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St. Jude spinal cord stimulator, no pain relief

Posted , 39 users are following.

don81864
don81864

hi,

i had the st. Jude spinal cord stimulator implanted on May 16th, it is the newer one where you don't feel the vibration. I have gotten no pain relief, maby 5%.  It has helped with my siatic leg pain, but no relief for my lower back. I am in severe pain and the reps have pretty much chalked me off after only seeing them 3 times. The last one said there is nothing more he can do. 

Has anyone else had this problem, and what do you do about the pain. How high can you put the program up too? 

2 likes, 128 replies

128 Replies

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  • paul19935
    paul19935 don81864

    Posted

    I don't suggest it for anyone, you become a slave to it constantly recharging the device. I found very little relief from it. Pain plus the tingling from it.

  • dawn17746
    dawn17746 don81864

    Posted

    I've read most of the posts & wonder if the stimulator is working for anyone, I'm considering having st Judes device placed, & planning on the trial to indicate effectiveness, tho it seems some folks had great trials followed by poor pain control

    • DJ1976
      DJ1976 dawn17746

      Posted

      Dawn go into this with your eyes wide open and have all your questions answered before hand.  For example....if your trial is with the two round leads and you achieve pain relief....make sure the permanent implant will be the leads and not the paddle.  They might try to convince you that the paddle will offer many more programmable solutions.  I can only speak for myself,  not true.  Just know going into the trialnwhaythe final implant will be.  You have to be your own advocate for sure.  Most of us who wound up with the paddle did not have optimum pain results that we had in the trial with the kneads.  Good luck in whatever road you travel down.  I wish for you pain relief.
    • linda2365
      linda2365 dawn17746

      Posted

      Dawn most definitely think twice!!! My trial worked great.. and wow and behold when surgery came it was the paddle..  It sucks...
  • paul19935
    paul19935 don81864

    Posted

    I am so tired of it and the poor results, I am having it removed. 
  • james64402
    james64402 don81864

    Posted

    I had mine installed june 14  surgical scar  is still painful  machine was turned on 22nd so far so good...
  • paul19935
    paul19935 don81864

    Posted

    I had no relief with it, trying to exercise more but still have a lot of pain, Medication helps, but something I have to deal with everyday
  • WEDIII
    WEDIII don81864

    Posted

    It's been a little over a year hen I had a St Jude Proclaim unit surgically implanted; the only reason I did this was because the trial period was like having a new back; no more pain, I could walk normally, and I hardly knew the unit was there.

    After the surgery, I knew something was wrong. I still had pain, could hardly walk normally, and the unit just flat didn't work ! 

    I worked with the St Jude (now Abbot) rep, and saw her no less than 7 times 2017-2018; she would fool with her master unit, I'd leave, and be right back where I started. The doctor got involved and took an X-ray of my back, proclaiming that "everything looked good, the leads were positioned correctly"; I've done a lot of research on neurostimulators, and I guess this doctor has Superman's vision if he can tell from an X-ray that the leads are positioned correctly ! 

    Anyway, I had to continue taking the pain meds shortly after the surgery, and they don't really help that much.

    I've even asked if the leads could be moved or reseated, to a deaf,ear.

    St Jude & the doctor got paid for all of this (and the app didn't install on my IPhone as I had initially been told, they sold the insurance company an IPod). Other small omissions & changes: I had wanted a rechargeable battery installed, and right before the surgery, the rep shows up and tells me how bad an ideal that is, that I should have a standard battery installed with the unit. Lastly, I had to have an MRI recently, and the facility doing the MRI was all set to perform it, until St Jude sent them a tech manual that essentially states that it's not safe; and that's even when the control unit has an "MRI" mode ! 

    I've had the unit turned off for quite a while now; I've tried turning it back on an increasing the powered gradually as instructed, but it just ends up causing back pain, so I'm keeping it off.

    Like, ho does a patient turn to when these things  occurr ? The doctor states the leads are fine, the rep has played with the settings numerous times, and it plainly doesn't work.

    i'm looking for a doctor in The Woodlands area who works with these devices; I believe they can work and help those with back pain, but the procedures must be performed correctly.

    Any questions or comments appreciated.

  • WEDIII
    WEDIII don81864

    Posted

    Yessir, almost identical story here. The reps play around with the settings with their master controller, but nothing ever changes. My doctor with "super" vision has stated the leads are positioned correctly; how in the world could anyone know that from an X-ray, with something where 1/100 of a mm might make the difference between success and failure of the device. I even asked the St Jude rep why the trial leads couldn't be left in, and she stated they actually had some that could be; talking with the doctor at a later date, he stated that couldn't be done because of risk of infection.

  • linda2365
    linda2365 don81864

    Posted

    I’m in the same boat that you are in and very frustrated!! I have had a revision 3 times in less than 3 years and about to have the thing removed.. it’s disappointing when your doctor tells you this is it and if it don’t work there’s nothing else he can do.. I myself got 3 opinions before I even decided to do the spinal cord stimulator.. Best of luck to you!!
    • stephanie75909
      stephanie75909 linda2365

      Posted

      My Dr won't remove the scs. He actually wants to input another one in my neck and I refused to and told him the first one doesn't work why would I do one in my neck. He just told me that there is nothing else he can do for me and he has run out of options. I am desperately trying to find a neuro surgeon.

    • DJ1976
      DJ1976 stephanie75909

      Posted

      I feel so sorry that you have to go thru this.  It is your body.  If you want it out, the surgeon should remove it no questions asked.  If it isn’t working or it hasn’t worked you never want to leave it in your body.  I had mine removed in Nov. of. 2017 almost 6 mos. to the day it was put in.  It never worked from the beginning.  Not happy with Abbott formerly St. Judes either their reps. Who follow us after the trial and the permanent implantation and the Company itself.  No satisfaction from anyone.  I wish you good luck in your quest for a solution.
  • Guest
    Guest don81864

    Posted

    I have had good results with trial and implant.  No problems. 

    Marcus

  • Guest
    Guest don81864

    Posted

    same here exactly mine doesnt work at all the reps gave up quickly and said see ya their reps are terrible now my generator is swollen and painful and i need it explanted i havent turned it on for a year now i try a new pain DR tomorrow so im hoping they have a new program that works better i did try the no buzz settings and i tried it with the buzz on they can program it both ways neither worked its too bad st jude has done this my wife has one that is 11 years old, older technology and it works great and her reps were amazing this was before st jude bought the company im glad to hear im not the only one that had bad reps but wishing good luck to all the pain is unbearable

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