urethral irritation and interstim

[michaela]

I do not have pain and only minimal freq and urg. My main problem is an incomplete emptying feeling and pressure around my urethra and in my bladder neck. Since this not exactly pain would the interstim help with this?

Michaela

[Kelli]

Michaela,
I just wanted to let you know. The interstim does NOT help for pain. There have been a very small number of IC patients who had the implant put in for urgency and frequency and it did manage to help with pain. But that was pure luck. The reason for the implant is to help with severe frequency and urgency. There is an implant out there that is for pain. It is called the ANS device. The website for that is www.ans-medical.com (http://www.ans-medical.com) They can send you free information on the device as well as a video tape that shows you how the procedure is done.


Kelli

[Kelli]

and I misread your post...lol You said you do NOT have pain and I thought it said you do have pain. Maybe it's time for me to get some sleep....lol

[michaela]

That's ok kelli, I'm behind on my sleep to with all this worrying. :)

Michaela

[Teri]

Michaela~it did not help me. How ofter do you use the potty :confused: :confused: It's a huge step if you are only using the bathroom a dozen times a day......

[michaela]

When i had the frequency I was miserable but now that this urethral irritation has started i would give anything to have the frequency back. I voided roughly 12-15 times a day. Now it's this urethral crap bugging me to death.

Michaela

[tigger_gal]

Micheala,
did you talk to your uro about the interstim? got to www.interstim.com (http://www.interstim.com) this is a great site. You may have a very naror urethia, maybe you need it dilated. hope fuly you can figure this all out :)
Brat

[ICNDonna]

It's just a thought, but have you considered talking to your doctor about trying a TENS unit? Some ICers are having some good results with those.

I have never tried one for IC pain, but I did have one following a frozen shoulder from rotator cuff surgery and it was very effective for that. It was a rented unit --- sometimes I wish I had it to try for my IC.

Sending healing thoughts,
Donna

[michaela]

Donna,

I had not thought of that. Can you get a TENS unit from your uro? I thought I had to see a PT. I may check into that. I'm feeling better now. (knock on wood) I think all that cathing made me raw or something. I also think my nerves are going haywirer or something. Thanks for the advice!

Michaela

[ICNDonna]

Any doctor can write an order for a TENS unit. And they are actually not expensive any more.

If you use the Google search at the top of this page and search the ICN, you will find links to information on TENS units.

Donna

[michaela]

Thanks alot!!

Michaela

[rjyoon]

I used a TENS unit for my IC for two years. It was wonderful! Helped with my urgency/frequency so much, and really helped my sleep. Unfortunately, no one told me that taping electrodes to the same place on your body for two years straight is a bad idea...so now I have allergies to adhesive & can't stand to have electrodes on my skin. Wish I could go back to that option.

[ICNDonna]

When I used a TENS unit, I used little gel squares that fit the electrodes. They worked very well and no skin irritation. I also am very tape sensitive.

Hugs,
Donna