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

Have had a Abbott spinal nerve stimulator in my lumbar area for over a year now. I get pretty good relief for lower half of my body but I am also having pain in both shoulders. Was told I need a shoulder replacement but am unable to have surgery due to numerous other physical issues. Not sure what else I can try?

Thanks for responding and so sorry to hear about your continued pain issues. Since I made my post asking about people’s individual experiences, the spine specialist said that because of my Laminectomy and Spinal Fusion and related hardware in my back thar he would potentially not be able to place the leads where they needed to be.

Will just have to learn to live with it and accept that it is now part of my life.

Hope your situation improves !

Blessings,

Don

Yes, I too have had a Laminectomy & spinal fusion in L4-5. But I guess I was lucky that they were able to put the leads where they needed to go. Now if I could find something for my shoulders 😩 I'd be happy!! Unfortunately I have severe Osteoarthritis in most joints of my body. I do try to grin & bear it but it still hurts!! One thing that does help is I take a water aerobics class for arthritics. It is wonderful to be able to move around and in water your more better as it holds you up!!! I had done that for years which kept back in good shape until they closed the pool for 9 months due to Covid-19. That is when my back started hurting again!!! 😢 I try to keep moving as best I can and like you say what else can I do??? Good luck.

Again. Thanks for logging in. You may have motivated me to sign up to join the YMCA. I looked at doing that at the beginning of the year but the walk the indoor pool even from the handicapped parking spaces left me exhausted before I even got to locker room much less the pool. I was in Florida for two weeks in the middle of September and really did enjoy just being in the pool and the ocean. Took a lot of pressure off my joints.

Hope your shoulder situation improves.

Had the same problem with electrical type shocking that lasted for about five minutes. I’ve had X-rays to see if the leads had shifted but they hadn’t. Nevro is useless when it comes to patient after care, no follow through at all. I’m currently on Oxy 15mg 2x/day which takes the excruciating pain to a bearable pain but still can’t walk through the entire grocery store or walk 1/2 mile without the pain getting worse. Currently suffer with non-stop groin pain on left side (the implant was installed for right side pain) and it’s nonstop lower back pain 24/7. There has to be a better way of life than this. I’ve suffered with legs giving way due to electrical type shooting pains that stem from the lower back, run through the groin and down the front of my legs making my legs buckle and ultimately falling.
My heart goes out to you as I know exactly what you are going through. I haven’t found a solution yet and my unit is at one on the ladder and one on the program, every other programs make the pain 10 fold.
All I can suggest is to keep on calling your device’s rep to try and get some answers. Did they redo the surgery to place the leads in the correct place?

Thursday 10/26/2023. I met with Corporate Nevro Rep, Preston Nevro Rep
and another Nevro Rep at the office of pain management. I was told by the Dr that after reviewing the x-rays again (that were done a month ago). The spinal Cord Stimulator paddle was placed too high and that is why I have not been getting relief for the past 8 months. He was sending a referral to a new surgeon for revision of the placement. The doctor said the surgeon placed it too high. I am waiting to hear from the new surgeon. My stimulator is shut off now and my pain is unbearable. Thank you for your kind words and I hope you get some relief.

Just as your experience. Had very good results from the temporary Boston Scientific stimulator, but did not expereience even close to the same results after the installation of the permanent device. I have since quit even charging the device.

During these SCS implant surgeries, there is a rep in the OR guiding the surgeon in placement of the paddle/leads. If your paddle was placed incorrectly, that's on the rep. Unless there was no rep present at the surgery.

Thinking of getting my husband a stimulator. But I am hearing so much of what your folks are saying that the trial was successful, but went and planted it did not work. It may not happen for him either because he had has multiple back surgeries.

I had the trial, which went very well. The Medtronics rep was with us every step of the way. I wore the temporary battery taped to my back for about 3 days. The relief was quite noticeable. I went ahead with the permanent implant. Again, the Medtronics rep was in the OR helping the neurosurgeon get proper placement of the paddle. I will say that the pain mitigation was not as good as it was with the trial, but still fairly good. Between the SCS and my meds, I was living an almost normal life. Then it just stopped working. Period. Seems that several of the electrodes on the paddle had burned out. Anyway, I got about 3 years of decent relief, do that's a good thing.