Anyone tried Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Pain?

Thank you! I’ll talk more to the Dr.

A Pain Dr at Mayo suggested it and the Dr in Chicago I’m seeing. The temporary one and leads are set for April 15th.

I had the trial for pain cord stimulator. My Mayo Dr
sent me to a closer Dr. at the time I thought it helped 50 percent, that was until the week was over.
I quickly realized it helped 70 percent and I can’t wait to get the implant. Honestly the buzzing affect
didn’t bother me as much as pain.
I ended up with help from lead manager, who called everyday, to set it just on my legs. My back hurts but not as bad as legs. I want to walk, I’m very weak I haven’t done much in 2 years.

They can set the remote to work on just legs or legs and back.

I’m glad to hear that your trial was successful! I hope the implant will go well too and you will get back to walking. That will make you feel so much better. My thoughts and prayers are with you!

We considered this for my wife's chronic pain with the pudendal nerve. However, before any procedure like this I wanted to know about all the positives and negatives that I could get which unfortunately the manufacturers of these stimulators would not provide. Questions like what are the more serious side effects and frequency of these side affects? What affect does the the probes have on surrounding nerves that still have to perform their specific functions (all are being stimulated?) Has this device been tested on the particular nerve that you are dealing with?

The doctor that we spoke with at Mayo didn't have many positives to say about this procedure. My researched also uncovered some possible (don't know the percentages) serious side effects and as it turned out a neighbor around the corner from us developed as a result of having this procedure performed on him. So given that there were too many unknowns my wife opted out of having this procedure. However, do not take this as your only input to make a decision. Do your own research and most importantly try to get as many inputs from patients as you can as I find that source to be most valuable.

Hi bkruppa, just to give you my input, I was incapacitated from 2010- 2012 following an inguinal mesh hernia repair, I had a spinal cord stimulator fitted in October 2012 in the Mater Private in Dublin, I went back to work after 2.5 years in February 2013.it really got me through a tough time and gradually improved to a point where I could again function normally , unfortunately through my own fault I re-injured the area again in November last which has grounded me again, I had my battery replaced about a month ago , which will give me more range and quiet stimulation, ie it works away in the back round .
so I am in recovery mode again, but I feel I wouldn't have had the relief I had if I hadn't taken the risk in the first place, I felt I had no choice at the time.
Regards, Sean

My doctor recommended a spinal cord stimulator to relieve the nerve pain in my arm and hand. After two years of trying other things nothing else has worked. I have done a lot of research and have pretty much decided not to have the surgery for a trial. From what I read stimulators are fairly successful at reducing back and leg pain., but I couldn’t find anything which said they help with arm and hand pain. I also asked to speak with another of my doctor’s patients with arm or hand pain who was helped by a spinal cord stimulator. That never happened. Finally, two other doctors said that very few of their patients were helped by them. Based upon all of this plus my out of pocket cost, I decided it would be best not to do. I think it is the right decision.

Sean...........and I've heard many similar stories where the stimulator has helped with their pain. However, there were too many questions that I could not get answers to that were of importance in making our decision on using this device. A doctor I spoke with also indicated some negatives so overall we decided not to pursue this option. What amazes me in your post is the reason for your nerve pain which was the hernia repair. What should have been a very simple operation resulted in you having a totally new and worse problem. That is troubling and I've heard this story many times.

Fred, I've just joined this group so that's why my comment is so long in the coming. I had the Spinal Cord Neuromodulator put in between my T8-T9 Spine for several reasons. My neuropathy in my legs and feet was intolerable, and I have a bulging L5 laying on my L1-L4, of which wasn't allowing me to walk much without serious pain and difficulty. Since I needed relief from the L5 down to my toes, they had to shave bone from between the T8-T9 in order to fit in the full paddle and not just wires. This was done in October '16 and I cannot begin to tell you how much relief I get from this implant. Basically, it gave me my life back, I was able to ween off of all my pain medications and even the Gabbapentin (nerve ending medications). I'm living once again and am about to return to work since 2002.