Spinal Cord Stimulation

ravfem · 11-30-2010, 09:48 AM

Just got home from a visit with a neurosurgeon regarding my chronic lower back & hip pain.

He suggests a trial run with SCS, and i would love to get opinions from those of you who have experience with this. Pros, cons, suggestions....anything.

Thanks!

katsarecool · 11-30-2010, 11:08 AM

I had this device implanted August of 2004 to block the pain of a badly damaged nerve. It was successful. Although it took much longer to recover from the sugery than the doctor predicted. 6 months rather than six weeks. The trauma of the surgery brought about fibromyalgia. In hindsight if I had to do it over again I would not. But that is just me. Every patient is different. Good luck what ever you decide. If you have any other questions please feel free to PM me.

DomnNC · 11-30-2010, 11:46 AM

Hi rav,

My pain management Dr wanted me to try this, however they consider a 40% reduction in pain a success. He couldn't even guarantee a 40% reduction at that. To me, personally, it wasn't worth going thru the surgery, being sliced almost all the way down my spine, then a diagonal slice from between my shoulder blades, down and around to my stomach to where he wanted to implant the device (he said I didn't have enough ass to put it there, lol) and then a surgery every 9 years to replace the battery. It just wasn't worth it to me. I told him when he could guarantee a 80% or better reduction in pain then we'd talk about it, til then, no slicing me up for that.

I'm kinda surprised a neurosurgeon is talking to you about that, in Charlotte it's the pain management Dr's that handle that.

katsarecool · 11-30-2010, 11:51 AM

I forgot all about that we saw the same pain mgmt group in Charlotte. You are right about the percentage though. I was fortunate that I got a 95% pain coverage. Dr. B over there wanted to make me a poster person for the SCS. Then I wanted to kill him for the fibro! J/K!!!

DomnNC · 11-30-2010, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katsarecool

I forgot all about that we saw the same pain mgmt group in Charlotte. You are right about the percentage though. I was fortunate that I got a 95% pain coverage. Dr. B over there wanted to make me a poster person for the SCS. Then I wanted to kill him for the fibro! J/K!!!

Lol, that's right! I'm sure you indeed wanted to do that as well. That's about like when I woke up from my last back surgery in pain unlike nothing I've ever felt and when my neurosurgeon came to see me in my room and I crooked my finger at him to come closer. He refused, lol, cuz he knew I wanted to belt him a good one, lol.

katsarecool · 11-30-2010, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DomnNC

Lol, that's right! I'm sure you indeed wanted to do that as well. That's about like when I woke up from my last back surgery in pain unlike nothing I've ever felt and when my neurosurgeon came to see me in my room and I crooked my finger at him to come closer. He refused, lol, cuz he knew I wanted to belt him a good one, lol.

My first laugh of the day; a deep throated giggle!!!

11-30-2010, 09:48 AM	#1
ravfem Senior Member How Do You Identify?: i'm a girl Relationship Status: negative Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Georgia Posts: 1,811 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,239 Thanked 3,126 Times in 1,270 Posts Rep Power: 1969286	Spinal Cord Stimulation Just got home from a visit with a neurosurgeon regarding my chronic lower back & hip pain. He suggests a trial run with SCS, and i would love to get opinions from those of you who have experience with this. Pros, cons, suggestions....anything. Thanks! __________________

11-30-2010, 11:08 AM	#2
katsarecool Member How Do You Identify?: Femme Preferred Pronoun?: She, Her, Woman Relationship Status: Single Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Between Athens and Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,236 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 3,849 Thanked 1,765 Times in 734 Posts Rep Power: 323366	I had this device implanted August of 2004 to block the pain of a badly damaged nerve. It was successful. Although it took much longer to recover from the sugery than the doctor predicted. 6 months rather than six weeks. The trauma of the surgery brought about fibromyalgia. In hindsight if I had to do it over again I would not. But that is just me. Every patient is different. Good luck what ever you decide. If you have any other questions please feel free to PM me. __________________

11-30-2010, 11:51 AM	#4
katsarecool Member How Do You Identify?: Femme Preferred Pronoun?: She, Her, Woman Relationship Status: Single Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Between Athens and Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,236 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 3,849 Thanked 1,765 Times in 734 Posts Rep Power: 323366	I forgot all about that we saw the same pain mgmt group in Charlotte. You are right about the percentage though. I was fortunate that I got a 95% pain coverage. Dr. B over there wanted to make me a poster person for the SCS. Then I wanted to kill him for the fibro! J/K!!! __________________

11-30-2010, 11:46 AM	#3
DomnNC Timed Out How Do You Identify?: Male Preferred Pronoun?: He/Him Relationship Status: Widow Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Permanently Banned 11/15/2011 Posts: 1,223 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,618 Thanked 2,582 Times in 837 Posts Rep Power: 0	Hi rav, My pain management Dr wanted me to try this, however they consider a 40% reduction in pain a success. He couldn't even guarantee a 40% reduction at that. To me, personally, it wasn't worth going thru the surgery, being sliced almost all the way down my spine, then a diagonal slice from between my shoulder blades, down and around to my stomach to where he wanted to implant the device (he said I didn't have enough ass to put it there, lol) and then a surgery every 9 years to replace the battery. It just wasn't worth it to me. I told him when he could guarantee a 80% or better reduction in pain then we'd talk about it, til then, no slicing me up for that. I'm kinda surprised a neurosurgeon is talking to you about that, in Charlotte it's the pain management Dr's that handle that.