Nevro hf10 spinal cord stimulator
Posted , 30 users are following.
I just had a trial implant of this device after hearing tall claims by the company. I was under the impression that the company would work closely with me to find the optimal settings. Even in this trial period I seem to be chasing Nevro staff with no success instead of being the other way around. Is this a precursor of what to expect from Nevro. Are they just interested in selling or do they care about their patients? Any experience ? Please help me.
0 likes, 41 replies
bradley_08701 Onlyraj
Edited
Unfortunately its like everything in the medical field....money. I had my Nevro F10 removed in February. Had it in for almost two years never worked, never heard from the company, was told by the sales manager if he would of been my representative from the beginning he would of never recommended it, because my back was already too far gone, so my representative got his money. I never heard from him or the company until after it was removed and a couple months after they called to see how it was working out for me....I said it didn't it was removed. i hope she felt like an ass.
jamestep bradley_08701
Posted
i see this almost in every post about post implantation- no communication with nevro rep . terrible csr relations.
let me ask you- did you have any issues with any NEW pain from where the leads were inserted, body insertion of the unit?
and did you get ANY relief from this thing?!?
thanks for your help
bradley_08701 Onlyraj
Edited
Unfortunately its like everything in the medical field....money. I had my Nevro F10 removed in February. Had it in for almost two years never worked, never heard from the company, was told by the sales manager if he would of been my representative from the beginning he would of never recommended it, because my back was already too far gone, so my representative got his money. I never heard from him or the company until after it was removed and a couple months after they called to see how it was working out for me....I said it didn't it was removed. i hope she felt like an ass.
tina40054 bradley_08701
Edited
im curious....what was the removal process?? did the wires get removed also??
Onlyraj
Posted
Fellow Sufferers:
Thanks for the replies so far. Please let more comments come through. I would like to make an educated and well informed decision. Super grateful.
Onlyraj
Posted
Fellow Sufferers:
Thanks for the replies so far. Please let more comments come through. I would like to make an educated and well informed decision. Super grateful.
bradley_08701 Onlyraj
Posted
I will say one more thing before I try to save one more person's life before bedtime. Everyone's pain is different but to go through more pain than you already have just doesn't make sense. The final results just aren't good enough for the pain the surgery puts you through ,price of the device when the tens machine are just as good.
I m going to send my $27000 device that I have in the bag in the garage to Medicare tomorrow.
Good luck...
jamestep bradley_08701
Posted
Was this a costly procedure/expense even with medicare? Curious what out of pocket costs were like?
pmcook2 Onlyraj
Posted
I just finished my trial and my staff were not only helpful and prompt to answer, they were kind and understanding. I am in Orlando. I am quite pleased with my experience to date.
bradley_08701 Onlyraj
Posted
I didn't hear a word from Nevro until 4 months after I had my F10 removed. So, my experience was not a good one to say the least. I tried to talk my neighbor out of getting one but she went a head and got one implanted and she's had a terrible infection...was hospitalized for 10 days. Now she's getting shocked, feels like she's burning. Good luck.....
Wsquared58 bradley_08701
Posted
Sounds like you have one super sorry doctor as much as a stimulator problem. Maybe time to find a new doctor?
jesse91256 Onlyraj
Posted
I got hurt at work in 2017 so I have been on some kind of pain meds ever since. I have had steroid injections, branch block injections, and my pain is associated with activity. if I mainly do small tasks around house I get along fine with over the counter pain meds. But I continue to have relapses when I engage in activity over time. My discs are bulging and have stenosis in my back my pain is associated with lifting or bending. i want to get off the narcotics they put me on now its been over a year. So the doctor recommended this SMS stimulator. Looking at reviews its hit and miss. If my pain is associated with activity how does the trial period help you know if it works if the doctor has not recommended any direction on the pain meds to see if it will work or not. Confused!
Seafarer123 jesse91256
Posted
Hi Jesse,
Sorry to hear about your pain. I had a Nevro HF10 implanted in me back in March 2018 and the permanent version implanted in June 2018. My experience to date has been mixed.
Have you had any kind of back surgery yet? This may sound paradoxical, but if your pain is primarily from stenosis and disc bulging I would encourage you to try surgery first, such as a discectomy and associated laminectomy. These can be done minimally invasive. I had the same issues you have and had the surgery to correct it in 2010. For most people the benefits of the surgery don't last much more than five years (for me it was about four years) but believe me, those five years matter. And if the pain comes back after the surgery then you can always try to the spinal stimulator then.
The spinal stimulator is meant to be an option of very last resort, I wouldn't try it as an alternative to first-time surgery unless it was as an alternative to major surgery, such as a spinal fusion. Particularly so if your pain is only associated with activity, and if previous epidural injections have shown any positive impact. (trust me, if your pain level is relieved by OTC drugs while sedentary and you only need narcotics if you try to be physically active, it is probably way too early for a stimulator for you - in the pantheon of problems many people have related to their back, you really aren't that far down the spectrum yet).
The stimulator has its pluses and minuses, one of which is that for most of the people I've read about (myself included), the pain reduction is only moderate, and often there are side effects. The most common side effect of the surgery is what is called "over-stimulation," which the doctors and the Nevro techs rarely tell you about in advance. They call it "over-stimulation," I call it "phantom pain." The spinal stimulator can actually CAUSE pain where none was felt before. It is electrifying your nerves, typically 24/7, and even at settings you might find tolerable for a while, your nerves may eventually get "over-heated," so to speak, and will start sending out pain signals. This may manifest as an amplification of your existing (organic) pain or it may occur as a whole new pain. For example I have sciatica down my right leg, that the stimulator helps treat. But occasionally I will start to feel mild to moderate sciatica down my healthy left leg, and it is completely the result of the stimulator (my left leg is completely healthy). The over-stimulation ceases within a few hours (maybe a few days if you let it go on too long), but the price to get it to go away is to turn off the stimulator and lose whatever pain relief it was giving you. For me it's been a constant back and forth - getting relief (somewhat) from the stimulator, then getting the over-stimulation pain, then having to turn the stimulator off, my organic pain returns, and so on.
And yes, as some people have said, the Nevro people can be somewhat unresponsive once the stimulator is in you because at that point there is no more money to make off of you. What I have found works, though, is to get your doctor's office involved in booking your Nevro tech appointments, because they don't want to lose the doctor's business (he gets them a steady stream of new clients).
So bottom line - I'm not saying the stimulator doesn't work - it does, moderately, and more for round-the-clock pain than for pain that arises from activity. At the point you are at, I would encourage you to get a "micro-discectomy" before you get a stimulator. Oh and remember - it will take at least six months after a surgery to see improvement, so don't sour on the surgery right away. There will still be pain, healing and physical therapy needed, but you are far more likely to get the relief you seek with a minor surgery at this point than with the stimulator.
jesse91256
Posted
THANKS
My problem is the DR is pushing it because he has had me on opoids so long. WC doesnt want to pay for surgery. My lawyer said do the trial and we will go from there.So I also know that the DR gets small compensation from the vendor I reviewed it on line. I am talking to rep on MONDAY ask her some of these questions.
Wsquared58 jesse91256
Posted
I would suggest you read my long reply above. Like many things, it will work for some and not for others. It ended up being a very good decision for me. I'd do it again in the blink of an eye.
I just found this site and have made a few comments already. Frankly, some of the more negative comments seem to reflect sorry doctors and/or sorry reps as much as lack of performance of the stimulator.
Thankfully, I never took opioids leading up to the implant as I do not like the side effects. One thing everyone should be aware of is that there is psychological addiction and there is physical addiction. Long term use of opioids, even if you don't get psychologically addicted to them, you WILL get physically addicted. You get a stimulator, your doctor is going to try and get you off of opioids.
Most every opioid out there, you can look up and it will tell you how long the effect is going to last before it is time to take that next pill. Make sure your discomfort isn't physical withdrawal knocking on the door before you blame the stimulator. Look at your watch and make sure you it isn't your body saying it is time for another pill rather than saying the stimulator is a bust.