Implantable neurostimulator for chronic pain

Posted by zjandre @zjandre, Apr 13, 2016

Has anybody had an implantable neurostimulator for chronic pain?

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@patch

Dais-
I am a 34 year cancer survivor who had a ton of radiation to my head. This has caused scarring on my trigeminal nerve on the right side of my head. In 1995 I had a couple of branches of that nerve cut, which helped the pain for a few months. Then my nervous system found a way to "reroute" that message to my brain that I was still in pain. At that time i was on 300mg of oral morphine and still miserable. In 1998 I found out abouI have t deep brain stimulation and found a neurosurgeon who was doing them for pain in Georgia. After we talked an hour on the phone I went to see him. He decided I was an appropriate candidate and I had it put in in 1999. It did work for me, and cut my pain meds in half (plus my quality of life improved quite a bit because my pain was back under control). I have had it now for 19 years and it still helps with the pain. I think you said you have abandoned the idea of trying one of these. If you ever change your mind, do your research and find a good neurosurgeon who has experience with this surgery. I see Dr. Peter Konrad at Vanderbilt Hospital. He is very good, but he may not be a good geographical choice for you. Once you find a good neurosurgeon you are happy with, talk to them and see if you are an appropriate candidate for a stimulator. I have neuropathic pain from what they call osteoradialneucrosis ( my nerves being damaged so badly and dead bone in my head from all of the radiation I got years ago). Good luck in your search for relief. I do not know what part of the country you are from, but CBD oil and marijuana can be very helpful with chronic pain. Just google "marijuana and chronic pain." There are studies out there that show this, yet it is still considered a schedule 1 drug. Marijuana is illegal here in Alabama so I am out of luck. It is the only thing that has taken away all of my pain, and the pain clinic here where I live says that many patients will not try other medications they offer because the patients don't want to give up using marijuana. CBD oil should be legal in all states because it has very little THC (the ingredient that gets you high) in it. Do some research on the cannabidiol system. Very interesting. I wish you much peace and I hope you get relief soon!!!!

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Thank you for the info. I live in Minnesota and I will do some research. At the time my neurologist told me it would be the same size as the one that goes on the spinal cord and that scared me. I would like to try that oil. I'm scheduled to go to see my Dr in two weeks. I will ask him.

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@goldielocks

I had great success with the trial but the perm implant has been a disaster. My wish was to have a better life after 30 years of severe nerve damage and four lumbar surgeries but it was the biggest mistake of my life. After reviewing the FDA site and other comments I recommend staying away from it. There are just to many problems and horror stories from placement surgery to problems years later. No matter how bad it is today we have to ask ourselves COULD IT BE WORSE? Chances are the answer is yes. Sorry for sounding bitter. I also have PTSD because I felt the doctor cut me open to remove the device. I can't get past it.

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Omg so sorry to hear of all your pain from a neurostimulator our bodies reject anything foreign I'd have it removed right away.I have fibromyalgia ,L2fracture so am I'm pain but being a retired nurse I do herbal @homeopathic medicines plus Magnesium the body needs minerals like mag@calcium.Tramadol for pain ,I'm so sorry for your pain and hives this is a allergy.

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@patch

Dais-
I am a 34 year cancer survivor who had a ton of radiation to my head. This has caused scarring on my trigeminal nerve on the right side of my head. In 1995 I had a couple of branches of that nerve cut, which helped the pain for a few months. Then my nervous system found a way to "reroute" that message to my brain that I was still in pain. At that time i was on 300mg of oral morphine and still miserable. In 1998 I found out abouI have t deep brain stimulation and found a neurosurgeon who was doing them for pain in Georgia. After we talked an hour on the phone I went to see him. He decided I was an appropriate candidate and I had it put in in 1999. It did work for me, and cut my pain meds in half (plus my quality of life improved quite a bit because my pain was back under control). I have had it now for 19 years and it still helps with the pain. I think you said you have abandoned the idea of trying one of these. If you ever change your mind, do your research and find a good neurosurgeon who has experience with this surgery. I see Dr. Peter Konrad at Vanderbilt Hospital. He is very good, but he may not be a good geographical choice for you. Once you find a good neurosurgeon you are happy with, talk to them and see if you are an appropriate candidate for a stimulator. I have neuropathic pain from what they call osteoradialneucrosis ( my nerves being damaged so badly and dead bone in my head from all of the radiation I got years ago). Good luck in your search for relief. I do not know what part of the country you are from, but CBD oil and marijuana can be very helpful with chronic pain. Just google "marijuana and chronic pain." There are studies out there that show this, yet it is still considered a schedule 1 drug. Marijuana is illegal here in Alabama so I am out of luck. It is the only thing that has taken away all of my pain, and the pain clinic here where I live says that many patients will not try other medications they offer because the patients don't want to give up using marijuana. CBD oil should be legal in all states because it has very little THC (the ingredient that gets you high) in it. Do some research on the cannabidiol system. Very interesting. I wish you much peace and I hope you get relief soon!!!!

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I Sent online here and read alot of comments from people who had this nerve stimulator a lot of unhappy people who said it didn't work one said it shocked her body even when turned off ,one said she got hives,rash and thats a allergy ,our bodies don't like foreign objects I am unfamiliar with this device but would think long and hard before I had it put in my body.

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@patch

Dais-
I am a 34 year cancer survivor who had a ton of radiation to my head. This has caused scarring on my trigeminal nerve on the right side of my head. In 1995 I had a couple of branches of that nerve cut, which helped the pain for a few months. Then my nervous system found a way to "reroute" that message to my brain that I was still in pain. At that time i was on 300mg of oral morphine and still miserable. In 1998 I found out abouI have t deep brain stimulation and found a neurosurgeon who was doing them for pain in Georgia. After we talked an hour on the phone I went to see him. He decided I was an appropriate candidate and I had it put in in 1999. It did work for me, and cut my pain meds in half (plus my quality of life improved quite a bit because my pain was back under control). I have had it now for 19 years and it still helps with the pain. I think you said you have abandoned the idea of trying one of these. If you ever change your mind, do your research and find a good neurosurgeon who has experience with this surgery. I see Dr. Peter Konrad at Vanderbilt Hospital. He is very good, but he may not be a good geographical choice for you. Once you find a good neurosurgeon you are happy with, talk to them and see if you are an appropriate candidate for a stimulator. I have neuropathic pain from what they call osteoradialneucrosis ( my nerves being damaged so badly and dead bone in my head from all of the radiation I got years ago). Good luck in your search for relief. I do not know what part of the country you are from, but CBD oil and marijuana can be very helpful with chronic pain. Just google "marijuana and chronic pain." There are studies out there that show this, yet it is still considered a schedule 1 drug. Marijuana is illegal here in Alabama so I am out of luck. It is the only thing that has taken away all of my pain, and the pain clinic here where I live says that many patients will not try other medications they offer because the patients don't want to give up using marijuana. CBD oil should be legal in all states because it has very little THC (the ingredient that gets you high) in it. Do some research on the cannabidiol system. Very interesting. I wish you much peace and I hope you get relief soon!!!!

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I use Arnica Gel it's a run but held alot I love it

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My PT just recommended Arnica for pain rub.

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@alysebrunella

Hi @zjandre, and welcome to Connect. I'm tagging @ladyjane85 and @mntnlaural as both members were recently discussing neurostimulators. I would also encourage you to check out the thread Chronic pain - Let's Talk as I feel like you may find additional members to connect with in this group (https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/are-there-any-discussions-for-chronic-pain/)

Are you considering an implanted neurostimulator or did you recently have one implanted?

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@ayankeeinnm

Hi Michael. I would recommend going ahead with the trial. It's minimally invasive, and will tell you within a week if the stimulator is the right thing for you. I had a spinal cord stimulator implant last year in June. The trial was amazing! I had been in so much pain. I had 80% or better, reduction in pain. It was hard to wait for the permanent implant. I have idiopathic peripheral neuropathy pain in my feet, a progressive disease, and my generator is set at the maximum level. If I want to go to the next level, I would begin feeling the vibration, and I want to avoid that, so I'm going to try to treat any new pain with medication.

I have the Burst DR stimulator, and give it high reviews. Using the DR technology, you don't feel the vibration like others do.

I'll be interested to hear what you decide, and if you opt to have the Burst implant, how much it helps. My understanding is that the stimulator was originally designed to treat back pain.

Is the stenosis affecting your sciatic nerve? My wife has stenosis, and is having surgery on the 23rd to enlarge the spinal canal so it's not squeezing her sciatic nerve. She's in a lot of pain, but the surgeon is very optimistic about the benefit.

Jim

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@alysebrunella

Hi @zjandre, and welcome to Connect. I'm tagging @ladyjane85 and @mntnlaural as both members were recently discussing neurostimulators. I would also encourage you to check out the thread Chronic pain - Let's Talk as I feel like you may find additional members to connect with in this group (https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/are-there-any-discussions-for-chronic-pain/)

Are you considering an implanted neurostimulator or did you recently have one implanted?

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Thanks, Jim.  You always seem to give good advice.  I'm having new MRIs and seeing a well reputed neurosurgeon in May about doing a procedure to relieve the stenosis pain.  I'll ask him about both procedures.  Both of
the Laser Spine people tuned me down last year because there was too much damage.  Opiodes work fairly well, but who knows the future of opiodes.  ml

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@alysebrunella

Hi @zjandre, and welcome to Connect. I'm tagging @ladyjane85 and @mntnlaural as both members were recently discussing neurostimulators. I would also encourage you to check out the thread Chronic pain - Let's Talk as I feel like you may find additional members to connect with in this group (https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/are-there-any-discussions-for-chronic-pain/)

Are you considering an implanted neurostimulator or did you recently have one implanted?

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@ayankeeinnm

I've tried so many medications. Every neuropathy med and a bunch of others that doctors thought they'd give a try. The only one that helped was Lyrica, but the side effects put me in the hospital. Morphine sulfate contin is the one that takes off the edge some of the time, but I need to have a higher dosage to keep up with the progressing neuropathy pain. I'm down to a low dose of 15mg three times a day, and I know it's not enough. I hope my doctor will agree to raise it when I see him on Friday.

I hope your neurosurgeon will have good news for you.

Jim

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In August 2017, I had a Nevro neurostimulator implanted in my back above the beltline because I had chronic, sometimes debilitating back pain for almost 30 years. In the mornings, I walked like I was somewhere in the middle of the evolutionary chart. I needed heat every morning and ice during the other parts of, the day as well as opioids. Coupled with chiropractic care to keep the last 5 bones in my back in alignment, I have ZERO pain. I charge the battery by induction and it takes about 20-30 minutes a day, usually while watching the TV or reading. Two months after the implant surgery I went on a golf trip with friends and played 3-18-hole rounds in 3 days, and I was pain free. I am due for an MRI (not for my back) on Monday and have been cleared to get one.

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@scruffy1

In August 2017, I had a Nevro neurostimulator implanted in my back above the beltline because I had chronic, sometimes debilitating back pain for almost 30 years. In the mornings, I walked like I was somewhere in the middle of the evolutionary chart. I needed heat every morning and ice during the other parts of, the day as well as opioids. Coupled with chiropractic care to keep the last 5 bones in my back in alignment, I have ZERO pain. I charge the battery by induction and it takes about 20-30 minutes a day, usually while watching the TV or reading. Two months after the implant surgery I went on a golf trip with friends and played 3-18-hole rounds in 3 days, and I was pain free. I am due for an MRI (not for my back) on Monday and have been cleared to get one.

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So glad that the stimulator is working for you. I had one implanted in 2013 and removed in 2016 because it wasn't doing me any good. They have been improved since I had it. All people are not the same, what works for one doesn't mean it will work for all. I envy you. I am considering the drug Delivery Pump. So far nothing has worked. You give encouragement to others.

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