Spinal Stimulation, anyone had this done?

[kathy721]

Hi, I'm new here. Briefly....29 years of back issues in one paragraph! With insistance of husband, visited an ortho today. I've been through over 15 years of chiropractic care. 2 different therapist, all kinds of mattresses, a brace, spinal blocks, etc...now I'm pretty sure that arthritis has "set in" my lower back where th initial problem started decades ago. Used to...it hurt only when I did something to make it mad. Now, it's painful to varying degrees no matter what I'm doing 24 hours a day. I feel a "crunching" feeling. I cannot sleep all night as every time I roll over I am woken by pain. Since Vioxx was removed, and I cannot take sulfa drugs...my remaining script was a narcotic. The tabu drug, but I don't know what else I can do. I'm very strict with myself on this medication. This new Dr. today suggested an MRI and from there possible "spinal stimulation". I asked if this was an invasive procedure. He said it was. Has anyone here had that done and what does it consist of?
THANKS
Kathy

[philnoir]

I would assume all the time, however, if you have any questions, call your doctor's office.

[Arkiebear]

Hi,   I am new to this as well and just started the Trial today. My lumbar area is so bad the doctor spent 3 hours to tru and get the temp leads placed. he got the lead on the right side placed without problems but on the left side of the discs they are so narrowed he couldn't advance that lead without hitting the cord so he said he would leave the left lead in further up but we are running the trial essentially with one functioning lead to see how the pain reduction is. If it were not for the pain from all the poking and probing to place the leads my pain reduced from a 9 to 5 with the one functioning lead and see said from what he saw on the scan while they were placing the leads the left side is where majority of my pain is originating. I had an L4 L5 fusion with disc removed and disc spacer inserted with titanium rods. 5 yrs ago and this was never offered to me as an option instead they handed me Oxycontin and other narcotics and said this is as good as it gets. The pain management doctor I now see couldn't believe they hadn't offered it to me as a first choice not narcotics. I took a year to get Workers Comp to Agree to cover it ONLY after threatening them with Court. I hope once this goes to implantation they don't drag their heals. I asked the doctor if he thought the Neuro Surgeon would have difficulty placing permanent leads in the right place based on what he saw on scans and he said he didn't see a problem with it.  I told him to CONFIRM it with the Neurosurgeon while this trial is going on.  I have to tell you its a difference in Night and Day and Once the implantation is done, We are going to start tapering off the Long Term narcotics and see how low we can get on having to take pills to supplement the pain control. I only have one Kidney so I have to be careful what's taken.  I know I am going to sound ridiculous here but I forgot to ask the doctor if I am suppose to run this stimulator all the time or only to modulate the pain.  

[azleenie]

Hi,
I am on my 6th day of having the stimulator trial in my neck. My pain is in the bottom of my skull on the right and just above the 1st vertebrae below my skull on the right. Always on the right. I had the radiofrequency procedure to kill nerves to stop pain signals and that worked great for a little over a year. Just 2 times I had pain in that period of time. I wanted to try the stimulator cuz they said it lasts up to 10 yrs instead of getting the radiofrequency every year for the rest of my life. I want stability since its 15 yrs full of pain.
  I am doing this trial for a week and a half since the surgery site was right near my pain point in my neck..Anyway, I would lay down awkwardly to give myself more pain before I turned the unit on to see if it really stopped my pain. So far it has and my problem isnt just pain in the neck and head, but there is muscle swelling, paralysis in my right eye and fainting spells. I dont know how this unit works but it has taken care of all my problems.. Now my only problem is maybe doing a 2nd trial where the unit is actually down near my spinal chord instead of just under my skin. I really dont know what I should do. I am not bothered by the sensations on the back of my head from this unit but the wires being down near my spinal chord seems alot more permanent... but then again I worry if the wires may move inside me one day and cause severe pain... I really dont know. I want to have a baby soon since I just turned 39 and am on several narcotic medications like everyone else. I will  not live this way any longer.. I am so very happy that this unit is working for me. I know there arent alot of people out there with one of these things in their neck, but I really appreciated reading the comments on here about where to put the battery part of the unit. Having a wire all the way from my neck to my buttocks just doesnt sound very inviting!! ha ha
Any questions for me, just email me at ***@**** or at least a comment about where to put the battery.. Thanks!

[mikkelev]

Hi There,

In short, I am 34 years old and after one failed back surgery three years ago, a second surgery to repair the first and fuse another rupture I have adhesive arachnoiditis.  This disease is from the first failure and now I am pernanently disabled.  I was living on morphene, oxycontin, fentinal lolipops, valium, percocet, flexeril and a few others that I couldn't even pronounce.  This was a daily medication for me.  I couldn't even stand that drug induced stupor it created.  

I was referred for the trial for the implant, and found out that I would be a prime candidate for the permanent implant made by Medtronic.  I am suprised that the doc says it is an invasive procedure.  They numbed the skin and "walked" the leads up while I was awake.  The next stage was for them to test the site, and once that was found good, they then made an insiscion  for the "generator".  I was awake for the whole thing and walked....... WALKED... under my own power out the door after about an hour and a half procedure.

The biggest advice I could give abou the implant.... really think where the generator goes.  My first one was on my side against my ribs.  Very uncomfortable with my "gismo" rubbing and clicking on my ribs.  I couldn't sleep on that side either.  I wore out my 5 year battery after only 6 months, so my next one was going to be the rechargeable.  The only reason why my "gismo" lasted only 6 months is because of the complexity of the program.  My new one and rechargable one is located just under my ribs next to by bellybutton.  Another more common area is on the back side.  They put it in your butt cheek.  I can't even stand a wallet in my back pocket and that is why I didn't go for that location.

You can get that put anywhere you want.  Just think before you put that "x" on the spot!  Haha!!

I would never get rid of this SCS and noone could offer me enough money to get rid of it.  I would like to say that after all those narcotics that I was using everyday all day long, I am now only on Percocet, Flexeril, and Valium.  ONLY WHEN NEEDED!!!!!  I may go several days without anything.  Some days aren't so good, especially with this disease I have now.  I may need to take something a few days in a row, but nowhere near what I was on before the implant.

If your doc is still saying "invasive proceedure"... you might want to see a different doc for the procedure.  Just a thought.

Mike ***@****

[CGF]

20 years of L4-5 generalized aches, dull pain, stiffness, soreness, difficulty turning over in bed~hurt too much to turn over. Right leg sciatic 2002-2003.

2003 - spinal fusion at L4-5.  Right leg pain ceased.

2003-2007  Continous S1-5 degenerative disc symptoms, same as above and becoming more significant.

March 8, 2007, Thursday  Trial spinal stimulator implanted.  After initial minor surgergical incision healed, I would kill anyone who tried to take it out.  A few days later,I thought my doctor's appointment was for a wound check, but it was to take out the leads and the stimulator. I was livid.  Finally being 80% if not more, pain free, it had to be taken out so that scar tissue would not develop around the area needed to insert the permanent stimulator.

March 22, 2007. Thursday - Permanent spinal implanted. Spent one night in hospital, mainly for IV antibiotics.  A painful evening it was, after the anesthesia from the procedure wore off.  The nurses were more than willing to assist with a choice of one of 3 narcotic options every 4 hours.

March 23, 2007 Friday -Discharged from hospital with spinal stimulator turned "ON." The remainder of the day, slept, significant pain from incision.

March 24, 2007 Typing this to you to give the TRIAL a chance.  Personally, I couldn't live knowing there was an option to reduce the pain in slight invasive way on a trial basis.  For me, I'd kill anyone who tries to take out this one!

[MAS72]

Hi, Kathy.  I decided against having the stimulation system implanted, but it was suggested by my doctor.  He gave me a DVD and pmphlet on the procedure.  The device that he suggested is made by medtronic (www.medtronic.com).  They come in non-rechargeable and rechargeable.  Apparently you have an initial test period where the leads are outside of your body and you see how well the device will work for you.  If you are satisfied, they implant the leads I believe in your epidural space.  The main unit itself is implanted under your skin.  You have an external (wireless) remote control.  As I understand it, instead of feeling pain, you would feel a tingling sensation.  I use a tens unit and prefer to avoid surgery.  Good luck.