Is this normal for surgery in Japan?

28 comments

1. Absolutely not normal, but lack of a common language to speak in may have complicated things. I’ve seen the full spectrum of bedside manner for nurses, but most are on the overbearing attentive side. Absolutely saw some cruel fucks too, though. You might consider making a complaint to the hospital. 

2. Had surgery a year ago and they yanked mine as well. It was not pleasant. Not sure it confirms it is normal but another data point for you.

3. Yup it’s not out of the ordinary. My surgery was only an hour so it didn’t require a catheter but the dude in the room next to me had the same thing you describe happen to him. He couldn’t speak japanese and was wincing for hours.

4. I had knee surgery and they were very reluctant to remove the catheter. Surgery was in the morning and they only removed it after several complaints I had over the course of the day. My doctor explained to me that they’d usually leave the catheter in for the first night but since I kept complaining about it he’d make an exception for me. But he warned me that if I didn’t urinate the next day they’d have to put it back in.

   When they removed it, it hurt like a bastard. It came out pretty easily though, other than the pain. The next couple of times I urinated there was blood in it, but the nurse who came to take my bottles didn’t seem too phased by it.

   For reference, I’m a dude.

5. It’s not normal for catheter removal to be something that’s the most painful thing you’ve experienced. Something wasn’t done correctly (assuming the balloon wasn’t deflated properly).

6. I had a catheter after having a c-section. They were very gentle with it.

7. I think most of them do not care. I shout unintentionally when young nurse was clearing sticked dripping joint by single solid push like it was a sewer. 
    
    

8. I had that too few months ago. When they remove the catheter, three nurses came in, the head nurse was instructing while two young ones watched and learnt. But yes not without sudden, they informed me and I was awake

9. Ohh catheters hurt like all hell, on drugs or not. They are literally pulling something they pushed up there that is designed to be super sensitive.

   I haven’t experienced female catheters, but have had a few male catheters over the years, and they’ve been miserable every time they’ve been removed.

   As for normal for surgery, no it’s not (been through it a few times here), but then I suspect if they couldn’t easily remove it you won’t get a reply of “it’s normal”. They usually do come out smoothly with a feeling of intense burning, sometimes it takes a bit of a yank. Not necessarily explaining things, I’ve had that. At that point it’s usually fine to trust that they know what they are doing and aren’t being malicious about things.

10. Yeah I’ve had multiple surgeries over the last few years. None were cathed but that seems odd. Given your description I’d bet the nurse was trying to remove the cath while you were still under and probably mildly freaked when you woke up.

    That being said I had problems with 1 nurse 1 night and great care the rest of the time. To the point when nurses would notice I was back they’d come by and visit even though the language barrier was an issue. I was also COVID locked for about 1/2 the surgeries.

11. Mine was in for days, they yanked it out. Felt a little pinch is all.

12. I just had a huge surgery at a Japanese hospital. I was catheterized (I guess while I was out in the surgical procedure) but a couple of days later after the surgery, this was removed. Before the removal they told me that they were going to remove it. They told me in Japanese, and I responded in Japanese, but all nurses and ER personnel and doctors also had translator devices, which they spoke into and showed me, in order to be crystal clear. I appreciated the clarity. I was in the hospital for a month and—between my fair Japanese, the ubiquitous translator devices, and the occasional nurses who spoke English, and my cardio-pulmonary surgeon who speaks very good English—the striving for excellent communication was superb.

    Yeah, I recall the removing of the catheter as being a little painful but it wasn’t a surprise and was done with dignity and intention.

    My hospital is a university teaching hospital so maybe standards there are extra high?

13. If you are in a hospital in Japan, you can request Midazolam, a twilight anesthesia drug. You must request it though and you must remain in the hospital overnight until it is out of your system.

14. She may have explained what she was going to do and it was lost on you due to not understanding the language or they may have thought you were still out.

    I had to have a catheter for a few days after surgery. It was pulled out in one rather swift motion. It was unpleasant during removal and only for a few minutes after. It was a bit surprising because the nurse was tiny and I wasn’t expecting her to be able to pull it out like that. She did explain what she was going to do and that it would be unpleasant when she did it pretty clearly though. The worst part was some urine drained out of the catheter upon removal. She did a quick cleanup and left. Unfortunately there was still urine left. I couldn’t really move much due to the pain following the surgery so it didn’t get fully cleaned off until the next days sponge bath. It smelled pretty gross until the sponge bath. I called the nurses and told them that night because I smelled it constantly. They “cleaned” it with a wet wipe but didn’t clean between my legs so it was just there until the next day. They maybe didn’t want to linger in that area for long because I’m a man and they were all females. I don’t know.

    Probably the more painful part was when I was woken up for transfer following the surgery my catheter was half pulled out. They said I jerked my body pretty hard when I came to. I may have because I was so disoriented. When the carted me back to my room and transferred me to my bed I told them there was a lot of pain in my genital area. The nurse checked and made a face that said a thousand words. She looked at my face and then back to the catheter and immediately started pushing it back in. I didn’t get any details after other than she said it was half out.

    I’ve had really good experiences with nurses overall though.

15. I’ve been through two surgeries in the past four months here in Tokyo. 

    This was my first time being hospitalized and my first doctor visit in about a decade. 

    I was so ‘effing nervous before my first surgery that nurse used a translation app to reassure me everything would be okay while holding my hand. 

    I couldn’t be more grateful to Japan’s healthcare staff, including my surgeon, physiotherapist, and nurses

16. I just had surgery a month ago. They said they were going to put a catheter in, but I think it was removed before I woke up because I didn’t have it in when I woke up. I had a very good experience at Juntendo University Hospital, but I also didn’t have language barrier. Everything was explained clearly to me before they did anything.

17. The most absurd thing is that people who are neither medical professionals nor Japanese are judging the situation as “strange” without actually understanding it. Isn’t it just that they want to blame the medical field for their own ignorance and complain?

18. I understand.. just had a catheter in late July. and tried to remove it too early .. had to put another in… it was difficult and painful..

    My doctor spoke English really well but surprised no one could explain to you in English the situation..

19. I had surgery before and they wanted to put a catheter in. I refused because I was only going to be out for an hour. Told them I’d wear a diaper and deal with peeing myself if it happens. They grumbled about it but accepted. Complete overkill. I was fasting food and water from the night before anyway.

    But when they woke me up from anaesthetic they ripped the breathing tube out of my windpipe and it was the most painful thing I’ve experienced. Was balling my eyes out and they looked at me so confused. At home they they it out before you wake up.

20. I’m sorry this happened to you OP. but whenever I read stories like these I just CAN’T understand why so many people are happy living in a country where they don’t speak the language at all. I would be scared so much to have surgery in a country where I can’t even tell the staff when I’m in massive pain. I’d probably do everything to avoid that…

21. While not in Japan, I’m from Germany and when I was 2 and 3, I also got a catheter pulled while being awake twice. I still remember that I asked them the second time to please not pull it out that forceful. While I don’t remember the pain or how they pulled it out itself, I remember that I cried due to the pain.

22. The non-communication doesn’t sound normal at all. Every time I’ve been cathed the nurses have been quite clear about what they’re doing and when. (I was actually quite impressed with the midwife who cathed me a day after I gave birth to my first kid, as I seriously didn’t feel a thing either in or out. With my second I was still definitely within the epidural period so obviously didn’t feel it there)

23. If you think having one removed is painful, it hurts a lot more going in. It took four different nurses and 15 minutes to get mine in. Now that was painful!

24. I’ve had a catheter removed a few times and it was painful on each occasion, though not as painful as having a drain removed and only about a 6 or 7 on all time pain. My experience was no different in Japan to the UK. In both cases I had good experiences with nurses who tried to be helpful and were sympathetic to my pain.

25. Not my experience. I’ve had general anesthesia 3 times, each with a catheter. I can’t call it painful, more of extreme discomfort, mainly the mental sort. I was told just to take a deep breath and then XL and they just pulled it right out. The catheters have a small balloon on the end that’s inflated to keep the catheter from coming out. Maybe they didn’t deflate it adequately?? if so, I’d hate to be on the receiving end of that particular procedure. But I think that would cause physical damage.

    So all I can say is, I’ve had it done three times and did not experience anything like what you describe .

26. Have had a few operations and usually a nurse will come and take it out. They usually explain beforehand but yeah basically it’s a curved path with a straight tube so pulling it out is typical but my nurses talked to me and after the first time I knew it was coming. Did not help that sent the cutest, nicest nurse to do it. lol. You can bleed for a day or so after but yeah basically it’s just yank it out from my experience. For me might have been better that I didn’t want to look bad in front of the nurse but yeah not fun.

27. Yes, I had a bunch of surgeries in Japan, including open heart. And the removal of the catheter was always a thing to “look forward to”. A bit of pain, but it usually meant that I was free to start walking around and go to the loo by myself. However, I was always able to communicate with the nurses, so that definitely makes things easier, as you know what is coming and can prepare for it by thinking about e.g. walking your dog through a beautiful forest in autumn, while they’re pulling…

    I have encountered rough nurses as well, but not many. And I can bark too, if need be.

    Also, a friend of mine, who lives in Europe and has had several cancer surgeries, has told me the same experience. So it seems to hurt everywhere, not only in Japan.

28. To please read my comment.

    I had a similar experience. They forgot the catheter or something. After full narcosis I woke up, and they yanked it out as I woke up. Bro, I FLATLINED FOR 30 SECONDS.
    I am not joking I have everything on a printed out heart monitor of that date and time. And it was the most weirdest thing ever. The nurses were freaking out and the fucking doctor denied being nervous before the surgery even though I heard him tell the nurses he was nervous because he thought I didn’t know Japanese. WELL I FUCKING DO so something along the way happened and I was not awake to find out what it was.

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