How did you get relief with a spinal stimulator? Adjustments?

Having had severe neuropathy for over 7 years, I can certainly empathize with you. Mine is due to a ski fall back in 2016. Hit my lower back and buttocks pretty hard. It's been a rollercoaster ride ever since. Along with back pain I have had sciatica and severe burning og the feet. I had it under control for about 3 years with meds and a spinal cord stimulator. Then, all the pain returned in 2021. Have seen more docs than I can keep track of. I had the morphine pain pump implanted back in April of this year. It worked well for about a week, and then began to lose its effectiveness. I am back on Tramadol (after being able to wean myself off it when the pain pimp was giving me decent relief). If they ever deny me access to this drug (and I only take 1 50 mg. tab 3 times a day), It will be interesting to see WHAT they do put me on.
Have you tried a spinal cord stimulator? You can do a trial to see if it gives you any pain relief.

Yes, I have a SCS in my back after the trial appeared to work. Regretably,, its not cutting it for me and at times seems to worsen the pain by overstimulating the nerves. the spinal doctor told me that the SCS is for pain only and will not mitigate the neuropathy symptoms (numbness, tingling etc). So, I usually have it turned off.

I had my Nevro implanted in April. Still working with rep to get the best placement. It definitely helps. But so far, not complete coverage of pain. So the rep is combining settings snd I am trying that. I find it best to change to a new setting right at bedtime because new settings always have some pain at first that eventually fades. I sleep well regardless so that gets me through the adjustment phase so that I get a better read on what that setting offers.

I have Nevro spinal implant and it's just not working as good as the trial did. I've had it about a year. I'm giving up. Just don't want to go through surgery to take it out. I pray someone gets relief from theirs. Prayers for all.

The reps kept saying dont over stimulate. Didnt make sense cause I felt that I was never stimulated. I figure out that there not one setting for all. You have to set a setting for 2 to 3 weeks to give your body time to adjust and for you to feel any improvement. It like the game hot or cold. If the setting not helping you are cold. If it feels better you are getting warm. If level 1 and 5 lites are good for me it might be worst for you. Just keep changing and play the game you get hot before you know it

You describe my experience perfectly. But I will not give up either. Let’s face it. Its the last best hope. It has definitely helped because I have the energy, ability, and desire to get up and DO! I did not have that anymore before placement. It has at least provided that baseline of relief that allows me to function through the remaining pain.

I had it removed I could not get the adjustment made by the Medtronics support team to make changes; they were never available.

So you have to wait for them to make changes? You can’t make changes on your own?
Also did you get the chargeable Medtronic battery and could you feel it in you after a couple of weeks of getting use to it? And can you see it in you?

Have been experiencing ongoing back pain (primary lower back) and mobility issue even though I had Laminectomy and Spinal Fusion surgery 15 months ago. My neurosurgeon who performed the surgery said that nothing looks out of order based upon a recent MRI and CT Scan. I went to get another opinion from a spine specialist who upon having my x-rays said that the surgery did not take. Specifically he said that I have screws that are coming loose in the S-1 / L5 area and also some kind of spacer needs to be replaced at lower end of my spine. Plus there are two screws loose at the T-10 vertebrae.

Originally this specialist told me that one of the options would be an ALIB or something like that where they enter through your navel and do a minimally evasive procedure. But today he said that he thinks that there would be a less than 50% chance that I would have any appreciable change in either my pain and / or mobility condition. He said that the MRI showed that there are no pinched nerve as that may be contributing to my pain.

So, I am now scheduled to see another specialist who would do some kind of spinal stimulator procedure which would be targeted to help relieve my pain. So with the long lead up, has anybody has any experience with this kind of procedure and / or application, good or bad ? The online research said that there have been some good results.

I also am to see a neurologist about my mobility issues. It is like my brain is telling my legs to move but they aren’t getting the message and have extreme difficulty getting around, although I ditched the wheel chair last year and the walker earlier this year and have been on a cane since then but very unstable.

Any thoughts or comments about your personal experience would be appreciated.

Note: I also have peripheral neuropathy that certainly impacts my mobility but was told that in having my Laminectomy and Spinal Fusion surgery it might improve my peripheral neuropathy. It hasn’t.

Please go to the discussion on Spinal Cord Stimulator’s elsewhere. If you do get one, work closely with their techs and follow instructions re how long to leave changes in place.