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  • #1

    Interstim trial starts Wednesday

    Hi guys,
    I will be starting my interstim trial week on Wednesday. My doctor has done over 200 of them and tells me her patients have a 95% success rate. Can anyone share your personal experiences? My doctor tells me that there aren't really any restrictions. Will I have much more pain than I am in now? I am pretty nervous. I am only 24, but I have severe IC. I am on Ultram, Vicodin, librax and effexor xr. Also, I have been on the vicodin for about three months now. and my pain was somewhat under control, but since my last period, it seems to not be working as well any more. Does anyone know if this is normal for pain meds? Do you get used to them? or is my IC getting worse?
    If anyone can tell me more about their interstim experience that would be great!
    Thanks Anne
    I am the mother to my beautiful son Parker Thomas.
    I have had IC for 10 years, and I also have migraines, endometriosis, pelvic adhesions, osteopenia, peptic ulcers, fibromyalgia, and PFD.
    I am currently prescribed Effexor XR 150 for depression/anxiety, 50mcg Fentanyl patch, Percocet for breakthrough pain, Klonipin for sleep and anxiety, and d-amphetamine salt xl for ADHD and excessive daytime sleepiness due to my pain meds, Pyridium, 10 mg of Valium (inserted vaginally to relax pelvic floor muscles, and I do bladder instillations once a day consisting of a mixture of 3cc Sodium Bicarbonate, 5CC Lidocane, & 22cc of Heparin. I also regularly use a prescribed TENS unit for pelvic pain, along with lots of rest in bed with my four, four-legged furry friends. (I once heard called "fur-therapy")
    There is always something beautiful around you, sometimes you just have to look for it!
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  • #2
    Good luck with your trial on Wednesday. Hopefully, you will have favorable results. I did not have favorable results but I know there are people on this board who have had success with Interstim.

    You mentioned that your doctor has a "95% success rate". Even Medtronic does not boast that high of a success rate. What is your doctors definition of success? ( I believe medtronic defines success as 50% reduction in voiding)

    You also stated your Vicodin does not seem to be helping as much as it used to. Vicodin is an opiate and overtime you body builds a tolerance to it. Essentially, you need to take more of the medication to achieve the same effect (I am not recommending that you up your dosage). If you are finding that your meds are not as effective, please talk to your doctor about it.

    Best of luck on Wednesday!

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    • #3
      I hope you will be one of th success stories.


      Donna
      Stay safe


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      • #4
        Thanks for all of the advice. My doctor said that her patients of the same age range with the same symptoms have a 95% success rate. That being said, she also mentioned that success has a lot to do with the doctor who is performing the surgery and placing the lead. Since she has done so many, and really has completely changed my life since I started seeing her, I really feel as though she would not steer me wrong.
        As far as the Vicodin goes, I'm not quite sure what to think about this. I am also suffering from what I think is a pinched nerve in my back at this time, so it may be that the pain is so severe it is making all the other pain seem worse. I'm not sure if that makes any sense, but its the only thing other than having developed a tolerance that I can think of. I am going to talk to her before the surgery about the pain medications because I am very concerned that the actual lead coming out of me will, in itself, be painful. I have no idea what to expect other than what she has told me, but the last time we spoke, we were both under the impression that my insurance was going to cover the operation in only one surgery. So, of course I knew I was going to be in pain from that, so I wasn't really that worried about it. I'm just not sure if the lead thing is going to be more painful than the pain I already have because I don't know if my pain meds will reduce it to a tolerable amount. Ahh... I'm just so excited and apprehensive about the whole thing. Anyway, thanks for all of the support guys!

        Anne
        I am the mother to my beautiful son Parker Thomas.
        I have had IC for 10 years, and I also have migraines, endometriosis, pelvic adhesions, osteopenia, peptic ulcers, fibromyalgia, and PFD.
        I am currently prescribed Effexor XR 150 for depression/anxiety, 50mcg Fentanyl patch, Percocet for breakthrough pain, Klonipin for sleep and anxiety, and d-amphetamine salt xl for ADHD and excessive daytime sleepiness due to my pain meds, Pyridium, 10 mg of Valium (inserted vaginally to relax pelvic floor muscles, and I do bladder instillations once a day consisting of a mixture of 3cc Sodium Bicarbonate, 5CC Lidocane, & 22cc of Heparin. I also regularly use a prescribed TENS unit for pelvic pain, along with lots of rest in bed with my four, four-legged furry friends. (I once heard called "fur-therapy")
        There is always something beautiful around you, sometimes you just have to look for it!

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