Has anyone had a spine stimulator put in there lumbar area? Did it hel

Posted by jnd2023 @jnd2023, Sep 23, 2023

Has anyone had a spine stimulator put in there lumbar area? Did it help?

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@jacqueline1961

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

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Thank you so much for the kind words and your amazing testimony. I am very familiar with the terrible mill. I use to run 4 marathons a year and sometimes (not too often, thank goodness) I would have to do a 15 mile training run on because of lightening or freezing . Being outside for my walks saved me during Covid, to see God's creation everyday was a mental lift. Now I walk on it again when the weather is horrible. I walk 2.75 - 3 miles everyday, I'm afraid to do more as it might increase my pain. I read lots of books on my ipad (adjustable font & light) when I do walk on it.
I hope you get that sinus infection under control and I wish you the best.

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@jacqueline1961

I am reading about the relief of pain and wishing I could believe it is a solution, I had surgery last year , which was a laminectomy of L,,4,5,6 or 3, 4, 5 can;t remember which as well as baseball size chunks of arthritis. This surgery was the only one I allowed my Neurosurgeon to do, even though I have severe scoliosis and everything else with an S. plus herniated disks etc. My spine has shifted a great deal to the right side as well as protrudes , so my anatomy has changed, Looks pretty bad from the back as well as a large hard bulge next to the lower spine. No one can tell me what it is.. After my surgery I had relief and that bulge no longer hurt, now it is all back and the sciatica in the right leg is a constant unless I am laying down in bed. I am on my feet all day and running all over, I do my treadmill for 2 hours a night but cant walk down the street or in a store without intense pain. Waiting on a new MRI. I write this because the stimulator sounds like the cure for all . My mother had a lot of back issues, she had 2 surgeries that failed, or maybe it was her not doing PT or being active,, she had one of the first St, Judes stimulators put in,, the thing never worked right, a rep had to constantly adjust it.. She had it taken out and my Dad and I begged her not to put another one in.. but they talked her into the new version of St, Judes, so she had that put in about 4 or 5 years ago. I do not think it ever really worked as she was always taking percocet. and no longer walking without the walker, even after 2 knee replacements,, Approx 2 years ago,. I found she had a quarter size hole in her lower back near the spine. after months of wound care, finally one smart DR, looked at it and said the Stimulator was loaded with bacteria and infection and had to come out.. NO ONE wanted to touch her. It was my surgeon last year who said he would remove it. In doing so , the leads were disconnected . they have lead in them. it is a foreign object you are putting in your body,, he firmly believed that the stimulator ate through her back and the hole was so big and open you could see her spine.. It has been a year and a half of hell , I almost lost her at one of the rehabs where she got covid and then Mersa on the incision where the surgery was done. fast forward she had surgery to close the hole that was now the size of a nerf ball from the Mersa . fortunately she had enough loose skin to do this.. She is now healthy and gained all the weight back from being very frail.. too much weight as all she did in this Nursing home was lay in bed, very little PT and in diapers.. She did not go in any of these places in diapers.. She also did not belong on "Memory Lane" with dementia patients.. So I got her out of there and home with my dad,, his expectations of getting back the same wife went all to hell. as she is still now laying in a hospital bed in their bedroom, in diapers with a caretaker, PT , and my dad running all over, he is 87 she is 80 and lazy. I am not a believe on these stimulators and I do not mean to scare anyone who is thinking that this will take away all pains.As much pain as I am in knowing what I know I would never consider it.. You can get the same effects by getting a stimulator belt that you wear and targets the lower back as well as 10s units.. without the surgery and putting in a foreign body in your body that is not meant for these things.. NO ONE will warn you that infection is even a possibility , Think about all those wires being connected to your spine.. My mother got lucky by the grace of God that it did not penetrate the spinal column and I caught just in time. i dont even know how long it was there, my dad was putting a band aide on the hole , he cant even see that well, but never told me... I wish you all well that do have one, I also believe that anyone with them should have regular Ct's scans to check and see of the leads are connected rather than not and be sure you do not have an infection inside. after all unless you do this we can not see what is inside.. Sorry about my vent but i would hate to see anyone go though what my Mom has as well as your loved ones who must be your caretaker through all of this and I have my own enormous amount of chronic pain and my mother is a very selfish person who thinks my pain cant possibly be so bad and I should be able to all kinds of things for her,, I can not and will not.. She is probably the reason my own surgery went to hell. As I am sure you can tell I am very angry over all of this.. So I am taking a deep breath and trying to figure out where I can run away to... Best wishes to all..

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This is such a frightening story about spinal cord stimulators. I have one in that has never been effective. I pray that I never develop an infection from it. Thanks for sharing your story

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@annie1

Which brand do you have and what is MTI stand for ? Thanks

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MEI is what I meant- Boston scientific. They really work with you to find the settings that will work for you

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@asergio714

MEI is what I meant- Boston scientific. They really work with you to find the settings that will work for you

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No MRI- I finally got it right!

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Yesterday, I finished a 7 day trial. The stimulator gave me considerable relief & I plan on going forward with a permanent implant. I tested a Nalu brand device & it was effective.

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