Tips for Holding Your Catheter in Place
If you have to use a catheter on a regular basis, one of your primary concerns might be regarding the best way to keep your catheter in place as you go about your day. Here are some tips for making sure that you are able to do this easily and without thinking about it, so that you can go about your day to day life with as little trouble as possible.
1. Use a Grip Lock
One option is to use a grip lock. This is essentially a sticker with a few Velcro straps on it. You can stick it to your leg, thread the catheter through the Velcro locks, and essentially keep the catheter from being pulled too much in one direction or another. This is good if you are walking around with your catheter bag attached to your leg as well. It is also perfect for keeping your catheter from experiencing pulling during the knight by the drainage bag.
The only downside to this is that it does stick to your skin, meaning that if you have any hair where you apply the sticker, it is going to be pulled out painfully when you need to remove it to shower. Consider shaving the part of your leg where you are going to be putting the catheter bag so that you don't have to worry about this pain.
2. Use a Leg Band
If you tried the grip lock type of catheter securing strategies and it didn't work for you due to the fact that the catheter you have was too smooth and wasn't as secured by the Velcro as you would have hoped, you can instead go with the leg band. The leg band is made out of a stretchy fabric that goes around your leg. There is a slot in the band through which you can thread your catheter.
This option is better if you are primarily sitting down and using a wheelchair to get around, rather than walking, because it tends to slip around a lot and could cut off circulation to the leg.
3. Sticky Tape
Finally, consider trying sticky tape. There is special medical tape that is designed to be applied to the skin. You can apply it to your catheter and then put it on the skin for a secure hold. You may need to redo the tape during the middle of the day if you sweat a lot due to the warm weather.
For more information, talk to a company that specializes in urological supplies.