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In 2011, Mary Adams, 74, of Catonsville MD was referred to Dr. Leslie Rickey, a urologist/urogynecologist and female pelvic medicine expert at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Soon after having an outpatient treatment for urinary incontinence, Mary quickly noticed improvements in her life. Read her story below.
For the past 15 years, Mary Adams had been dealing with the symptoms of urinary incontinence/ constant urine leakage. She had undergone three previous procedures which helped her temporarily, but she had not responded to overactive bladder medications.
When she went to see Dr. Leslie Rickey in 2011, Mary was using pads daily and often had to change her clothes because she could not make it to the bathroom in time. She also leaked urine at night when she had to get up to void at least three to four times per night.
"I was using 90 pads a week and washing two to three pairs of pants a day. As it got worse, I couldn't get to bathroom in time," said Mary.
After undergoing office bladder testing to confirm her diagnosis, Mary underwent an outpatient Interstim procedure (sacral neuromodulation), in which a small wire is placed near the nerves to the bladder and connected to a stimulator. If successful, the stimulator is placed under the skin in the upper buttock.
"I often describe it as a 'pacemaker for the bladder' and it can help reset the nerves that control bladder function, resulting in decreased urge incontinence, urgency, frequency, and nocturia," Dr. Rickey explained. "For Ms. Adams, she said it changed her life and that for the first time in 10 years, she could get to the bathroom."
Mary agrees: "It's great; it's a life-changing experience I would recommend it to anyone having severe bladder problems. It's worth having the surgery done. You don't have to worry about making it to the bathroom in time and having wet pants. I don't have to buy pads anymore. It's worth in the long run; it will make your life 100 percent better."
She also had kind words to say about Dr. Rickey: "I would recommend Dr. Rickey, she's number one on my list. She's top of the class. She has a great bedside manner and you don't find many doctors that have that. She's wonderful."
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