DO...
1.     Always thoroughly wash your hands and/or put on gloves before and after performing self-catheterization.
2.     Stay on the self-catheterization schedule that your health professional instructed you to follow. If you miss your scheduled time, catheterize as soon as you're able to do so.
3.     Make sure you are using the right catheter product for your needs. Hydrophilic and closed system catheter kits are usually worth sampling to see if they work for you.
4.     Keep hydrated. Drinking plenty of liquids improves the flow of urine through the kidneys.
5.     Create a sterile environment. Insertion supplies may help make the procedure as sterile as possible and help prevent infections.
6.     Make sure you are using your catheters correctly. Follow instructions given by your health professional or follow supplemental self-catheterization instructions.
7.     Ask your catheter supplier if your insurance plan covers your catheter supplies. We cover thousands of plans and offer free shipping, free samples, free catheter consultations, and free insurance billing. Sure beats trips to the pharmacy!

DON'T…
1.     Don't reuse catheters. Studies show that sterile use (using a catheter one time and disposing of it) may reduce urinary tract infections. Most major insurance companies cover sterile use because reusing catheters often leads to infections, which can cause insurance companies more money.
2.     Don't forget to burst a water packet when using hydrophilic catheters. Bursting the water packet activates the hydrophilic properties of the catheter.
3.     Don't worry - after learning to self-catheterize correctly and a few days of practice you will be a pro and it will just be a part of life.
4.     Don't forget to bring your catheter supplies with you wherever you go.
        

Cure Medical is the only manufacturer to offer intermittent catheters that are always:  

• 100% DEHP free, DEHP is a known carcinogen used in plastic intermittent catheters.  You may have heard about DEHP in kids’ toys and in baby bottles. Cure Medical products do NOT contain DEHP.
   
• 100% smooth fire polished eyelets on all sizes and styles. Cure Medical does not manufacture rough cold punched eyelets. All products always have eyelets with smooth rounded drain holes. 
  
  
• 100% latex free on all sizes and all styles. Latex allergies can change your life forever, so Cure Medical does not ever offer latex products. 

180 Medical is a proud corporate sponsor of SUNA (Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates) to help support the urologic nurses we work with on a daily basis. Many of the top urologic facilities in the country rely on the catheter specialists at 180 Medical to supply their patients with the right catheter supplies for their needs. This organization has many chapters across the country and here are just a few of the SUNA events we have recently exhibited at: 

Great Lakes SUNA "Inside Urology" Annual Conference in Livonia, MI on March 16th.

Chicago Metro SUNA Spring Conference in Oakbrook, IL on March 24th.


Alamo Chapter of SUNA "The Cutting Edge of Urology" Conference in San Antonio, TX on April 7th. 

Learning that you need to start using catheters on a daily basis can be a little scary at first, but once you get the hang of it it's almost like second nature and may even have a hidden advantage. Bob Vogel, who writes Bladder Matters for New Mobility Magazine, tries to have a positive look on catheterizing and tells his story of incontinence in an article talking about all of the ups and downs. 

"Life is all about choices. When it comes to incontinence, the first choice should be getting information on the best way to manage it. The second choice is how we view this management system. Do we think of it as an embarrassing secret, or do we choose to see it as a hidden advantage, an advantage that gives us more control over our daily lives? I choose the second option; a system that puts me in control and allows me to live life to the fullest, on my terms."

Thanks to Ashley, one of our customers, for recommending this article for our blog.

Read the article from New Mobility magazine here.
  

One of the questions we hear from time to time is "Why are you named 180 Medical?" or "What does 180 Medical mean?". If you have been wondering too, here's your answer!

After our founder, Todd Brown, had a motocross accident and tried to get used to life with a spinal cord injury, he had a lot of trouble adjusting because he had recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs) that we almost too much to handle. In the first seven months after rehab, Todd got seven UTIs. 

He knew there had to be a better way. At a wheelchair race he met some friends, also in chairs, that had some life-changing advice. Todd learned that insurance covered his catheter supplies and he didn't have to reuse catheters. He also was introduced to the closed system catheter.

Closed system catheters allow secure, discreet catheterization and has an added safety feature called an introducer or insertion tip. The introducer tip allows the pre-lubricated catheter to bypass the highest concentrations of bacteria located in the first few millimeters of the urethra, significantly reducing the risk of infection.

This advice and new-found product turned his life around, or did a "180". He stopped getting the UTIs he once got and started feeling better and was able to get on with his life. Todd's whole purpose of starting 180 Medical was to help others like him get the catheter supplies and information they need to stay healthy so they didn't have to go through what he did.

Now years later, Todd and his 180 Medical team has helped thousands of people receive their catheter supplies and educates them on UTI prevention.