Does the interstim help with pain?

[jen74]

Hi Gals,
I have read about quite a few people on here getting the interstim. I was just wondering if it helps with IC pain or is it more so to help with the frequency issues of IC? Thanks.
Jen

[tigger_gal]

no it is not for pain, just frequency and urgency. some do get the added benifit, but, you have to go into this knowing it will not help any bladder pain.
below are some interstim links, please take the time to read them.

[Claredale]

Jen, what it did for me was helped with my urgency/freq enough that my pain decreased so much. I still take pain meds daily but not nearly like I did before my implant. I went from every 10 to 15 minutes to fairly normal during the day. I still get up about every 2 hours at night, but the implant did help with that feeling that I needed to go which as alot of us know when you can't empty you go into a flare. Only every once in a while do I have a problem with retention.

Prior to my surgery in 2002, I was off work more than I was there. I was taking pain meds like they were M&Ms and I didn't go anywhere since I was always wanting to be in a ball in my bed wrapped in my heating pad. Life isn't perfect, but it's certainly worth living now. I can even go to the movies from time to time.

T83

[Sarojini]

The InterStim is not approved for pain control. It is approved for treatment of urinary frequency/urgency or retention only.

Some, like Tracey, end up with pain relief, but you must know that many people do NOT get any pain relief. I am still taking pain medication after my InterStim implant; my doctor also explained beforehand that I would get relief from the frequency and urgency, but that I would still have pain afterwards. If you have a doctor who says your pain will go away completely, RUN.

[Claredale]

Yes, like Jen said if your doctor says that it WILL help with pain run! Jen and I used to have the same wonderful doctor. When the doctor first started talking to me about the implant, she gave me the numbers for patients that had the surgery that had success and not success. I also watched the video she had at the time and read so much literature. My aunt also went to Dr. Wiygul, due to another bladder problem. She hoped that Dr. Wiygul would let her try the implant, but she mainly has pain and Dr. Wiygul wouldn't do the surgery. I definitely went into the surgery with my eyes wide open.

My mother had the impression that my pain would go away and couldn't understand for a while why I was still on pain meds until she went with me to one of my appointments.

[DebbieB]

Hi Jen :

Well I am one of the lucky one that has had no pain since I had the InterStim Implant, now almost eight year pain free ..
I do not take any medication what so ever since I had the InterStim ..
I was told up front from my doctor that is was not for pain relief at all .
There are many of us as well with no pain I really think it has to do what your main problem is and that is why we are helped with our pain ..

Debbie

[patricia1]

I know some doctors out there today are using the InterStim for pain control, especially if this is their IC patients main concern. Like others said it is not used for pain control but for urgency/freq. I am not gonna say FDA because it is not FDA approved for IC yet either. That being said some patients have had pain relief from it. I think it all depends on the type of pain you are having. For some with pain from the urgency and freq it can help with that. But for out and out bladder relief and pelvic pain it will not help. I have never had pain relief with either units I have had.