I think I'm going to have Botox...

[melbel]

I've been on Vesicare and that has helped somehwat, but my doctor feels Botox could help me. I have no pain so I'm lucky. My questions to those who have had it:

1. Any leakage?
2. Where did your doc inject the Botox? How much?
3. How much retention?
4. How long before the retention went away?
5. Will it affect you if you want to have children in the future?

My doctor said there was a new article in one of the medical journals that Interstim was not good. He didn't go into any more detail.
Thanks!

[Katrina]

I think both intertim and botox are risks. From what I understand they both have helped many and in the case of botox some have had some big problems just like with interstim. Some doctors feel botox needs more research in the area of IC but that it does hold a lot of potential in being a good therapy. For that reason at this time I think it is one of the things that I would put towards the end of the list of things to try....but if you are at that point make sure your doctor knows what he is doing.

I sure hope that some people around here can give you the answers you need to make this big decission.

Dr Jay spoke a little about both botox and Interstim in his lecture yesterday.

On botox.......not used it
very excitted as its potential for a therapy
really seems to work for frequency syndrome....but we still don't know if it works for the pain.
so like to see a little more research before I bring into my practice
economic issue with botox.....no insurance companies are going to approve botox for IC as yet....especially for IC......so usually once I mention the cost...patients want to try other more affordable things first.
not commonly approved at this time....case by case basis

interstim therapy for IC? Interstim can work for neurogenic bladder and urinary frequency.....not at all imporessed with the results for painful bladder however
long term viability of interstim is still in question
patients may have several revisions due to lead migration, etc. etc.
thus its not as simple as it sounds....and may require constant care for the future...this is not a device that you implant and leave a lone....it requires constant monitoring!
Michael Chancellor at Univ of PA is doing compelling work right now
on available treatments such as botox and cutting edge research such as liposomes and cannibanoids


I don't know if that helps you at all....I sure hop you find a plan that is right for you and works out for you no matter what it is! :grouphug: