Continence care for bladder issues

Many people living with MS experience changes in bladder function, making continence management an important part of maintaining comfort and confidence in daily life. Understanding the options available to you can help you prepare for consultations with your doctor and find a solution that supports your independence and overall well-being.

 
Some people who experience bladder problems as a part of their MS may find their doctor prescribes single use catheters. This page is designed to give an overview of the features catheters have, helping you to get acquainted with the products and choices available, so you can find the solution that feels right for you. Here, you will also hear what certain catheter features mean for other people living with MS.

An intermittent catheter is a flexible tube that you insert into the bladder through the urethra to drain urine and then remove immediately after use. It’s designed for people who cannot empty their bladder completely on their own, allowing them to manage bladder function throughout the day.

“Using the ready-to-use, intermittent catheters was like being reborn. I could go to the bathroom normally again.” 

The design of our Luja catheters differs to other conventional, eyelet catheters. It features the unique Micro-hole Zone Technology, which enables complete bladder emptying in one position without the need to reposition the catheter during bladder drainage.^2,3 For you, this means a simpler emptying technique compared to conventional eyelet catheters.

For further information about Luja female and Luja male, click the link below: 

Here is what complete bladder emptying means for Elisa:

"With Luja™ female, I just insert the catheter and the urine starts to flow constantly. And when it finishes, I know my bladder is empty.“

Andrea uses Luja male. He says:

“What makes Luja fantastic is that you put it in, and you’re done – without lots of repositioning.” 

Some people prefer to keep their bladder management private, making discretion an important part of choosing and using catheters in their everyday. The size, look, and shape of the product you choose can all have an influence over how discrete your solution feels to you. Coloplast’s catheters are designed with discretion in mind.

Elisa is aware the size of her catheters can make a difference to her. She uses Luja female and explains: 

"With Luja™ female, I don’t have the mental concern about carrying my catheter with me, because it fits into my bag."

Reach out to a Coloplast Care Advisor if you have specific questions about a catheter product.

All Luja and SpeediCath® catheters are coated with a hydrophilic coating, which makes them instantly ready to use, straight out of the packaging. If you are just starting out with catheters, a pre-coated catheter can help to simplify the process and can make them easy to use. 

Elisa says: "Luja™ female makes my intermittent self-catheterisation routine easier because it’s ready to use, which is so important."

It is always important that you catheterise hygienically. You should not touch the part of the catheter that is to be inserted into your bladder, as this can introduce bacteria into your urinary tract and may lead to a urinary tract infection.

Luja is designed with this in mind. Due to its no-touch protective sleeve, Luja male is easy to handle and aim the catheter at the urethral opening. Luja female is also designed for non-touch handling⁵ so you can catheterise hygienically.

Our SpeediCath catheters are also designed with easy no-touch insertion.

Some people with MS experience changes in hand strength or coordination, which may complicate the process of catheterising. It is good to think about what is manageable for you, and what can be done to make your routine work best for your individual level of mobility and dexterity.

 Men with reduced hand dexterity find it easy to learn how to use Luja male⁶ and 88% of female users find it easy to handle Luja female during insertion.³

Some catheters come with collecting bags. Collecting bags offer versatility by giving catheter users a product that covers the entire catheterisation process—whether they’re at home, out and about, or managing different activity levels throughout the day.

Michael likes to sometimes catheterise with a collection bag. He explains:

"I use SpeediCath Flex Set with the collection bag when I don’t have access to a toilet. The big advantage with that catheter is that I only need a room, a stool, or somewhere I can be alone for a little while. It’s resealable, and I can just dispose of it when I walk past a rubbish bin. It’s very handy."

 Our catheters that support collections bags are:

•  Speedicath Compact Set (for men and for women)
•  Speedicath Compact Flex Set (for men and for women)

For further information about our catheter options, reach out to a Coloplast Care Advisor who can guide you.

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