Hi Gerald,
After years of using briefs and external catheters to control my urge incontincey, I finally was able to convince my urologist to insert a Foley. The first day I cried of happiness because I was finally liberated from diapers and external catheters which never provided the protection I needed. Everyday was a challenge and almost always an accident. I don’t have a spinal injury, but untreated UTI’s (uretheal scarring) and increased loss of muscle control has caused my urinary incontinence. Prior to the Foley I was self-cath to help with the urge and to reduce the UTIs. Worked okay, but just added another procedure to wearing briefs and an external catheter. Medication to control the urges doesn’t work well with my bi-polar meds. The urologist suggested I have surgery to remove the scar tissue to help voiding, but that just means I’ll still have urge incontinance. I don’t see the benefit of surgery when my life has changed for the better. I don’t want to go back, to wearing briefs, self-cath, and using an external cath just because I may not have as many accidents. I want to keep my Foley for the rest of my life (61 years old). Am I crazy for thinking this way?