showering with new catheter?

[christine029]

WHAT ARE SOME TIPS YOU GUYS USE TO STILL TAKE SHOWERS WITH YOUR CATHETERS? FOR NOW IM COVERING IT WITH PLASTIC AND TRYING TO HOLD A TOWEL OVER IT....I CANT TAKE BATHS SO ANY TIPS WOULD BE USEFUL TO ME

[qwerty]

Several of the patients in my clinic use a cath cover and seem to like it very well. Most tell me thier insurance covers it. http://www.sdaproduct.com/CD-1000_Product_Composite_Dressing.htm  Someone may have a less expensive home remedy though.

[nursewratchet]

Christine, you should NEVER shower with a catheter, high risk of infection... That having been said, there are some dressings meant to cover them for showering.  Ask your nephrologist about it.  The dressing is very large, occlusive, and requires a prescription from the Doc.  Are you getting a permanent access?

[Rerun]

Just get the Press-n-Seal and put it over the area with 2 to 3 inches to spare.  Then get silk tape from the center and tape it really good.  Take a quick shower trying to avoid the area.  I did this for months and never got it wet.

[christine029]

thanks....i have those tegaderm plastic things that they gave me at the hospital and as i said i keep a towel over it....it has worked so far but ill try to take some baths in between i guess to lessen chance of it getting wet...

[qwerty]

The composite dressings I left link for are specifically made for the purpose of showering/bathing to protect your exit site. Many of my patients utilize them and they give me good feedback about them. You do need a script for them though.

[rookiegirl]

WHAT ARE SOME TIPS YOU GUYS USE TO STILL TAKE SHOWERS WITH YOUR CATHETERS? FOR NOW IM COVERING IT WITH PLASTIC AND TRYING TO HOLD A TOWEL OVER IT....I CANT TAKE BATHS SO ANY TIPS WOULD BE USEFUL TO ME

Are you on PD? Do you have a Tenckhoff catheter?

If so, I was told by my clinic not to shower or get my exit site wet for 5 months.  The only time the exit site was wet is when I did a dressing change using special sterile water/soap that the clinic gave me.  For 5 months I was only able to take sponge baths which I hated.  After 5 months, I was released to take showers and was told by my PD Nurses to uncover the site, shower as normal and clean the exit site using 2x2 gauze with anitbacterial liquid Dial soap.  When I get out of the shower, I dry the exit site with a clean dry 2x2 gauze and apply Gentamicin cream.  Talk to your Dr. or Dialysis Nurses and see what they recommend for you to do.  I know every clinic has their own set of rules as you will find out from others on this forum.

Good luck to you.
RG

[RightSide]

Are you referring to a hemodialysis catheter (the one in one's neck)?

For that purpose, I  bought a Korshield, which is claimed to allow you to shower with a hemodialysis catheter.  But I don't go that far with it.  I just use it to shampoo my hair and then rinse my hair underneath a running faucet.  It's basically a cape with a tight rubber seal around your neck.

http://www.korshield.com/

And for that at least, it works fine.  The catheter and bandage never get any water on them, even though my whole head is stuck underneath the running faucet rinsing off the shampoo from my hair.

[monrein]

http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=8875.msg145355#msg145355


Pelagia's husband used the korshield and a baggy, which I wish I had known about at the start of my permacaths.  I hate the caths and was so glad when my fistula matured.  Be very very careful though because that cath goes right into the heart (if we're talking hemo catheter here) and an infection is simply NOT worth it.   Don't get too confident with the showering. 

[nursewratchet]

Monrein is right.  Aninfection from the cath can lead to the heart, and then to brain.  Deadly... Be careful, don't mean to get on a soapbox

[RightSide]

I do not shower with the Korshield.  To wash my body, I just sit in a tub of shallow water (barely covers my legs), and sponge bathe my body around. 

After that, it's out of the tub, put the Korshield on over my head, rub some shampoo into my hair, and rinse off under the kitchen faucet.

It was worth getting a Korshield just for that purpose.  I live alone; I don't have anyone who can help me shampoo my hair and wash my head without getting my hemodialysis catheter wet.  I was getting sick and tired of the contortions I had to go through with towels and even wearing a raincoat!

But with the Korshield, I can shampoo my hair and wash my head in just a few minutes.  By myself.  Without getting the catheter wet.  But the kitchen floor sure gets wet though!   

[cherpep]

Do you have a hand-held shower wand?  If not - get one asap.  I always washed my hair outside of the tub - like in the sink.  To wash myself, I had the tagaderm on, threw a towel over my shoulder to cover the area, and used the hand-held to wash my body, never putting that part of my body near the water.

[G-Ma]

I did use the Korshield although it was like wearing a tent...ugh... 

[kellyt]

My suggestion is get a shower partner (hubba, hubba) and let him hold the press-n-seal over your catheter, along with a dry towel.  That should do the trick!!!    

[G-Ma]

ummm...no, didn't work....   

[Jess21]

My suggestion is get a shower partner (hubba, hubba) and let him hold the press-n-seal over your catheter, along with a dry towel.  That should do the trick!!!    

 
I had a cath for 7 months, and during that time I'd take baths and then have my mom help wash my hair in the sink w/ a towel over my cath site. (and I'm 6'2".  If I can do it, so can you!)  I'm so asymptomatic that I couldn't risk getting an infection!
Tegaderm may work but I'd be careful..it may leak!  I'm using tegaderm on my arm next week for a surgery I'm scrubbing in for at my school...we'll see how it works!

[shelfox]

I put a surgical glove over my two hanging down things and then use a huge waterproof Tagaderm bandage over all of it.  I get them at CVS for 4.99 I make sure it is sealed really well.  Therefore, no part of my catheter gets wet.  A little expensive to take a shower...but SO WORTH IT!  Of course, I don't let the water beat down on it constantly, but it is sure nice to take a shower and let the water beat on my back! 

[kellyt]

I put a surgical glove over my two hanging down things and then use a huge waterproof Tagaderm bandage over all of it.  I get them at CVS for 4.99 I make sure it is sealed really well.  Therefore, no part of my catheter gets wet.  A little expensive to take a shower...but SO WORTH IT!  Of course, I don't let the water beat down on it constantly, but it is sure nice to take a shower and let the water beat on my back! 

I don't even want to know... 

[kidney4traci]

I agree, a removeable shower head is great, that and the taga patches.  BE CAREFUL!!!  Do not get lax, not even once.  I was so happy to get my first real shower!!  I still remember that!

[RightSide]

I put a surgical glove over my two hanging down things and then use a huge waterproof Tagaderm bandage over all of it.  I get them at CVS for 4.99 I make sure it is sealed really well.  Therefore, no part of my catheter gets wet.  A little expensive to take a shower...but SO WORTH IT!  Of course, I don't let the water beat down on it constantly, but it is sure nice to take a shower and let the water beat on my back! 

Don't you have a (smaller) bandage covering the catheter site at all times?  If so, then when you pull the Tegaderm bandage off, doesn't it pull the catheter site bandage off as well?  If so, do you replace it yourself?

The bandages that my dialysis nurses put on my catheter site aren't very strong.  I'm sure that the Tegaderm's glue would pull them right off my catheter site.

[Jess21]

Don't you have a (smaller) bandage covering the catheter site at all times?  If so, then when you pull the Tegaderm bandage off, doesn't it pull the catheter site bandage off as well?  If so, do you replace it yourself?

The bandages that my dialysis nurses put on my catheter site aren't very strong.  I'm sure that the Tegaderm's glue would pull them right off my catheter site.

Nope.  The middle of the Tegaderm patch isn't sticky, so as long as you have a big enough patch, it's fine.

[paul.karen]

 

Ok im confused.

One cath is in the neck and the other is below the belly button right?

When i start PD i will have an access point below my bellybuton and to the side from what i understand.

Are we saying neither of these can get wet?  or just the one in the neck.
And for the PD cath in the belly.  How long do you have to keep this dry?  And i hear you can swim in pools or the ocean but not in lakes.  Am i on the right path here?  Anyone

[HSM]

I used to stand out of the water and thought using a sponge was helpful. I was really cautious though so even with good dressings on I wouldn't stand in the water. I'd advise anyone to do the same, I had the lines for 8 months with no infections, so I guess my methods worked.

[nursewratchet]

Paul,  they are talking about the one in the neck.  You are NEVER supposed to shower with that.  It leads right to the heart, and is a huge source of infection, which can lead to an infection of the brain.  Very dangerous to shower, or swim with a neck catheter. 

[BRANDY]

    I am looking at neck cath in near future   I maybe jumping the gun but Im 16% now and no fistula  so it seems i may get one.My question is after fistula is matured to use how long is it till I can get rid of cath in neck.Also is a fistula bad about clotting up?