No, they aren’t. I had high hopes that it’d help, but as it turned out, it proved to be worthless for me, plus a lot of trouble to remember to charge it.
I had pain, but it was fairly controlled on the Percocet. At least, I could go to the gym and work out. That was probably the most beneficial for me, in the long run. The new Pain Management doc I saw gave me an injection directly into the nerve he thought was the problem. As it turned out, I’m more incapacitated than ever and also in more pain.
Not only did he give me the injection, he also stopped my Percocet - Cold turkey! Honestly, I couldn’t believe a medical doctor would do something like that, especially to a patient who’d been taking them for 15 years! No weaning off, no nothing. As I sit here and type this, I’m horrified all over again.
In my opinion, I’m 73, so what would it matter at my age to be “addicted,” if that was the case. All my blood tests have come out normal and my liver is functioning, normally. I was able to carry out my daily tasks, plus work out 3-4x a week. Soooo, to repeat my question: what would it matter at age 73? I don’t have a clue how many more years I have (entirely up to the Lord), so wouldn’t quality of life be taken into consideration AT ALL?
Anyway, i apologize for the rant, but someone must have put a quarter in me, and pushed GO!
I have a spine stimulator a nd yes it does help quite a bit, but I don’t get relief above my waist.ihave to turn it up and when I have sciatica I have it so high I can’t walk but those are times I probably shpuld be resting anyway It helps neuropathy in my feet too! It takes a minute to get used to it and find the settings right for you. Make sure you get one that isMTI compatible
I, too, had the Spinal Cord Stimulator put in. I, too, had zero relief from the pain from which I’ve suffered for 15 years. I’ve had multiple surgeries for scoliosis which did indeed help straighten my spine; however, left me with unrelenting pain. Unfortunately, the SCS did not EVER relieve me from this awful pain. I was very disappointed, to say the least.
So, the moral of my story is I’m still on narcotics after 15 years. Very, very upsetting.
I'm so sorry to hear that you still have pain after the SCS. I am going for a trial use with it but not getting my hopes up. Which one did you have put in ? Do you mind if I ask which narcotics you are in ? I may have to go that route.
I have a spine stimulator a nd yes it does help quite a bit, but I don’t get relief above my waist.ihave to turn it up and when I have sciatica I have it so high I can’t walk but those are times I probably shpuld be resting anyway It helps neuropathy in my feet too! It takes a minute to get used to it and find the settings right for you. Make sure you get one that isMTI compatible
I am sorry it did not work for jnd2023. I had SCS put in March of this year. I am fused from S! to T5 and I have little pain. I have stiffness and tightness in my para-spinal when I do not work my program. There were many adjustments and I am mostly pain-free. I work hard to keep my muscles alive by working with a trainer using bands, balls, rollers, and deep massages.. I am a firm believer that one should keep a routine of movement to keep the area loose. and supple.
I have a spine stimulator a nd yes it does help quite a bit, but I don’t get relief above my waist.ihave to turn it up and when I have sciatica I have it so high I can’t walk but those are times I probably shpuld be resting anyway It helps neuropathy in my feet too! It takes a minute to get used to it and find the settings right for you. Make sure you get one that isMTI compatible
Let by me add it’s not the be all end all. It’s like an adjunctive therapy. It works some but may not get rid of 100% of your pain. It does help me. I wish the stimulation went up all the way to my neck and shoulders. I had a Boston scientific montage but they have a newer model. I can get MRI at most places. That’s important. You must work with the person they send to your Drs appts to get the settings the way you want them, that’s very important and that could possibly take up to 6 months but don’t give up! Like most treatments it doesn’t do too much for sciatica unless I return it up high!
I'm so sorry to hear that you still have pain after the SCS. I am going for a trial use with it but not getting my hopes up. Which one did you have put in ? Do you mind if I ask which narcotics you are in ? I may have to go that route.
Thank you for your response.
I have the Boston Scientific SCS. I’ve had it around two years. I’ve had it adjusted many times, but it never provided any relief. In fact, I always got the feeling I was “bothering” the technicians. After awhile , I just gave up on it.
I WAS on Percocet which did help. My only side effect was an extremely dry mouth - I just drank a lot of water and chewed gum..
I’m going to call Mayo in Rochester on Mon and pray I can get an appointment ASAP. Please pray that I can!
I'm sorry you're having such a hard time and your mother also. I'm impressed you can do two hours on a treadmill, I'd be happy if I could do 1 hour. Infection is listed as a possibility for any procedure that requires cutting through your skin, not just SCS. You can look up what percentage have infection occurs for almost any procedure. SCS is 2-10%, total knee or hip replacement 1:100 or 1%0. The biggest foreign object I have in my body is my left titanium total hip replacement. Hopefully it's happy.
Thank you Alexis.. Oh yes, I know sadly the risks of infection in anything we have done, I am a walking infection right now!! I get a cut, I get an infection.. I am on round 5 of a different antibiotic for a severe nasil and sinus infection, at the same time an incision to strip one of my many veins opened and became very infected.. Lack of common sense DRs and quickness , I believe the leg is the result of the sinus which may sound crazy but I used a menthol inhaler Benzadrix? 9 weeks ago, one inhale, burnt a hole in my nostril.. It is so infected and painful, went to my entire left side, Friday I see the ENT after waiting and ER visits,, Ever since I had cancer srage 4 and chemo I have had 9 surgeries and never had an infection,, Now, I touch something and I am an infection, especially my skin,.With regard to the Box, I never thought about it doing what happened to my Mom , that thing was beyond nasty when the surgeon took it out. but I have no clue how long it was in there infected before I saw the hole in my Moms back. I hope that your hip replacement is well and you are walking well. Both of my parents had replacements, Dad up and walking the same day,, my Mom I think the hip was ok. she never really did any of the PT all the way through. On anything she had done.. My obsession with 2 hours on the treadmill is well ingrained in me to do so.. sometimes I just hate but I do it.. I have been walking all over the world and every city I went to .. my entire adult life, Drs believe that being so active is part of why I am still here with after the cancer I have . Going through chemo I used to do 3 hours. full incline.. I have slowed down a lot speed wise and incline, i donlt have the breathing or stamina I used to. I accept it as I can;t change it,, But I encourage you to try to stay on the treadmill just do it slower.. Find A good movie or a ridiculous silly reality show to watch and the time will flow by.. Being as though I live alone with the Dog and cat ,,no one can judge me so I will eat my dinner while on the treadmill. otherwise I would not have the time,. Forces me to eat slow but be careful not to choke!!! Best to you and I wish a pain less life!! J
I'm really sorry to hear this. Did you have to go through a trial to qualify for implant or are you saying the trial gave you zero relief? I'm in the US and a trial is standard. I had over 50% relief with the trial so I recently had the implant. He told me going in that I would probably not get 100% pain relief but my life would improve significantly. Three different neurosurgeons had told me there was nothing they could do surgically that would relieve my L5 nerve pain and SCS might help. I'm at the beginning stage of finding the best program to use. The pain down my left leg is gone but I'm still having pain in the lowest part of my back with sitting for long periods. I've had one programming session with the rep and I understand it takes a few. He is in contact with me every 3-4 days to help with the 5 options he created. I'm so sorry the SCS wasn't for you, dealing with chronic pain is awful.
3 yrs ago, had trial &:then spine stimulator placed. Got a lot of immediate relief. Mind u, I have a bad bad spine & more surgeries. 3 yrs later & I get no relief...can turn stimulator on or off & feel no difference. Hope it helps others!!
I am in a similar situation, u am waiting on insure to approve my unit. I am scared it will not work but in other hand I am at the end of my ropes. I have had 2 surgeries, lame, and fusion of L4 -S1. Both failed. Since then the neurosurgeon told me he could do no more for me that my wc will allow but when my case was over come see him he will fix me right. Last surgery was in 2021 and he dislocated my hips to do the fusion leaving me unable to walk right and his answer was he can pin my hips if I thought that may help.... this dr was a highly recommended dr... since we just mice to the area. Went to a new neurosurgeon and he told me by the looks of my mri he can't fix what the other dr messed up but he thinks this stimulator will help. I have sciatica in both legs All the time. Can't sit for longer that 10 minutes before my legs go numb.... making driving a no go ... and they only give me pregablin for pain . My other question is ,is it normal for your tail bone to feel like it is going to fall off? I can t stand it anny more
Try taking Extra Strength Tylenol with your pregabilin. It tremendously helps bone pain.
If U ever try the Pain Stimulator, b sure you have a reputable surgeon! Your not b able to sit or drive sounds like U need more than a pain stimulator, though. Try PT or a second opinion of a neurosurgeon.
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No, they aren’t. I had high hopes that it’d help, but as it turned out, it proved to be worthless for me, plus a lot of trouble to remember to charge it.
I had pain, but it was fairly controlled on the Percocet. At least, I could go to the gym and work out. That was probably the most beneficial for me, in the long run. The new Pain Management doc I saw gave me an injection directly into the nerve he thought was the problem. As it turned out, I’m more incapacitated than ever and also in more pain.
Not only did he give me the injection, he also stopped my Percocet - Cold turkey! Honestly, I couldn’t believe a medical doctor would do something like that, especially to a patient who’d been taking them for 15 years! No weaning off, no nothing. As I sit here and type this, I’m horrified all over again.
In my opinion, I’m 73, so what would it matter at my age to be “addicted,” if that was the case. All my blood tests have come out normal and my liver is functioning, normally. I was able to carry out my daily tasks, plus work out 3-4x a week. Soooo, to repeat my question: what would it matter at age 73? I don’t have a clue how many more years I have (entirely up to the Lord), so wouldn’t quality of life be taken into consideration AT ALL?
Anyway, i apologize for the rant, but someone must have put a quarter in me, and pushed GO!
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4 ReactionsI have a spine stimulator a nd yes it does help quite a bit, but I don’t get relief above my waist.ihave to turn it up and when I have sciatica I have it so high I can’t walk but those are times I probably shpuld be resting anyway It helps neuropathy in my feet too! It takes a minute to get used to it and find the settings right for you. Make sure you get one that isMTI compatible
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1 ReactionI'm so sorry to hear that you still have pain after the SCS. I am going for a trial use with it but not getting my hopes up. Which one did you have put in ? Do you mind if I ask which narcotics you are in ? I may have to go that route.
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1 ReactionWhich brand do you have and what is MTI stand for ? Thanks
did it work for you ? How much pain did you have after your surgery ? did the fusion help ?
Let by me add it’s not the be all end all. It’s like an adjunctive therapy. It works some but may not get rid of 100% of your pain. It does help me. I wish the stimulation went up all the way to my neck and shoulders. I had a Boston scientific montage but they have a newer model. I can get MRI at most places. That’s important. You must work with the person they send to your Drs appts to get the settings the way you want them, that’s very important and that could possibly take up to 6 months but don’t give up! Like most treatments it doesn’t do too much for sciatica unless I return it up high!
Thank you for your response.
I have the Boston Scientific SCS. I’ve had it around two years. I’ve had it adjusted many times, but it never provided any relief. In fact, I always got the feeling I was “bothering” the technicians. After awhile , I just gave up on it.
I WAS on Percocet which did help. My only side effect was an extremely dry mouth - I just drank a lot of water and chewed gum..
I’m going to call Mayo in Rochester on Mon and pray I can get an appointment ASAP. Please pray that I can!
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1 ReactionThank you Alexis.. Oh yes, I know sadly the risks of infection in anything we have done, I am a walking infection right now!! I get a cut, I get an infection.. I am on round 5 of a different antibiotic for a severe nasil and sinus infection, at the same time an incision to strip one of my many veins opened and became very infected.. Lack of common sense DRs and quickness , I believe the leg is the result of the sinus which may sound crazy but I used a menthol inhaler Benzadrix? 9 weeks ago, one inhale, burnt a hole in my nostril.. It is so infected and painful, went to my entire left side, Friday I see the ENT after waiting and ER visits,, Ever since I had cancer srage 4 and chemo I have had 9 surgeries and never had an infection,, Now, I touch something and I am an infection, especially my skin,.With regard to the Box, I never thought about it doing what happened to my Mom , that thing was beyond nasty when the surgeon took it out. but I have no clue how long it was in there infected before I saw the hole in my Moms back. I hope that your hip replacement is well and you are walking well. Both of my parents had replacements, Dad up and walking the same day,, my Mom I think the hip was ok. she never really did any of the PT all the way through. On anything she had done.. My obsession with 2 hours on the treadmill is well ingrained in me to do so.. sometimes I just hate but I do it.. I have been walking all over the world and every city I went to .. my entire adult life, Drs believe that being so active is part of why I am still here with after the cancer I have . Going through chemo I used to do 3 hours. full incline.. I have slowed down a lot speed wise and incline, i donlt have the breathing or stamina I used to. I accept it as I can;t change it,, But I encourage you to try to stay on the treadmill just do it slower.. Find A good movie or a ridiculous silly reality show to watch and the time will flow by.. Being as though I live alone with the Dog and cat ,,no one can judge me so I will eat my dinner while on the treadmill. otherwise I would not have the time,. Forces me to eat slow but be careful not to choke!!! Best to you and I wish a pain less life!! J
3 yrs ago, had trial &:then spine stimulator placed. Got a lot of immediate relief. Mind u, I have a bad bad spine & more surgeries. 3 yrs later & I get no relief...can turn stimulator on or off & feel no difference. Hope it helps others!!
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1 ReactionTry taking Extra Strength Tylenol with your pregabilin. It tremendously helps bone pain.
If U ever try the Pain Stimulator, b sure you have a reputable surgeon! Your not b able to sit or drive sounds like U need more than a pain stimulator, though. Try PT or a second opinion of a neurosurgeon.