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Spinal Cord Stimulator Removal
Chronic Pain | Last Active: 4 days ago | Replies (155)Comment receiving replies
I wouldn’t know because I have no follow up with Abbott nor my pain clinic as to how I am getting along and if I had any questions about settings. I am getting some relief but if I walk a distance or stand to long the pain is there. It’s like buying a new car. Your salesman treats you like you’re the most important person alive until you seal the deal and drive off, except this is a medical device inside you that you have no idea what you should do and what settings are safe. Sure you can call them with questions and if you have to change a program, you make an appointment with your pain doctor( Now having to pay because the deductible has not been met) and the Rep will come in and change your settings. There is no follow up unless you initiate it yourself. I guess I was expecting more from a painful surgery and recovery than just a sales transaction. I’m sure others have had better experience than this but just being honest. Just reading the post about the nightmare side effects the person had on this post and units stop working after a few years just makes me want to have mine removed.
Replies to "I wouldn’t know because I have no follow up with Abbott nor my pain clinic as..."
I understand what you're talking about. I had an Abbott SCS inplanted June 2020. I have never gotten any relieve. I only received support from Abbott for a couple months and that was minimal. I did not receive support for almost two years. I finally got a new representative and that was very poor. After five years my battery died. I tried receiving help as soon as I got the message that my generator was going to expire. I reached out to Abbott and the neurosurgeon who inplanted it. The neurosureon referred me to another neurosurgeon, because he told me he very rarely does anymore SCS due to lack of support from the manufactures. Unfortunately I had to have a Watchman device placed in May of this year. I was placed on Plavix, so now I have to wait until after November to have anything done. I now walk around with a dead SCS in my body. Once I am able to get the SCS removed, I am now very concerned about the surgery and the complications post-op. I don't thing the doctors and specially the SCS companies tell the patients the whole truth about SCSs. Thanks for letting me vent.
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How was your trial? Did you get substantial relief? I know there have been some who have had negative experiences, but I’d like to think that they are are in the minority. It’s terrible that the negatives can be so horrible. I had a not so great experience with spinal fusion. Pretty bad pain and no help. From what I’ve found since then, it appears that Orthos make a ton of money from them. Soy, I’m rambling. It’s so hard to know exactly what to do when you can’t get a decent answer from those supposedly in the know. Let your heart and the information you have gleaned be your guide. I wish you well.