to read your message and that you are doing well. Thank you for the kind words and I'm happy the video/s helped. There was no first-hand information out there at all when I was going through my health issue and dealing with a catheter. I knew I had to share whatever I learned to help others hopefully have an easier time. So to get a message like yours continues to confirm it was the right decision. Cheers, and wishing you and your loved ones great health. Tony

Hi @elaineen1 I'm so sorry for all that you have been through and my sincerest condolences for the loss of your wife. I can't imagine how difficult it has all been. Thank you for your kind words of support regarding the videos and I am so happy that you found them helpful. I don't have all the answers but it's been a great starting point for so many, as there was not much first-person information out there on how to live with a urinary catheter. I was as lost as the next person and had to learn so much on my own and although it was not easy to put myself out there on such a personal topic, when I get a comment like yours, it makes me happy that I did. I'm very glad to read that you are moving forward in a positive direction with your health, are catheter-free, and are healing. Cheers, Tony

@Mkarhoo Awwww man! Thank you for the kind words. I never get tired of knowing that the videos, I was so freakin scared to put out there, continue to help so many people. I've also taken it a step further and speak with people from around the world providing peer support. It's been amazing to share experiences and offer some insights. Ok so tell me whats going on with you? How're you doing? Sounds like you've been on quite a journey for a while. You can also email me your response if you prefer anonymity. Or maybe you don't want to talk about it and that's ok too. Cheers, and wishing you great health. Tony

⁠@@maletenance basically I had a urethral stricture which was misdiagnosed for atleast 2 years as “recurring kidney stones” by the hospital. Then they finally tried a flexible cystopsy when my symptoms (incomplete, painful, and overly frequent urination) continued after they kept telling me the “kidney stones” were apparently too small to see on the ultrasounds. The cystopsy failed because there was a urethral stricture. They then told me I would need a urethral dilatation which would “cure the structure for life”. I then had a urethral dilatation in January 2022 to fix the stricture. However a dilatation is only a temporary fix and I was told I had to intermittently self catheter once a week for the rest of my life to stop it coming back. This also scared me because as someone who has suffered hand injuries in the past due to martial arts(boxing and muay Thai) I was very worried about breaking my hands again and being unable to self-catheter. I then broke my hand in September 2022 and was unable to catheter myself. I went to ER and they said I could reduce my self catheterisation to once evry 2 weeks instead of the normal once a week. However this was terrible advice and once I reduced to once every 2 weeks it became harder and harder to self catheter. Then in summer 2023 my intermittent self catheterisation stopped working and they tried and failed another flexible cystopsy and they told me the stricture was back l. I urged them to give me a urethroplasty ASAP (which is a permanent fix for strictures and also doesn’t require self catheterisation afterwards) before my stricture worsened again. They then made me chase them up for the urethroplasty for 9 months until my symptoms became so bad that they would have to give me an emergency second urethral dilatation to stop my urethra from fully closing. I had my second dilatation 2 days ago and am getting the catheter they placed removed tommorow. I now finally have a full urethroplasty booked for 28th of May and will need a catheter for 2 weeks minimum, atleast if it goes well I will finally have a healthy urethra. But yeah I was also shocked at the lack of information and advice they gave me in regards to living with and solving problems to do with both the Foley catheters and also the intermittent self catheters I have had to use for the past 2 years. I found ur channel after my first surgery and it helped me a lot with living with the first Foley catheter that I had in place for the first 4 days. I then came back to ur channel on Tuesday because I currently have another Catheter in place and also because In the near future I will have to have a catheter for 2 weeks minimum after my uretrhoplasty which will be my longest time having one in so far. But again thanks for the vids keep up the good work, knowing u had to live with a catheter for months and were able to come out healthy and positive afterwards makes my situation seem a more manageable in comparison to what you have been through. Us viewers really appreciate ur channel because it’s the only place we can find someone with similar experiences and who can give us good advice aswell 💪🏽💪🏽

Holy @#$%! I don't have words for what you've been through! I would easily say that it's been as bad for you as it was for me having a catheter for months. Just the length of time you've been dealing with this is just terrible. My path had at least a straight miserable line to solving my incontinence. Man, you a tough! Man O Man, I hope very much that your planned procedure solves everything.

⁠@@maletenancethanks will do man👍🏽

I'm really glad that the videos helped. Cheers, and wishing you great health. Tony

Awww man!! Thats a real nice thing to say. I'm humbled to be a small part of your journey. How're you doin? You making out ok with this new reality? I hope so. It can be a lot to navigate and no one knows what you're going through unless they've been through it. Cheers. Tony

Hi, I'm pleased that the informational videos helped you out. It's not easy living with a catheter as you know full well, and it's only made worse that no practical information is provided by doctors/nurses/urologists. I'm sure you're thrilled to no longer have to deal with all. You have certainly had to deal with a lot. I missed the whole kidney stones part but the prostate enlargement and UTIs I know all about. I ended up having a prostatectomy. Would I do it again? Had I done what you suggested and educated myself to become more knowledgeable I might have taken a different path. It is what it is. I am curious, and if you wouldn't mind sharing, how much did your prostate shrink whilst doing the zinc, saw palmetto, raw garlic, etc mix? How big was your prostate and what was your PSA? This is great to know as it will help others. I have heard both positive and negative things and I would guess it's based on each individual's diagnosis. I don't know much about this path. I did the other way with prescription meds but unfortunately, it was in vain as my prostate had grown exponentially and irregular in shape. That led me, like you to the ER and my first encounter with a catheter. After six tries by nurses jabbing and poking me, the on-call urologist finally got it in on his first try. Over a liter came out. I never felt such relief but it was short-lived because the pain of the catheter took its place. It's been a journey and I'm peeing like a racehorse. I do hope you too will start to experience again the simple joy of urinating with a strong slow and effortless starting and stopping. Thank you for sharing. Cheers Tony

@@maletenance Yes, I had a 1.5 litres in me one time and I thought my brain was going to explode! I would say that the saw palmetto, zinc, and raw garlic made things go back pretty much to normal, but I would guess that 60% ~ 70% reduction in prostate size as I have not yet had another problem with regards to my prostate since Dec 2023. I tale 50 mg of zinc daily, 1000iu of vitamin D, 3600 mg of saw palmetto every second day (as it is a single capsule), and about 6 medium to large pieces of raw garlic (in a sandwich or wrap, or salad). I actually feel perfectly normal and my prostate is pretty good as well from my last ultrasound scan, other than the doctors don't really know what is causing the urinary retention problem. Flomax is just a waste of money and one doctor I visited said Flomax / Tamsulosin doesn't really work whatsoever. Raw garlic works better than anything b/c when the bladder starts to get full, the bladder pushes against the bowels which in turn causes one to crap every 30 minutes b/c as the bladder fills it needs to make more room and the only way it can do that is by forcing everything out of the bowels. This is why you feel you want to crap every 30 minutes if you have a urinary retention problem like myself. This in turn presses against the prostate and causes/irritates the prostate to swell or enlarge. As soon as I got home from emergency I just took 5 pieces of raw garlic in a cheese sandwich and what almost completely better by morning. The zinc will help replenish the zinc deficiency in the prostate which is the main reason why the prostate enlarges. Zinc is cheap and I've been taking the 50 mg of zinc daily for about 7 months and everything is back to normal. Zinc also boosts the immune system so that's an extra benefit as well. If you have blood in the rectal area, jst repeat the raw garlic trick 3X or 4X a day everyday for 4 or 5 days and everything will be back to normal. I've had that and the raw garlic did the trick and cured me completely. I'm not too sure about the saw palmetto but I'd rather try saw palmetto than take any doctor's advice. Why? I had to research the zinc supplements myself and found out that a enlarged prostate was due to a diet low in zinc (and I don't eat very much red meat). Raw garlic is good for people anyways as garlic also boosts the immune system and fights off cancers if the cancer is in its infancy to moderate stages. I do know this b/c back in my hometown in Sask. a farmer had prostate cancer and the local doctor also told him to eat as much raw garlic and he could stomach. Then after I moved to Calgary and began teaching the local janitor told me that his niece had breast cancer and the doctor also told her the same thing, eat as much raw garlic as she could stomach and come back for x-rays after three months. Sure enough after three months she came back for x-rays and her cancer was completely gone!

You are so welcome and now well prepared. You've got just a few more days and hopefully be done with it. Good luck with everything and wishing you great health. Tony

Hi Bryan, I'm really glad you found the videos helpful. I know exactly what you mean about jumping for joy and then peeing on yourself. Trust me you'll be jumping for joy again really soon. Funny story - After I got my catheter out and regained control of my bladder, every single time I took a pee I would look up and say thank you......I was never so grateful to go to the bathroom on my own. It's a blessing. Cheers, and wishing you and your loved ones great health. Tony

@rbmh You are not alone in your fear. Most of the men I speak to are scared. It is an anxiety-inducing situation. It's normal to fear the unknown but you can't let it consume you. I too had complete urine blockage...severe BPH. Nothing would void. I don't know if you watched my other videos about how I ended up with a catheter, as it goes into detail about my time in the ER. I trusted my doctor to get me back to urinating on my own. Hang in there.

@@maletenance Same here, Tony. I twice had that experience last year; standing in front of the toilet, feeling the need to go, and nothing, not a drop for 10 to 15 minutes. Glad to say the trips to the ER are over, my prostate is gone and 3 months after, my control is restored, urine flow is strong and complete. And as a plus, sex was worth the wait...clean, dry, and very enjoyable. It was your channel that helped the most; much better than the nurses that often contradicted each other and had not gone through it.

@@tomlynntigard Hi Tom, man oh man, you made me smile. It never gets old to know that I can help someone get through their health crisis even a little bit with the videos. It was so scary when I started my journey with a catheter and there was no first-person information and like you and so many others seamless info was not available. It is seriously the definition of insult to injury. Shameful actually. Anyhow, I knew I had to do something and I continue to be proud and humbled when I get a kind and generous comment like yours. I'm really really glad to hear you are successfully on the other side and enjoying life😉The no mess is a bonus right😆 I wonder if you might be so kind as to write a review expressing how the videos helped you that I could use on my website as a testimonial. I continue to provide peer support to those who are facing having to use a catheter and it would really help. You can email me at Tony.alcindor@Maletenance.com. If not, thats cool, and I wish you nothing but continued great health for you and your loved ones. Cheers Tony

Hi, thanks for reaching out and I'm glad the videos helped. I'm sorry you've had to deal with a catheter and have had issues. I definitely believe that kegel exercises can help. I should have started sooner because I would not have had to wear a diaper or use male pads for as long as I had to wake-up/strengthen those muscles after they had not been used for months. I guess it would be the same for any muscles we don't use....they get weaker and less functional....use it or lose it. There is a study from the Mayo Clinic that says as much that kegel exercises improve bladder control and possibly even sexual performance. What was your diagnosis that led to catheter use? Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions and you can always reach me to talk via my website. Cheers and wishing you well. Tony Mayo Clinic link about the benefits of kegel exercises: www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/kegel-exercises-for-men/art-20045074#:~:text=Kegel%20exercises%20for%20men%20can,to%20doing%20Kegel%20exercises%20correctly.

My diagnosis was confusing I had urine retention (about 52 oz. at the emergency room, also had Ecoli bacteria in my blood and brain (from contaminated well water). I had had urgency with my bladder for a few years. With further testing I had large bladder stones. Upon surgery the doctor said that my bladder has prolapsed under my prostrate. Been working on leg strength and core strength for almost 4 months now. I am experiencing rhabdo if I strain to increase my strength. Now I am working out with stretching bands light ones, drinking electrolytes, and drinking plenty of water. Hoping for things to improve for my new normal. Also, I am a diabetic of 35 years looking up for help 😊

Oh wow! You have a lot going on with your diagnosis. I had to look up rhabdo. I'm sorry that it's been so complicated. I'm glad you have the resources and are doing whatever you can to improve. All we can do when faced with challenges is try our best. Cheers, and keep looking up. Tony

It sounds like it could be bladder spasms, which can be very painful. These can come on at any time and without explanation. He should probably call his doctor who can prescribe a medication. The name escapes me but there is a particular medication for this issue. As for everything else....the bag filling without him realizing it is completely normal. I would also like to commend you for taking the time to reach out on behalf of your father....he is lucky to have you. Let me know how it goes and if you or he have any other questions please feel free to reach out here or Tony.Alcindor@Maletenance.com Wishing you both well. Tony

No apologies needed! Ask as many questions and I'll do my best based on my experience to help. Could there have been a kink in the tube? Did you place bag hanging from the bed or if it was on the bed was it well past your hips. I found sometimes that how I got in bed and positioned myself the catheter could get pressed up against the bladder wall which would block the small hole and urine could not pass. I would kinda have to get in bed by sitting down first and swinging my legs onto the bed to keep things straight/in-line. Also standing or wiggling a little would solve this problem for me and the flow would start again. Do you know if you have a latex or silicone catheter? Silicone may help as they have a wider lumen (port hole) for better drainage. They are a bit stiffer than latex which could cause bladder spasms so it's kind of trial and error. I hope some of this helps. If not please address this with your physician/urologist as soon as possible.

Okay thanks I hadnt tried standing up or wiggling I’m getting my current one removed today but I will definitely try that when I have my next catheter in May.

No thanks.