@smithki - sorry you didn't get the battery you preferred. This should have been agreed with your doctor before the surgery. If it is any consolation, surgery for battery replacement is less invasive and the recovery will be quicker than for the full system implantation. And you don't have to deal with recharging in the meantime, which some people find tedious and time consuming. Any follow up visits are typically with your physician. The Abbott rep is there for you when you have programming needs or device connection issues.

Setting the optimal strength level for Burst stimulation can be challenging since there isn't a lot of feedback. With tonic stimulation, I usually set the strength just below the point where I feel the stimulation. I prefer tonic and use it 100% of the time. The only downside is it uses more energy, so I have to charge more frequently. I don't know if this would also impact battery life for a non-rechargeable.

I agree the discharge instructions and activity limitations are difficult. I wasn't sure what no bending, twisting, or reaching really meant so I had my rep demonstrate what was okay and what wasn't okay, which was very helpful. I was able to do more during my recovery period than I initially thought.