Spinal Cord Stimulation

[ravfem]

Just got home from a visit with a neurosurgeon regarding my chronic lower back & hip pain.

He suggests a trial run with SCS, and i would love to get opinions from those of you who have experience with this. Pros, cons, suggestions....anything.

Thanks!

:hippie:

[katsarecool]

I had this device implanted August of 2004 to block the pain of a badly damaged nerve. It was successful. Although it took much longer to recover from the sugery than the doctor predicted. 6 months rather than six weeks. The trauma of the surgery brought about fibromyalgia. In hindsight if I had to do it over again I would not. But that is just me. Every patient is different. Good luck what ever you decide. If you have any other questions please feel free to PM me.

[DomnNC]

Hi rav,

My pain management Dr wanted me to try this, however they consider a 40% reduction in pain a success. He couldn't even guarantee a 40% reduction at that. To me, personally, it wasn't worth going thru the surgery, being sliced almost all the way down my spine, then a diagonal slice from between my shoulder blades, down and around to my stomach to where he wanted to implant the device (he said I didn't have enough ass to put it there, lol) and then a surgery every 9 years to replace the battery. It just wasn't worth it to me. I told him when he could guarantee a 80% or better reduction in pain then we'd talk about it, til then, no slicing me up for that.

I'm kinda surprised a neurosurgeon is talking to you about that, in Charlotte it's the pain management Dr's that handle that.

[katsarecool]

I forgot all about that we saw the same pain mgmt group in Charlotte. You are right about the percentage though. I was fortunate that I got a 95% pain coverage. Dr. B over there wanted to make me a poster person for the SCS. Then I wanted to kill him for the fibro! J/K!!!

[DomnNC]

I forgot all about that we saw the same pain mgmt group in Charlotte. You are right about the percentage though. I was fortunate that I got a 95% pain coverage. Dr. B over there wanted to make me a poster person for the SCS. Then I wanted to kill him for the fibro! J/K!!!

Lol, that's right! I'm sure you indeed wanted to do that as well. That's about like when I woke up from my last back surgery in pain unlike nothing I've ever felt and when my neurosurgeon came to see me in my room and I crooked my finger at him to come closer. He refused, lol, cuz he knew I wanted to belt him a good one, lol.

[katsarecool]

Lol, that's right! I'm sure you indeed wanted to do that as well. That's about like when I woke up from my last back surgery in pain unlike nothing I've ever felt and when my neurosurgeon came to see me in my room and I crooked my finger at him to come closer. He refused, lol, cuz he knew I wanted to belt him a good one, lol.

My first laugh of the day; a deep throated giggle!!!

[Corkey]

I have one and it works well when I have it on, which is anytime my wife comes close to the battery with her bracelet that has a magnet. Now that being said, everyone is different and every outcome is different. Your mileage will vary. Sometimes it helps sometimes it doesn't. I've had mine since 2002 and had the battery recharged in a doctors office without being sliced open again. It all depends on which unit your surgeon puts in.
Do your research on the companies as well as recalls happen for all kinds of reasons. Mine is anchored to my spine in 3 places and only 2 small scars, which healed just fine. Up and moving the very next day and back to my normal differently abled self in 2 weeks.

Be advised you will if traveling by air no longer use the metal detector, or go thru any magnetized environment like your library, certain stores that use magnets as they're shoplifting deterrent. You also will never have another MRI, and can only have CT scans.

Your outcome will vary. Good luck and I hope you feel better.

[Hack]

I've put this on a very far back burner when suggested by my pain management doctor. I know someone who had one, had if shift on her when she lost some weight and it created all kinds of problems.

Do you have a pain management doctor? I highly recommend finding a reputable pain management center near you (most major hospitals have one) and finding a doctor there who can help manage not only your pain, but pain meds and any treatment or procedures. My pain doc is a godsend.

Jake

[katsarecool]

I have one and it works well when I have it on, which is anytime my wife comes close to the battery with her bracelet that has a magnet. Now that being said, everyone is different and every outcome is different. Your mileage will vary. Sometimes it helps sometimes it doesn't. I've had mine since 2002 and had the battery recharged in a doctors office without being sliced open again. It all depends on which unit your surgeon puts in.
Do your research on the companies as well as recalls happen for all kinds of reasons. Mine is anchored to my spine in 3 places and only 2 small scars, which healed just fine. Up and moving the very next day and back to my normal differently abled self in 2 weeks.

Be advised you will if traveling by air no longer use the metal detector, or go thru any magnetized environment like your library, certain stores that use magnets as they're shoplifting deterrent. You also will never have another MRI, and can only have CT scans.

Your outcome will vary. Good luck and I hope you feel better.Absolutely the down side not being able to have an MRI!!! I recently had a breast cancer scare and was unable to have an MRI and had to undergo a painful and invasive breast biopsy instead.

As far as going through metal detectors turning the device to Off is adviseable. Or one could get a nasty little jolt. It is also unadviseble to having it turned on while driving. Sudden sharp movement of our bodies can cause a jolt and that does not need to happen while driving 65 mph.

Overall when I use mine I get a good relief. Again good luck!!!

[Corkey]

Even in the off position the magnets can effect the leads. One should not go thru any device which is magnetized. That's why one gets a card that they must show to TSA etc....

[katsarecool]

I have never had a single problem with my device and I always walk through the detectors. But like you said every patient is different. And these are the questions patients should ask the surgeon before having this surgery.

The maker of my device is Medtronic. The rep was actually in the room when I had the surgery sitting on a stool looking up and talking me through the process.

[Corkey]

The very same, and yes every one is different but the leads are made of a very fine material that exposed to the effects of magnets will break and cause one to have to have them replaced. I'm not taking any chances.

[ravfem]

i appreciate all the input, thanks y'all.

i do have a pain management team, and have had chronic issues for well over a decade that are now getting pretty bad pretty quickly.

If i did the SCS, my pain mgt dr would do the temporary one and the neurosurgeon would do the permanent one.

i'm still thinking and reading and weighing everything, but i do appreciate everyone sharing!

[katsarecool]

Wishing you all the best!!!! Chronic pain sucks!!!