Bilateral Nephrostomy patients have a choice of wearing only a single bag instead or a bag for each nephrostomy catheter. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) does not recommend using tampons for the routine management of urinary incontinence in women. Your doctor or a specialist nurse will give you detailed advice about looking after your catheter. Catheter equipment

The charity Bladder & Bowel UK gives independent advice on products that can help manage bladder and bowel problems. To qualify, you may need to be assessed by a healthcare professional and meet certain criteria. Find out more about getting incontinence products on the NHS. Are incontinence pads clinical waste? You should empty the bag before it's completely full (around half to three-quarters full). Valves should be used to drain urine at regular intervals throughout the day to prevent urine building up in the bladder. Things like using a pelvic floor trainer could also help you to prevent bladder leaks. Best incontinence pads and pants FAQs Can you use sanitary pads instead of incontinence pads? You'll be given a supply of catheter equipment when you leave hospital and be told where you can get more supplies. Catheter equipment is generally available on prescription from pharmacies.It isn't recommended that you swap incontinence pads for sanitary pads. It's a shame, as they are usually cheaper! But the technology behind them isn't quite the same and can leave you with sore, irritated skin. Are incontinence pads available on prescription?

You should be taught how to insert the catheter yourself. It's usually inserted into your bladder through the urethra (the tube that carries urine out of your body). avoid constipation – staying hydrated can help with this, as can eating high-fibre foods, such as fruit and vegetables and wholegrain foods The most popular incontinence products are absorbent pads that are worn inside underwear to soak up urine. They can either be inserted through the tube that carries urine out of the bladder (urethral catheter) or through a small opening made in your lower tummy (suprapubic catheter).

Risks and potential problems

In most cases, intermittent urinary catheters are recommended. These catheters are inserted several times a day, for just long enough to drain your bladder, and then removed. You can get a UTI from using either a short-term or a long-term catheter. However, the longer a catheter is used, the greater the risk of infection. This is why it's important that catheters are inserted correctly, maintained properly, and only used for as long as necessary.