InterStim Therapy Volunteer: Tricia

This story recounts the experience of a patient who is receiving neurostimulation for the treatment of bladder control problems. Please bear in mind that the experience is specific to this particular person. Not everyone who receives InterStim Therapy will receive the same results as the patient in this story.

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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Next: Tanya's Story

Medtronic invited this patient to share her story candidly. Not everyone who receives InterStim Therapy will receive the same results as the patient in this story. Talk with your doctor to determine if sacral nerve stimulation is right for you. In addition to risks related to a surgical procedure, complications associated with InterStim Therapy can include pain at the implant sites, new pain, infection, lead (thin wire) movement/migration, device problems, interactions with certain other devices or diagnostic equipment such as MRI, undesirable changes in urinary or bowel function, uncomfortable stimulation (sometimes described as a jolting or shocking feeling), and others. Surgery is required to remove the InterStim Therapy system. Please refer to Important Safety Information. Always discuss the potential risks and benefits of the therapy with your physician. This therapy is not for everyone. 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.