Boston Scientific spinal cord stimulator woes?
Posted , 14 users are following.
Hello all!
I seen a discussion on this but it was years ago so I decided to start my own. I have had my Boston Scientific spinal cord stimulator implanted in my spine since October 2009 for RSD or CRPS (whichever you prefer to call it) in my left hand when the doctor who was treating me for neck pain struck a nerve. I had to be off work for 8 months as I could not use the hand and trying to find the doctor who caused this at fault with a pre-existing condition like fibromyalgia proved to be futile. No lawyer wanted to touch it. It was that gray area I guess. I got into a car accident in 2015 and the rear end impact was so strong that it damaged the spinal cord stimulator leads in my neck. What was recovered from the lawsuit was just enough to cover the doctor and hospital fees and lawyer fees with enough money left over to just stick into my account to put down on a house which it didn't really cover that so it is just sitting in my account until I start the buying process again. So damaged leads and since I was not using it, I left it. Now 2017 rolls around and I have this burning, stabbing, painful, nerve wrecking issue in the area where the battery is. Went to see one doctor who referred me to another doctor and that doctor told me the battery has moved but this is not the kicker, I am have sciatic pain and leg paralysis so bad in the area where the battery is that I am overly frustrated at it all. I have an appointment to see a neurosurgeon to get the battery removed or replaced and the stimulator removed or replaced. I can do without both but would like to walk away afterwards so maybe will stick with battery removal. I am on a blood thinner from open heart surgery to replace a floppy valve so I have a mechanical one. I was only 33 years old when I had the spinal cord stimulator implanted and open heart surgery at 38 and now at 41 years old, I have to go back under the knife. I am thoroughly frustrated by this and is wondering if anyone had any issues as I am having.
3 likes, 18 replies
mike09523 latishawynn
Posted
Hi,
I am in England UK. Never even heard of the implant you have referred to so can't advise.
However, I to had an accident that in 2011 which lead to serious cervical spinal problems.
I tried to claim on insurance and over 3 years lost my business, lost my credit rating and had to take early retirement. Result of my insurance claim-nothing-why, because my accident was just that, an accident no one was to blame it was unforseen and therefore unpreventable. What actually happened, I was decorating a clients living room, suddenly without warning the leg of my stepladder fell through a rotten floorboard throwing me head first against a wall which pushed my head/neck fully over to the left leading to vertebrae misalignment and spinal cord damage. No compensation.
The house was only 25 years old but her ex husband, a builder, had used reclaimed timber for the floor joists and floorboards to save money when he built the house.
Mike.
mike09523 latishawynn
Posted
So sorry, I took over your post with my ranting , many apologies.
Mike.
kandi52971 latishawynn
Edited
My short story. Had scs inplanted 9/2017 was great! Until it migrated up. Revision surgery Nov/2017 ever since revision I've had the same as you with my battery. No body will listen. Who guided you ? I've seen my program person called Boston and called neurosurgeon. Please let me know what you did.
tracie68017 kandi52971
Edited
I had the permanent implant surgery on 12/29/17. After a few days I started experienceing the most excruciatingly painful burning pain in the area of my upper buttock where the battery was implanted. It is extremely painful to walk and sit in a chair. I cannot stand for the area to be touched which makes it difficult to get dressed. I went back for my post op check up at which time I tried to explain the pain to the doctor. All he said was that it will take time to heal. I'm very concerned as this just doesn't seem normal.
sheila22125 tracie68017
Posted
stephenwm1963 tracie68017
Posted
I had the implant surgery 12/21/22, pain was minimal up until a month ago, now I have intense burning pain at battery site, I can't stand for anything to touch it! Dr said it's not a common issue, I think he is fibbing!
elke57243 latishawynn
Posted
Hi Tracie, my Boston Scientific was implanted October 2017. You are very early in your post operative period & there would still be quite a lot of swelling which perhaps may account for your excruciating burning pain. Post operatively and once wounds healed I gently massaged moisturising cream into the lower two incisions in an attempt to desensitise the nerves. My battery is left upper buttock & I have right upper limb CRPS (hence x3 incision sites). I find it becomes warm whilst charging, however it isn’t painful. My rep told me not to use any adhesive tapes to secure battery for x3 months. I hope things soon settle & you get good relief with your SCS.
ChelleChelle latishawynn
Posted
Hi three!! I can't BELIEVE so many of you are having problems with your SCS like i was. I had 2 placed because the first one was NOT STERILE and within a week after putting it in,i was being rushed to emergency surgery to remove it. THEN I was talked into having the second one placed 6 months later. It never worked and it stuck out of my lower back SO far it was VERY painful!!! I FINALLY found a Doctor who would remove it, and I had it taken out in April of 2017. Boston Scientific is a NIGHTMARE and I wouldn't recommend them to ANYONE, EVER!!!!!!!!
joy19635 ChelleChelle
Posted
Hi ChelleChelle!! I'm with you would not EVER recommend them to anyone, mine lifted my patella up out of the groove they supposed to be in, but of course the Dr said that couldn't be, just wanted to put me in pain management, huh thought that was what the scs was for, one BIG joke they are, hope You're doing better, Joy
joy19635 ChelleChelle
Posted
Hi ChelleChelle, this is Joy read back across your post and just wanted to check and know how you are feeling now, better I really do hope. Did Boston Scientific ever do anything to help you with the problems you incurred because of their products. If not hope you found someone to help you deal with them. But did not post back because of the negligence of that company just wanted to really check in on you and hopefully You're doing better. As for pain relief if you don't mind saying what are you doing to control your pain. They, two Dr's are persistent in me being in pain management. All I know is pain is tough to deal with and I awesomely hope there is something that can be done other than making you as in us drug addicts. Well hope things are better for you please take care of yourself best as you can ,Joy
jennifer20041 ChelleChelle
Posted
I'm soo sorry ChelleChelle that you had to go thru such a horrible experience:-( I had my SCS implant in December of 2015 and I have had more problems since I had my SCS implant. I started having problems with both sciatic nerves causing me to have burning,stabbing and numbness!! I kept telling my pain doctor but, he acted like I was crazy:-( For the past 4 months now my leg started turning bright red making it difficult to even walk or stand for more than a few minutes!! Where my implant is feels like I'm overheating inside of me!! Now I feel like I'm overheating everywhere inside of me:-( Is there any support group's that you know of? The one support group that I'm in doesn't want to hear anything negative!! This is soo frustrating for me because the more research that I do I'm finding that we aren't alone!! Something needs to be done about these implants!! I can't believe how many doctor's are pushing their patients to get this implant!! Sorry for ranting just hope to find some answers!! I hope that you are doing better!! Thank you for listening!!
sheila22125 joy19635
Posted
allaroundanne latishawynn
Posted
They all sound like the generator/battery,whichever term you prefer, is sitting on or near your sciatic nerve and irritating the heck out of it. This happened to me post-op because I lost a lot of weight and the fat pad that it was sitting on disappeared and so down it plopped. My doc did NOT want to move it, but I couldn't sit on that side, had trouble walking and when I got foot drop, I insisted he move it. It's now working great and is much more out to the side of my butt.
As to the OP, It is a bit of a mess you are in being on blood thinners and all. I am an MD, a retired anesthesiologist. You have those damaged wires scarred down in there and to just go in and rip them out could cause quit a bit of damage to some important nerves. I would just go for getting rid of the generator which should be easy peasy as it is sitting in a scarred down pocket. There should be minimal bleeding. Good luck!
latishawynn allaroundanne
Posted
Thanks allaroundanne!
I had both removed. Stimulator and battery and I'm good to go now. Thanks again!
StarrkweeN allaroundanne
Posted
hi i have a question for you. i had a stim put in my neck for RSD in my arm in 2013. I ended up losing a lot of weight and the battery ended up hurting more than helping me anymore. Long story short they took it all out BUT had to leave one of the leads in because it was too close to my spinal cord and was to big of a risk to take it out. The surgeon had told me it would move and would either fester its way out OR would need an invasive neck surgery to get it out. fast forward to 2021 and i have seriously felt like in the last year something has tore threw my muscle by my shoulder blade and now it feels like i have something in my neck that's painful