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Comparison of Spinal Cord Stimulators from Boston Sci., Nevro
I've lived with severe chronic pain in my legs and lumbar spine for the past ten years. Was on opiates for 8 years until I attended & graduated from Mayo's 3-week Pain Rehab Program in 2018. That program helped immensely and I got off 5 meds I used to take, including morphine and hydrocodone. Unfortunately, in the last year my spine health has worsened. I now have a toxic mix of scar tissue (from a dural tear during a microdiscectomy), stenosis at multiple levels, bulging discs and scoliosis. I am now scheduled to do a trial of Boston Scientific's "Wave Writer" SCS on August 10, 2020. Unfortunately my doctor did not guide me in the selection of this manufacturer/model. I did my own research. I considered doing trials of Nevro's HF-10 and Boston Scientific's Wave Writer. Finally decided on the Wave Writer.
I'm posting here to ask for people's knowledge of and/or experience with these two SCS's. Please reply if you can share any information. Thanks!
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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.
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1 ReactionHi Glen. I had a Boston Scientific stimulator implanted 2 years ago and it worked fairly well. I had severe burning skin in my lower back due to central pain syndrome. I needed frequent adjustments and the rep was wonderful. After a year it stopped working no matter what the rep did so I had it removed this past August. I still have the burning all over my torso now (I've had several nerve blocks that haven't helped) but the pain isn't much worse than it was with the stimulator.
Good luck and I hope your rep can hit the right spots so you can get relief.
If they haven't been able to get relief after six months of adjustments, it's not likely that you will get any relief from the stimulator. Sorry. Hope I'm wrong, but that's just the reality. Did you get relief from the trial? If so, you should be getting at least some pain relief from the implant.
Just curious if the Boston Scientific reps were helpful at all in making adjustments to your programs?
My trial went well in beating the constant sciatica pain so I’m set to get my implant on 11/28.
Any input would be appreciated.