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Spinal Cord Stimulator

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khi
khi

Has anyone had a spinal cord stimulator,it has been one suggestion for my husband who is still suffering after 4 years after his first surgery, he has had a further op two years ago and is still suffering immense pain, has weakness in his leg and finds walking difficult and now needs a stick to walk with. I am hoping someone has had a spinal cord stimulator that has had similar condition as my husband because as I understand it it is only a minor op to implant.  I think the other option is fusion which I have heard horror stories about, especially as he doesn't seem to have success with major ops.  Thanks

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  • khi
    khi

    Posted

    Hi All

    I started this thread and thought I would give an update. My husband is doing well it has definitely helped with a majority of his pain so when he is sitting or laying his pain levels really drop. It does take getting used and it is much better now it has been programmed by the pain management nurse. If like him you had come to the end of your tether then really you have nothing to lose. He has the meditronic and he is pleased with it although the company and rep weren't great. But on the whole a positive experience and thank god for the NHS. Hope this helps anyone that is unsure. Sending best wishes to all of you and your loved ones and hope you are all slowly getting somewhere with your treatments. Xx

    • Bungle66
      Bungle66 khi

      Posted

      Khi,

      A great update. I wish your hubby a continued recovery and very best wishes. Here here to our wonderful NHS!

    • kathy07828
      kathy07828 khi

      Posted

      It's so encouraging to hear your good news as you found your way along this journey! So, how did you come to choose the Medtronic over the other ones available?
    • khi
      khi kathy07828

      Posted

      We didn't really have a choice. We had a meeting with the pain management team and based on what he found useful when using the tens machine they made the choice for us. When it was put in the meditronic people only put one program on. But the nurse assessed him and put on another program with a much higher setting and that really helped. Hope this helps
    • lindagkelly
      lindagkelly kathy07828

      Posted

      Good to hear!  What a relief for you! Good luck to you both.  Maybe you can get your life back now.  Medtronic is a good product.  I've had it implanted twice. The first one worked great, but had to be removed during my next back surgery. The second surgeon to implant my neurostimulator put it too high because he didn't want to deal with the scar tissue from the first one.  So it only works between my knees and my ankles.  Sometimes the back of my legs if I am lying on my back. 

      You need to make a minor adjustment in the setting once in a while otherwise it can lose its effectiveness.

      Good luck to you both! Maybe you can get some of your life back now!

      Linda

  • Sandyuk91
    Sandyuk91 khi

    Posted

    I am only 5ft I have klippelfeil syndrome . My spine is fused together I have no movement at all in my upper neck and back . Bending and twisting are limited due to no vertebrae in thoracic spine .. I have numbness in leg and hands .. will this stimulator work for me I am in constant pain . And feel like a lab rat trying drugs pleas antone help me
    • Bungle66
      Bungle66 Sandyuk91

      Posted

      Hi Sandy,

      It MIGHT help you. Go for the evaluation and the trial. You have absolutely nothing to lose. Have your doctors mentioned it to you? Good luck. Graham 

    • kathy07828
      kathy07828 Sandyuk91

      Posted

      Sandy....has anyone used a TENS machine on you yet? My chiropractor even has one for his patients. Have you gotten any relief from it? That would be helpful to know as a spinal cord stimulator works in a similar manner, but in a much different and more intense way.
    • mike04732
      mike04732 kathy07828

      Posted

      Yes i have and i bought one but it does not help,thank you though.
  • mike04732
    mike04732 khi

    Posted

    Hello everyone i just joined this group ,and i was hopeing to get some imput.I am due to have the trial Nevro HF 10 implant on friday 5/13/2016 but i spoke to the represenative on tuesday 5/3/2016 and he asked what my occupation was,i said i was welder well he was uncertain if I could have the implant but found out today from the doctors office that i could not.So now i am frustrated after going through everything.Does anyone have any input to help me please,I would like to be pain free but need to be employed also.Thank you for any help.
    • dina_43525
      dina_43525 mike04732

      Posted

      Hi mike, for me is not working, I had the implant almost 3 months ago, help with i leg pain but where the battery is implanted the pain is worse , Im in norco, diazepam, lodocaine paches nothing  relief the pain, now the dr. Want to change to my right side, but I not sure if I will due because my right side is ok no pain, only my left. But everybody is different. Wish the best for you.
    • kathy07828
      kathy07828 dina_43525

      Posted

      Hi Dina, How did you do with the trial? Did the Nevo help your leg pain then? ~kathy
    • kathy07828
      kathy07828 mike04732

      Posted

      Hi Mike, I was wondering why the Dr suggested the Nevro as there are other spine stimulators available that many people are happy with. (Again, it depends upon the person and their situation.) The other units are low frequency which feels similar to a TENS machine, but many people get comfort from this feeling over riding their pain. It would drive me nuts, so my Dr recommended the Nevro as it is high frequency, so the electric pulses can't be felt. I wish I could help give you an answer, but I've chosen not to try one yet. Is it possible to find out from your Dr his reasoning for this change of heart? Perhaps a different SCS would a be better fit for your job? It sounds to me like the Nevro Rep spoke to the Dr and talked him out of it for some reason. I'd be curious to see why. I might also suggest that if you don't get any more comments here, to post your question as a new discussion and see if it gets more attention. . I hope you get some answers and some help for your pain. ~Kathy
    • dina_43525
      dina_43525 kathy07828

      Posted

      Hi Kathy, I did the implant 2 months ago , but still in pain where the battery is implanted , the leg pain has been gone for about 50%, still taken pain medication, next for me is discuss with the surgeon because want to move the battery to other place, but I do not want for now. Is to much.

      thank you for asking.

    • kathy07828
      kathy07828 dina_43525

      Posted

      Hi Dina. I don't blame you for wanting to wait. I've seen quite a few people on here complaining about the battery hurting them. My friend is considering getting the Nevro and I shared some of these concerns with her. The Dr told her to ignore anything she reads on line because none of it is true! Liars! All they want is money from the surgeries.I hope that when you decide to get your battery moved, you'll feel much better and finally get the pain relief that you deserve.
    • cynthia70714
      cynthia70714 dina_43525

      Posted

      Dina,

      I had the problem with my battery in my back it was pushing out of my skin and it was so noticeable finally after complaining for 7 months they moved it to my abdomen I don't know which one is worse, I can already feel the battery again I just at my wit's end with this SCS I wanted it out but the rep for the company to not to, I was so mad it's still not working still can't do anything with out being in so much pain

      I hope you have better luck with your revision

      Cynthia

    • socksmom
      socksmom mike04732

      Posted

      Beware when you are looking into this surgery as safe.  Please continue as you are doing and find out all you can instead of reading the book and watching thje video tgey trow at you.  I was stupid and trusted my neurologist when Iwent for my trial  to0 a place he revferred me to. I went in uneducated about the whole thing.  After I sat up with much excited pain relief for orig. chronic pain I started to get nausue and then pinch in cerv. neck.  They just blowed it off as thjey did for next 3 weeks.  Breathing got so bad had to go to ER and they were VERY ALARMED.  Had test done all evening 3 MRI and waithing to get the bad news.  Please.........Think  before you jump into this.  Instead of making it before trying other things like opiods(ADD SAYS THIS)  MAKE IT YOUR VERY LAST RESORT CAUSE IT IS..... POSSIBLE..... IT WILL BE YOUR LAST!  DONT LISTEN TO THE SALESMAN GET UNBIASED OPINION WHERE NO MONEY IS INVOLVED!
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