Anyone had an Abbott SCS put in? BurstDR strength setting?
I'm curious to know what strength setting your spinal cord stimulator is set at for anyone implanted with an Abbott device that uses BurstDR technology.
I had a good trial and significant pain reduction after my permanent implant, but feel like the device has become less effective over time. I'm now 6 months post-op and feel like the device is no longer providing much relief at all.
I have a follow up appointment with my surgeon and the device rep in two weeks but want to experiment with different settings between now and then. However, I know it's possible to overstimulate the nerves and create irritation and pain at settings that are too high. My initial strength setting was at 7, then I increased to 8 a couple of weeks post-op. I briefly increased to 9 after a muscle spasm flare up and then returned back to 8.
I felt a little more confident experimenting with settings on my Medtronic device with tonic stimulation, but the Abbott BurstDR technology is more difficult to determine the delayed impact of adjustments due to the lack of paresthesia.
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If your leg pain is 99% improved, then you are doing fantastic. That's a great surgical outcome! If you're getting relief in Burst mode with your current strength setting, then I wouldn't mess with it. If you decrease the setting, you might be under stimulate and not get the same relief. If you increase the setting you could overstimulate, irritate your nerves, and not get the same relief. If you want to experiment with changes, you should only increase or decrease by 1 or 2 strength units at a time and then wait several days to see how you respond to the change before making any more adjustments. You can always go back to 12 after experimenting if that's your sweet spot. I only switched to tonic because I couldn't find the right Burst strength. Tonic feedback is pretty much instantaneous.
Thanks a lot for the encouragement and the advice, I really appreciate it a lot. I sure got more from you than Abbott but then again they don’t know what it feels like to have this unit implanted. I’m on my 5th week and still have this cloth band around me and being in Arizona, talk about hot but I only have 2 weeks left with that.
Thanks again
I too am from Arizona. May I ask who your doctor/neurosurgeon was?
I had Dr. Chinthagada and had my surgery at the Lazer Surgery Center in Tempee. I was scheduled with DR. Norwani from the specialty pain management but last minute he could not do it so they gave me the doctor I listed. I was concerned about this doctor, so I called the Abbott Rep and she told me he was very good and she had been a part of many of his implants.
I am pleased you contacted the rep and asked their opinion of the doctor. Their recommendations are genuine.
I agree with everything you said. The rep kept texting to see if I wanted the implant. After receiving my permanent implant , no word from my rep. I had to keep calling and texting her for questions about settings etc. I wasn’t aware that it would take so long to heal from the surgery. I’m still not sure my setting is the best. When I do get ahold of the rep she tells me I’m still healing from the surgery.
Dr Justin Fields. Love him!
Pain Dr is Dr Matthew Crooks.
Dr Fields did the surgery.
I have not heard one word from my rep. My last post opt appointment was a jam to get me out of there because the doctors were leaving early that day and the rep went right along with them leaving me in the room not understanding much about my settings. I went about 1 week unconnected to the generator on my iphone , I couldn’t change anything and it was on burst when it went down but they told me it was still on the last setting , I question that. They told me to call the tech services but they could not figure it out either. Long story short, they put the two programs on the slow turtle phone they gave me that takes so long to connect. It’s come down to me just leaving it on the low burst setting that the rep sent me home with and decided it’s not worth the hassle adjusting it. I’m on week 5 1/2 and can’t wait to get this stretch waist band that I was told to wear 24/7 for 6 weeks off. Living in Arizona with a hot wrap on is not fun I do think I have gotten relief , so it’s not all doom and gloom but I do think abbott could have done a better job following their customers.
I looked up Dr. Fields bio: very impressive. I have scoliosis and e deals with adult deformity conditions. When my spine becomes unbearable, and I cannot play tennis or travel, I have his information in my address book. Thank you for the recommendation.
Hope he can help you if you decide to use him. 👍