Surgery in 12 Days - Reassurance Please!

[DanaG]

Only 12 short days away until I get the surgery. There's not a doubt in my mind that I'm doing it, I'm just looking to hear some great success stories before I go in so that I have really strong peace of mind. I'd love to hear from those who had the surgery months or years ago who are doing really well and hear that they don't even know the stim is there and how long it was until they could lift or workout and that they never had a problem with theft detectors, etc... I'd really like to get myself excited about it.

Thanks everyone!

Dana

[Ruth N]

I had the interstim in April of 1999 and it has been a Godsend. I required numerous adjustments the first 4 months but since then it works like a charm. I sleep through the night and have decreased daytime frequency. In fact over the past few months I am finding I can go longer between daytime voids. One day at work I realized I had gone 5 hours without a potty trip. True, that is not the norm for me even now but I can always count on at least 2 hours between bathroom trips. Even when I have a flare things are nowhere near like it was before and usually a few days of pyridium will get me back in shape.

I do not even notice the stimulation anymore. I was back to full activity after 6 weeks and it really isn't a rough surgery, sore back-that is all.
I have no problems with theft detectors-most docs demagnatize the device (ask your doc about this) and then you will have no problems. The only time you may encounter a problem is with airport security you may set off the alarm. But this is not a problem because you have a card you can show and then they wand you instead of going thru the metal detector. I even flew to Portugal and encountered no problems at their airport either.

Wishing you a terrific result and a warm welcome to our bionic club.

[DebbieB]

Hi Dana:
I can understand your asking for some good results as to many of the posting lately on the Nerve Stimulation board of having problems with the InterStim Implant..
We all so different in the way we can handle the InterStim Implant in our body, some of us have wonderful results as your heard from Ruth ,she is my bionic twin,she was only 6 six days after my sugery..
I had my done on April 20, 1999, and I am very different from others on the board, my bladder muscle die over night and I was unable to pee for over two years and a half, I had to self-cath myself that long..
I did every possible testing, medication and even instillations and I was down to the end of the straw..
Then I saw this wonderful Urologist that make my life change so much..
I am so blessed to have this device, I have return back to work after not working over ten years..
I am peeing all on my own now with the help of the InterStim Implant..
I do NOT have IC at all, I have PFD, pelvic floor dysfunction..
I have never ever set off a detectors bar at any store.
I don't feel the InterStim at all , I sometime feel to see if it is there, LOL
I was out driving in my third week and doing some lite housework in the third week as well.
Dana, we all different in this to,some of heal alot faster and some of take longer. I think it depends on you how well you heal ok.
I was feeling real good about the sixth weel as well and was pretty much back to doing normal things for me that is!!
There is alot of out there, that have been on the board and are having a normal life, some of them pop in and out to report, I wish they would post a message to you , I sure there will when too!!
Good luck and I will be thinking of you and just know ,ask any question, that is why I am on here...
Take care and welcome to our bionic club !!!

Hugs: Debbie




[This message has been edited by DebbieB (edited 12-10-2000).]