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Should I ask for removal of innactive spinal cord stimulator?
I had my spinal cord stimulator implanted for my back back in 2012. It never did work very well.. After a few years of moving and then covid I lost track of the charging system. My stimulator has been innactive (not charged) since 2018 at least. I recently lost over 80 lbs and while the pain in my back has substantially improved, the area where my stimulator causes me sharp stabbing pain at times and I can feel the leads when I lay down on my side. Also there is a large lumpy area when the leads were implanted and the area around the stimulator is very loose so much so that I can nearly turn the thing over.. This is 2025 and I haven't used this thing in a very long time. I'm thinking about asking to have it removed. Will this be an issue seeing as how long I've had it? Thanks for any input.
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@laurafhl
I would probably want it out, too. The only issue is paying for it. If you don’t have a medical complication or approved reason to remove according to your insurance company policy for your plan, they may say you need to pay for it yourself. When I had ruptured saline implants and breast implant illness symptoms, my insurance would not pay for removal but the surgeon was willing to do the surgery if I paid for it. It ended up costing me about $11k (in 2023) but a removal of a stimulator would be much more involved than my procedure and I would expect more expensive.
It sounds like you may have some scar tissue and nerve damage in the area of the implanted stimulator so not sure if this will improve or worsen with removal. You would want to weight the pros and cons of removal.
By the way, congratulations on your weight loss! I need to also lose 80 pounds. How did you do it and how long did it take you? Do you have a lot of loose skin from the weight loss?
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1 ReactionI had a baclofen pump for 6 years and really didn’t like the way it made me feel. I got a lot of pushback from the chronic pain physicians that put it in, took about 6 months of advocating for myself before they would agree to remove it. Medicare paid for it fortunately.
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3 ReactionsI'm diabetic and the doctor put me on Mounjaro. It really helped and my A1c is normal now. Yes, I have a lot of loose skin. I'm in my 60's and have no elasticity anymore. So I remind myself of a sharpa dog lol.. Clothes cover it though so I'm not concerned.
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2 ReactionsConsider asking your PCP if your insurance will cover a surgical consultation. It sounds like you are in a great place to pursue more information, which would probably need to be specific to your individual circumstances and might require some imaging. Your PCP might be the right person to frame this in a way that insurance would be willing to pay for this stage of the process, even if paying for the rest might be tricky. At the very least, your PCP might be able to make an informed recommendation for a surgeon, even if you pay for the consultation. You may want a surgeon who specializes in revision surgery for neurological implants; if your PCP can't identify such a person, consider finding an appropriate department chair of your nearest medical university and asking them for suggestions.
Hello,
I had mine inplanted Sept. 2024. Started having problems very quickly.
I had it removed 3 wks ago. All the hardware was causing me extensive pain.
Drs didnt take my pain seriously until pre surgery MRI's showed bled in spinal canal, and a lot of scar tissue.
This probably wouldn't have come to light if I hadn't opted for removal. I assume nerve damage because my right leg is numbish.
My removal has been brutal but I would advise you to follow your gut, Mine told me OUT. Despite long recovery, I'm relieved it gone. Drs dont share all the complications that come with these devices....I find it appalling. Best of luck!!