My trial has begun... AND ITS GOING WELL!!!

[hiphuray4peas]

So I'm home after my surgery. The actual event was.... well... scary. After going into pre-op I waited about two hours to be wheeled into the operating room. They made me remove my contacts so I was completely blind. I couldn't tell who was who or anything. I remember virtually all of it, but it's fairly hazy. After positioning me "comfortably", and sterilizing my bum, they gave me fentanyl and an anti-anxiety medication then used lidocaine to locally numb my tailbone and butt. Then they used needles to find my nerve and excite it with electricity to find good placement. It took four tries to find the spot. Then the pain increased and I was given more painkillers. I said "ow" a few times... but all I remember feeling was pin-prick sharpness. At that point I had trouble staying awake as they increased my meds (I didn't have to be concious anymore). I remember a lot of tugging, and feeling something move through me internally. After a full two hour surgery they bandaged me, rolled me back onto the bed I came in on and took me to recovery. I spent another two hours in post-op. Within the first five minuets of being there, the medtronic representative came to show me how to work the temporary device. I was annoyed because I was still blind and wanted him to wait until I could see. Three tries and he found a setting that seemed to be "comfortable", showed me how to work it and told me my post-op care. After about an hour my mom was allowed to come see me, and I became really emotional. I went to the restroom. It was the least painful, easiest, most relieving urination I've had in over a year and a half. So apparently it works for me. I've already seen improvement in symptoms (I'm peeing every 2 hours [during the night I only got up TWICE!], have no difficulty urinating or farting, and can actually HOLD IT!) So they discharged me with perscriptions for keflex, and extra vicodin. As I got into the wheelchair, the nurse tugged the wire coming out of my back and was like "Someone needs to remove this IV!" I screamed and was like "Don't tug on that! It's connected inside of me!" (Seriously what an idiot! Even if it WAS AN IV he would have hurt me. He's a nurse and should know not to grab cords like that!) Then a different nurse wheeled me down to the car. She asked me why I needed surgery and what surgery I got, and after I explained my symptoms she said "Oh, is THAT ALL?" (Okay... seriously what's with the stupid jerk nurses? I felt belittled and invalidated) So that portion of my ordeal is over. It's been a day and I'm still really in pain. I'm really frustrated actually. I'm already having some problems... it keeps shocking me (especially when I move...) and sometimes I can't feel it so I turn it up and then move and it readjusts, gets suddenly stronger and hurts... PLUS when I turn it up to where I can feel it... it makes my foot spasm and I can feel the electrical pulses down my entire leg. The only way to fix it is to reprogram it... but the medtronic guy I spoke to said I have to leave it on this program for another three days. So I'm annoyed and ouchie. My butt hurts ENCREDIBLY badly... and I have three bandages glued on including the wire insertion point. I feel like I've done a million squats, and the zap-tapping of the machine are very uncomfortable. I'm so glad I have pain medication. So I'm already a candidate for full implantation, but I'm still unsure of how much it's going to help me. So I guess I have the next three weeks to decide.

[dancemomof2]

:woohoo:

[tigger_gal]

Hi there,
First, I am glad you are having success, and so sorry that you had a rough day at the hospital
you need to turn that box down because you do not need to feel it for it to work, and your rep should have told you "more is not better" . You medtronice rep was supposed to come and talk to you before the procdure, and explain grey box to you. Make sure when you have the implant that this is done.
about your movement in the stimulation and the intenisty is very normal. I just got my permenant (2nd intestim) put in on Wednesday. When I lay or sit a different way it moves. I do not have mine to where I feel it, but when I lay on my stomache I will feel a flutter in my butt cheek.
Did you do a pre op voidung diary? and are you doing a post op one? If you feel it is working for you, then have the implant. If you don't feel it is working, then it would not make since to have it done.

[humpieumpumkin]

YAY!!! I love the stim!!! I am sorry they needed you awake through the procedure and you "remember". I was quite fortunate and was under moderate sedation the whole time. My uro told me I slept peacefully the whole time, and he got the right spot the first time so I didn't need to be awakened. I remember having a terrible reaction to vancomycin, being given benadryl(I had versed at this point) and then being rolled into the or where they rolled me onto the "taco" foam thing. I remember a brunette nurse and the surgical untensils, THats it. I awoke to a nurse feeding me ice chips-hahaha she must have been feeding them to me for a while, because she came back with a second cup. I dont remember. My experience was quite pleasant.

Erika

[tigger_gal]

mine was too.. I did feel some of it, but right now I couldn't eve recall the pain. I was poked alot, but my nerves tend to not respond. It being the second time around I knew what to expect.

[blue]

Anytime I've had anykind of procedure in the hospital, a week or so later a rep from the hospital has called to ask about my experience. If they do that, make sure to tell them! If they don't take it on yourself to notify the patient rep at the hospital that the procedure was performed.