This probably seems childish and weird to some people, but I am extremely afraid of catheters. I am in the process of exploring surgery options and talking to my doctor and I am hoping to get a sleeve. I was reading about recovery, etc on a website and it came up that they will administer a catheter for surgery... I am not at all nervous about having 80% of my stomach removed and dealing with the recovery, but the idea of getting a catheter makes me want to cancel the entire thing... When I was in labor with my daughter, I was panicking on the way to the hospital because I knew they were going to cath me. Not even worried about the fact that I was about to push a child out of my lady parts or have a needle shoved in my back... worrying about the catheter. Luckily when I got there they told me they'd do it after I got my epidural so I wouldn't feel it (Thank God!). Do you think my doctor would do the catheter after they put me to sleep for the surgery?

I had bypass 10/24. They put the cath in once I was out and taking it out was a non issue. Didn't feel a thing. Only in for 24 hours.

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They do it after you are out and mine removes it before you come to

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No catheter for my op. I can't think of a reason they would for a 90min procedure? Particularly when mobilising is so important.

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Thankfully, I didn't have to have one. (And I did have that worry before the day of surgery!)

This probably seems childish and weird to some people, but I am extremely afraid of catheters. I am in the process of exploring surgery options and talking to my doctor and I am hoping to get a sleeve. I was reading about recovery, etc on a website and it came up that they will administer a catheter for surgery... I am not at all nervous about having 80% of my stomach removed and dealing with the recovery, but the idea of getting a catheter makes me want to cancel the entire thing... When I was in labor with my daughter, I was panicking on the way to the hospital because I knew they were going to cath me. Not even worried about the fact that I was about to push a child out of my lady parts or have a needle shoved in my back... worrying about the catheter. Luckily when I got there they told me they'd do it after I got my epidural so I wouldn't feel it (Thank God!). Do you think my doctor would do the catheter after they put me to sleep for the surgery?

They usually put catheters in after you're under anesthesia. Getting it out post-surgery isn't painful, just pressure.

(Also terrified of catheters!)

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I didn't have one.

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Not childish at all! I was in a car accident five years ago with some serious trauma to my bladder (and that was the least of my worries!) Basically, they wouldn't let me go home until I could pee independently. So they pumped me full of fluids and had me try to pee every six hours and when I couldn't, they gave me a catheter every SIX HOURS. For five days. It was awful, and this didn't cross my mind that it would be a surgery related thing, until I read this!

Definitely check with your doc, and share your concerns! I will be doing that with mine!

Definitely ask your surgeon if she/he routinely places urinary catheters. Many docs don't use them anymore for shorter procedures like VSG...the risk of introducing infection is high enough that it's not always considered worthwhile. And you can always request that no catheter be placed, it's a perfectly reasonable request. Post-op, you'll have a timeline in which you'll need to produce urine but it was no problem for me and isn't for most patients. Good luck!

I had one, placed after being out. While I was waking up in recovery I told her I had to pee and she said "Go ahead, you have a catheter in" I had no idea, they pulled it out after I told them I couldn't go Didn't feel anything.

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Ive had major surgery twice involving a cath. I fear them too. I had a cath with my sleeve surgery and I actually wasn't expecting it. But I was glad in the end because I was in considerable pain despite strong pain medication and getting in and out if bed to potty would have been a nightmare!!!

They inserted it when I was anesthetized in these surgeries and with the sleeve, they removed it discreetly and without discomfort the following morning.

I'm sure, like everyone else said, you can discuss your fear with the surgeon or surgical nurse and make a plan in advance

I had one that was placed after I was asleep and removed later in the day after I was awake......easy peeesie...haha get it?