InterStim Therapy Volunteer: Tricia

I'm Tricia, a 35-year-old single mother of an amazing 12-year-old boy. In 2001, I began experiencing urinary retention. I've always had a small bladder, but the problem had gotten much worse. Sometimes I could go normally, but other times I'd have to urinate but be unable to go, even if I ran the water or took a bath to relax.

My doctor had me try a number of drugs to help relax my muscles and let me empty my bladder like a normal person, but they didn't work. Often my bladder would be so full, I would have spasms that were very uncomfortable. I had to have my urethra dilated frequently, in an attempt to make the opening bigger, but the dilations just left me with urinary tract infections, kidney infections, and a lot of pain.

All I could do was catheterize myself, which was bad enough at home, but nearly impossible when I was out. I'd have to carry a catheter in my backpack or purse. Imagine trying to insert it in an unsanitary public bathroom! My bladder problems were always on my mind and consequently, I restricted my activities. I wouldn't want to take a chance on watching my son's baseball games or seeing a movie, because I might have to urinate and I knew I may not be able to go. I also began restricting my fluids, which caused other digestive problems.

I couldn't sleep because I felt a need to go and then couldn't – so I'd be forced to cath in the middle of the night, which caused pain, followed by no sleep. My days were filled with frustration and fatigue. I needed something – I even considered a major surgery where I'd have a bag on my side to hold my urine.

Finally, one of my doctors referred me to a urologist who does InterStim Therapy. In April 2005, we did the trial assessment to see if InterStim Therapy might be right for me. Once I had InterStim Therapy, I started going to the bathroom often – without a catheter. I empty completely, I'm sleeping better, and I'm not on any bladder medication.

Now I can take my son to his travel baseball games, go shopping, a movie, or travel on a plane without worrying about whether or not I'll be able to empty my bladder or if I need to get home to self-cath before I am in too much pain.

I see many improvements in the way I live my life. Because I am no longer dependent on self-catheterization, I have the freedom to go where I want, when I want, for as long as I want, because I'm not in constant fear of "what if I can't go?" With InterStim Therapy, my bladder dysfunction doesn't interfere with my life any more.

I want to share the good news – there is HOPE for you with bladder dysfunction. It's called InterStim Therapy!

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This story recounts the experience of one patient who is receiving InterStim Therapy. Medtronic invited her to share her story candidly. Please bear in mind that the experiences are specific to this particular person. Results vary; not every response is the same. Talk to your doctor to determine if neurostimulation is right for you. In addition to risks related to a medical procedure, complications from this therapy can include pain, infection, sensation of electrical shock, device problems, undesirable change in voiding function, and lead migration, among others. This story reflects one person's experience. Not every person will receive the same results. See Important Safety Information for possible adverse events. This therapy is not for everyone. Please consult your doctor. A prescription is required.

Please note: InterStim Therapy volunteer program is not intended to offer medical advice, counseling or product-related technical support. For medical questions, please talk with your doctor. If you have a Medtronic product and need technical support, please call 1-800-510-6735. Your discussion with an InterStim Therapy volunteer is meant to be a one-on-one conversation with an actual InterStim Therapy patient. The InterStim Therapy volunteers are instructed not to disclose any information about you to Medtronic or anyone else, but Medtronic cannot guarantee this will not happen. Therefore, please do not share any personal information about yourself with the volunteer unless you wish to do so. Medtronic will not participate in or monitor your conversation with a volunteer. The volunteers are not employees of Medtronic, and Medtronic does not control what they may say to you. For these reasons, Medtronic is not responsible for any statements the volunteers make. Medtronic encourages you to carefully review the information about InterStim Therapy on this website, and to discuss this therapy with your doctor. Medtronic reserves the right to end the InterStim Therapy volunteers program at any time, or to change volunteers from time to time.