"Bladder instillations for interstitial cycstis"

I had been going to the Doctors for years with lower abdominal pain, pressure, running to the toilet, occasionally given antibiotics for urinary tract infection.  Doctors always assumed it was gynae related.  Then after years of not knowing during a gynaecological procedure to remove three polyps from the womb the consultant also a urologist had a look in my bladder, that consultant diagnosed interstitial cystitis, a chronic painful condition that I had been living with for years. 

The consultant got in touch, brought me to the clinic in Belfast, Bradbury clinic, and I was advised about diet and offered bladder washes.  I attended every two weeks, then as symptoms subsided the treatment was extended out to every month.  Then Covid hit and the clinic was cancelled, when restrictions eased I was brought back to the clinic and advised that I would have to be shown how to insert the catheter myself and to administer the solution.  I tried and accepted ok I can manage this. 

On several occasions I just couldn't get the connection of the syringe connected to the catheter as its quite an awkward position.  I phoned the clinic, they talked it through on the phone, so I kept trying but the solution just kept leaking and I was unable to get very much into my bladder.

 So I phoned my GP office and also mentioned while at a doctors appointment.  I brought the equipment with me in case anyone could advise. The doctor I spoke with during an appt abruptly passed the stuff back across the table and said we can't do this here, no one is trained.  I was so annoyed, I couldn't believe there was no one in a Doctors clinic to advise me yet here I was a untrained, non medical member of the public and I was qualified to administer this treatment. 

To say I was angry and frustrated was an understatement.  I was in pain and no one would help.  I felt let down and very much on my own with the situation.  I eventually after months got through to the Bradbury clinic again and they brought me back up to show me the procedure again.  Do I like doing this procedure myself?  No I do not, do I have a choice? No.