cysto, hydro, and inter-stim removal

[bigred]

I have had the cysto, hydro. Has anyone had thier interstim removed. I know that the doc. is going to put me all the way out. He will then remove the wires with one incision and then the machine with another. How much pain should I expect? How long will it take to heal? THese are questions I forgot to ask to day so I hope you can help me. Surgery (procedure as my nurse husband says) is scheduled for the 29th.

[leelee88]

I do not have any answers for you concerning the interstim, But I do wish you the best..

[Claredale]

I haven't had my entire interstim removed, just had the first implant taken out due to infeection. I didn't follow my doctor's instructions AT ALL, but I would certainly give your doctor a call. I would assume it would be similar to how long it took you to heal from getting it put in because for the most part it's just doing the incisions and taking it all out, but I am assuming you are having the hydro/cysto at the same time. That seems to be alot to go through all at once. I hope they do the hydro first so you won't have to lie on your incision from having the implant and wires removed.

The only part I had taken out was the actual implant because they had to remove the first one due to the infection and put in a 2nd one on the left side once my right side incision healed completely so that my body didn't have to work too hard to heal. (Like I said, I didn't listen...I was out in the yard within a couple of days of my surgery. I know I was up on the computer shortly after I got home from my surgery checking on my emails and work stuff as soon as my husband got in the shower shortly after we got home. My manager called when she saw me on the computer and told she had everything under control. I was pretty drugged, so it was probably best that I not try to talk to claims adjusters! LOL! I did go back and read my notes and they actually made since (Thank goodness!). A few weeks later, I realized what price I did pay not listening to my doctors. They tried to save the first one with antibiotics and lots of rest, but my skin is very sensitive, so my doctor felt it best to remove teh implant but not the wires. I had to wait for it to heal and the infection to go away and then they put another implant into the other side. During the removal surgery, they had pulled the wires to the left side awaiting my new surgery in a few weeks. That was back in 2002, so I don't have much memory of it since I had alot of things going on in my life, but if I am reading my journal correctly, everything was fine in about a month and that was with the reimplantment surgery as well. I wasn't allowed to do anything since my body doesn't have much of an immune system, so I had to stay in my house after my implant removal surgery and my new implant. Believe me, I did nothing the 2nd go round! They just hooked my old wires to my new implant. I know I did everything they said including IV antibiotics daily when the nurse came by since I wanted to be able to go to my son's highschool graduation. I almost missed that which was a major reason to follow the rules!

I am sorry you are having to have your's removed. I have mine turned off right now since I lost the wand part of my remote, so I can't change the settings, so once that comes back in I will be able to turn it back on, plus get another adjustment. I am glad that my meds have kept me going because it has been a while. Hopefully tomorrow they will have the cord with the wand at my next appt. I knew they can come apart, but normally I just keep it in my purse. I guess it got caught on something and I lost it. I am very grateful that I was able to keep the actual control because I understand those are quite expensive.

Please call you doctor. He will be the best one to tell you on what to expect from your removal surgery. We all heal differently, plus I have never had the surgery plus hydro cysto at the same time!

I don't know how long it's been since you had your implant put in, but as for my wires being put in, that incision healed quite quickly and that was the part I was in sort of a twilight sleep so they could ask me questions on what I felt. When they put in the implant (2nd incision since it is a few inches from the other site (it's remarkable how Dr. Ragi pulled the wires through) but I know that was the part that I was completely under, because once she had asked me the necessary questions I was beginning to feel pain and I remember her saying "okay, it's time to put her under completely". The next thing I remember, I was in the recovery room with a bandage on the top part of my cheek. That was when they actually put the implant in again. I truly don't remember much about my trial when they were hooking up the wires to my sacral nerve. I know I was semi awake because I can remember then talking and asking me questions, but I didn't feel a thing. Oh, one last thing. Dr. Ragi gave me something to take before my surgery when they were doing the actual implant and my 2nd implant because I was completely out of it. I was awake, but my husband said that I was definitely not feeling any pain. As I have mentioned on this forum here before. The Medtronics guy was there when I was in the pre-op area with Dr. Ragi and my husband and I just kept staring at the Medtronics guy like a love sick puppy (as my husband says). I can still remember his big blue eyes! LOL! He just kept holding my hand and rubbing my arm telling me it wouldn't be much longer. If I had any real thinking going on, I would have been paranoid about him seeing my rear end, but of course that didn't even occur to me. I do remember being rolled on to my stomach and then I was gone for a good sleep. My husband insists that the rep from Medtronics came in my room before we left the hospital going over stuff I had already read. He was mainly there for my husband anyway. But I don't remember a thing after my surgery with the exception of waiting for the wheel chair and being hungry but at the same time making certain they had given me anti-nausea meds before I left. The recovery nurse kept telling me that they had put some in my IV, plus my husband had my prespcriptions.

Tracey

[bigred]

The doc. hadn't totally decided which procedure he would do first. He says if he does the cysto, hydro first then the floor will be wet. He says since I am going to be totally out of it I will not know which came first. He talks as if he wants to do the removal first, suture me up, and bandage me real good and then roll me over for the other procedures. I will have two incisions on the back side, one for the machine, and one for the wires. My husbands funny he keeps calling this a procedure and I keep telling him it is a surgery because they are removing something. He's a nurse and I guess that since they aren't taking anything out it is a procedure. I let him have it all done for me if that would work.

Tomorrow I am packing up to go to our son's family,(grandson time) in the mountains close to Yosemite. Then I go to the hospital two days after we get back. I am hoping this will be a relaxing time and I can have fun and not worry. Were taking my daughter in laws Grandparents and cousin with us. It will be a full house. The day before surgery I am hoping to not have to do anything but will see. The house still will need cleaned.:bonk: