Guest guest Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 , I had a spinal cord stimulator implanted in 2007. It was the best decision I ever made! While it does not get rid of all pain, the relief it gives is fantastic!! Good luck! Jef S > S wrote: > > Went to my pain doc yesterday and he is giving me the option of trying a neurostimulator, or seeing a surgeon for possible fusion surgery. > > Does anyone have any experience with the stimulator you can share? Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 Moderator's note: Hi Bren I want a new body too. Kaylene I wrote about mine and no one responded. Mine works great. It is an occipital-neuro stimulator. I have electrodes that loop at the center on my spinal cord and then the electrodes travel along the edge of the occipital bone, one going left and one right. There is a long wire under my skin that goes all the way down to my right upper buttock. The doctor made a pocket in the skin and fat there and placed the the battery pack. As long as you don't get an infection on the onset, everything should be great. The guys from St. Jude do miracles programming these units to let off an electrical charge that cuts of the message to the brain that you hurt in a specific area. I did great with the trial. Then I had the permanent placement. I got an infection and had a pic line so that I had to spend a couple of hours at the hospital every day for a month getting vancomycin infusions. It healed. But the infection caused the right electrode to move and now it is trying to work it's way out of the skin. I will be having day surgery to try to fix it. I want them to fix it. Because it is amazing how much you can lower the dosage of your pain medications while you have the unit. I hope this is helpful. Bren " Body on market for trade, new improved body please " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 Jeff, Did you have to go through nerve blocks first and then a trial stimulator? I just wonder, because I did before my insurance would approve a permanent implant. Bren >Jef wrote: >I had a spinal cord stimulator implanted in 2007. It was the best decision I ever made! While it does not get rid of all pain, the relief it gives is fantastic!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 Bren Is the neurostimulator you have for pain along your occipital nerve? The doctors keep telling me that's my problem so I'm wandering if I need to look into that. It would be great to not be on so much pain meds. Please let me know what kind of pain you were experiencing before you had this done. Thanks. Becky _ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 Bren, Before I had the permanent implant of the SCS, I first had to see a psychologist (I guess to insure that I knew what to expect from the procedure). after I was approved, a trial stimulator was inserted. After that, the permanent SCS was implanted. I had no problems with my HMO insurance.  Jef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 Hi Becky What is the occipital nerve? All I know is I have spinal stenosis,degenerating discs,sciatica etc. I have had all the possible injections,nerve blocks(did nothing) and radio-frequency ablation(messed me up REAL bad!) I am considering trying the stimulator trial before surgery, so I am trying to get peoples advice about them. I'll keep ya updated. Unfortunately, I have to consider costs. I never imagined how much pain management cost. I have paid a FORTUNE so far! What a catch 22. I am seeking pain management because I CAN " T WORK, so they don't seem to be to great with working with me on a payment plan. Also they have me by the ba**s, because without the meds and treatment, my blood pressure shoots up dangerously high and I am afraid of having a heart attack(my dad died from that at age 52. I am 44) Ok, enough with my vent. My doc said he won't try the " pain pump " until these other options. Becky wrote: It would be great to not be on so much pain meds. Please let me know what kind of pain you were experiencing before you had this done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 I am in the process of getting approved for the stim too, as a matter of fact, I had an appointment last Monday for the Psychologist appointment, but the snow sorta blew that up¦ so now I have that appointment March 7. According to my pain management doctor, they have that report about a week after the appointment, then they can schedule the trial. IF the trial is successful, then they schedule the permanent implantation. From what my pain management doctor said, it will be a month to six weeks after the psychologist report comes back before I'm on the table. I honestly would have preferred the pain pump though my daughter is terrified of the idea, but this pain management doctor say they do not help with RSD, which is my primary complaint; I honestly think the profit margin is not high enough for them to do the pump. So, IF the stim is NOT successful, I will be speaking to my doctor about getting a referral to a Pain doctor that DOES think the pain pump will help RSD. Marta > wrote: >I am considering trying the stimulator trial before surgery, so I am trying to get peoples advice about them. I'll keep ya updated. Unfortunately, I have to consider costs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 , I think the occipital nerve goes down the back of your skull and into your neck. Anyway that's where my worse pain is. It's pretty bad as it's a continuous headache that never goes away unless you're in a brain fog brought on by the pain meds like we all take. I've done the traditional blocks etc. but nothing ever holds for long. I'm at my best when I'm asleep but that's not a life and I've got to get my kid through one more year of college. Her dad died when she was in high school and left me with her and two others to put through school. But she's my last one and then I can quit work. I intend to live as cheap as I can in order to quit work but wanted to give her a house to live in until she got through school. Me, I can live in a 1 room efficiency apartment and be happy. I'm sorry for all your pain. I hope you are able to get relief with the trial so you can proceed. Becky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 Hi Becky, I understand being able to live in one room. We recently down sized. We put our large home up for sale " short sale " at that because we owe more than we could get. We purchased a small double wide mobile home in a 55+ park. It's nice and quiet here and I don't have very much to clean. That is the best part. I had gotten to the point that I just could not keep a regular big house clean. Even cleaning one large room was too much. My hubby has his physical problems too. He was not able tow keep up the yards. Now all he has to do is wash down the driveway once in awhile. Makes life a lot simpler. Bren Becky wrote: I intend to live as cheap as I can in order to quit work but wanted to give her a house to live in until she got through school. Me, I can live in a 1 room efficiency apartment and be happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 Good luck Marta. I want the pain pump too, but my doc said no also. S >Marta wrote: >I honestly would have preferred the pain pump though my daughter is terrified of the idea, but this pain management doctor say they do not help with RSD, which is my primary complaint; I honestly think the profit margin is not high enough for them to do the pump. So, IF the stim is NOT successful, I will be speaking to my doctor about getting a referral to a Pain doctor that DOES think the pain pump will help RSD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 17, 2011 Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 i might try and check it out. since i have alot of pain. > Marta wrote: > I am in the process of getting approved for the stim too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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