Has anyone had a abbot spinal cord stimulator put in?

I had a vascular malformation in my thoracic spinal cord. I’ve also had multiple lumbar surgeries and cervical surgeries on discs. All of this required hardware.
I suffered chronic debilitating pain for years and was constantly encouraged by my doctors to try a medical stimulator by Abbott. Being hopeless and frustrated and distraught from dealing with chronic pain I finally succumbed and underwent the surgery.
Nope. I hate to say I’ve had no relief. It doesn’t help.
If I need any help or assistance or question, I have to reach out to my representative, which is next to impossible to reach. Then he acts very annoyed and basically just blows me off. I made it very clear that I have to have MRIs because I have a vascular malformation that could take my life if it ruptures. It requires follow up MRIs occasionally. Each time I try to have an MRI, the controller will not turn the stimulator off exactly the way it is supposed to do so therefore I am left with no MRI. I have just come back from an appointment for an MRI for a new pain probably from another back injury or just more Issues from some previous surgeries. I am in agony and I have missed a weeks worth of work. It is Christmas time. I know the MRI was not going to fix me, but at least it was one step closer to getting an answer and possibly some relief.
Again, we were unable to turn the device off using the controller so they would not proceed with the MRI

When I tried to call my representative, whose name and number are on my card, I reached some lady who has no idea what I’m talking about
Now this card is from Abbott.!!!!! It has my reps name on it and it has his phone number on it. It also includes the model number and other identifying numbers for the generator.
I’ve tried to call Abbott and they’re closed on the weekends.
I’ve tried to call my doctors and they’re closed on the weekend and I can’t get a hold of anybody

What if our in a life-threatening emergency and needed an MRI in order to proceed with something that would save my life?
I guess I would just be out of luck and out of life
I am so frustrated at this point that I am going to insist they remove this thing Monday.

It is a waste of money. It is a waste of time. It is a waste of horrific looking scars on your back. And I assure you, it leaves terrible looking scars where they implant the leads.
Out of 13 surgeries, I’ve had, all of my scars look pretty nice and clean.
The lumbar scar where they placed the leads into my back, looked like a chainsaw chain. The device itself has moved about 2 inches and is now at the top of my buttock where it started out in my flank area.
After a year and a half I was told that my leads had moved. That’s not good.

To be honest with you, I cannot tell you one thing positive about this device.
Except that my surgeon was very nice. But Abbott can’t take any credit for that because he’s a local surgeon who does lots of different kinds of surgeries.

I am so disappointed, frustrated, and downright angry that I cannot contact any representative, and I am having a serious issue and I need it addressed right now. But, there is no one to contact.!!

My advice is, don’t do it

I know 10 people who have done this, and they all say the same thing I say.
Please do not go by the reviews, most of those are generated by AI or bots.

Because I have a spinal cord arterial venous malformation, this could literally take my life.

If it were rupture, I would have to have an MRI in order to determine that that’s what was happening
I can’t have an MRI because I can’t turn the device off. My controller will not turn it off. And I cannot get a hold of anybody or any representatives.!!!
This is frightening.
And as I said before, it has never helped. I’ve never had any relief whatsoever from it. None.
I’ve had the device in for almost 3 years.
The technicians at the MRI center just told me they have never had a patient that had anything positive to say about this stimulator.
There you go

It does nothing for my pain.
The generator has fallen about 2 inches almost down into my buttock from my flank
I get no follow up from my doctor because they referred me to Abbott

Cannot even reach the Abbott representative anymore
Have no phone number for him because apparently that phone number belongs to some person now

I’m having an emergency at this moment, and I cannot turn the device off, and I cannot get a hold of a representative or a doctor, and I cannot get a hold of Abbott.
I am in an emergency situation here and it is the weekend.

My advice is do not do this.

I have never heard anybody say that it has helped them.
Everyone I know says they want it removed and I want mine removed ASAP, especially after the ordeal. I’ve been through this weekend and unable to have a life-saving procedure and cannot get a hold of anybody to help me.

May I ask how you were able to keep your nerves in check while in the MRI machine for 45 minutes? I had an MRI for the spine in 2023 and due to the Abbott SCS, the tube is more narrow, more deliberate, became uncomfortable and hot. I stopped the test after 25 minutes. I will not repeat an MRI while the SCS is present, as the experience was not a good one. I have had plenty in the past, but will not schedule one unless I am under an anesthetic.

@vikkitennis I have had several MRIs since having my first SCS implanted in 2017. I tend to be cold blooded, so was never too warm in the MRI tube. But this is a potential issue with any SCS and perhaps some other medical devices. During my last MRI they refused to give me a blanket due to a policy change at the imaging center. Apparently, they had some patients get too warm due to metal medical devices, even if non-ferrous, and would no longer allow blankets for imaging patients with an implanted medical device.

I haven't heard of anyone having an MRI under anesthesia, but I know it's common for doctors to prescribe a Valium tablet for patients who experience anxiety in the MRI tube. Or perhaps imaging in an open MRI system would make the experience better for you.

@vikkitennis I have had several MRIs since having my first SCS implanted in 2017. I tend to be cold blooded, so was never too warm in the MRI tube. But this is a potential issue with any SCS and perhaps some other medical devices. During my last MRI they refused to give me a blanket due to a policy change at the imaging center. Apparently, they had some patients get too warm due to metal medical devices, even if non-ferrous, and would no longer allow blankets for imaging patients with an implanted medical device.

I haven't heard of anyone having an MRI under anesthesia, but I know it's common for doctors to prescribe a Valium tablet for patients who experience anxiety in the MRI tube. Or perhaps imaging in an open MRI system would make the experience better for you.