SPINAL CORD STIMULATOR SIDE EFFECTS

I had my permanent scs put in end of July.

My back pain is horrendous which is preventing me from walking far .

I can manage about 10 minutes and then have to sit down .

I had my 6 week follow up appointment at the hospital and was told it was nothing to do with the scs .

I had no issues with the trial .

Feel let down by the hospital .

They advised me it was a 6 to 8 weeks recovery ???

Any advice would be welcome .

I think it is normal.  I can feel mine but it doesn't cause me any pain.

Hi!! It’s been a while since u posted but I have just joined. Yes!! I am 6ms out and my skin over the battery is still numb. How are u now?

Do you have short term disability? Have you filled FMLA? They cannot do anything to you if get FMLA and if it isnt constant get the intermediate one which will excuse you for any day missed for up to 12 weeks. All employers have this after 1 year. It will keep you on your job, excuse your absences, and they cannot replace you or make you change positions. That is what I did. And the 12 weeks dont have to be used at once they can be used throughout the year. You just have to file and have your doctor fill out the paperwork. With chronic pain usually everyone is approved.

File for intermittent FMLA. Then they can't fire you or use it against you !

I would document everything!  I wish I had recorded a phone call between me and me old boss.  It would have made things a lot better for had I done that.  I worked for John Deere for seven years and I was let go as soon as my Dr. sent the release for me to return to work.  Save every email and text, and record your boss if you talk to him or HR!

EEOC. They will eat this up! (In your benefit)

I am so sorry that it didn't work for you.  I have had two put in.  The first on was made by Boston Scientific and it didn't work near as good as the seconds one I had put in.  The second one is made by Medtronic and it is 100% better.  I use it throughout the day and intermittently at night.  It has been awesome for me.  I have read about the experiences that some others have had with both of the brands that I mentioned with good and bad reviews.  The second one I had put in me by Medtronic has been great.  It has features that the other one didn't have.  I hope and pray that your pain gets better.

 

Hi, I know how you feel with the Thotacic pain, and I honslestly contemplated suicide with the amount of pain I had after the implant. It is not a quick heal process. It took me 7 months & only now I can say my life is getting back on track. I still cannot hold anything or put my arms in the air without that T7-8 pain kicking in.. but it does get better & I know how much it helps my sciatic & back pain, because when I shut it off to charge my battery (makes it charge faster) my pain is right there like it never left.. Happy to chat if u need anything at all.. even just to vent & let out your frustrations..  

I feel so sorry for what you are going through.  Mine was put in 3/2/17.  No relief.  Talked to surgeon and waiting to see if they need to see me or just schedule a surgical date to remove the St. Jude/Abbott stimulator.  

I would never recommend this Co. again due to their lack of follow up care.  I wish you good luck.

I had stimulator implanted December 30th 2016. I have had problems with thoracic pain lumbar pain that has not been addressed by the stimulator only the slight sciatic pain has been addressed by the stimulator. I have fallen since having the stimulator implanted several times and the doctor says the stimulator is not the problem. I need to see the neurologist. The neurologists states that it is not anything neurological that he can see it is the stimulator. So they're sending me back and forth blaming each other and no one knows Why all of a sudden once I had that implanted that I'm falling. I have to have another surgery on a different part of my body but my orthopedic surgeon did say that he agreed to have my stimulator tweets one more time with the rep from Boston Scientific. If still I find there is no change or a definitely has not helped me in any way shape or form he will be glad to remove the stimulator. Now where I go from this point I don't know I have been going through physical therapy for my back the whole time I prior to having the stimulator and now that I've had the stimulator in my back and that is not held either. Trying to strengthen my core and other things but having a hard time standing for long periods sitting for long periods without him being able to lie down or have my feet up and being kind of an aid almost lying position.

I didn't like the Boston Scientific at all compared to The one I have now which is a Medtronic.  I do 45 minutes to an hour of cardio four to five times each week and then I sit in the hot tub.  I feel a lot better since I have been exercising, I haven't lost much weight but I can sure move better!  Best of luck!  

I had the second one put in in April of 2014.

Did you get terrible muscle spasms after implant?? I have been doctoring for 2 yrs almost trying to get answers to what happened to me..no help from PM or reps. After saying immediately after trial that I was short of breath, had trouble walking. and chest tightness on right I was told not to come back until heart was checked out heart ...what a crock...6 months layer heart doctor ok'd, then 2 neurologist, 2 neurosurgeon, gastro, piles of money on therapy,message and. chiropractor, all kinds of xrays, mri's, CT, nerve conduction test on legs and arms, and blood work for autoimmune and every other diseaseI think ; I come to some knowledge. One neurosurgeon I was sent to as result of brain aneurysm showing up incidently on one scan started to explain to me about all the tiny muscles up under shoulder and scapula. So I got to looking these things up and those injured or tightened muscles can cause dislocated ribs which I had been told I had already. Thus would explain shortness of breath and possibly large muscle also affected tightness under shoulder blade. I had pinching there at time of procedure. So that... and the penicillin they gave me tore up my stomach causing terrible acid reflux and diareah. I think I got my own answers. Look up fascia muscles and do those exersizes to stretch ribs and tiny shoulder blade muscles back out. This helped me but I still have leg weakness so that is my last quest.

I will say that the medtronic trial was heaven on my RSD hand but I didnt want to go any further because I knew something happened to me even if they shook their heads like I was crazy I knew I had no trouble like that before coming there. They couldve saved a lot of stress on me if they had known what was going and not refused to see me

Glad for all the people who were helped and not worse off like so many of us were. Reps and doctors need to understand MORE about how this procedure may affect muscle fiber and provide guidance for healing . Some doctors peobably do I quess but some get your money and do t want to be bothered with your problem!!.

But if you know your body was changed by implant then something is going on. Dont stop until you find out what and try to reverse damage somehow. You ARE NOT CRAZY....Prayers to all for help..

I had my Boston Scientific SCS implanted a little over a year ago and then I had it removed. I had moments of clumsiness and I fell several times and hurt my back more injured it in places thankfully I did not break anything but I did hurt other spots on my back that weren't hurting as bad as my low back. Besides the other problems I was having with pain in all the places where you know they had to put the little panel and then the leads down the back and then where the battery site was which was a nightmare that battery I'm going to tell you first and head of slight infection when they put it in because the wound reopened then I felt like the thing was migrating and falling apart inside there couldn't get a charge there was like a hot warm burning feeling there. They finally home when they took it out there was another infection inside there was a battery was. I was on several antibiotics after the surgery. And now it closed up fine but there is a huge lump on my rear Hyundai battery side which may be Scar Tissue but I'm hoping it's not more infection in there in a pocket or whatever. I go back to the doctor next week so I'll have them check it out. Still having pain but I'm better off without the spinal cord stimulator and not falling over feeling as clumsy as when they had it in there when I did the orthopedic said it was a neurological issue. And when I went to the neurologist of course they said it wasn't something to do you know with my back or my legs so it was an orthopedic issue because the MRI they did on the brain so there was nothing wrong neurologically. So as usual it's back and forth with this doctor appointment to this doctor when you get to run around and nobody tells you anything and they just go back and forth and you never get a straight answer and you're still in pain falling down you know something's going on something is causing these things and it's frustrating and I know everybody is going through the same thing. So yes I understand some of what you're going through or have gone through with that clumsiness and falling issue are you still having it and what have you found out so far?

Sorry spoke texted some of the response doesn't make sense.

Hell beth, I too have a history of chronic pain suffered through four MVA's I have had since 2001. After many years of Opiates, (Unfortunate outcomes at best) I have had Two St Jude Spinal Cord Implant and both have been successful. Whilst on this massive learning curve from the University of Disability and Dysfunctional Living, I was fortunate to start learning a tremendous amount about myself and more so about True empathy and understanding for Others. so in the spirit of learning, I went back to education, and are now qualified to speak in this Arena. firstly, I suggest your issues with your stated, "Clumsiness and Balance can only be Neuropathic, given they were not prevalent before the SCI, as there is no structural orthopedic change to your anatomy with this Surgery.

I have a question for you. If you care to share, I may be able to assist with your current unenviable plight/s. How long was your Spinal Cord Implant in position before removal and was it a failed outcome. Failed Back Surgery Syndrome "FBSS", or the Infection that created the reason for the removal of the Spinal Cord Implant.

Looking forward to your reply Beth.

?Ben MacGregor, Australia

My SCS was implanted for one year. The infection first occurred on the initial surgery as the wounds started to heal then reopened on its own. The infection occurred at the battery site. I had pain where the small panel was put on the spine where the piece of bone was removed. I also had pain where the leads were put down on the right side of my body. The Battery area had trouble charging and there were times when it would become hot when trying to charge, or the battery felt as if it was trying to escape my body or migrate elsewhere. Right before surgery it felt like it had broken apart and another infection found in battery area when removed. 6 weeks since removal still pocket of scar tissue hoping and not infection at former battery site. Back still in pain. Now given non narcotic pain medicine muscle relaxer. Now I feel better as far as pain stimulator caused but no help for my back, to tailbone to hips, sciatica, issue. So far so good haven't fallen.

May 2016 had only trial and 3 days in but still having all kimds of problems. All started day wires run up back and almost 2 years of runaround no answers...O f course pain management said it was everything but the implant so I am about broke running to doctors. Quess this is how it will be till I die. Wish I had not believed this was a minimal invasive surgery and only very rare complications. Regret believing that lie!! Please people, dint just blindly jump into this like I did..God Bless.