[A18793715]

Tmi: I haven't been able to pee in 24 hours. If I go to the er, can I demand heavy sedation? Otherwise, they wouldn't get one in. I would fight back and look ridiculous and AMA myself if they refuse sedation. I have good insurance, I don't see why they wouldn't if they knew they were getting paid for it.

Does anyone know?

I'm sorry... I don't know. I would presume however that the doctor can do whatever he / she believes to be in your best interest. The questions are going to come down to: will your insurance company pay for it & can the hospital make all of the necessary preparations in time to evacuate your bladder before you burst?

I don't believe the hospital staff can just grab a face mask & put you out. There has to be an anesthetist available, they probably need to have the results of blood work, & information regarding past medical history, allergies, etc. All of this takes time. And if you're in the emergency department of a hospital, chances are there are all sorts of other things all happening at the same time, from belly aches to major trauma & fatalities.

Years ago I worked in the emergency department at a major medical center. I never saw anyone be anesthetized for a urinary catheterization. That doesn't mean it can't happen. But I think it would certainly be out of the ordinary & difficult to pull off in an emergency situation of it's own such as you may soon be approaching. On the other hand, you absolutely must get this taken care of. So definitely give it a try! Good luck!

[A18793715]

Would it be easier for me if I've been to that er recently and they have all of my information already? All updated.

[Yoda]

Sometimes when I was inserting a catheter, be it a urinary catheter or nasogastric, I would cover part of the catheter with viscous lidocaine so that it would help numb the mucosa and was also an effective lubricant.

Let us know how it goes.

[AncientMelody]

"heavy" sedation is a general term. They would perhaps be willing to give you IV ativan or some such to relax you prior. It would be doubtful that they'd "put you under" with full general anesthesia, though you never know. I recommend also bringing a music player and wearing headphones and close your eyes, doing some deep breathing while you listen to the music. Explain to them the honest truth, that you're really scared about getting a catheter and worry about your ability to stay calm

But no you cannot legally demand a specific treatment

Originally Posted by A18793715

Would it be easier for me if I've been to that er recently and they have all of my information already? All updated.

I don't know the answer to this. My thought would be no because it's not so much a matter of what they know about you, it's a matter of having everything in place that needs to be in place & doing things according to the correct protocol.

In today's litigious society, medical professionals must dot every "i" & cross every "t" before they do anything, unless it is an absolute emergency. Otherwise, they open themselves up to law suits. AncientMelody mentioned the possibility of an IV of Ativan or something similar. Something like this might be a possibility since the hospital presumably knows your medical history.

May I ask how in the world you're holding out, if you haven't peed in over 24 hours? You must be in excruciating pain, plus, at some point you're going to risk damaging your kidneys, I would presume.

[The_little_didgee]

I highly doubt heavy sedation will be an option. I've never heard of adults getting that for a simple bladder catheterization, because the procedure is quick and not very painful. It definitely isn't pleasant. I find it a lot more tolerable than the dentist.

You can definitely request some Ativan.

If you are worried about pain, you can ask the nurse to put some lidocaine on the urinary meatus a few minutes before the catheter is inserted. You can also ask her to use a rubber Foley catheter instead of a plastic Rob-Nel catheter. Rubber Foleys don't scratch the urethra as much since they are softer and the 'eyes' on them are not as sharp.

If urinary retention is a chronic issue you can learn how to do intermittent catheterization. It is so much better than getting it done in the ER.