How long until I can pee on my own?

I had my surgery at 10:00 yesterday. I sat in recovery until 5:00pm waiting to pee but couldnt. Finally I was sent home with a catheter. It is now 5am and I want this thing OUT. Has anyone had the same problem?

I have, but my story is a little different. When they took my catheter out at the hospital, I managed to pee right away, so they let me go home. Three days later, I was in pain and not feeling well, so went to the doctor. He found I had a urinary infection and was retaining urine. He drained my bladder and I had been holding onto almost 2 liters!!! The Foley catheter went back in to let my bladder shrink and rest. I had that in for a week. They took it out Tuesday of last week and taught me how to self cath. It was three days later, on Friday, before I could pee at all on my own, and that day I only managed once. Since then, I am peeing on my own very randomly, sometimes I can, other times I can't. Plus I am still retaining urine even when I do manage to go.

I highly doubt you will have the problems I've had because I had a radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer and they can't help but disturb the nerves to the bladder. In most cases, the ability to pee returns much more quickly. The bladder doesn't like to be messed with and will go to sleep for a bit. Just be patient with it and it will come back. The catheter is a pain, but it's only temporary. Have you tried all the tricks? Gently blowing through a straw, running water in the sink, pouring warm water on your privates, holding your hand in water, blowing bubbles in a glass of water with a straw, there are all kinds of things you can try to get that flow started. I wish you well and hope you can pee soon!!!

Yes I am having th exact same issue. Heading back today to do a "void test" to see if I can lose the bag. Hate it!

Yep, having the same issue. I'm 9 days post-op and not peeing on my own yet. I had a catheter for several days. They took it out this morning and if I can't pee by 2, I have to go back for another catheter. Bleh.

Thanks for the reassurance regarding patience.

FrodoBaggins, are you kidding me -- 2 liters!?? I was retaining 1 L, and when I went to the ER to get catheterized I was strongly tempted to lie in front of the nurse's station and demand to be relieved on the spot.

Yep. Two liters. I filled the bag and then filled the deep tray that the supplies came in. It was quite a relief to get it out. My belly had been quite large and hard and I could feel it go down as it drained. They told me it was a good thing I came in when I did otherwise I would have ended up in the ER that night and it could have really been terrible. It was already at the point where I was having sweats and shakes and I felt really sick. That got better almost immediately after they drained me, too. It was scary stuff for sure! The thing was that I didn't even realize I was retaining at all because I was still peeing regularly. I was shocked I was holding onto so much!!!

Yes, same thing here -- I was able to get SOME out, but not all of it. I didn't realize I was retaining so much until the sweats, shakes and pain started.

Well... the news here is not good. I'm still not peeing at all on my own. Looks like I'll have to go back in to the urologist today.

I am wondering about self-straight catheterization as an alternative to the Foley catheter. I am not medically inclined, but I really hated having the Foley. Is it difficult/painful to straight cath yourself?

Those of you who did both -- which did you prefer, the Foley or the straight cath?

One thing I was kind of creeped out by, with the online demos of the little straight catheters -- are they short enough to, um, lose?

Is it incredibly easy to get a UTI with a straight cath?

I MUCH prefer the self cath than the Foley!!! Doing it is a little awkward and uncomfortable at first, but it quickly becomes easy. Never painful. The first few times it is uncomfortable, but at this point I don't even feel it any more especially if I use enough lubrication, and I've been doing it for only about 9 days now. The catheters I'm buying have a little funnel on the end that you don't insert so there is no way you can insert it too far. The first box I had didn't have that and there really is still no way to lose it because you stop inserting it as soon as the urine starts to flow. There's still a good 3 inches outside of you. It's actually easier to get a UTI with a Foley than with a straight cath. A Foley gives bacteria an all the time direct line straight into your bladder. The straight cath does not. It's actually better for your bladder. All I do is wash my hands, open a disposable sterile catheter, wipe myself with a baby wipe, lube up the cath, insert, pee, pull it out, and I'm done. Very easy and NO tubes hanging out of me that get caught on stuff and pull and NO bag of pee that I have to carry around! I highly recommend the straight cath over the Foley!!