HI Richard
Glad you found us at last! To take your points in turn.
I am sorry that the catherisaiton in hospital was painful: it should not be. I have had an endoscope into my bladder, and have experienced self-catheterisation once. Neither was painful; at worse slightly uncomfortable. The guys who use self-catheterisation report that it is a non-event for them and very useful. So you were very unfortunate to have been in the hands of someone lacking training.
As for urologists not knowing about shy bladder: that is because they are focussed on the physical side of things. Their training does not include anything psychological. It means a patient needs to go armed with appropriate information, such as a print-out of our website. Because they will think it is an internet thing, point out that we have had an article in the British Medical Journal, several grants from the National Lottery Fund, and our Honorary Advisors include a Clinical Psychologist and an ex-A&E consultant.
So do book on to one of our workshops, whether the one-day online ones or the weekend hotel based ones. That will get you started on the road to recovery.
As for public awareness, that is an ongoing task. We have been on the Richard & Judy show back in 2003, various radio programs, the Sun's Agony Aunt, articles in the BMJ, the Daily Telegraph, the Professional Nurse magazine, among others, and we have just been asked by a TV production company to get involved with them.
Cheers
Andrew
1 year 10 months ago