Spinal Cord stimulator battery pain

Posted by luamiller @luamiller, Mar 4, 2024

Just curious if anyone has pain where your spinal cord stimulator battery sits at in your backside. If you do what has helped? Mine is really bothersome while sleeping and lying on that side

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Profile picture for jesscraig1 @jesscraig1

Help!! I am lost. I have a spinal stimulator in my lower back from surgery in 2023 to decompress a pinched nerve. About 2 weeks ago I noticed that my knees felt like he had rubbed Novocaine all over them. Well it has steadily gotten worse and worse. Its to the point that my whole body from my chest down is numb. I CAN still walk and move toes and stuff, so far. And i can move and stretch my neck and spine and the numbness will get a little better, but never goes away. I had lumber spinal fusion (2 levels) and Dr apparently implanted this device in my back and I don't know anything about it. I don't know if it is supposed to be removed, or even where it is in my back. I explained my symptoms to my surgeon who did the surgery and I was told that I had some "unusual symptoms" And maybe I needed to see a neurosurgeon. and my primary Dr said "what is it youd like me to do with this information?" I am 45 years old, and these "unusual symptoms" or "unforseen circumstances" as I call them, started when I was 16! And. I have NEVER gotten an actual diagnosis as to what neurological disorder, and autoimmune disorder as well, is crippling me! My spine is deteriorating rapidly and now my 15 yr old daughter is complaining of the same things I was at her age. And I'm not going to allow that. But right now I dont know what to do about the numbness.

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I don't know if you can afford it but I'm having bizzare pains even before my Stimulator, but googled this man Dr Lonnie Herman. I'm going next week. Luckily I live close.
He has helped people with bizzare situations. All parts of our body give off a ' frequency ' if he finds frequency is off he can start trying to help. He is on Google, watch him Pls.
Gd luck!!

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Profile picture for jesscraig1 @jesscraig1

Help!! I am lost. I have a spinal stimulator in my lower back from surgery in 2023 to decompress a pinched nerve. About 2 weeks ago I noticed that my knees felt like he had rubbed Novocaine all over them. Well it has steadily gotten worse and worse. Its to the point that my whole body from my chest down is numb. I CAN still walk and move toes and stuff, so far. And i can move and stretch my neck and spine and the numbness will get a little better, but never goes away. I had lumber spinal fusion (2 levels) and Dr apparently implanted this device in my back and I don't know anything about it. I don't know if it is supposed to be removed, or even where it is in my back. I explained my symptoms to my surgeon who did the surgery and I was told that I had some "unusual symptoms" And maybe I needed to see a neurosurgeon. and my primary Dr said "what is it youd like me to do with this information?" I am 45 years old, and these "unusual symptoms" or "unforseen circumstances" as I call them, started when I was 16! And. I have NEVER gotten an actual diagnosis as to what neurological disorder, and autoimmune disorder as well, is crippling me! My spine is deteriorating rapidly and now my 15 yr old daughter is complaining of the same things I was at her age. And I'm not going to allow that. But right now I dont know what to do about the numbness.

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PLEASE get yourself and your daughter to a major universty for diagnostics! You must have a proper diagnosis for anyone to provide proper treatment! These days many specialists willing to do a phone call appt.

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Profile picture for anniesezu812 @anniesezu812

I don't know if you can afford it but I'm having bizzare pains even before my Stimulator, but googled this man Dr Lonnie Herman. I'm going next week. Luckily I live close.
He has helped people with bizzare situations. All parts of our body give off a ' frequency ' if he finds frequency is off he can start trying to help. He is on Google, watch him Pls.
Gd luck!!

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This is anniesezu812 again.
You can have the battery pack and the electrodes removed. For me, the electrode placement was horrendously painful, I am trying to get my Pain Dr to remove battery pack. Like you I am having bizzare pains but greatly increased since placement of device. Look into SKILLFUL removal if appropriate.

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Profile picture for @EDiesel472 @ericanelson02

Yes, it bothers me sometimes. I've got a bladder interstim by Medtronics. I usually take gabepentin and pain medicine to calm it down. I don't think that there's any way around what we're dealing with because I thought it was only happening to me because there's not much fat where they placed it (on right upper buttocks). This makes me think further, my right leg and right big toe also hurt sometimes and that because of the interstim. I've got sciatica and severe nerve damage, too, so I'm sure that's a contributing factor. I hope I've helped.

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Hello,
My Stimulator is being removed due to this problem. Battery pack site pain and referred pain into my lower back , legs and feet is to excruciating to deal with.
I hope the Stimulators give enough relief for you...mine has exacerbated my pain enormously , and Drs fluff me OFF , disgraceful.

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I found relief from my battery pack-related pain by sitting on hard chairs. I also followed up with my doctor and had the battery pack reimplanted more deeply, which greatly helped alleviate this pain.

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Profile picture for anniesezu812 @anniesezu812

Hello,
My Stimulator is being removed due to this problem. Battery pack site pain and referred pain into my lower back , legs and feet is to excruciating to deal with.
I hope the Stimulators give enough relief for you...mine has exacerbated my pain enormously , and Drs fluff me OFF , disgraceful.

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I had to have my implanted pain pump removed because it shifted in my abdomen and became very painful. I had a pump in place for 20 years.

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Profile picture for carolynhughes75 @carolynhughes75

I had to have my implanted pain pump removed because it shifted in my abdomen and became very painful. I had a pump in place for 20 years.

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I have a similar problem with my stimulator. My first was implanted in 2016 and after having it for 8 years, it started hurting and feeling like it was shocking me when it was on. My doctor thought it just needed to be replaced because of its age, so in spite of asking him to implant it in a different location, he put it in the same pocket in my right butt cheek. That was 4 months ago, and it still hurts all the time, especially when it’s turned on. I regret having it replaced as I’m actually worse off now. It just doesn’t help my pain.

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I’ve been diagnosed with degenerative disc disease so have had multiple back surgeries/disc fusions over the years. I had an Abbott Eterna stimulator implanted last February 2025 to address the ongoing pain. After several programs I’m at a place where the back pain is all but gone. What this issue is now is a severe burning pain where the battery is implanted. The skin is sore to the touch and the pain is constant. I’m fairly thin and at my first post op visit the Dr mentioned that was a problem when implanting the battery. I see the Dr next month regarding this issue. Would it be feasible to ask the Dr to move the battery deeper or at the least someplace else to hopefully alleviate the pain?

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I had the Abbott Neuro stimulator put in July 8th of 2025. By the 4 th week I was feeling pretty good but today at 5 1/2,weeks post surgery I was sitting sort of sideways in a recliner and now where the battery was placed it is aching deep , I hope I didn’t move the battery .

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I wasn’t having pain but sitting wrong in a recliner after 5 1/2 weeks post op I am hurting where the battery is placed. Is your area bumped up where they implanted?
Mine is swelled up pretty well. I am taking ibuprofen and putting ice on it, so far I am in pain, hope for it to subside.

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