Anyone tried Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Pain?

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.

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.

Greetings. I am not sure if you are still active on this forum as your post is quite old. I hope and pray that your implant continues to provide relief to you. Although the doctors have labelled my small fiber neuropathy as "ideopethic" I am quite positive that spinal stenosis with bulging disk at lumbar may have also contributed to the severity of my condition. I am living in Pakistan and am interested to try the implant. I will be most grateful if you could provide the full details of the Spinal Cord Neuromodulator and the company and the doctor who put your implant. This will greatly help me contact the right people. Wish you and others suffering from this debilitating disease a permanent relief.

Hello there,

What are your symptoms? I am wondering because I too have been labeled with idiopathic SFN but recently had an MRI that showed spinal stenosis. Supposedly the symptoms cannot all be from spinal stenosis. Can you share more about your symptoms and any tests you have had?

I sincerely appreciate your response and query. The early symptoms I had were some heaviness in my feet followed by burning sensation. Based on MRI result, my first neurologist thought that the cause was spinal stenosis at my L4/L5 and L5/S1 level but I changed my focus subsequently when Mayo Clinic thought that my lumbar issues are too mild to cause pain and burning of such degree. Their diagnosis were small fiber neuropathy although they didn't find any reason following a series of blood and other tests designed to obtain a comprehensive assessment. Although the series of tests didn't include punch biopsy, the Mayo team was sure that it was small fiber neuropathy. Why I want to try the Spinal Cord Neuromodulator is because nothing else has helped me thus far.

I just finished the trial a few days ago. It helped SO much. I can hardly wait for my 2 week waiting period to be over so that I can get the permanent stimulator in. It made me feel like I was getting my life back! This is from someone who hesitated to get it for years.