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Pain from SCS anchor hardware. Having trouble with this, too?
I had a lumbar spinal cord stimulator implanted about 6 months ago. It's working reasonably well to help manage my low back pain. My biggest complaint is the hardware that anchors the leads and keeps them from migrating. The anchors sit over my spinal column and resulted in a raised scar. This is painful at times, especially when sitting in chairs with no back padding. They seem to have also changed the curvature of my spine somewhat, which negatively impacts my posture.
There are some surgical options to reposition the anchors or replace the leads with paddles, which don't require anchors. But both surgical options are pretty involved and would require another lengthy recovery.
I didn't even know this was a potential negative outcome risk until I did some research and found this impacts about 5% of SCS implant patients. In my case it's apparently more of an issue because I'm thin (BMI = 20.8). Is anyone else struggling with anchor pain from their SCS implant?
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Yes to itching, probably where the incision is at. It does improve. Testing is a good idea.
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1 ReactionI don't know of any clinics around 08317. I'm 58 and the surgeon said he'll
take it out but chance of paralysis. Saw 2nd opinion. He said I have severe
scoliosiis and see a scoliosis Dr. I've had scoliosis but never this bad
and now I'm dealing with enteritis, is the failed stimulator causing these
problems?
fol,
I too have scoliosis, and something interesting that triggered my mind is, the X-ray from may 2024 and October 2024 showed an increase in the curvature: 18-24%. Why paralysis? Is this doctor performed hundreds of the SCS surgeries? removals? My doc has, and nothing was mentioned. How far are you from Phoenix? his name is Dr. Robert Bina fro Banner University and Banner Health. It could be a shot to see him.
I'm in NJ but my x-ray showed severe disc degenerative. It was moderate. An MRI before the stimulator showed small curve and last month showed two types of scoliosis and very severe. Wants me to see a scoliosis expert. My theory is the stimulator causing all these problems. I also have gastrointestinal inflammation that's causing excruciating pain
I just wish I can talk to a Dr. To tell me truth
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1 ReactionI'm in NJ but my x-ray showed severe disc degenerative. It was moderate. An MRI before the stimulator showed small curve and last month showed two types of scoliosis and very severe. Wants me to see a scoliosis expert. My theory is the stimulator causing all these problems. I also have gastrointestinal inflammation that's causing excruciating pain. Thanks for your reply.
I’m so glad you posted this! I’ve been trying to figure out why my spine is protruding after losing 70lbs and wondering if it’s my anchors from the scs. It’s causing pain!
I had stimwave scs placed in my lumbar area and it was placed at t7 and below in 2021. It didnt have a battery that was internal. It was Freedom-8A scs and u charge a pager and pager then hooks up to a wire which is connected to a floppy rectangular pad. You put the pad on your back and hope you get tge "sweet spot?" Cause this system is a old system and the signal is not strong and it is nit something u feel working only the results. I didnt use it too much cause the spot that bothered me would be the spot that has permanent nerve damage from herniating 4x over 30y and last time compressed for so long. But in 2 yrs my back went from 0 stenosis or spurring to 75% of my spine unstable. Spurring in 100% of my 8 vertibras cervically, 5 thorasic, and 5 lumbar. Stenosis in 11 of the discs, spondylolisthesis, spondylosis, retrolithesis, anterolisthesis, c0c1c2c3c4c7 T1T4 T7T8T9T10T11T12L1L2L3L4L5 SACRUM. 2 yrs and they blame it on not fixing damage with trauma and pruor hardware. Or failed back surgery syndrome or chronic pain syndrome. But I took it to 2 drs after finding out the lead is stuck up there and is prob the root cause of all my symptoms. The chiro and massage therapists all would try to work out the knot or see what is firing up muscles in protective mode. But this whole time they were pressing in the stimulator lead that they didnt knoe was tgere cause it was a lumbar stimulator nit a thorasic. So now im waiting in limbo. This is ruining my marriage amd mental health and my luck tgey going to say it is too dangerous to remove it. Idk what I will do. All i know is I am not heard and im so disappointed of so many trusted drs. Not for misdiagnosed but for misdiagnosed and saying im mentally ill and then saying they were placed there on purpose but t4 is not low back
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