Anyone with a Medtronic Stimulator that they're not happy with?

Posted by stormcruzzer @stormcruzzer, Jan 5, 2023

My trial was great, it brought my pain from a 8-9 down to a 5-6. I'm currently having to recharge my battery daily, where I have to sit for a full hour and a half at a time. Sitting with Arachnoiditis is absolute hell, so charging causes my pain to skyrocket and lasts throughout the rest of the day/night.

During the stimulator trial I was able to sit for quite some time and not deal with the pain near this bad. Doctor is extremely concerned and said it is not normal, but doesn't have any answers yet of why I'm not getting the relief, so I'm being juggled back and forth with Medtronic and Pain Management and nobody seems to have any answers.

Anyone else have a similar experience with either a Medtronic's device or another brand?

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For the Medtronic trial, it felt like I had a nail in my back. The dr and Medtronic pushed getting the SCS device implanted anyway. I would not. It is good the read your comment.

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@cayno

For the Medtronic trial, it felt like I had a nail in my back. The dr and Medtronic pushed getting the SCS device implanted anyway. I would not. It is good the read your comment.

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My trial went smooth as silk. Virtually painless. Brought my pain down from a 7-8 to around a 2-3. Had the permanent implant. Not quite as effective as the trial, but still pretty good... for about 3 years. Then it just stopped. Seems that anumber of electrodes on the paddle had burned. Rep also noted that neurosurgeon din't quite get the paddle stitched in the 'sweet spot." Now, I'm trying the pain pump.

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Oh lord yes, and it was not working I had to keep in for 11 months. Caused more pain. Unfortunately, it's about money. The doctors in my HMO had some type of financial/? benefit. Waste of time to call Medtronics. The gentlemen/woman trying different settings to make it work. I mean offense, he was a salesmen. He was in the OR for the trial and when I was going back and forth and my insurance was charged as an office visit, which is fraud. It was a horrible experience. Do you have PHN?

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@justclintdavis

I am looking at getting an Medtronics pain stimulator installed and would like to hear feedback. Pros/Cons. I have sciatica on my right side.

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I can tell u I have had mine for 12 years, 10 of which the battery has been dead. Did nothing for knee pain from a replacemt surgery that only made things worse.
Multiple adjustments with reps, but nothing helped. So now, after all this time, was scheduled to get an MRI, only to find since battery is dead, they can’t do MRI since it is unable to go into MRI mode. My pain management physician office has contacted Medtronic, spoke to a rep named Adam who was supposed to get a form filled out for my dr to give to Radiologist. He said Kristen had those forms. He Would get it to Dr. he was also,supposed to,contact me. T hat was 3 days ago and nothing.
This has thrown everything out of whack, so right now my only other option is to have this dam thing removed, which I should have done years ago.
You make the decision about your situation, but know if I had to do it all over again I def would not.

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@chelsea101597

I received my Medtronic SCS in June of this year and it was activated on July 6th. Since that time, I have had three meetings with the technician to try and find a program that will relieve my pain. So far, not much luck. It is all rather disappointing but I am more than willing to work with them to find relief. I had much better relief with the trial than I am having with "the real thing,"

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I'm right there with you only difference is I have had more. The thing is with me is I keep getting different people who are just me if I can stay with the same person it would help tremendously I've got one that does really good almost get it there and they put me with somebody else that messes up make me feel bad more pain than what I've had or my head hurts sick to my stomach squeezing my lungs something is always wrong I don't know why they can just keep me but the same person that I started with but yes I have found that the temporaries work so much better that I'm really disappointed in it's like they get your hopes really up high and you get so excited about not having to live in that pain anymore then they put these permanent once in and it's like what happened where was all that relief I was feeling with the temporaries is it just to fool me so you guys can make money or will we ever get to that sweet spot for my pain is taking away and I'm not sick to where I'm not having headaches or side aches or not being able to breathe cuz there's ways in my lungs sometimes I just want to give up and say forget it but they asked me to stick with them but it's kind of hard when I only see them once a week cuz then I'm in all that pain or sickness until I see them again

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@mdeadmon

I can tell u I have had mine for 12 years, 10 of which the battery has been dead. Did nothing for knee pain from a replacemt surgery that only made things worse.
Multiple adjustments with reps, but nothing helped. So now, after all this time, was scheduled to get an MRI, only to find since battery is dead, they can’t do MRI since it is unable to go into MRI mode. My pain management physician office has contacted Medtronic, spoke to a rep named Adam who was supposed to get a form filled out for my dr to give to Radiologist. He said Kristen had those forms. He Would get it to Dr. he was also,supposed to,contact me. T hat was 3 days ago and nothing.
This has thrown everything out of whack, so right now my only other option is to have this dam thing removed, which I should have done years ago.
You make the decision about your situation, but know if I had to do it all over again I def would not.

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I completely agree with you. The trial was great. Permanent never worked. I searched hi and low to get the damn thing out. Doctors definitely get some kind of kickback and Medtronics is horrible. They want to sell their products and that's it. When you live in chronic pain you will try most everything. From reading (should have researched first), the fail rate is high.

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