Question: I am a 56-y/o male with (I guess) an average size penis & urethra (although nobody, including my urologist, has ever measured it). Everybody I request urinary catheter samples from sends me a 14 French (yes, that's a gauge system that works inversely to what you might expect: for example, a 12 Fr. catheter would be 14.0 mm in diameter, and a 14 Fr. diameter would be 14.0000 mm). What's my risk of giving a 12 Fr catheter a try? Big liquid mess and nothing more? I'd love it if the catheter went in easier and less painfully. Whatcha think?

I don't know what my condition is called. Some people call it "shy bladder": I can't pee on command, I can't (won't?) go if I think others are watching or even listening. Hospitalization is a special hell for me. Self-catheterization is the fastest way to get a urinalysis sample out of me; I think I have set and broken world records in terms of the longest time taken to return a specimen. And the odd thing is that I have nothing to fear at all from urinalysis. Every drug in my system has a prescription to go with it; I can't even develop enough urine for my pain management specialist's specimen cup (bones in my spine were damaged in a near-fatal auto accident in 1978).

In the spirit of "no free advertising", I've sent pictures of the open and closed systems I use. Both are from the same company, and I think all of us who watch lots of late-night cable TV will know who it is from their "polished eyelets" campaign. You should be able to magnify the picture enough to read the writing on it. Personally, I love these guys. But anyway ...

Thanks for the answer to my question, that was the answer I wanted to hear. Even fractional millimeters matter traveling in the wrong direction in such a sensitive passage ... polished eyelets and all. Thanks, Dr. XXXXXXX