Having a normal flow is definitely a positive. It would seem to me (read: not doctor) that something got knicked during insertion and that it’s working on healing. However, having a lot of leaking even prior to the cathing seems like the underlying issue. Whatever is causing you to leak was likely aggravated by the catheter.
As far as sizes go, you’d be surprised what can fit in your penis. I remember when I was told they wanted to go up there on me, I didn’t think anything would fit. I was partially right because I had such a large stricture. The initial cystoscopy was painful because they didn’t think I had a stricture. When he was up there, he eyeballed it at a 9 French (3 mm) passing. After my DVIU, my doc fitted me with an 18 French (6 mm) Foley — not fun. I think the cystoscope is either 18 or 16.
When I was first shown how to cath myself, i had a panic attack. I never had one before, but that sure did it. But honestly, it turns out its not so bad. It’s a strange feeling that initially is felt as pain but I don’t think it truly is. It took me a good 10 minutes to insert it the first time (the nurse was getting irritated lol). But you get more comfortable with it and are able to do it faster; I think I got mine down to about 30 seconds after a while. One note, however. If I were to do it again, I’d go for the self-lubricating catheters. I get the impression that they have a better spread of lubrication on them and overall should make the process easier and safer. Also, never force it. If it can’t go forward, pull it back and try again, but do NOT try to push through as this can lead to more problems like strictures and false passages.
I am having the urethroplasty. It’s scheduled for 11/26 (cross your fingers on that day…). I definitely plan on updating the thread on my progress. Oddly enough, I take comfort in seeing old dead threads from others having the same procedure. They generally have the same tone, and then stop being updated (supposedly due to the individuals moving on with their live. that sounds wonderful.). I’d be more concerned if i saw a bunch of active threads of people years after their surgery complaining about it, but for the most part that doesn’t happen.
Spraying is a tell tale sign of something wrong down there. When I was little, I’d actually have two separate streams coming out going in different directions. You can guess this ended badly for me as it would get on the walls and my mother would be furious with me. Sadly, she never realized that it was a defect (and accused me of having terrible aim…) and so it continued to plague me. After my DVIU, I was actually able to stand to pee into a bowl again without fear of urinating outside the bowl. Recently, it has gotten back to the point it was before and I have to sit to pee.
Be strong and make the call. If something is wrong then you are doing yourself a favor by identifying it now rather than waiting for complications of it to arise or to worsen to the point where a solution now is no longer an option.