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Spinal Cord Implant
I had a Boston Scientific spinal cord stimulator implanted to treat CRPS for approximately four years. I want to share an update regarding my experience. My CRPS has gone into remission, which I believe is primarily due to eliminating sugar and gluten from my diet. My guiding principle was, if God didn’t make it, I didn’t eat it. Additionally, I stopped eating red meats, much to my satisfaction. Again, currently I am in remission.
Despite this positive development, I want to share my experience with thediscomfort related to the Boston Scientific spinal cord stimulator, which was designed to stimulate my legs and feet. The device was implanted in my flank, on my back. During the time I had the stimulator in place, I noticed several issues that I now realize were directly caused by the device.
Firstly, I experienced severe backaches—both localized around the implant site and radiating into the surrounding area. These pains intensified after the stimulator’s battery depleted and I began recharging it. Secondly, I struggled with an incontinence issue, characterized by minimal warning before needing to race to the bathroom. After the stimulator was recently removed, both the backache and the incontinence problem completely resolved.
Another significant issue was the development of severe tendinitis in both legs and feet. Remarkably, this condition has improved significantly since the device was taken out. I firmly believe that the placement of the stimulator should have been in my buttocks rather than near my internal organs.
Since I feel it would be unproductive to discuss my concerns with Boston Scientific directly, I am sharing my thoughts here in case others with flank-placed stimulators encounter similar issues.
A few months prior, I consulted with my pain management specialist, who brought in a representative from Boston Scientific. That representative claimed to be unaware of anyone experiencing the problems I described. When I followed up and requested the removal of the implant, the rep arrived late for my appointment—likely due to heavy traffic—and initially dismissed my concerns. However, upon further discussion, she acknowledged that she was aware of similar issues.
While I am grateful for having had the stimulator, I am equally relieved that it has now been removed. If I could go back in time, I would have the device re-implanted but insisted that it be placed in my gluteal area instead of near my internal organs.
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I had a Boston Scientific SCS implanted 4 years ago and it hasn’t provided significant relief. The surgery wasn’t too bad but the doc placed it quite close to where the leads are, just to the side in my mid-back, and that has bothered me ever since. If I lean back in a chair with a hard back I can clearly feel the hard box and it’s unpleasant. I have to take a soft pillow on car trips. And charging it is a nuisance—I finally quit doing that after trying many adjustments by the tech from BS.
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1 Reaction@mike2005 I have my spinal cord stimulator through NEVRO HFX.
It is one of the leading companies considered better than Medtronic’s . (I know first hand that Medtronic’s is great for cardiology instruments though, having worked in cardiology.)
See if there is a Pain specialist in your area that uses the Nevro system.
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1 Reaction@marietter I've never heard of Nevro. This last time I was given a choice by the doctor. The choice was between Boston Scientific and Medtronics. They talked about Boston Scientific being hard to get to respond. That's exactly the problem I'm having with Medtronics. They do not return calls. Terrible customer service. I will have to check out Nevro. Thank you.
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1 Reaction@wtaylor1028 When they initially put in my SCS in 2006 I didn't think it was working. It was already implanted so I kept it. When I was taken off of good pain meds and put onto suboxone by the VA then I could tell the SCS was working to some extent because I was getting very little help from the new med. Best treatment would be for the SCS and pain meds to work together which it was doing when the VA put me on Fentenyl patches with the SCS. When they took veterans off the pain meds, fentenyl patch, and put them on the suboxone (worthless) they screwed a lot of veterans. All because druggies misused it and died. Really dissatisfied with the VA.
@mike2005
Dear Mike , here is the NEVRO website and phone to check for physicians who provide NEVRO spinal cord stimulator implant and follow up care.
NEVRO.com
1-844-331-1001
Best of luck .
didnt they all just have a lawsuit?
@julkun
Hi,
I am not sure what more I can tell you, at first it worked quite well, gave me 50% improvement, but then over time about 6 months after implant it started to not work as well. I did get it re-programmed quite a few times, probably 6 -7 times until my rep said she couldnt do anymore for me. So a few days ago I have had the implant removed. Back to Lyrica and Physeptone.
Plus injections every 4 -5 months that do give me some relief for a 6 -8 weeks.
@jacque45 Just spoke to my neurologist yesterday. She and my pain doctor have no ideas anymore. I need to talk with people that have this horrendous pain. You guys are the most reliable and have been through this. My Email is julkun@hotmail.com, if you are willing to talk. I never heard of Physeptone. What is that?
@marietter Thank you Mariette
@julkun
Physeptone is: Methodone. Here in Australia it is a carefully controlled drug only certain doctors will prescribe. I am on a low dose of 15mg per day but for some reason it works well with Lyrica. Everyone's pain is different because of the original injury. I dont think I could be of any help to you. Just keep exploring different avenues, and get another opinion! Hope you have private health cover! good luck