what is the difference between interstem and spinal corn stimulator?

[sue041]

I am having the spinal cord stimulator trial thing 28th of this month, I have read a lot of thing about the interstem thing not working, I have so much pain and want to do anything to get rid of the pain, it is in my back and stomach. Please can someone help me do the right thing. The Dr. told me that I must try this and then if it fails I must do the pain pump thing and another this is why will the meads in the pain pump help if nothing orally is helping. Please do not mind the spelling my brain is still sleeping I think. Thanks again Sue

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[ICNAsstMgrDiane]

Interstim is for urgency and frequency only. It does not help with pain.

Do you know the name of the stimulator that they are doing? Who makes it?

You state that the pain you are having is in your stomach and back. How about your bladder?

Have you had a laporoscopy to rule out endometriosis? Endometriosis will call pelvic pain.

Before you jump into this, I recommend that you first find out what they are actually doing. Education is the best knowledge. Find out all that you can and ask questions.
You have the right to know.

Sending you healing wishes.

Diane

[DebbieB]

Hi Sue:
Go to the web site www.medtronic.com
And check what the differents is, there is alot on the market for sure..
I have the InterStim and it is done on the sarcal nerve on S2 . S3. and S4,my was done on S2..
I sure would be reading all I can for sure..
I did lots of testing and treatments and medication, way before I went to this surgery..
This should be only the last resort Sue.
Keep us posted and go and read and see what the differents is ok Sue!!
Good luck on what you decide to do !!
Debbie

[S.M.]

Read my message/ for those who have been injured to all --
Good luck

[sue041]

Originally posted by ICNAsstMgrDiane:
Interstim is for urgency and frequency only. It does not help with pain.

Do you know the name of the stimulator that they are doing? Who makes it?

You state that the pain you are having is in your stomach and back. How about your bladder?

Have you had a laporoscopy to rule out endometriosis? Endometriosis will call pelvic pain.

Before you jump into this, I recommend that you first find out what they are actually doing. Education is the best knowledge. Find out all that you can and ask questions.
You have the right to know.

Sending you healing wishes.

Diane

Thanks for getting back to me, when I say stomach, i mean bladder area, I have had this since 97 the Dr. now told me that way back I have had all the symptons. I am having the spinal cord stimulator from Medtronics on the 28, it is the trial one with the control on the outside of me for a week and thenif it works it will be put in permantely. I sure hope something works I am still working out side the home and some days it is all I can do to get out of bed. The Dr. said something has to be done, so I do not have to take so many pain meads, that it will runine my liver, I probably have not spelled most of these words correct, but I am in a hurry since I must get dressed for work. I am a cook in a nursing home and it does require heavy lifting, I do not know if I will be able to wrok if they put the stimulator in me permantely. Talk to you later, thank you for being there. your friend Sue.


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[DebbieB]

Hi Sue:
So sorry to hear this, why could they not get it in, I wonder??
You don't hear of that to much Sue!!
I know you will be sore a bit...
I hope you are reading all you can on the next procedure they want to do...
I did that before I even went for the InterStim and I am still reading all I can on the news ones as well..
Take care and I hope you have a better New Year Sue..
Hugs Debbie

[Ange]

Sue, I am sorry to hear of your difficulty! They had trouble with my left side at both trial interstims. Can you please tell me the dr who is talking about the pain pump implant? I am looking for all info re this implant as it may be my last resort! Hugs! Ange

[sue041]

Originally posted by Ange:
Sue, I am sorry to hear of your difficulty! They had trouble with my left side at both trial interstims. Can you please tell me the dr who is talking about the pain pump implant? I am looking for all info re this implant as it may be my last resort! Hugs! Ange

Ange, The doctor is giving me a hard time about the pain pump, they are pushing this spinal cord stimulator, made by medtronic.
I do not want them to operate and install this. I am tired of this pain and I don't care if the pain pump is the last resort. I am tired of being used for medical testing. I go to Dr. Han in Geisinger medical center. I am going to call him today and tell him I do not want this stimulator. I will keep you posted.

[sue041]

s
DebbieB, The doctors do not really give you an answer. They said maybe it is the arthritis in my back. I just wish they would do the pain pump, I do not want this spinal cord stimulator by Medtronic. They just push you into things you don't want to do, and I am at my witts end here. I wish I knew of anyone who had this spinal cord stimulator inserted for ic, and if it worked or not. Can you help me find this out???? My pain is in the pelvic area, probably coming from the bladder, and in my lower back. I have frequent urination and leaking. I do not care about the leaking and frequent urination as much as this constant pain that is keeping me from living a normal life. All I want to do is sleep so I do not have pain. According to medtronics web site, the spinal cord stimulator is for leg pain and other stuff. It never mentioned ic, when I told the doctor this he did not want to hear it. Even in the hospital when medtronic rep came to talk to me, he seemed to think my pain was in the legs. It is just a big circle of circumstances, and I feel like I am being used for testing. I can no longer run from doctor to doctor. Nobody semms to understand what I am going through. I can't live like this forever, in constant pain. Thanks for listening. Hope you are doing well yourself. Thanks for being here for me to blow off steam!!!

Originally posted by DebbieB:
Hi Sue:
So sorry to hear this, why could they not get it in, I wonder??
You don't hear of that to much Sue!!
I know you will be sore a bit...
I hope you are reading all you can on the next procedure they want to do...
I did that before I even went for the InterStim and I am still reading all I can on the news ones as well..
Take care and I hope you have a better New Year Sue..
Hugs Debbie

[DebbieB]

Hi Sue:
Have you try other testing like Urodrynamic or biofeedback??
Why I ask you Sue , is that I had lots of problems with different doctors too.
They diagnosed me having IC and I had PFD, which is pelvic floor dysfuction..
I had the most awful pain that would make me black out and it was from my bladder muscle dying overnight..
I know it is hard when a doctor does not listen, and I know this from going to so many different ones too..
I guess what I am trying to tell you is don't give up , it is for you and no one else,you got to do what is best for you!!!
Sue, you should not let any doctor push you into any kind of surgery that you do not want ok !!!
I am here for anytime and don't worry about blowing off steam..
It is good that you can do that Sue..
Hang in there ok ..
Sending a big ((((((((((((((((HUG))))))))))))) your way.

Hugs: Debbie

[JudyK]

Sue, I had the spinal cord stimulator from
Medtronic implanted on Sept. 8,2000. I experienced pain in the lower abdominal area,
vagina, and labias. The stimulator has taken care of the pain. I still have the urgency and frequency, but that may improve over time. The stimulator that my doctor used is the Synergy-EZ. This particular one has not been approved by the FDA yet for IC
but my doctor was able to get my insurance to approve it. The system that I have are called 'paddles'. They lay on top of the sacral nerve sac on my tailbone. They are flat insulated pieces with the contacts on the bottom side so all of the energy from them go to the nerves. I have leads going from them to a battery on my right buttocks about where my hip pocket would be. All of this is under the skin. I am VERY HAPPY that I had this implanted. About 2 years ago I had the Medtronic interstim implanted, but it did not work for very long. My doctor is Dr. Kenneth Alo from Houston. He is wonderful and he knows what he is doing.
He goes out of the country several times during the year and teaches this process.
If I can be of any help please email me:
[email protected]
I hope I have helped alittle. JudyK