Should I have the Spinal Cord Stimulator? Looking for reviews on this

It is the trial that requires 50% pain relief or you won't qualify for permanent placement. I got 50% and sometimes more pain relief during my trail. I think that is where you got the 50% relief from, the required trial minimum. I have been told the permanent works even better. I was also told I should be able to quit pain pills and the 1800 mg of Gabapentin I take. I was told by 3 neurosurgeons they couldn't help me but at least the third one recommended I try the SCS. I ran out of options and the pain is ruining my life. I am grateful for modern medicine and the chance to get part of it back. I too am a retired RN and have done my research. Also my three friends are very happy with theirs.
If you read drug inserts, you may never take another prescription medication. If you read a surgery consent, you may never have another surgery. I could go on but you get the point. People think Boston Scientific is a bad SCS because of a law suit, if they read further they'd learn it was over a design patent and another over a vena cava filter, not their SCS.

Yes, I think it's important to look at all brands and models of the available SCS on the market. Some are just better than others. Perhaps if I had access to pain medication I would not be pursuing the SCS option, but no physician - Pain management or Orthopedic - has ever offered me pain medication. The Opioid crisis in the country has taken pain medications off the table for so many that could benefit from them. I have actually read that the highest rating for an SCS is for the Boston Scientific model.

Have you asked because I'm not sure they can offer them to you? I asked and had to sign a contract stating I wouldn't seek pain meds from another doctor. I had to pee in a cup to assure I don't abuse them. No one should suffer when we have so many different effective meds to help. That's one of the arguments against euthanasia. Can you go to another state to see a sensible pain management doctor? I'm surprised there are pain management doctors in your state with their hands are so tied.
I'm actually waiting on approval to have the Boston Scientific Wavewriter placed.

You're not getting the SCS because you have pain medication. I do not have pain medication and it is not available or prescribed in my area, or my state, so the SCS is my only option to get some sort of pain relief from this pain that I have suffered for well over 10-years. I initially refused to have the SCS - three times, when offered by Pain Management Physicians. I'm an RN, I've done all the research, the reading, watched the video and read the booklet. And I made the decision that No, I was not getting this SCS. But ...after spending months having PT, acupuncture, Chiropractics, having Epidural Steroid Injections, an Interspinous spacer, and a MILD procedure only to find that nothing worked for me in reducing my pain......I have no other option available to me to at least do the trial of the SCS. It does actually scare the heck out of me, because I've read all the horror stories out there.......but maybe I need to look for some success stories too.

I just saw my pain Dr. and thought he might suggest a SCS which I was not looking forward to. Instead, after reading recent CT results, he suggested another round of radio frequency and possible MILD procedure later on. I have been through nerve blocks, radio frequency, SI injection, bilateral hip injection and minuteman lumbar spacer/fusion procedure. I have also done PT and acupuncture. I have tried gabapentin, pregabalin and one I forgot the name of. I have severe reaction to Tramadol and Codeine meds. What do you recall about the MILD procedure you had?

I have seen multiple Pain Management Physicians over the course of 10-years. Not one of them have ever offered me pain medication, infact, one came right out and said "I don't prescribe Opiods" before I even had a chance to say one word to him. The Federal Government is behind this, as a result all physicians must have been warned about prescribing pain medications. It's all so very unfortunate to see so many people suffer in pain so unnecessarily. I have my first appointment with the doctor to discuss the SCS the end of the month. I'll see what becomes of it. I'm not even sure what the "requirements" are or what "approvals" are required. My physician is the one who recommended it to me, so I'm seeing him since he did all the other procedures on me and knows my health status regarding my lumbar spinal stenosis.

Both the pain management doctors I've seen in my small community gave me pain meds, no problem, just signed contracts. Failed physical therapy, numerous steroid injections and no surgery will alleviate the pain were my requirements. The trial was approved by Medicare and I'm pretty sure the permanent one will be also. Since it's not life threatening the wheels move slow. Best of luck.

Almost 5.5 weeks for the trial, still waiting for permanent approval. I was told by the doctor 4-6 weeks for that approval too. I asked how I could have an MRI of my hip & a THR within 10 days? The answer was hips can be life threatening, pain is not. I had to reply they haven’t experienced my pain then.