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Spinal Cord Stimulation for chronic back pain
Spine Health | Last Active: Apr 13 4:38pm | Replies (57)Comment receiving replies
I have lumbar spinal stenosis and have been in pain for over 10-years. I've had multiple procedures and treatments/therapies, and nothing has worked to alleviate my pain. The physicians have told me my only option is to have the Spinal Cord Stimulator implanted. I absolutely refuse! I have read the literature and watched the video, and also have read that there have been over 80,000 spinal cord injuries as a result of this Spinal cord stimulator. I do not feel that this is safe and I will not have it done. I'm also an RN, and have talked to many patients about this - many have it removed within a year.
Replies to "I have lumbar spinal stenosis and have been in pain for over 10-years. I've had multiple..."
I've had the medtronic stimulator for over a year now, and have at least 70% less pain. I just pray it continues!
Being a nurse you probably have access to more comments etc. so I guess you need to trust your gut, and do what makes you feel safe. Good luck - coming from someone that has had back surgery, cage put in, and now going for an vertebroplasty. I have three fractured discs.
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I have had two spinal cord stimulators. The first one helped a lot for abou3 years. Did they mention the trial to you? Fairly simple procedure done in the office. You have a temporary leat placed along side the spinal cord and the battery pack worm for 3 to 5 days. You evaluate what, if any, pain relief you get. They are looking for at least 50% pain reduction. Then you decide if you want the permanent implant. I got about 70% pain relief. After the trial, it was about 50%. But, that, along with my pain meds allowed me to resume almost all previous activities, including cycling, which I had not been able to do for almost two years.
Hope this helps you. I also just had the morphine pain pump surgery, which is going well so far. Besr wishes and prayers for wisdom for guidance to the right procedure.