Spinal cord stimulator
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hello!!! This will probably be a lengthy rant. I've had a fusion at L5/S1, I have 3 rods in both SI joints, I had a bone spur and bulding disc shaved off at L4/L5. And 2 total knee replacements. I had the spinal cord stimulator put in August 2. I went through my 7 day trial with the stimulator and it worked wonderful. After my permanent stimulator I am in some of the worse pain I've ever had with any surgery! And I'm still very sore and tender in the middle of my back where the leads are, where the battery pack is feels ok. First week out of surgery I go back to the Dr cause it's too strong for my legs so they make some adjustments, since then it's cutting off during the night and I'm waking up hurting like crazy. I live in Mississippi but I rode with my husband to Michigan (about 12 hour drive)... about 4 hours into the trip my back is killing me and hot to the touch where the leads are. I stick my hand back there and there's a knot about the size of a goose egg... I'm freaking out by now and call the dr and he wants to treat me with antibiotics for infection ( it's clearly not infected)... we stop for gas and when I get out and walk around the knot went away.... within minutes of getting back in the knot is back, I called the dr back and he wants a picture but once he gets the picture he can't see anything (imagine that!) So I do this test for the rest of the drive... knot while I'm in the car, knot goes away when I'm out of the car.... by now the wheels in my head is turning.... I think maybe the long drive or the way I'm sitting in the car has caused the knot. I finally get to the hotel and I set every way possible and no knot! Watch TV no knot! Lay down no knot! Wake up this morning no knot!! Now here's the true test, getting back in the car this morning to finish the drive and I have a knot before we get out of the parking lot.... I call the dr and suggest maybe the navagation thing and he said it's impossible, there's no way.... I tell them it's definitely something in the car but they probably think I'm crazy by now. I get out and the knot goes away.... hold and behold I get back in and guess what appears, the knot!!! I gave my husband a tube of lipstick to outline the knot and we make more pictures to send to the Dr (now they can see the knot but I still need to come into the office), that's fine but I'm 12 hours away..... I ask again if it could be the navagation and get told NO, I send the picture to the sales rep for Boston scientific and he said navagation will not interfere with it, there's no way it can.... so my husband gets me to ask them about the tracking device that's installed on rental cars and all they say is NO and all of this is so weird (no crap, it's something in that rental car).... my own personal car and truck does not effect the stimulator at all just the rental car.... we be going back to Mississippi on Thursday but we will be in a different vehicle that does not have navagation or tracking device and I can not wait to see what happens....
0 likes, 22 replies
glxpassat Breezy1974
Posted
Wow, taking a 12 hour ride after having the stimulator placed so soon, is in my opinion way too soon. They state not to sit or drive more than 45 minutes for a few months. By doing this your not allowing the body to heal like it needs to. Therefore given you just had it placed and wanting it out, is not giving the SCS a fair trial. I was in lots of pain for 2 weeks and unable to do the things I want or need to get done, but we have to be patient and realize things need adjustments, and the body needs to heal. I had mine placed 2 months ago and its driving me crazy with having to be so careful. I know I still have 4 months before I'm able to really get out and do stuff I enjoy, but we simply need to be careful. I think something certainly could be causing interference with the device, and i know thats frustrating, but give it a little time. Have you turned off the unit and got into the car? If so... Same problem? You are thinking the nav system? Did you have these problems at home in your car... If you didn't, do you have a nav system? I know there is so little information out there, and we all react differently. I really hope you can get this figured out because these devices can really help! Good luck
Breezy1974 glxpassat
Posted
When I got my staples out, I asked what my restrictions were and the dr said do whatever you want. Yes it definitely helps with my pain but I do not like the swelling, just seems to me that any swelling on and around the spine would be bad. I have had the stimulator on and off in the hertz rental car and on and off in the ryder lease truck and both vechiles caused swelling, my husband thinks it was maybe the tracking device that's on lease and rental vechiles but we really don't know. Our own personal vechiles does not do anything and my car is a 2016 model. I meet the stimulator rep on the 1st and he's gonna download the data to see if it shows anything
glxpassat Breezy1974
Posted
WHAT!? All literature states major restrictions after getting the permanent placement. Especially the first 2 months... With a total of 6 months making sure the leads build up the needed scar tissue. I'm sorry to say this, but I'm shocked they didnt give you limitations! I even read in the manual about the driving and no bending, twisting, stretching, lifting, etc. This could definitely be a reason behind some of the experienced problems? I'm an extremist (thats the reason behind all my surgeries, Finally followed with my SCS - due to a really bad ATV accident) I went with the paddle leads, which required a lamenectomy, and i still have these crazy restrictions. But I'm hoping in 4 more months, I will be good to get on my snowmobile and tear up some snow in the mountains. But in the meantime, I'm parked as far as my activities. As an example... I'm 2 months post and told i can't even weed my flower beds because of the constant bending... So I seriously take it easy with the activity levels, as this can cause leads to move, with un-foreseen consequences. And I'm only saying this frim one SCS friend to another!?
Breezy1974 glxpassat
Posted
I was told no bending or twisting for 2 weeks only. I even asked the stimulator rep and he said there was no restrictions on his end either bit the first 2 weeks... it's just so frustrating
glxpassat Breezy1974
Posted
Oh my, thats crazy. I to have a Boston Scientific stimulator, and i was told differently. I would read up on SCS, as all the research (im a crazy research type) states differently then 2 weeks. Im young and very active so this restriction wasnt based on age, ir health. Just please do me a favor, and be careful? my biggest fear is having to need a revision surgery because the leads moved (why I went the paddle leads route) so I'm listening to my surgeon and programmer to a "T!"
Breezy1974 glxpassat
Posted
Breezy1974
Posted
I got in my own personal car today and I had swelling in the middle of my back where my leads are, I was only in my car maybe 15 minutes when I noticed the swelling, as soon as I got out of my car the swelling went away within minutes.... I even had swelling last night, didn't matter if I was on my side or back, it would swell.