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Urinary (Foley) Catheter care at Home ?

This information will help you care for your urinary (Foley) catheter while you’re at home.

You have had a urinary catheter (a thin, flexible tube) placed in your bladder to drain your urine (pee). It’s held inside your bladder by a balloon filled with water.

Catheter Care

  • You need to clean your catheter, change your drainage bags, and wash your drainage bags every day.
  • You may see some blood or urine around where the catheter enters your body, especially when walking or having a bowel movement (pooping). This is normal, as long as there’s urine draining into the drainage bag. If there’s not, call your healthcare provider.
  • While you have your catheter, drink 1 to 2 glasses of liquids every 2 hours while you’re awake.

Showering

  • You can shower while you have your catheter in place. Don’t take a bath until after your catheter is removed. This is because taking a bath while you have your Foley catheter puts you at risk for infections.
  • Make sure you always shower with your night bag. Don’t shower with your leg bag. You may find it easier to shower in the morning.

When to Call Your Healthcare Provider ?

Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following:
  • Your catheter comes out. Don’t try to replace it yourself.
  • You have a fever of 101°F (38.3 °C) or higher.
  • You’re making less urine than usual.
  • You have foul-smelling urine.
  • You have bright red blood or large blood clots in your urine.
  • You have abdominal (belly) pain and no urine in your catheter bag.

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