@mgh15 My SCS implant was in June, 2017, and the first year was really great! The second year, it was still helping, but it needed adjustments to the settings every 3 months. After that, it gradually became less effective, and by the 3rd year, if I turned it off for a month, I couldn't feel any difference.

I will have to say that a new rep took over the business of making adjustments, and I felt around 25% reduction in the pain. At the same time, I had a dorsal root ganglion stimulator trial, and there were complications requiring removal of the wires, but it was in long enough to tell that it wasn't going to help my pain.

I have the stimulator on, in the hope that it's helping, along with the various medications I take. In September, I began monthly IVig infusions, with two days of 4 hour IV infusions each month. I didn't feel any improvement until the 4th month, and since them, the pain reduction has been significant. Certain things exacerbate the pain - sitting for more than 30 minutes, standing still and being on my feet all day, whether working at home or shopping. By the end of those long days, my feet sometimes burn.

Things that currently help. I think I've tried every neuropathy pain med that was on my pcp's list, then the pain specialists' list, a couple of neurologists' lists, and various folk remedies. All 5 of my siblings found that Gabapentin did the job for them. Not me. So, I took morphine sulphate contin for quite a few years, but my doctor cut my dose in half, to a most sub-therapeutic dose. Someone here suggested buprenorphine, so when I started seeing a new pain specialist, she agreed that it could be a safer and more effective medication. I initially went to her because I'm considering a pain pump implant, and we've talked about zonitide, but I would have to find a compounding pharmacy to make it for me, and find someone to maintain the monthly filling of the pump. That's in the initial research stage right now. I've been in the hospital twice since September, so that's set me back on a number of fronts. Sorry. I've rambled off topic.

I have the SCS still going, monthly IVig infusions, Duloxetine @120mg daily, buprenorphine @ 2mg 3x daily, meloxicam and tylenol (mostly for arthritis), Prednisone 10mg (in hopes of slowing the progression), and I put Lidocaine 5% cream on the areas that are burning. Unfortunately, my idiopathic small fiber axonal inflammatory demylenating polyneuropathy is progressing at a rate that concerns my neurologist. I have a couple of new tests being scheduled, with a couple others after that. I don't know if I'll ever get to the pain pump. It's all been just a bit too overwhelming, along with being treated for depression, anxiety and PTSD with a therapist and Wellbutrin, Mirtazepine and Clonazepam and my service dog, Sadie.

So, where are you in the SCS implant possibility? Have you scheduled a trial? Please do your research as to your choice of surgeon. That's more important than I realized. I never met the surgeon until I was in the surgery prep area. I dealt with assistants both before and after. If I were writing this in 2018, I'd be hyped to recommend getting the implant. It did give me a couple of years of pain relief, and I think it could be helping me more right now if I could get the company rep to return my calls. The settings he gave me last summer did make a difference. I guess I just need to press him more to meet with me.

I hope I've given you a little food for thought. I know that implants have helped many people.

Jim