Spinal cord stimulator support

@daxel79 I'm so sorry to hear this!! :'( I literally "hurt" for you...I have CRPS also, it is not enjoyable. I truly hope your Dr's can find something that works for you and gives you a lot of relief. Oddly, something that really worked for me were the taping techniques my OT taught me. That really cut down on my pain A LOT. But, going out in public with tape all over your body gets looks lol (not that I care). Good luck to you!!

I had an Abbott pain stimulator installed this year, I am 3 months in and not only am I in more pain but it seems it was the tech’s responsibility for a failure to correctly manage pain. On my last visit to the second post op visit with pain management and the Abbott Rep, they set my unit to the burst program on number 12. Not given clear instructions on how to set it I just left it on the setting that the Rep set it on.
3 months having the unit off and on I have developed nerve pain in a very embarrassing part of my body( If you know what I mean) I went back and told the pain Doc and a different Rep. the nerve pain issue that has literally altered my life, from my sleep and intimacy. They took a live X-ray of my back and said the lead wires were in the right spot but they were very much stumped on my constant nerve pain. After the X-ray the other Rep. that was not there at surgery , stopped me outstide and asked me question. The thing I told her was that I concluded the unit is hurting me .
When I turn it on I begin to have new places it burns very bad. Now it is painful all of the time. The Rep. told me to set the controller to 3 be cause 12 is way to high. Then she made a comment about stimulators set to high can burn nerves.I believe that is what has happened and now I have the same burning day and night with the unit off. I have an appointment to talk about where we go from here. If damage has been done because of the stimulator , it will be coming out and we will be talking what can be done . I would say between the Rep and the unit itself , there is some things needed to be said and done, not sure what that will entail. Has anyone had these issued????

Oh and by the way I had a through exam with blood and urine tests and a procedure at the Urologist to rule out any issues . He concluded that my pain, obviously nerve pain was the stimulator because he could find nothing to cause that kind of pain..

@smithki

@daxel79

Yes!! Same thing here! I can’t have mine turned up past 5 or it hurts my legs and feet so bad! I turned it off and have had it off for 2 days now. I wrap my feet with 6 big patches of lidocaine with the self adhesive ace wrap.

@daxel79
I am probably going to have mine removed. Pain Management doctors have no answer as to why I am having nerve pain in odd areas . Do you have problems with it if you lay on your back?
I am a back sleeper but when I do sleep on my back now I get pain even though the generator is shut off. I was told by my Urology specialist that the lead lines must be laying on a nerve that brings me pain while laying on my back. Thanks so much for responding

I never had back pain until I got this SCS now I have horrible lower back pain whether I’m sitting or laying down. It gets worse if I have it turned on. So now not only do I have CRPS in my left foot and leg I have pain in my back, and it seems as though my CRPS has mirrored to my right foot/leg because the stimulator stimulates both legs! Why??? I only had an issue with my left foot to begin with😢💔

@daxel79
I hear you, sounds like you are having like issues as I am having.
Wow, the pain in the lower back is really debilitating.
Have you been back to see why you seem to be in worse pain with the stimulator? I hope you can find some relief from the pain.Thank you for responding and sharing your experience

You’re so very welcome 🩷 I’m sorry you’re going thru this as well. My PM Dr is such a jerk, he dismisses me every time I see him, never believes me. I’m desperately trying to find a new PM Dr😢