St. Jude spinal cord stimulator, no pain relief

Stacy, do NOT let them talk you into their machine if your trial was that miserable!  There are lots of SCS out there. I tried a second one before I made my decision. You are allowed to try more than one.  The Nervo did nothing for my thigh muscle cramps, the Abbott got them right away. The trials are so darn short, it is hard to fully evaluate them, but if you had a bad experience, steer clear.

I had Jude implant on Tuesday after a successful six day trial but where they put the battery pack is burning like mad and feels swollen. If anything touches off it it’s complete agony. I’m not sure if it’s infected or just settling in. Has anyone had any of these symptoms? 

Just to add I have had a number of surgeries including a double level fusion L4-S1 with instrumentation and have cauda equine syndrome but thought by getting rid of pain would help me deal with all other problems. Anyone got any advice? 

Unfortunately Cathy I am with you. Everything was ok for me until it was moved.  It does take several months for the site to really settle down as it did after my it initial implant but 14 weeks ago I had it moved and now I too have burning where the leads are in the base of my spine and the actual device hurts and is red round the edges where it sticks right out. I keep catching it on things.   It still controls my leg pain ok but now one pain has been replaced with another.  Seeing the Specialist on 21st. 

Hi stranger.  I finally had the stim removed in Nov. of last year with only in for 7 mos.  It didn’t work ever and the lack of respect from the techs or the Co.  the surgeon was fantastic but the lack of follow up care from St. Jude wasn’t there.  No regrets in removing it.

Hope you are doing well.

Dee

Hi there

Had mine removed a week ago today.  It had only been in for a year. It did control my leg pain really well but my body was not happy with the “intrusion” and I developed all kinds of problems culminating in an abscess on the scar on my lower back.  I am glad it’s gone.  It’s been the year from hell. 

As for my leg pain, well, there hasn’t been any and the Surgeon said this can happen.  I think he called it Neuroplasticity....can last for months.  That would be brilliant.  Good luck to everyone, I pray your problems will be sorted out.  Don’t let those techs get away with treating you badly. 

I am now six weeks after permanent scs. I am so frigging tired. I have absolutely no energy. I am on more pain meds than before and my feet are so weak. I am going to try see my GP tomorrow but still have no follow up appointment for consultant or rep from st Jude 

Hi Cathy

How did you get on with your Dr?

Please don’t let the St.Jude Reps out you off, it’s their job. Don’t stop until they get it right ok.  I am hearing so much of this and it isn’t fair in any way, shape or form. They will have to learn that not everyone has a smooth transition and if the “Alien” needs to be re-programmed then they are being well paid to do just that. 

Please let me know how you get on. Xx

within a month, I am having the stimulator removed, My back is extremely painful where the leads were installed to control the pain on l-3,  which was placed in the middle of my back.  I have both places where my pain is severe. 

 

Only a month?  Thats dreadful you poor man.  I did not have too much lower back pain initially, but when it started I just couldnt live with it...  Good luck.

The Professor that did my surgery here in Australia has recently introduced a treatment which is already being used quite widely within the Military in the USA.  It is called SCRAMBLER THERAPY and is none invasive and is proving very successful. 

expected surgery date is within a month, have to get cleared by my cardiologist and family doctor first. I am on tramadol, morphine, and Oxycontin. 

Howdy, I saw that. I had a feeling this was where you were headed.  It is a dang shame they didn't just put leads in you like they used in your trial.  You went through so much post op pain just because you had a laminectomy.  You never even got the chance to see if a lead system would have worked permanently and that is so so unfair. Makes my blood boil whenever I think of you. Ugh.....

I didn’t realise there was anything BUT the leads? How does the other one connect then?

They have these paddles that are larger versions of the leads.  They can't put these in the way they do the leads, they have to do a laminectomy, ie crack open up the spine to place these paddles directly on the spinal cord.  It is major surgery, versus just slipping the leads up the epidural space.  As you can imagine it is a heck of a lot worse to recover from this procedure than it was to recover from what we did with the leads and the battery pack.

I am okay with it.  Looking into alternatives at the moment.

luv ya. dee

That sounds absolutely horrendous