Peripheral nerve stimulators

I have been told by family members who are in health field for years that YOU DEMAND THAT A NEUROSURGEON DOES THE IMPLANT, to many pain managment doctors are doing these surgeries. I SHOULD SAY THIS APPLIES IF YOUR IMPLANT IS BEING USED ON YOUR SPINE . BEST OF LUCK

As for connection to the leads, your type of connections and type of battery of your stimulator is up to your surgeon and provider.

You can have various types of both. Connected leads Wi-Fi leads rechargeable batteries standard interchangeable batteries.

It all depends on the type of leads used, output and expected programs utilized, and foreseeable changes in disease state. These factors will affect the selection process.

I was diagnosed with progressing CRPS Type 2 with high interchanging evolving nerve pain which was not manageable with conventional pain medications.

I don’t know or need to know y’all’s diagnoses but I hope I’m being clear here. The pain doctors are passing SCSs because they are not opioid. However that does NOT mean everyone with Chronic Pain is a candidate for one.

I spoke to my psychologist last week and he is finding cases when people are receiving a SCS WITHOUT the mandatory pre-psych evaluation. You must have this BEFORE the trial. Why? The trial is not the same as the implant as many if not most discover. Is the pain neurological or contributed to by other causes or made worse or impeded by other issues including psychological ones that will complicate the usage of a SCS?

This mandatory psych eval is vital to the success and prevention of improper use of risky, expensive, time-consuming, frustrating therapy that can lead to dangerous if not life-threatening consequences.

I’m not sure they used the wrong leads or programmed your stimulator only to where you have to adjust it? Or maybe your Continuous was programmed while you were still inflamed and you couldn’t reduce it far enough when the inflammation subsided...
Lots of factors

I have been told by family members who are in health field for years that YOU DEMAND THAT A NEUROSURGEON DOES THE IMPLANT, to many pain managment doctors are doing these surgeries. I SHOULD SAY THIS APPLIES IF YOUR IMPLANT IS BEING USED ON YOUR SPINE . BEST OF LUCK

@sunnyflower @sprinrosa64 The doctor that did my DRG implant is a Pain Doctor and Anesthesiologist. It is very common in Illinois that pain doctors do these implant procedures. I never even thought to ask for a neurosurgeon to implant my device. I didn't think to ask many important questions, and sadly trusted just my pain doc as to the device. Too late, smart.

Wow Renee your info is so complete and I am sure very helpful for people. I feel so silly when I read what so many people are going thru compared to my pain. The STEMWAVE PNS system that I will be getting, hopefully in a week or so, is 2 leads set around the femoral nerve in my thigh , with a EXTERIOR battery worn on my thigh and a remote control I can carry in my pocket. I get 3 batteries so I can always have back up charged.I wish you all well and keep searching there are answers out there PEACE

@sunnyflower @sprinrosa64 The doctor that did my DRG implant is a Pain Doctor and Anesthesiologist. It is very common in Illinois that pain doctors do these implant procedures. I never even thought to ask for a neurosurgeon to implant my device. I didn't think to ask many important questions, and sadly trusted just my pain doc as to the device. Too late, smart.

@faithwalker Renee, My goodness, girl; thanks for all you write about these stimulators, and for clarifying info about the leads. You clarify information very well, and I so appreciate that. I cannot imagine doing a pain stimulator without a psych evaluation, as the whole experience is grueling. It is not for an unstable, very nervous, clinically depressed person to handle. My pain doc did explain why the psych eval was so essential, and I did appreciate that. I have gone through Hell with this device, and I know that a state of clinical depression would have made it that much worse. Thanks a bunch! LoriRenee1

@faithwalker Hi Renee, Could you tell me what "Shock" and "Continuous" even mean in terms of the DRG stimulator? God, I do not know much about my programming. I only know that I have been given 4 programs since my implant in July. I go to my Pain Doc, and the ABBOTT rep is there at the same time. The ABBOTT guy generally adjusts one lead at a time to a point where I no longer feel electric impulses, and then tends to lower it down more, at least 2 notches. I then go home and see how it feels, and find myself lowering and lowering the electricity, one notch at a time. I live with my adjustment a few days, and within the last month, could not seem to get rid of electric sensations in my butt cheeks and shins, primarily. It got to a point that I could not sit down, and shut it off completely. The whole experience has been grueling, but I too, have about 20-30% pain relief, for sure. So far, with the machine off, the pain relief continues. It just got to a point that I could not tolerate the electric sensations. Fun, fun. I would not wish this on my worst enemy, of which I have none. Thanks again, Renee. LoriRenee1

“Shock” programming (my term) is the program you can FEEL after he is finished programming it. If you adjust it upwards or downwards, it is programmed to treat your pain with sensation of electrical impulses similar to a TENS UNIT.

“Continuous” (DRG term) programming is NOT EVER supposed to be felt after he is finished programming. If you increase the setting, you STOP and decrease of you FEEL electrical impulses Anywhere.

How are you sitting, or laying when you are being programmed? Stand when he is programming you if you move about at home. Lay flat if you lie down a lot at home.

Your position when he programs affects the intensity of the settings of every program he is formulating in your system.