Boston Scientific Spinal Cord Stimulator Paddle Post Op
Posted , 22 users are following.
I am now 3 1/2 weeks post op from having the Boston Scientific SCS implanted at T5. Due to several different spinal conditions from narrowing disc space to bulges to arthritis to fractures and a twisted spinal cord that no one has ever heard of. I was doing well and am a Severely stubborn person. I sat like a good girl a lot the first 2 weeks. I started getting stir crazy and we went out to the store and walked and I did ok. Worst part at the time was muscle spasms that just held on and wouldn't let go. So at the end of week 3 I went back to work. I am an office manager and am up and down, reaching and bending all day every day. I did well but really sore on Monday. Things were not as good on Tuesday. I started having a really sharp pain in the center of my back that feels like its the spine but I'm not a dr. I know it does not feel like muscle spasms. This pain is getitng progressively worse and I called my rep who told me if its bad see my dr or if really bad go to the ER. I HATE ERs so only if I have exhausted everything under the sun will I go there. I cant get in to see the drs in his office until May 1st. One dr called in a Lidocaine patch for me today but is this something I need to go to the ER for? It stops me dead in my tracks and my pain meds I had before surgery are not touching it. Muscle relaxers do nothing either. I've been putting Ice and heat alternately and that helps a little but its still excruciating. I don't want to be a baby which is why I waited 4 days to even say anything but I can't take this pain for another 2 weeks.... Suggestions? ER or what?
3 likes, 38 replies
allaroundanne Annab1983
Posted
Well, have you tried turning it off during the pain? The trial is done with leads in, not a paddle, so when leads get displaced it may be a very different feeling than when a paddle gets displaced. Also, taking an xray is just a very gross way of telling where something is and is really only one dimension or two if they took front and side pictures. It's not a 3-D image of where that paddle is in relation to your nerves, so your paddle still could not be in the right place where your surgeon placed it, but still be in the general region. It could be twisted just a tiny bit and the ER doc isn't going to be able to tell that from those two dimensions. An off kilter paddle isn't going to feel the same at all as your off kilter leads did. Talk to Dee on here, her trial with the leads went great, but her experience with the paddles so far has been far from rosy. I still think you should try turning the thing off when you get the pain and see if the pain goes away.
Annab1983 allaroundanne
Posted
I tried that last week for one of the nights. I left it off all night and still had the same burning slicing pain when I woke up. I do understand what your saying though.
I just got off the phone with the surgeons nurse and she said they can try calling in a steriod pack but thats all she thinks they can do. Still no word back from the other dr either. It's not like I don't have a good reason to be in pain and it's not like I've been gobbling up all kinds of meds either. Ive only been taking what I had been before surgery. They allowed 2 more pills a day for 5 days right after surgery but I didn't ask for any more. I was managing fine with the muscle relaxers until last week.
I did reply to Dee. She seems like a sweet lady and I am so appreciative for you as well.
DJ1976 Annab1983
Posted
Hi. Seems like we sort of have the same issue. Like you that leg pain still exists if stim is on or off.
The strange thing is that that during the trial with the 2 leads, I got measured relief after 6 days. So I know in my heart and brain that the stim can eliminate, to a degree the leg pain. The problem is you cannot take a success from the 2 leads and program it into the paddle. I firmly believe the problem is the paddle. I might ask the mother ifball questions, "What are my chances in a) either finding a solution with the paddle or 2) getting paddle out and inserting leads in permanently???" I suspect their answer might be, "Not a snowballs chance in hell!!!!" LMAO. So back to drawing board we go.
I hope you find an and. soon. Lynn being a retired doc in this field is my go to person on here. So,pick her brains. She has plenty and won't miss the few we use. LOL. Good luck and keep me posted.
Dee
allaroundanne Annab1983
Posted
Yeah, they gave me a steroid dose pack when my generator slipped into the wrong spot and was on top of my sciatic nerve. My doc didn't want to move it and was trying to buy time for it to build up scar tissue around it so it wasn't pressing on the nerve. It helped for about a week. So, the pack might do you some temporary good too, I think that's a great idea for now until you can get in for an appointment.
tina59231 Annab1983
Posted
I have Had mine in Since june 21st 2017 an i will never suggest this to anyone. I have never Had a
Fusion or discectomy. Like i should have gotten. Done. Taken. Care. Of. Before this but no good old doctor s insist that because of my age wait but we will do this that has done nothing. For my pain or my spina bifida occulta or my 6 herniated. Discs. Or my si fractures an so forth. An trying to tell your rep. Is like talking to a brick. Wall. All they want is $$ an trying to find a spine doctor. To touch ur back afterwards. To help you 99.9% wont. Even look at u. Because of the risk. I had to get an attorney. So I can get my scs taken out! An i cant wait on Jan.31st 2018 @7:45am i will finally have this electricuting. Painfull implant out of my back!
I Would suggest for everyone That has Had issues. Get it out. Trust me. Its more dangerous then good an safe. Ive been electricuted internally. It doesnt help my pain in increases. It.😭
Annab1983
Posted
I will have some nerve issues that might take some time to resolve but it’s finally better.... we’ll upper back anyway.
My mid and low back are really bad though. The drs wouldn’t do anything with the low back until my upper back was better. So now that I’ve finally gotten improvement in upper, I’m hopeful that something will be able to help my lower back.
Thanks to all of you who wrote encouraging messages and support. You gave me hope, courage and made me feel like I’m not alone. I appreciate it.
Got stem cell injection in my right knee on Jan 11 and hoping it will regenerate my cartilage and hold off a total knee replacement and surgery #5 on it. I’ll let y’all know how it goes and if they provide relief.
faith48458 Annab1983
Posted
If you are leaking from the incision site get in right away!! Possible staph infection! My pain increased and was a staph infection. Don't take any chances with your health and don't worry about feeling foolish just take care of yourself.
evelyn54008 Annab1983
Posted
Annab1983 evelyn54008
Posted
Things have gotten so much within the past month especially.
I was offered an intrathecal pain pump or commonly referred to as the morphine pump. It was implanted in May 16. Just like the previous saga, things didn’t come easy. It took the dr twice as long as normal and he ended up having to do a total and partial laminectomy of L2 and L3. When he was trying to thread the catheter up my spinal cord it kept turning around and going downward. So the only way that he was able to get it where it needed to be was to remove some bone. I was in agony all day and night after surgery. I cried the whole time. They were only giving me 1/4 of the meds that I was prescribed for post op pain. So once I got home it got a bit better for the back pain. I had a super bad headache that lasted almost 3 weeks. I also had a bubble develop at the top of the incision. After 33 days with a cerebrospinal fluid leak they took me to surgery to repair it. There was so much fluid that it had traveled the path of the pump tubing all the way around and filled the pump pouch enough that it was floating. Lol, leave it to me. They put meds in the pump 2 weeks after surgery and it’s been improving ever since. I actually had days where I didn’t feel the CRPS pain that has been there for well over a year. I’m reducing oral meds and had been doing it voluntarily even. So that should tell y’all how much it had improved. I told my dr that I was anxious to get off of one of them and we decided to reduce my dose and up the pump.... that hasn’t worked as well. So I’m going back for an adjustment in the am. Really hoping it returns to where it has been. Before this, I lived for years at and above an 8 with no reprieve. It’s gone back to that at points since we reduced meds. But I don’t want to go backward so I’m waiting for the pump to catch up. I’ll wait and reduce myself when I can next time though.
I got a taste of what things can be like and I don’t want to lose it. I’m trying to stay hopeful.
lorrie83695 Annab1983
Posted
I'm so sorry your having problems. I'm new to this website. I'm just 4 weeks in so my heart hurts for you. I pray things will get better.
bea52408 Annab1983
Posted
I most certainly suggest you go to the ER. I mean no one like to visit them, but they are there for a reason. If not there go to one of those clinics that see you for a reduced fee. Some of the one's affiliated with hospitals are pretty advanced and have imaging capabilities onsite. I am three weeks post-op and my frustration comes from pain at the incision site as well as chills and a low grade fever. I went to my doc and he prescribed an antibiotic and extra strength Tylenol. What's up with doctors prescribing you extra strength tylenol? I really need something a but stronger Sir. I passed by a CVS and a Walmart before I arrived at your office. Both stores sell Tylenol for much cheaper than that pharmaceutical company. I am so completely tired of being in pain. I was told that I should be at the "discomfort " stage. Well guess what, feels like full blown pain to me! Can anyone shed light as to how I can get some relief. My staples are due to be removed tomorrow. Wait, I think one just popped out as I sneezed. I'm sorry folks but humor is imparative for my daily existence. I've done the dance with depression before and I have two left feet. I prefer to smile my troubles away. Thanks for listening and prayers to you all.
mary02640 Annab1983
Posted
WOULD YOU AGREE TO RECEIVE THE SPINAL CORD STIMULATOR AGAIN? I HAVE SEVERE SPINAL STENOSIS AND BASICALLY THE PHYSICIAN WHO HAS BEEN DOING SPINAL INJECTIONS AND KEEPING ME GOING HAD A NURSE PRACTITIONER SEND ME TO THE PEOPLE WHO DO SPINAL CORD STIMULATION.****
I HAD A FAILED SPINAL FUSION 54 YEARS AGO, AM 83, AND HAVE BEEN IN PAIN EVERY DAY SINCE THE SURGERY. i HAVE MANY QUESTIONS. HOW ARE YOU MANAGING, ARE YOU IN PAIN, ARE YOU ABLE TO WORK, DRIVE, AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF????
Junebug66 mary02640
Posted
i have both a lumbar and cervical SCS and they have helped a ton I would do it again It has increased my ability to work and yes i can drive
mary02640 Junebug66
Posted
Thank you for answering, how long did it take to recover after the spinal cord stimulator was inserted?
Did you require help from a friend or family member after it was done?
Annab1983 mary02640
Posted
Mary,
Never in a million years would I agree to have another spinal cord stimulator placed. Stenosis is an entirely different deal than my funky spinal cord though. You might get relief. I have a friend who has a BS paddle and that is the only reason she can even move around. She has developed CRPS in her lower leg and foot from a back injury. She can't imagine having to live without it.
So if I were you, I'd see how a trial goes.
I was able to have the unit removed in Jan of 2018. I also had a Medtronics Intrathecal pain pump implanted (Baclofen pump). The pump has changed my life! I don't wake up in pain every hour, having to turn my heating pads back on or change positions. I am able to walk more and hold my nieces and nephews. If it weren't for my stupid knee and shoulder I'd be on cloud 9!
I really can't say enough about my doctor and the neurosurgoen who placed it. My PM saw me for the human I am, not a junkie needing pills to feed an addiction that so many would have. I was able to have an open and frank discussion with my doctors and they sought to get answers. They believed me! In all of my 34 years, no Dr has ever done as much to validate me. He's the only reason that I am able/willing to seek treatment for anything else.
I realize that the majority of people have complete jerks for PM Drs. I would love to give so any of the a piece of my mind.
When I started this journey a couple years ago... I was on 200mg of Methadone a day. I was getting the meds from a methadone clinic (yes I know they can not treat pain) Some of us just have to go to extraordinary lengths to get relief. Well I am proud to say that because of his understanding, patience and perseverance, that I am off of the methadone entirely! I was able to show him that pain drove me to the clinic, not addiction. It took time to find a good regimen and get doses adjusted but I am here. I'm still standing by God's grace.
If you only knew what the past 14 months have been like....... It's really hard to believe, even for myself. So I'll just say Don't ever give up! Fight to make them see the truth and what your needs are. Some of them just have to put things off to prove to "authorities" that our pain is real and its not going away on its own or with the "conservative measures".
Sending all of my fellow chronic pain people my undying love.