There is a new product that can help you get out and about in the world again, feeling secure and safe while wearing your catheter with a drainage bag attached to your leg. It’s called Freedom Belt™.
When you are stuck wearing a catheter long-term, and you’re lucky enough to be ambulatory, it is possible to get out and somewhat active. But that usually requires a leg bag under your clothes. I say “usually,” because some folks (with permission from their doctor and decent bladder control) might be able to wear just a valve cap on the end of the catheter tube. See my post
“I Haven’t Really Need This Leg Bag!“
Butassuming you are like most folks and need to go out and about with a leg bag, you face two major concerns.
- The weight of the bag as it fills can cause the bag to pull loose from the end of the catheter
- That same weight can pull on the catheter tube itself, which can be painful and dangerous
Typically, leg bags are secured to the leg by two stretchy straps at the top and bottom of the bag that wrap around your leg. This is fairly secure until the bag starts to fill, at which point the straps are less able to hold the bag up.
As the bag starts to inch down your leg, pulling on the tube above it that attaches to the catheter outlet, one of two things will happen. You either have to empty the bag, or the tube will detach from the catheter outlet with messy and embarrassing consequences as the contents spill out from under your pants!
If the tube does not detach from the catheter outlet, there is dangerous pulling on the catheter tube itself. The consequences of pulling too hard don’t bear thinking about. It’s painful, at the very least.
Securing the catheter outlet tube
At the very least, you need to secure the catheter tube to your body (usually your leg) to help prevent pulling pressure on the tube. I used the Grip-Lok securement stickers for this. But not everyone likes putting stickers on their skin. And after a few days, these stickers start to come loose. So you need to buy a lot of them.
And the Grip-Lok only secures the catheter, NOT the bag or the even the bag tube. So even though it’s great for preventing dangerous pulls on your catheter tube, it won’t prevent the leg bag tube from disconnecting from the catheter tube, which can cause embarrassing messes :-P.
Wouldn’t it be great if there were a product that could simultaneously secure the catheter tube AND prevent the bag pulling loose from the tube?
Enter Freedom Belt™
There is a new product called Freedom Belt™ that does exactly that. Take a look at the video below for a quick idea of what it is:
The idea is that you have a belt around your waist with straps that hang down, allowing you to attach your bag to the belt. This is incredibly secure! You could probably hang a bowling ball from it. Actually, you could hang SEVERAL bowling balls from it:).
Most folks with urinary catheters only need one bag, but The Freedom Strap can support 8 drainage bags! It works with any drainage bag, includingbags made by Merit, Bard, Cook, Coloplast, Medline etc.
How can I get one?
The Freedom Beltis now available! I got mine a couple of weeks ago and WOW! This would have been a life-changer for me if it had been available when I was wearing a catheter for 6 months! You can order one by clicking the button below. You’ll have it in 3-5 days.
Freedom Belt™ is only$69.95.
Hopefully Freedom Belt™ will allow you to get out in the world with your catheter and feel safe, secure and comfortable!
Also, Freedom Belt™ has a YouTube channel with a very helpful collection of demonstration videos, at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQaPA1tewyqe51b85YULMCw
