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Results from left side trial w/right side Interstim
I have been blessed. The S3 left side trial was removed yesterday, and I gave my uro the diaries. I was so worried that they would not show a significant enough improvement so the insurance would cover a second implant for pain.
During the trial period, I took all meds except Vicodin for pain, Marcaine instilled in the bladder each night, and, of course my TENS. The pain was not gone, but down to a 4 or 5 from a 6 to 7.
But the most significant finding and the most difficult thing to prove was that, even without the above meds, etc., I was able to sit on my fanny like a normal human being! Fortunately, I have a backround in math, so my husband encouraged me to show this on a graph. It was very effective showing that before the trial I had to spend most of the day reclining or the pain would escalate. There was very little sitting without tremendous pain.
My results showed that during the trial I was able to spend much more time sitting than reclining. I also had a separate graph that showed the highest and lowest pain level each day and how long each lasted. This showed that there were many more hours of 4 to 5 pain. One day, there were 8 hours of level 3 pain!! [img]smile.gif[/img] [img]biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img]
The uro was very pleased, as am I. Please keep my uro in your thoughts and prayers while he wrangles with the insurance company to get funding for a 2nd implant in my left side. If he can't, we'll have to go to a neurosurgeon to implant a different device. That would be OK, but that involves putting something very near my spine....and probably another trial. Hopefully, my uro will win so I don't have to go to another doctor, and probably have a 4th trial with a different device. [img]frown.gif[/img]
The moral of my story is....keep a detailed diary. Even though I couldn't think straight enough to figure out how to show improvement [img]confused.gif[/img] [img]confused.gif[/img] , my hubby could!! Since I.write down every time I stand, sit, recline, climb stairs and the pain level each time...the information was there. Oh, how blessed I am to have an understanding and supportive husband and uro.
I really hesitated before writing this, 'cause I KNOW that the Interstim is not approved for pain. It does for many, and did for me, improve the frequency and urgency...which does allow many an improved lifestyle.
But, sometimes, as with my downward pressure, bearing down pelvic pain, the Interstim does work as an added bonus. How very fortunate for those it does help, and how very sad for those it doesn't. My heart is with you.
During the trial period, I took all meds except Vicodin for pain, Marcaine instilled in the bladder each night, and, of course my TENS. The pain was not gone, but down to a 4 or 5 from a 6 to 7.
But the most significant finding and the most difficult thing to prove was that, even without the above meds, etc., I was able to sit on my fanny like a normal human being! Fortunately, I have a backround in math, so my husband encouraged me to show this on a graph. It was very effective showing that before the trial I had to spend most of the day reclining or the pain would escalate. There was very little sitting without tremendous pain.
My results showed that during the trial I was able to spend much more time sitting than reclining. I also had a separate graph that showed the highest and lowest pain level each day and how long each lasted. This showed that there were many more hours of 4 to 5 pain. One day, there were 8 hours of level 3 pain!! [img]smile.gif[/img] [img]biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img]
The uro was very pleased, as am I. Please keep my uro in your thoughts and prayers while he wrangles with the insurance company to get funding for a 2nd implant in my left side. If he can't, we'll have to go to a neurosurgeon to implant a different device. That would be OK, but that involves putting something very near my spine....and probably another trial. Hopefully, my uro will win so I don't have to go to another doctor, and probably have a 4th trial with a different device. [img]frown.gif[/img]
The moral of my story is....keep a detailed diary. Even though I couldn't think straight enough to figure out how to show improvement [img]confused.gif[/img] [img]confused.gif[/img] , my hubby could!! Since I.write down every time I stand, sit, recline, climb stairs and the pain level each time...the information was there. Oh, how blessed I am to have an understanding and supportive husband and uro.
I really hesitated before writing this, 'cause I KNOW that the Interstim is not approved for pain. It does for many, and did for me, improve the frequency and urgency...which does allow many an improved lifestyle.
But, sometimes, as with my downward pressure, bearing down pelvic pain, the Interstim does work as an added bonus. How very fortunate for those it does help, and how very sad for those it doesn't. My heart is with you.
. I did try the temp and canceled the implant. I canceled the implant for fear of the pain of the implant and from the procedure itself. I hope you're not in too much pain 
. I guess we are one of the lucky one's that the interstim does help :woohoo: . My new uro mentioned the implant again to me since I am in agony all the time 
. My thoughts and prayers are with you
. Good luck on your implant and with the insurance company. Let me know how you are doing. 
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