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PTNS/Botox interactions?
The physician's assistant at U of M suggested I try both Flomax and PTNS before surgery. 
I informed her that I'd tried Botox more recently than six months ago. Botox did not help--it partially paralyzed the bladder, making it much more difficult to urinate (I already have to strain hard to empty the bladder), but it did not make the bladder relax/expand in the least.
By now, that issue is mostly gone; once in a while I still get a time when my bladder seems to stop contracting and I have to strain really hard but that's it. I've never had to catheterize myself, yet.
I told her my urologist had said they could not try InterStim (though I think he meant PTNS, since he mentioned placing something in my ankle) until at least six months had passed after trying Botox. I asked her if I could still try PTNS even if six months had not gone by yet.
She said that with my symptoms being as troublesome as they are, she thought I should still be able to try PTNS, because she knew of other patients who tried it while on other medications. This was a relief to hear since I do not want to wait any longer than I have to. However, I've gotten to worrying that, with the way she phrased it, maybe she mistakenly thought I was asking if I could try PTNS while trying out the Flomax I was just prescribed. I have no way to confirm which one she meant.
I'm still trying to figure out if my urologist (in Cheboygan/Petoskey) offers PTNS since otherwise I'd have to travel about 4-5 hours (to Livonia) and 4-5 hours back WEEKLY for months, and I simply cannot afford that. But in case he does, my question is, is it safe to receive PTNS treatment before six months have gone by after trying Botox? Especially if the Botox partly paralyzed the bladder but did not make it expand? I can't recall exactly how long it's been but I believe it was early this year. Over a month or two, but well under six months. I don't know if my urologist--who said he cannot offer me such treatment until that period of time has passed--will agree, but I'd like to offer him a second opinion.
I informed her that I'd tried Botox more recently than six months ago. Botox did not help--it partially paralyzed the bladder, making it much more difficult to urinate (I already have to strain hard to empty the bladder), but it did not make the bladder relax/expand in the least.
By now, that issue is mostly gone; once in a while I still get a time when my bladder seems to stop contracting and I have to strain really hard but that's it. I've never had to catheterize myself, yet.
I told her my urologist had said they could not try InterStim (though I think he meant PTNS, since he mentioned placing something in my ankle) until at least six months had passed after trying Botox. I asked her if I could still try PTNS even if six months had not gone by yet.
She said that with my symptoms being as troublesome as they are, she thought I should still be able to try PTNS, because she knew of other patients who tried it while on other medications. This was a relief to hear since I do not want to wait any longer than I have to. However, I've gotten to worrying that, with the way she phrased it, maybe she mistakenly thought I was asking if I could try PTNS while trying out the Flomax I was just prescribed. I have no way to confirm which one she meant.
I'm still trying to figure out if my urologist (in Cheboygan/Petoskey) offers PTNS since otherwise I'd have to travel about 4-5 hours (to Livonia) and 4-5 hours back WEEKLY for months, and I simply cannot afford that.
But in case he does, my question is, is it safe to receive PTNS treatment before six months have gone by after trying Botox? Especially if the Botox partly paralyzed the bladder but did not make it expand? I can't recall exactly how long it's been but I believe it was early this year. Over a month or two, but well under six months. I don't know if my urologist--who said he cannot offer me such treatment until that period of time has passed--will agree, but I'd like to offer him a second opinion.
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