I've been out of Mayo Connect for a couple of years, but I decided to jump in to this discussion.

I had a Burst DR spinal cord stimulator implant two years ago and found amazing relief for the pain in my feet from small fiber idiopathic peripheral neuropathy. I estimated an 80% reduction in the burning pain. I have tried all of the medications for neuropathy, and lots of off label meds, with very limited success. Lyrica helped but the side effects put me in the hospital. Recently I tried desipramine, and it was helping with the pain, but caused bladder issues - urgent need to urinate up to 24 times a day - end of yet another medication. I've been taking morphine sulfate contin for a number of years, and I know it helps me manage the pain.

I've been meeting with the Abbott tech every three months or so, to adjust the settings on the controller, because I was having increased pain. I met him again last month, and I seem to be getting the message that the stimulator is losing its efficacy. I rate the pain most days on a scale of 1-10 and lately I've been having more 7 and 8 days.

Some of you know from personal experience the interaction between chronic pain and mental ill- health, especially with depression and suicidal ideation. The interaction is very real. I'm alive today because of the good health professionals who have been treating me for 15+ years.

I'm going to see a neurosurgeon at the end of this month to discuss the possibility of a dorsal root ganglion stimulator. My understanding is that it can do a better job of targeting specific pain. I'm ready to try something new because my pain is increasing and is interfering with my ability to function. My pain specialist is prescribing yet another medication for me to try, but by now I don't hold out much hope.

I had surgery on my ankle in April, because I was rolling my foot more and more often, with more and more pain that would last longer. It was a Brostrom procedure, with a placement of a permanent internal ankle brace. I'm still recovering from that, but I'm pretty sure it will prevent me from further ankle inversion. The pain I have could be from the last time I rolled it. But the combination of ankle pain and neuropathy pain has been hard.

The point of this post is to learn what others have experienced with regard to the long term efficacy of a spinal cord stimulator. I had hoped that it would be a more or less permanent pain management tool. Maybe it is, maybe it's not.

I appreciate any information you can share.

Jim