Showering with a chest catheter??

[hillary]

 
Been a while since I've posted.  My prospective transplant people turned out not to be suitable for one reason or another.  Have been unable to get a fistula or graft after 4 failed attempts. Trying another surgeon next week, but not very confident after all the failures.... my arteries are very bad. So anyway, I've now had a chest cath since July and I've had to have it changed 3 times already..... I absolutely hate it and I hate not being able to shower.  I've tried bagging it up and covering the upper bandages with tegaderm or opsite but everything usually comes right off in the shower.  Sponge baths are just NOT FOR ME, and neither is trying to wash my hair in the kitchen sink.
Has anyone tried any of the catheter protectors out there, or has anyone come up with a good way to protect your cath and be able to enjoy a shower once in a while?  Any advice would be appreciated - but please dont tell me to go get a fistula or graft because believe me, I have tried.

[frankswife]

We bought the ones that  go over the shoulder and cover everything. They have a little pouch that the catheter goes in. I stupidly ordered them from a pamphlet the SW gave me and paid $53 for 12. They are half the price on Amazon. They didnt stick all that well but it may be that my husband is hairy! lol

[Henry P Snicklesnorter]

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[hillary]

Here in the states you would not believe the fuss they make about showering.  They came right out and told me that if any water, even a drop gets in anywhere, I will get an infection that can kill me. They have me so damned paranoid.  I did find some catheter covers online though, that I will try.

[Simon Dog]

www.korshield.com - great product, great customer support.  You need to exercise a bit of care, but when I was on the cath I often went directly from the shower to clinic and never received a complaint about damp bandages.

[hillary]

I saw that shield thing online but to me it looks ridiculous.  I want to clean myself in the shower, not cover up my entire upper body with a poncho. Don't see the point.

[Simon Dog]

I saw that shield thing online but to me it looks ridiculous.  I want to clean myself in the shower, not cover up my entire upper body with a poncho. Don't see the point.

Yes, it looks goofy, but it works.    If you are intent on making a fashion statement in the shower, keep looking - otherwise, you may find it worth considering.  Kept my cath dry until I switched to a fistula.

[Henry P Snicklesnorter]

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[jeannea]

I always used Glad Press n Seal (not regular saran wrap). I covered the area plus a little extra with the plastic wrap. Then I used a hand held shower attachment and strategically aimed it. For my hair I would face the shower water and lean over so that I washed my hair more upside down. Clean hair with a safe catheter. It's never the same as just standing under running water but safety is important.

[Tío Riñon]

I haven't used this product, but it claims to be suitable for people with catheters.  It is called Seal-Shield and they have various products for people to shower with injuries and/or medical appliances.  What I like about this product so far is that it is available at some local retailers.  I have a relative who has asked about showering with a catheter and have suggested this item.

I'll let you know if he tries it out and what the opinion is.  However, if you want to check it out yourself, here is the URL:
http://www.seal-tight.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=26

[Weggy]

I used shower shields when I had my hickman line.

http://www.showershield.net/about_shower_shield.html

I think I used the 7x7 or the 9x9. Can't fully remember as it has been over a year. It worked well, but you couldn't let water directly run over it (water running off your head is fine).

Only advice is to clean the area where you are going to stick it to first and then dry it really well. It will help it stick to you. You can find them at walmart, but there are only a couple of the large ones in the box. I ordered them online from ebay in bulk packs and it ran $1 per shield. Expensive, but I felt it was worth to shower everyday.

[dialysis.sucks]

I've heard I can never take a shower from dialysis "experts" for the past seven years... I take one every day. And at least once a week I also hit the hot tub with friends at their place, though I never go fully submerged. Some Glad Press N' Seal and clear water resistant tape has always got the job done. Admittedly I never take direct blast to the catheter area, but every once in awhile that'll happen. Especially when washing your hair. At, maybe, .20 cents a shower it sure is a cheap and effective alternative.

[blondie1746]

I agree with everyone about using water-proof bandages on a catheter.  I had a Hickman catheter last year for my stem cell transplant.  Had it in for 5-6 weeks.  My dialysis nurse gave me a bunch of them.  Worked great!  I had tried the Saran Wrap, or press and seal.  Didn't keep it dry. But the bandages (similar to the previous 2 posts links) worked.  While I was in the hospital, I had to shower every day.  Every morning the CNA would come in and offer to "wrap" me before my shower.  I kept telling them I had water-proof bandages, and I was fine.  They eventually quit asking.  During this time, I had 2 catheters, one for hemo and one for the stem cell transplant and for all blood draws and IV stuff.  Can't imagine not being able to shower easily.  I highly recommend these types of bandages!

[komomai]

Strange but my hospital and my doctor located in Okinawa Japan told me I could shower everyday.  I have a tunnel catheter since August, it was explained to me to soap up my hands and gently wash the catheter tube, rise off and blow dry using cool settings, then apply gauze to both connector ends and exit site.

So when I read on the Internet that you're not supposed to get it wet, it confuses the hell out of me.  I don't want another infection, that's how II lost my PD tube.

[pdpatty]

press and seal plastic wrap. lots of water proof tape.  tear strip little wider than area to cover ,put sticky side on skin, tape top and sides. I always placed a second covering over first ,tape down.    had cath 1 1/2ears and had no problems.

[kporter85db]

I've had a chest cath for two months now and I shower almost every day. I use 4x4 tegaderm with a 2x2 gauze underneath and shower normally except to take care not to let water run up the bottom of the tegaderm where the catheter sticks out.

I've had no problems staying dry.

[Simon Dog]

www.korshield.com works wonderfully, though you still need to be careful not go get water under the shield.

[bansix]

I used mini snack bags. turn side ways, cut a slit a quarter way down to slide the cath into, and tape around it on my chest.
It had to be a secret, the nurses would yell at me.
I don't see how the korshield will protect you if you wanna wash your arm pits.

[Simon Dog]

I don't see how the korshield will protect you if you wanna wash your arm pits.

I reached under with a wet washcloth - no holding the pit up to the face of the shower head.

[Mr Pink]

Showering with a chest catheter... it sucks.

[RenalSurvivorDotCA]

I used mini snack bags. turn side ways, cut a slit a quarter way down to slide the cath into, and tape around it on my chest.
It had to be a secret, the nurses would yell at me.
I don't see how the korshield will protect you if you wanna wash your arm pits.

I used to do that too. Snack sized ziplock baggie over the cath tip. Tape over that. My site was covered by two orange Smith&Nephew IV3000* one downward and one upward, sandwiching the cath between. Stayed sealed through 3-4 days of showering. I now have a fistula and am loving worryfree showering and swimming too!

[pdpatty]

i used lots of PressNSeal plastic wrap and water proof tape when I had my cath. Had it for 1 1/2years and showered and washed hair in shower.  Must be taped on all 4 sides and then covered with second layer for added protection. Never once was wet.

[carson]

i shower almost every day with nothing to protect my line. Even when I was on PD I did the same without an infection. I have been on some form of dialysis for 17 years now. It was explained to me that the dacron cuff creates a seal so the water can't get in too far, just don't turn the water on to the exit site directly. Now I'm not suggesting anyone try this but there isn't the fuss about showering where I live

[pdabel01]

With Cath Dry you can safely shower and swim with your hemodialysis catheter. That's with a greater than 75% reduction in risk of infection.

www.cathdry.com

[Simon Dog]

With Cath Dry you can safely shower and swim with your hemodialysis catheter. That's with a greater than 75% reduction in risk of infection.

www.cathdry.com

$80 per month adds up though