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Is there a group here for spinal cord stimulator recipients?
Spine Health | Last Active: 1 day ago | Replies (23)Comment receiving replies
May I ask what weird sensations you have experienced with the Boston Scientific SCS?
I have Abbott Eterna, implanted 2/23, and after a successful trial in 12/22, the device is not delivering the relief I sought for lower left back pain. I have levoscoliosis and I feel the pain is bearing down on the L5-S1 pain, where I had a spinal fusion in 12/14. I see the neurosurgeon who performed the surgery late December for consultation. I have had it reprogramed 5-6 times.
Replies to "May I ask what weird sensations you have experienced with the Boston Scientific SCS? I have..."
@vikkitennis after a year and a half of torture from an L4-S1 Fusion and 4 surgeons plus 2 at Mayo I have a loose screw at L5 they have recommended it be left alone and do a stimulator. The surgeon is trying to get it in before the end of the year. Is there any details you can share about location , other symptoms you’ve had, complications, regrets or loves about it, anything to look out for during trial to specifically tell the doctor, any suggestions besides stay away from everyone( I was twisted while sitting by a friend 3 weeks after my surgery) Thank you in Advance for anything you have to offer a now disabled 52 year old because of it. Only reason I had surgery when bending over I would about fall at times , when the surgeon got in there L5 was loose. I was fused at L3-L4 in 2002
That seems to be a common complaint for these SCS's. My trial of the Medtronic unit gave me about 80% pain reduction. The permanent implant gave about 50% pain mitigation. It was still enough to make life more bearable. Until it just stopped working.
I’ve had my Medtronic SCS for 16 months. The trial went well then I decided to have it surgery implanted. This was for chronic back pain and leg pain. My L5/S1 discs are gone, bone on bone. I’m 69 years old and didn’t want major back surgery. After the surgery things went well for a few months. Then I noticed I had issues emptying my bladder. Talked to my pain doc and the Med. Rep and said they never heard overstimulation of the bladder? They changed the programs several times because I still had back and leg pain. Now I have chronic prostatitis and bladder issues. Anyone in the group experienced side effects like this?
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First: the Boston Scientific SCS has helped immensely with my sciatic pain. I've had about 80% relief with it, if not more.
But increasingly I've felt weakness in my legs, both lower and upper legs. Seems that this happens when I have the battery at full strength, although that may be my imagination. It occurs to me that the SCS is an electrical device running along the spinal nerves so of course it interferes with all nerves. But there have been times when my legs are greatly weakened, making it hard to walk or bear weight on my legs.
Has anyone else experienced this?