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Medtronic Spinal Cord Stimulator for a 36 yo w/low back pain/epilepsy
Hello, I am 36 years old and I have epilepsy for the past 11 years (it started with my pregnancy and they never stopped). Since then I have had low back pain that gets worse after every episode, It never gets better, sometimes the injections helped but not anymore, physical therapy, acupuncture, massages didn't work ether. My back MRIs and X-rays are unremarkable but I still have this pain that doesn't let me have a normal life and puts me down to bed. Now, my pain management doctor is recommending SCS by medtronics and I would like to hear from others that have done SCS or that are in the process. Thank you.
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It's unfortunate that your X-rays and MRIs aren't showing a root cause for your low back pain and conservative treatment isn't helping. The nice thing about SCS technology is that you can "try before you buy", meaning that you would undergo a one-week trial before deciding whether or not to proceed with a permanent implant. I received my first implant in 2017. The technology isn't perfect, but if you can reduce your pain by at least 50% then it's a win.
The newer technology using burst stimulation is reported to provide superior pain relief, but the programming is more difficult. The system I have now (Abbott Eterna) is designed and promoted to run in burst mode, but I use it exclusively in tonic. For me, tonic mode provides better feedback on program settings and strength and helps me get better pain relief. SCS in general, however, require a commitment and some perseverance to work with your device rep and optimize settings. Even a year and a half after receiving my current system we are still tweaking programs and making improvements.
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1 ReactionI'm wondering if you have had a work up by a great neurologist.
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1 ReactionI hope things work out for you. I’m sitting here waiting for my 20 min post-fact joint injection to work. Last one lasted ~10 days.
Had 4 rhizotomies (ablations) 2 per side at L5/S1 a few months back that works pretty well, except I now have l sciatica since the rhizotomy. It is intermittent, so hopefully it’s due to inflammation from burning the nerves.
Good luck.
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@vincescs , Just curious. What was your pain level)1-10) pre and post implant?Are you also on meds?
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I got a 50% reduction in pain from my stimulator implant. Still taking prescription NSAIDs, but no longer taking any opioids or muscle relaxers.
That’s great! I am waiting to get a trial of Boston Scientific Alpha WaveRider. I have tried just about everything, including a pain pump. That has never given me any pain relief.