1. < Spine Health

Has anyone had the Stimwave spine stimulator installed?

Posted by WS4K @ws4k, Dec 12, 2018

Hello to ALL! I have a severe back injury and even after three surgeries and several fusions, I am still experiencing severe and chronic pain. My pain management specialist is talking about a spine stimulator. After some research I located the Stim Wave. With this unit, only the leads are implanted. No wires come through. The antenna is worn like a pager on your belt.

Has anyone tried one of the Stim Wave stimulators yet? Any feed back on them?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Spine Health Support Group.

marychapman | @marychapman | Aug 20, 2019

I am definitely still interested and I would love to hear your take on it.

REPLY
icecold | @icecold | Sep 20, 2019
In reply to @pvarn01 "I'm on the fourth day of a Stimwave "Freedom" trial implanted in my upper back for..." + (show)
@pvarn01

I'm on the fourth day of a Stimwave "Freedom" trial implanted in my upper back for lower leg sciatic pain. Two days to go.

Jump to this post

how did your trial go? did you end up getting the stimwave?

REPLY
1 reply
mimicat | @mimicat | Oct 21, 2019
In reply to @icecold "how did your trial go? did you end up getting the stimwave?" + (show)
@icecold

how did your trial go? did you end up getting the stimwave?

Jump to this post

Did you feel pain relief on the trial period ?

REPLY
mimicat | @mimicat | Oct 21, 2019

Hi I know it’s been a while since you post about stimwave. Would you please share if you still have it? Is it helping you or helped with back pain? Thank You

REPLY
quark | @quark | Feb 1, 2020
In reply to @ahayes "@ws4k I did have Stimwave implanted. If you are considering it for application at spine, it..." + (show)
@ahayes

@ws4k I did have Stimwave implanted. If you are considering it for application at spine, it is worth considering. It is very high frequency, up to 1500, and higher than my Medtronic now can go.

The stimwave worked like a charm for my pain. However, I was having it implanted as a PERIPHERAL stimulator for my sciatic nerve in back of knee, to help my lower leg. The stimwave lead is very flexible, and this made me have problems with lead migration. I had 2 trials and 2 permanents. The reps for this company were working closely with my doc to determine best approach to stabilize the lead. Ultimately for me bc it was a peripheral application. and not a scs, it didnt work bc the lead was too flexible and unstable and they couldn't anchor the lead well. In an SCS application Stimwave is very stable from what my doctor told me and he uses it often.

Due to migration, lead breakage issues, and newness of the product and application for peripheral nerves we took stimwave out after the 2nd permanent system had a lead break or had a lead problem. I would say talk w ur doc closely to determine if this is right for you and your needs. Ask him how stable the lead will be and bring up lead migration. You'll know after the trial if it helps you. It helped me a lot but just wasnt right bc the company had not done many or any sciatic nerve peripheral cases. They do tons of scs cases so you would be having an approach that they vetted and tested more thoroughly.

As an aside, my case was so unique the CEO of the company was talking to my doc to give ideas in how to put in and anchor it to make it stay. This company is amazing and really supported me through the trials and difficulties I had making it work. One rep even stayed on the phone with me for hours as I was crying bc the lead moved and I could tell it wasn't working anymore. Kind people and they really care about patients and the product.

Jump to this post

Hi, and was taking the Stim wave lead out a big deal? Did you have another put in? I have had chronic abdominal pain from my cystectomy and/or hernia repair for about 6 years and have tried about everything. My doc has been doing the Stim wave for several months now, and wants to try it on me. Almost feel like a Guinea pig, but am desperate too. The only things I can seem to find are reviews or research that were sponsored by the company itself. Any of your thoughts would be appreciated. Thanx

REPLY
1 reply
ahayes | @ahayes | Feb 1, 2020

It is very easy to input and remove. The one thing I will tell you to ask the doctor is as follows:

How durable is this medical device, specifically, in the location you will be implanting it at, how likely is lead migration (movement of lead away from intended site). Is there anything at the site the lead needs to be that will help anchor the lead?
- I had too much lead migration with stimwave to use it as a Peripheral Nerve Stim. I tried and had it changed out twice. But, this was around my sciatic nerve right above the back of my knee (where that nerve splits into 2 branches). Thus, no real way to anchor it other than the 'barbs' of the lead that helps it stay in place. I went to an off-label use of a Medtronic stim because it had a lead with the right rigidity to be more durable.
- This is ALL site specific stuff. If your location of implantation will work better with the system, stim wave rep and your doc should know this. I was one of the first patients in the USA to have this device put in for a sciatic nerve use case. In many other sites...the stim wave holds up great. When mine did stay in place I got AMAZING results. It can go at a higher frequency/rate than any other stim on the market that I tried...and that's what seemed to benefit my pain so much.

We actually implanted all of my atimwave trials and Permanents in a fluoroscopy suite. So, yes. It was that easy. simple!!!

REPLY
1 reply
quark | @quark | Feb 1, 2020
In reply to @ahayes "It is very easy to input and remove. The one thing I will tell you to..." + (show)
@ahayes

It is very easy to input and remove. The one thing I will tell you to ask the doctor is as follows:

How durable is this medical device, specifically, in the location you will be implanting it at, how likely is lead migration (movement of lead away from intended site). Is there anything at the site the lead needs to be that will help anchor the lead?
- I had too much lead migration with stimwave to use it as a Peripheral Nerve Stim. I tried and had it changed out twice. But, this was around my sciatic nerve right above the back of my knee (where that nerve splits into 2 branches). Thus, no real way to anchor it other than the 'barbs' of the lead that helps it stay in place. I went to an off-label use of a Medtronic stim because it had a lead with the right rigidity to be more durable.
- This is ALL site specific stuff. If your location of implantation will work better with the system, stim wave rep and your doc should know this. I was one of the first patients in the USA to have this device put in for a sciatic nerve use case. In many other sites...the stim wave holds up great. When mine did stay in place I got AMAZING results. It can go at a higher frequency/rate than any other stim on the market that I tried...and that's what seemed to benefit my pain so much.

We actually implanted all of my atimwave trials and Permanents in a fluoroscopy suite. So, yes. It was that easy. simple!!!

Jump to this post

Many thanks for your reply and will be seeing him the end of the month. He has discussed it, and hopefully already have a date in March, or if a cancellation the end of feb. I will definitely ask about the migration, and awhile ago had a trial Boston scientific SCS, but did nothing. Mine will be placed to the right of my stoma, which is near my navel. It sounds encouraging for a change. The picture on the stim wave pamphlet shows exactly where my pain is. Again, thanks for the feedback!

REPLY
wilcy | @wilcy | Feb 13, 2020
In reply to @scruffy1 "Hello @ws4k , I had a Nevro stimulator implanted in August of 2017 because of general..." + (show)
@scruffy1

Hello @ws4k , I had a Nevro stimulator implanted in August of 2017 because of general lower back pain that couldn't be relieved through any conventional means. I've had basically ZERO pain since then. Every month or so the last 5 bones in my back get misaligned and I need about a 2-3 minute adjustment by my chiropractor, and then: good as new! I charge my stimulator through induction every day for so - sometimes I forget for a few days but it doesn't matter. They tell me the effect doesn't "wash out" for a few days after the battery depletes. I live a normal life, virtually free of pain for the first time in 27 years. I've travelled to Europe several times and even to S. America and the Galapagos. I pack my charger in carry-on so as not to lose it. I even played 3 rounds of golf for 3 consecutive days just 8 weeks after the device was implanted. I do wear a back support when I play but only because my bad swing puts undue pressure on my back...and entire body 🙂 Since I've had the implant, Nevro had developed and had approved a newer model that is smaller. I think they just developed a smaller battery. Oh, and no parathesia with either device.

Jump to this post

About to have one! Feet neuropathy bad!

REPLY
3 replies
sanderosa | @sanderosa | Feb 14, 2020

my Dr wants me to get a ABBOTT nerve stimulator implanted, and I am so undecided as all actions up till now have failed to help stop the pain, there is one that might last 10 years on low, and must have battery recharged each day with a belt, and the other with 5 year battery that must be replaced in 5 years, I use a tens unit now and it helps a little but they say the wires all the way to the spine is a lot better, I read up on i and they are ok for MRI, has anyone had a ABBOTT ProclaimXR implanted? Please let me know as I must make my decision soon…am 85, had this pain since surgery in 1983, cant be up more than about 12 minutes without terrible pain,, I do need help.

REPLY
quark | @quark | Feb 14, 2020
In reply to @wilcy "About to have one! Feet neuropathy bad!" + (show)
@wilcy

About to have one! Feet neuropathy bad!

Jump to this post

Please let me know how it works out, and hope the trial is good!

REPLY
1 reply
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.