Spinal Cord Stimulator Problems

I am very interested in hearing how your St Jude turns out now that it is in the burst mode. Is it the trial or the actual surgical implant?

Hi!  It is the actual surgical implant.  A little background....I had the St. Jude implant put in in November 2015.  It was the new model -'upgradeable when the burst technology is released.  They say the "tonic" version which I had for the past 15 months helps with nerve pain, but not arthritis pain.  I've had some good months and not so good months.  I've had a few tweaks and it seems that the recent on S have not been helping control the pain.

i got the upgrade to burst on Saturday.  The tech upgraded the technology in my generator thru my paddle.  H said it would take about 48 hrs to feel the improvement.  So today is the day I should feel some improvement.  The other nice thing with he burst is you don't feel any tingling!

I see the surgeon next Fri. To discuss the next step.  I can't wait as this pain is now back with a vengeance.

When you're in pain, every second feels like an hour!  Good luck!

Thank you for sharing your progress, I look forward to hearing your progress with the Burst. I am wishing you much luck. I am on my way to my pain dr to have a Sympathetic Nerve Root Block. I am getting this done as part of my testing before the trial of the Trial for the St Jude Stimulator.

Good luck with the injection.

Hello fellow New Yorker.  The NERVO trial didn't work for me.  I have the BURST from Abbott formerly known as St. Jude's.  I am 5 wks. Post op.  Not working for me right now.  It is going to be awhile to get the right program.  The trial and the implant are totally different.  It is going back to square one.  For me that's the frustrating aspect.

If you feel that what you have is not working, after you have exhausted every program they have in their bag of tricks.  The ultimate decision is yours.  Take time and weigh all your options.  I wish you good luck.

Hi!  I have had to have my SCS programs tweaked several times.  Please don't give up yet.  During the 1 1/2 year since I've had mine, I have had the tech reprogram mine several times.  I'll go a few months, and my back will start hurting again,  so I call him.  Even if it helps 50 % of the time, IMO, it's still better than having horrible pain 100% of the time.  

I used to work for Boston Scientific who makes the implants as well and I know it works.

Hi DJ

I.ve been thru all the programs, Im still on the same program

when I left the hospital.

I doubt I will get any relief from the nervo.

Hope you get relief

My sleep patterns have change, if I do get sleep.

Wishing you relief

Right about now I would settle for a measly 20% relief.  I am not giving up and will be a bee in the bonnet of my rep/tech.  I have been programmed twice since it was put in.  This coming Friday will be the third time.  You know what they say, "third time is a charm."

Yes, I hope third time is a charm!  Keep me posted!

It takes time for your body to adjust and to get the settings that align with your body. If the stimulator you have does not work, ask for a different one. Also ask to speak with the reps that are at the top in the company who makes your stimulator. They know more but send the ones out that know less sometimes. Dont give up intil you get what you need to achieve pain relief.

Carol.  Well 17 days later and my pain is absolutely the same.  Extremely frustrating.  When I did the BURST trial using the leads, I was so excited that I received significant reduction in pain.  But surgically they used the paddle but you cannot transfer the programs back and forth.  So it is like starting all over,

So my third time charm isn't working.  LOL

Oh, that is not good!  I'm so sorry hat you're still having problems!!  How frustrating!!  I did get the paddles in my surgery.  I had some soreness in that area, but saw improvement each day.  How many times have you had to get your programs tweaked?

I will be having surgery next Friday to move my battery.  Since December I've had significant pain in the battery area.  My battery has tilted and possibly came out of it's pocket.  It is quite low in my read end and I sit on it....causing much irritation.  They will be removing it and placing around my waist area.  The doctor and rep have talk replacing my battery with the latest non-rechargeable one.  I am starting to have doubts about doing that.  I don't want to start over....

Carol I have the non weekly chargeable battery.  It won't need replacement for 7 years.  My battery placement in on the left side closer to my waist.  It is in the flat part of the butt area.  I can sit comfortably in a chair lean back no real pain.  I can now lie on my back pretty comfortable.  My problem is if I chose to sleep on left side.  Once I am over and asleep good.  Problem is trying to roll back.  That have not figured how to that without major pain.  This, I hope in time will rectify itself.  

Just think how much freeer your life would be with a battery charge free for st least 7 years,  At first, I thought to take the battery and could charge weekly.  What's the big deal to plug in and relax while charging.  Sounds simple enough.  Knowing my life and the running around I do, I might not be where I need to be charge the battery.  Hence non chargeable.  It gives you something else to think about.   Good luck.

Dee

I have only had the permanent St. Jude Burst, and I do not know what the problem is.  I am not supposed to feel the stimulation but I feel it.  I feel in the left side of my back under he incision, to my left side, to my stomach.  It was so bad I had pains like the worse gas ever.   I went to my first post op appointment on last Thursday.  

The rep did some programming or something on her ipad, she did not even explain what she was doing.  I know she tested the stimulation because it got more intensed and she said just testing it.  She put me up one level which was 8.  It got worse, and she told me to set it up one level Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and then wait for a week, and to continue to I get relief.  

The stimulation got worse and worse until it pained me.  I cut it all the way down to 6 and it is still really bad stimulation.  I do not know if she took it off of silence or not.  With the burst it can be silent no feelings of stimulation, or you can get it set for stimulation.  Because it got worse after she messed around with it.  This is really unbearable all this electric, crawling, numbing feeling I am having.  I may cut it off until I can get her on the phone. 

I mean I have only had it 16 days

Carol, I am told that Boston Scientific is more advanced than st jude. Do you agree?

Hi!  I don't believe that Boston Scientific is more advanced than St. Jude.  I worked at Boston Scientific but have a St. Jude implanted.  Go figure!!  I just went w what the doctor was most comfortable with.  I think they're both about the same.  When I worked at Boston, we felt that Medtronic was of a lesser quality, more complaints, etc.  My current pain doctor loves Nevro.