questions, questions and more questions...

[lucia]

hi everyone!
Because I'm new in the therapy (I had my implant 6 weeks ago) I have a lot of question that I would like sokmeone to help me;
1. I have read in this forum that yhe lead can break, How can this happen?
2. Is it normal to be able to increase the stimulation a little bit more every day? I'm scared, because I have increased the stimulation, just after my surgery the intensity was very decreased as how I can tolerate today. I hope this dosn't mean that maybe my lead moved...
and the last question:
3. At this point ( 6 weeks after surgery), can your body still reject the implant, or can you still get an infection from the surgery?

thanks a lot for helping me learn more about the therapy. My doctor has been great!, but sometimes it is good to hear from patients experiences, because your doctor has not tried what it feels to have this thing inside, and how the stimultions feels like... [img]confused.gif[/img]

[DebbieB]

1. I have read in this forum that the lead can break, How can this happen?

I had this happen,when I went for my two year check up, my Implant stop working...
It was cause by a faulty lead wire put in me, I had my Implant almost three years now, he placed a longer and thicker lead wire, I guess they had updated the lead wire...
I am the first one that has this happen with my doctor, he said he only heard of one more in Canada...
I do know of only one girl that posted on the Nerve Stimulation board that had this happen to her in the states..
I was told it was not that easy to break the lead wire unless you fall really hard on your back..

2. Is it normal to be able to increase the stimulation a little bit more every day?

Yes you can, just try it each day and see if you notice a different, remember each time you push the remote button it goes up a knoll ok..( my setting is at 4.5 volage on my Implant and my remote setting is at 1.5 volage each time I put it up)
Also remember your doctor has set your Implant to come up for so long and shut off, my is set to come on every 10 sec and shut off every 5 sec..
That is a question you can ask him when you go for your check up what your setting are on your Impant and remote control ok!!


3. At this point ( 6 weeks after surgery), can your body still reject the implant, or can you still get an infection from the surgery?

It start with a infections and swollen around your Implant as a sign of rejecting your body ok..
I do know one girl that had the Implant done over three times and now has a bad infections and signs of her rejectiong the Implant..

One thing to note , that we are all so different on how we handle this procedure some of us need lots of adjustments and other do not..
Some have good results right away and others take as long as a year, so you read lots of comments on this board but please understand that all of these things don't happen to everyone ok..

I hope I have help with some of your questions!!

~~~Debbie~~~

[lucia]

thank you so much Debbie for your answers!!!!!!!! [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Kara23]

If your body was going to reject the Interstim as far as having a foreign object in your body, you would already have had to get it removed. This is why they keep you in the hospital overnight or longer to monitor your for rejection. Infection is always possible which is why you should check your sores everyday and monitor for puss, oozing, or fever. You would be VERY ILL of your body was rejecting it. If you mean rejection as a way of saying your body will not be able to work with the Intestim and have good results, well then you need to give it time. It took me about 3 months to notice any improvment with my urgency and frequency. The lead wires very rarely break or migrate. If your lead were to break or migrate, you would not be able to feel the stimulation at all. You probably have more than 1 lead. I have 4 leads for the purpose of migration. If one lead were to move on me, which it hasn't, there are 3 other leads to take over. Turning your Interstim setting up will not increase it's effectiveness. Take the stimulation slow, you will know what is comfortable and what isn't. I would suggest that you keep it low until you heal. It will take a few months for the pocket to heal around the intersim. You can turn it up a few notches, but turinging it up does not mean that you will get better and better. Time is what it takes.

Kara

[SM]

"Tissue rejection" doesn't have to be immediate or infectious. To a degree, your body will always respond to a foreign object. You will notice how many people mention, after time, the unit seems to protrude more. That is normal and doesn't have to be bad.
I continued to have back and leg pain, and at the year and a half point, the neuro said the pain could be from tissue rejection and we took it out. (Muscles around the unit, compressing nerves, and "Pushing.) THIS WAS NOT THE INTERSTIM, and my pain continues.
I think you will be fine. I was even told at one point that, if implanted correctly, once the leads have "scarred in," its very hard to dislodge them.
I think you would know if you were going to have big problems. I knew the minute I woke up from surgery.
Take care and good luck,
SM