Anyone tried Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Pain?

Monday I start 5 days of IvIg to be followed by one treatment every 3 weeks for 3 months. We will see what it does to my PN, which takes the form of muscle wasting and weakness, pain and loss of weight bearing balance. I can see a wheel chair in my future if something isn't done and I am not ready for that. I have ridden for 65 yrs and it has made that difficult, to say the least. I have to be super careful around the horses because I can't jump out of the way when I need to. And getting on and off, well, it takes a village- and a very patient animal. So, I will let every one know how it goes and whether it is worth it.

I do have the paddle style. It sends the electric pulse in a single direction instead of omnidirectional. It is a little harder to remove as a scar capsule builds over it, which has to be split open for removal. The other type just pulls out. The paddle also increases the chance of spinal fluid leakage on removal. That can cause a headache worse than a migraine.

I would not have gotten one but my doctor pressured me. She said if I didn’t I’d have to meet those early CDC guidelines. At that time I was triple the cdc 90 mme limit. Before getting up there I had planned my suicide. When I told the psychiatrist my insurance required seeing she almost cried and said she was concerned. I told her I was concerned about going back to that pain level.

I hope it helps you and continues to help.

Wow! Now I'm not sure I want to go that route after what you just told me. I don't want all that to deal with either.

I wish you the best - we all want our lives back again!! Keep us posted.

@martyk , I was too busy this summer to get my upgraded Nevro but I finally had the newest, named HFX, implanted yesterday. I'm experiencing more surgical pain than I had yesterday. (I think it's usual to load the affected area with analgesic when closing the wound.)

Typically, I sit at the kitchen table and read email and the newspaper online in the A.M. and, as a result, I experienced minor lower back pain despite the HF10. BUT, not his morning!!! I asked the Nevro rep to set the HFX on the same program (there are now 35 programs instead of 3 on the HF10) that I had been using. Even the 7th (of 7) strongest setting didn't prevent that morning pain, but with the new unit, I am (so far!!!) not experiencing any lower back pain, and I'm only using the 4th of 7 strengths.

In order to exclude surgical pain from chronic pain, we're waiting a week or so before trying to target foot pain (from peripheral neuropathic pain) I experience. If one of the programs works for that, they will merge two into one.

So far, so good!

Thank you Scruffy! Good luck. Keep us informed.

I was directed to DRG stimulator for idiopathic neuropathy in my feet only. You seem to have a lot of information. How about a comparison and any knowledge of how well these modalities work. I haven't seen much publicity from the manufacturors. Thanks.

Repy to @martyk I am glad you're having success. I have Idiopathic PN only in my feet but also degenerative disc disease in my lower back. They did a 5 day trial of DRG just for feet. For4 days it seemed to help than last day pain. They told me a lead fell off that day, so I guess it was working, but what about the back? Your sounds very promising. Please keep me updated. Thanks and good luck.

It sounds like you've hit the jackpot for both PK and back pain caused by degenerative discs. My trial about 3 years ago had 3 leads. The
new Nevro sounds so promising. I hope you have terrific results. Are you usinv Mayo Clinic doctors? Is so I'd like to consult with them. This gives me hope! Thank you

I’m on a trial as the moment with the DRG from Abbott , for sureal nerve pain in my foot and calf from surgical procedures and so far I’m doing great , no pain . Good luck!