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Diarrhea After Permanent Implant

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Posted 1/28/2014 1:35 PM (GMT 0)
Hello all....i have done tons of searching on the internet about this, but have not found anything, then remembered the forum here. I had the Medtronics neurostimulator implanted Dec 13, 2013, and have had chronic diarrhea ever since. I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, but for the previous 4 years was on oxycodone, hydrocodone, hydrocodone, and other pain meds, so constipation was my companion, very very few episodes of diarrhea. My neurostimulator was implanted for nerve pain caused by damage to nerves during a total knee replacement in July 2010. My primary care physician and I had a long talk about everything I have been thru since replacement, tons of stress, 3 family deaths, pain, anxiety, wondering if I was ever going to have a "normal" less painful life, feelings of guilt because I felt like I was a burden to my family, even tho I knew I wasn't. She is treating this as "Rebound "IBS" and I am on Bentyl plus Imodium when needed.
I wanted to know if anyone else had experienced the diarrhea after implant of neurostimulator, and if so do you believe it is associated with the implant? I know that I can have it tweaked to change my pattern, could one of the sensors be sending signals to my belly to go into overdrive?
Any info would be appreciated. The bentyl helps but I have to take it religiously, I cut back to one a day for 2 days, and BAM back to the bathroom....
Please help if u have any experience with this.
Posted 1/28/2014 2:10 PM (GMT 0)
GMLB, I really do not think the SCS Unit has a thing to with the diarrhea. I have never heard of anyone ever having this happen after getting one implanted.

If I were you I would get in with a good gastroenterologist & get this checked out. It is not normal to just have constant diarrhea and you need to find out the cause. You body is telling you something is not right. There are many things that can cause diarrhea.

Please let us know what you find out.....Susie
Posted 1/29/2014 4:04 AM (GMT 0)
It could be possible that you picked up the c-diff bacteria while at the hospital. Get your dr. to send in a sample for testing.
Posted 1/29/2014 4:30 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Getmylifeback,

I'm sorry to hear about what you are going through. It certainly sounds like no fun to say the very least. I tend to agree with straydog and tmjpain. I have a Medtronics neurostimulator -- for going on 4 yrs now -- and I never had any problem like the one you describe. I really don't even see how the two could be related unless it is due to something like stress associated with the procedure that has caused a flair of your IBS, or from a nosocomial infection that you got during your time in the hospital. I don't know where your leads are (on what nerves/at what level of the spine they are), but regardless, the stimulation really shouldn't have any effect on the functioning of your GI tract. However, you might try leaving your stimulator turned off for a few days and see what happens if you have not done so already. But because of the recent surgery and the timing of the diarrhea, if your pcp hasn't been very helpful, you may even consider talking to your surgeon about this. They obviously will have a much better idea than we will as to whether or not there could be any correlation between the two.

Please do let us know what happens. I hope you are able to figure this out!

Skeye

Post Edited (skeye) : 1/28/2014 9:33:39 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/30/2014 9:00 PM (GMT 0)
I have been taking Bentyl for about 8 days now, twice a day, with only 2 flare ups. And then I would take an Imodium. It seems to be helping, but as with most people who have been having such frequent bouts, I have to say that most of the time I don't want to eat for fear of it starting all over again. I do make myself eat, but it is not NEAR as much as I use to. I did need to lose weight, and I have lost 18 pounds....I am making sure that what I do it is healthy, have cut out sugar and caffeine, so maybe I have it under control now.
I was in hospital less than 6 hours, no overnight stay.

I will say that the Bentyl does slow things down, but in the process my lower belly seems to have bubbles :) if you get my meaning. So I also take simethecone to help relieve that issue.
Since things r improving I am going to say that all of this has been from stress, anxiety, wintertime cabin fever, just plain not a happy camper right now for a lot of reasons, and after 4 years it has caught up with me.
Will keep u posted how my belly behaves...
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