Spinal cord stimulator experience.

[disney212]

Anyone with first hand experience? I've been through PT, injections, ablation and this is the next step. I do not want it be and I'm pushing for disc replacement. I have 1 fusion that's 23+ years old and I was out through 2 years of agony before that was done. Those discs are still fine. My lower disc are really bad. I told the doctor I don't want to go that route but I'm not getting any other options. I am very active duty including hiking, biking, swimming, etc.

 

[ccahpp25]

I'm getting one this fall. I broke my back at 19 and had a thoracic fusion done, it's about 5 1/2 years old now and I'm looking at needing a lumbar fusion eventually because the combination of the nature of my original injury and the stress of the fusion itself is slowly breaking down the vertebrae in my lower back. My grandfather got a stimulator put in last year and he cannot stop singing the praises of it, so I'm really hopeful about it. I'm 25 and I have a soon to be 6 year old son, so my doctor recommended it when I told her that I would do whatever procedures she thought would enable me to keep up with him for the longest amount of time possible.

 

[MinnieMSue]

Well I literally got mine 2 weeks ago and go for my first post op appointment tomorrow to get the staples out. The trial went well but having it taped to my back was painful so it was hard for me to know if it helped a lot but I thought it did so I am now recovering from the permanent implant. The first week post implant sucked bad because my doc gave me 12 low dose hydrocodone/acetaminophen tabs and they did nothing to help the incision pain. I have a couple maybe 3-4 inch incisions that are stapled and I have had to wear an abdominal binder. I go to Disney in July so I am interested to see how it goes in airports and at the parks.
I set my device to where I don’t feel it most of the time. If I lay on my back or lean back I feel a kind of vibration from my lower back down both legs. I got mine for lumbar and leg pain. It is 2 wires that go in between t12/L1 up to around T8. I put off getting it for a couple of years but figured it was a better option than a fusion and if it doesn’t work then I will get the fusion. I have mixed emotions about the whole thing. I am angry that I was in rather severe pain the first week and could not get comfortable sitting or laying down. The second week I was just quite sore and now I don’t hurt much at all. I plan to let my doctor have it about the post op pain and his staff told me he would not prescribe anything stronger. I am a nurse so I am fully aware of pain med abuse but also am tired of never getting pain relief when I need it. Hopefully things are on the upswing now.
I got the Medtronic intellis which is rechargeable. Before I turned up my setting slightly it could go 16 days before needing recharged. It took an hour to charge when I did it the other day. You just have to sit still for that hour and let it happen. I have a small remote to turn it off and on or adjust it. It is mri safe if put into mri mode.

 

[disney212]

I'm getting one this fall. I broke my back at 19 and had a thoracic fusion done, it's about 5 1/2 years old now and I'm looking at needing a lumbar fusion eventually because the combination of the nature of my original injury and the stress of the fusion itself is slowly breaking down the vertebrae in my lower back. My grandfather got a stimulator put in last year and he cannot stop singing the praises of it, so I'm really hopeful about it. I'm 25 and I have a soon to be 6 year old son, so my doctor recommended it when I told her that I would do whatever procedures she thought would enable me to keep up with him for the longest amount of time possible.

Thanks for the feed back. I hope it works long term for you!

 

[disney212]

Well I literally got mine 2 weeks ago and go for my first post op appointment tomorrow to get the staples out. The trial went well but having it taped to my back was painful so it was hard for me to know if it helped a lot but I thought it did so I am now recovering from the permanent implant. The first week post implant sucked bad because my doc gave me 12 low dose hydrocodone/acetaminophen tabs and they did nothing to help the incision pain. I have a couple maybe 3-4 inch incisions that are stapled and I have had to wear an abdominal binder. I go to Disney in July so I am interested to see how it goes in airports and at the parks.
I set my device to where I don’t feel it most of the time. If I lay on my back or lean back I feel a kind of vibration from my lower back down both legs. I got mine for lumbar and leg pain. It is 2 wires that go in between t12/L1 up to around T8. I put off getting it for a couple of years but figured it was a better option than a fusion and if it doesn’t work then I will get the fusion. I have mixed emotions about the whole thing. I am angry that I was in rather severe pain the first week and could not get comfortable sitting or laying down. The second week I was just quite sore and now I don’t hurt much at all. I plan to let my doctor have it about the post op pain and his staff told me he would not prescribe anything stronger. I am a nurse so I am fully aware of pain med abuse but also am tired of never getting pain relief when I need it. Hopefully things are on the upswing now.
I got the Medtronic intellis which is rechargeable. Before I turned up my setting slightly it could go 16 days before needing recharged. It took an hour to charge when I did it the other day. You just have to sit still for that hour and let it happen. I have a small remote to turn it off and on or adjust it. It is mri safe if put into mri mode.

I had no clue you have to charge them. The pain is a concern to me also. I have genetic testing which proved most narcotics do not work for me and even with that they push hydrocodone on me, it does nothing. I also have a severe adhesive allergy. So a week of tape will not work. I work full time and travel and I'm afraid I won't be able to keep up with the remote. I think I will push harder for disc replacement. Thank you and I hope it's a long term solution for you.

 

[MinnieMSue]

I had no clue you have to charge them. The pain is a concern to me also. I have genetic testing which proved most narcotics do not work for me and even with that they push hydrocodone on me, it does nothing. I also have a severe adhesive allergy. So a week of tape will not work. I work full time and travel and I'm afraid I won't be able to keep up with the remote. I think I will push harder for disc replacement. Thank you and I hope it's a long term solution for you.

No problem. There are models that do not need recharged too. They need changed out more frequently and I am not sure how often they are used anymore. As to the adhesive allergy with the abdominal binder I could have put the thick dressing on without tape and the binder would have held it pretty good. Honestly I don’t even know if I needed a dressing on after the initial surgical dressing. I just didn’t want staples getting caught or infected. I believe a lot of doctors don’t use staples. Just my experience. My staples were removed yesterday and it is now open to air with no binder. Just scabbed incisions. I have the tucked in t-shirt rule. I can do anything that would allow a tucked in tshirt to stay in place. If any movement would pull out the (imaginary) tshirt from my pants I can’t do it. Also 20lb weight restriction for another 4 weeks then I can do whatever. Now that my surgical pain is mostly gone I’m doing quite well. Those first 8 days were really bad tho. When I need the generator changed out in 10 years or whenever I’m going to insist on better pain control for sure.
I’m glad I could at least give you some of my perspective on this journey. Back issues are no joke. They dominate every minute of every day

 

[disney212]

No problem. There are models that do not need recharged too. They need changed out more frequently and I am not sure how often they are used anymore. As to the adhesive allergy with the abdominal binder I could have put the thick dressing on without tape and the binder would have held it pretty good. Honestly I don’t even know if I needed a dressing on after the initial surgical dressing. I just didn’t want staples getting caught or infected. I believe a lot of doctors don’t use staples. Just my experience. My staples were removed yesterday and it is now open to air with no binder. Just scabbed incisions. I have the tucked in t-shirt rule. I can do anything that would allow a tucked in tshirt to stay in place. If any movement would pull out the (imaginary) tshirt from my pants I can’t do it. Also 20lb weight restriction for another 4 weeks then I can do whatever. Now that my surgical pain is mostly gone I’m doing quite well. Those first 8 days were really bad tho. When I need the generator changed out in 10 years or whenever I’m going to insist on better pain control for sure.
I’m glad I could at least give you some of my perspective on this journey. Back issues are no joke. They dominate every minute of every day

I really hope it provides you long term relief. So far I've not been impressed with the staff at the neurosurgeon office. I tell the staff something (I have a professional job and am well spoken) and they look at me like I said something incomprehensible. During the 6 injection procedure they were very rough toward me and pulled my pants down while I was getting on the table and when the first injection hurt I asked if we could give the numbing meds a minute to kick in they ignored me. When I insisted the meds were not working they just kept giving me more of the same. I have never been anything but kind towards them and it felt very in human....like a factory and no one seemed to care. I've had close to 40 surgeries and unfortunately I've experienced either great care of awful, I know where they rank. I'm just not happy with them. My PCP even placed a warning on my records saying what meds do not work but it's repeatedly ignored. Very frustrating. Luckily I have some great medical folks too. I had an ER nurse whisper to my husband to take me to another hospital and she saved my life. Our local kept blaming my shortness of breath on asthma, age and anxiety when it was lung cancer. The thoracic surgeon said it had shown up on 6 prior scans but was missed every time. I was told my gallbladder rupture was gas. I remember the helicopter blades as I was being flown to the trauma center. I have unfortunately many such stories. So my trust is hard to earn.

 

[MinnieMSue]

I really hope it provides you long term relief. So far I've not been impressed with the staff at the neurosurgeon office. I tell the staff something (I have a professional job and am well spoken) and they look at me like I said something incomprehensible. During the 6 injection procedure they were very rough toward me and pulled my pants down while I was getting on the table and when the first injection hurt I asked if we could give the numbing meds a minute to kick in they ignored me. When I insisted the meds were not working they just kept giving me more of the same. I have never been anything but kind towards them and it felt very in human....like a factory and no one seemed to care. I've had close to 40 surgeries and unfortunately I've experienced either great care of awful, I know where they rank. I'm just not happy with them. My PCP even placed a warning on my records saying what meds do not work but it's repeatedly ignored. Very frustrating. Luckily I have some great medical folks too. I had an ER nurse whisper to my husband to take me to another hospital and she saved my life. Our local kept blaming my shortness of breath on asthma, age and anxiety when it was lung cancer. The thoracic surgeon said it had shown up on 6 prior scans but was missed every time. I was told my gallbladder rupture was gas. I remember the helicopter blades as I was being flown to the trauma center. I have unfortunately many such stories. So my trust is hard to earn.

Oh my - I’m so sorry as both a fellow human being and as a nurse. I too have had some bad experiences with spine clinic people but not to the extent you did. I’m glad that nurse told you to get out and go elsewhere. But yikes you have been through it.
So far things are going ok. I haven’t taken Tylenol or ibuprofen today. First time in a LONG time I haven’t done that. I have a heating pad on my neck because in the last few months I popped up neck pain and have some thoracic kyphosis that is new. It’s always something

 

[disney212]

Oh my - I’m so sorry as both a fellow human being and as a nurse. I too have had some bad experiences with spine clinic people but not to the extent you did. I’m glad that nurse told you to get out and go elsewhere. But yikes you have been through it.
So far things are going ok. I haven’t taken Tylenol or ibuprofen today. First time in a LONG time I haven’t done that. I have a heating pad on my neck because in the last few months I popped up neck pain and have some thoracic kyphosis that is new. It’s always something

You've been through it too. I appreciate your kindness and understanding. I hope you feel better.