Another question about Interstim....

[ICLori]

Hi, guys, I tried a TENS unit for the first time today, as a prelude to doing the Interstim thing. (I was hoping TENS would work so I wouldn't need the surgery.)

Well, it's only been one time so I will try it more times to see if today was a fluke, but I had a weird reaction today and I'm wondering if this would have any bearing on if I would do well with Interstim or not. If it would show that I would not be a good candidate or something?

What happened is, it didn't help me during the ten minutes it was on me. Then about half an hour after it stopped, I went numb in my bladder/urethra, which was heaven. Then I was numb for about two hours, but then the pain came back twice as bad. Frequency/urgency was much worse too, for about two hours. Then it all kind of normalized and I went back to baseline pain.

I'm just wondering if anyone who did Interstim but did TENS first, if they had that reaction to and if maybe it means Interstim wouldn't work for me?

I'm totally confused as to why my pain was more for those two hours after the intitial relief. I know it wasn't just my imagination either because I kept a voiding diary and also for the very first time my hot water bottle didn't work to stop the pain, normally it always does.

Thank you all for any words of wisdom, advice, sharing experiences, etc.

Blessings, Lori

[tigger_gal]

Lori,
I have never done the tens unit, and have never experienced what you have explained with the interstim.. I would ask the docotr tho..
hugs
cindy

[ICLori]

Thanks, Cindy, I will tell the physical therapist what I experienced when I go back to her this Thursday...

Keeing my fingers crossed!

I gotta ask you another question about Interstim...people have been saying the surgery is absolute torture, extreme pain etc. - is this true? Will I be in the worst pain of my life for the hour or so the surgery is taking place on the Interstim? Why can't they numb you up some?

Is the pain the same that you feel when they give you an epidural and you feel that sciatica type pain when they hit a nerve the wrong way? Or is it worse?

Thanks so much, I'm probably going to end up having Interstim and I want to kind of be mentally prepared for how bad the surgery will be.

Blessings, Lori