Spinal Cord Stimulation Implants

Caoimhín

Hi all.

I am curious to know if anyone here has had this procedure done. It is supposed to help with back and leg pain. It is basically a permenant implant that sends electrical pulses into your spinal cord to block out pain signals.
My doctor and surgeon agree that it is the best way forward for me. All the same, i am a bit unsure, possibly because i have had 5 failed discectomies in 4 years.
This is a description of the implant device.; http://www.mayfieldclinic.com/PE-STIM.HTM

Thanks.

squeky

hi ya,

I have the stimulator fitted, lt me no what you want to know and i will try help

Squeky

Caoimhín

Thanks Squeky,

Well i suppose the obvious question is did it work?

Also,

Was the operation painful? Did you get immediate relief? Is it uncomfortable to have in? How do you charge it?

I am all for it but i simply dont like the idea of having to plug myself in to charge it up, is there a cord hanging out of your back.

PM me if you dont want to answer these in an open forum. I would really appreciate your advice and experience.

Caoimhin.

squeky

Caoimhín wrote: »

Thanks Squeky,

Well i suppose the obvious question is did it work?

Also,

Was the operation painful? Did you get immediate relief? Is it uncomfortable to have in? How do you charge it?

I am all for it but i simply dont like the idea of having to plug myself in to charge it up, is there a cord hanging out of your back.

PM me if you dont want to answer these in an open forum. I would really appreciate your advice and experience.

Caoimhin.

Caoimhin,

In answer to your questions first, yes it has helped me indeed but its not a miracle and its not going to get rid of all your pain but it sure does help yes. so once you accept that then you may as well try it as what harm can it do to try, I was all out of options so i gave it a go and im glad i did.. But then again you might find it amazing as i know a person who thinks it brilliant and some who think it not so good but helps a bit, it varies with patient and where there pain is, For me personally i have all nerve damage in my right upper extremity, and lower back and leg pain so i find it helpful for me.

Question 2: You have to have trials of it first and yes they can be very uncomfortable alright and yes the leads are sticking out of you but are covered with bandages and you go home after the trial for approx a week to see how you manage, you cant have showers or bath's for the week and you cant do much really, no bending twisting turning fast etc..

During the trials they ask you can you feel the tingling now and where is it and is it hitting the spot etc, then you go home. At home you have the remote control to turn the buzzing up/down or switch from having buzzing on just you leg or switch it to just your arm, you mess around with it yourself and get to know it..


Then you go back to the hospital and tell them what you think if you think it brill or not for you, then you have the full implant if your happy to go on but you could be waiting for that big op!!

Then during the big operation, you are knocked out for a while and then you are woken again so you can tell them that ya i can feel that buzzing and ya its going down my leg, arm etc.

They ask you then where do you want to put your battery as it will be implanted inside your body, i personally have mine on my left abdomen and i can send you pics if you want. Some have it in there buttocks but that would be pretty awkard!! You will have a scar where your battery goes and then you will have a scar running along your spine also as that where the wires has to go it. It not a very big scar but it took 16 staples to close it and 14 on my abdomen.

After the op you are not allowed do anything for up to 8 weeks as you could damage the leads or move them out of place and it is very uncomfortable twisting and turning and getting comfortable but you will manage. Yes you do feel instant tingling and relief..

Question 3; A Medtronic girl comes to you in your room after your op with a laptop size case and in that case is a recharger with a plug that you plug into the wall to charge up, then there is a belt that you wear around you to charge your battery in admonen or buttocks, but if you have previously charged the recharger then you dont have to sit around being plugged into the wall as the recharger has the power in it to charge your battery throught the belt but you have to wear the belt for approx 14 hours per charge, but depending on how much pain you have then after a full charge you might get a week or two before charging again but for me i have the stim on 24/7 so i have to charge is twice a week. it all depends,

If your recharger goes low in the meantime as you charging battery using the belt then yes you have to sit by the power supply on the wall but if you get into a routine of always making sure your recharger is full then you can charge yourself with just the belt and play golf at same time!!!!


There is no cord hanging out of your back when you have the full implant done, but there is when you are doing the trials for the week..

hope al this has helped you a bit and giving you an insight, if you ever wanted to meet up or ring, email etc then pm me. What hospital are you attending? Who is your pain specialist?. I had mine done in St. Vincents in dublin,

Lorr

squeky

Caoimhin,

Also look up this website its excellent.. Fintysworld.com,

He has a brilliant story and is a good mate of mine i did a pain management programme with him and he describes about the implant also..

Caoimhín

Thank you so much Squeky, that is very informative. I kind of got the idea by doing a bit of searching online.

To be honest, at this stage i am willing to try anything so a trial week seems to be ideal. I am not really bothered by scars, i am covered in them anyway! It is a bloody nusence at the moment because i seem to get a week or two when i am fine, (well i can deal with the pain) and then i get an attack which can leave me roaring in the bed for a month.

If i even got a 60 - 70% reduction in pain then i will be happy and the recharging doesnt seem to be that much hassle, not when compared to having to take all the anti-inflammatories, nerve blockers and painkillers that i have to take now..

Luckily my health insurance will cover the operation which i will have in the Mater private with Dr Chambers.

I might PM you my email so we can chat a bit more, if that is ok?

Caoimhin

squeky

glad i could help in some way and pm anytime..

padi89

Im waiting my appointment now at the moment to see about having this procedure possibly done.I will keep this updated.

Caoimhín

padi89 wrote: »

Im waiting my appointment now at the moment to see about having this procedure possibly done.I will keep this updated.

Do you have back pain padi89?

padi89

I do indeed, chronic for the past 8 years.I've been everywhere tried everything to no avail.Pain is worst around the sacrum/coccyx area but i have trouble around the lumbar region too.Have good and bad months but can't tell from one day to the next how it will be, its impossible to plan anything.My consultant has wrote to the spinal cord team for an appointment for me so i am just waiting on this, il try anything at this stage.

Caoimhín

padi89 wrote: »

I do indeed, chronic for the past 8 years.I've been everywhere tried everything to no avail.Pain is worst around the sacrum/coccyx area but i have trouble around the lumbar region too.Have good and bad months but can't tell from one day to the next how it will be, its impossible to plan anything.My consultant has wrote to the spinal cord team for an appointment for me so i am just waiting on this, il try anything at this stage.

Snap.

Im pretty much the same only i get pain in my legs and feet (as well as lumbar). I can have a good month followed by 3 - 5 weeks in a lot of pain. It is torture to be honest and i am sick to hell of painkillers and anti-inflammatories. I have been on everything from Panadol to Morphine (you might as well drink a bottle of whiskey every morning!!).
I have looked into it quite a bit by now and the implant seems to be without side effects so i think it might be for me.

Thanks pad89, let us know how you get on.

Caoimhin.

Pauliana

squeky wrote: »

Caoimhin,

In answer to your questions first, yes it has helped me indeed but its not a miracle and its not going to get rid of all your pain but it sure does help yes. so once you accept that then you may as well try it as what harm can it do to try, I was all out of options so i gave it a go and im glad i did.. But then again you might find it amazing as i know a person who thinks it brilliant and some who think it not so good but helps a bit, it varies with patient and where there pain is, For me personally i have all nerve damage in my right upper extremity, and lower back and leg pain so i find it helpful for me.

Question 2: You have to have trials of it first and yes they can be very uncomfortable alright and yes the leads are sticking out of you but are covered with bandages and you go home after the trial for approx a week to see how you manage, you cant have showers or bath's for the week and you cant do much really, no bending twisting turning fast etc..

During the trials they ask you can you feel the tingling now and where is it and is it hitting the spot etc, then you go home. At home you have the remote control to turn the buzzing up/down or switch from having buzzing on just you leg or switch it to just your arm, you mess around with it yourself and get to know it..


Then you go back to the hospital and tell them what you think if you think it brill or not for you, then you have the full implant if your happy to go on but you could be waiting for that big op!!

Then during the big operation, you are knocked out for a while and then you are woken again so you can tell them that ya i can feel that buzzing and ya its going down my leg, arm etc.

They ask you then where do you want to put your battery as it will be implanted inside your body, i personally have mine on my left abdomen and i can send you pics if you want. Some have it in there buttocks but that would be pretty awkard!! You will have a scar where your battery goes and then you will have a scar running along your spine also as that where the wires has to go it. It not a very big scar but it took 16 staples to close it and 14 on my abdomen.

After the op you are not allowed do anything for up to 8 weeks as you could damage the leads or move them out of place and it is very uncomfortable twisting and turning and getting comfortable but you will manage. Yes you do feel instant tingling and relief..

Question 3; A Medtronic girl comes to you in your room after your op with a laptop size case and in that case is a recharger with a plug that you plug into the wall to charge up, then there is a belt that you wear around you to charge your battery in admonen or buttocks, but if you have previously charged the recharger then you dont have to sit around being plugged into the wall as the recharger has the power in it to charge your battery throught the belt but you have to wear the belt for approx 14 hours per charge, but depending on how much pain you have then after a full charge you might get a week or two before charging again but for me i have the stim on 24/7 so i have to charge is twice a week. it all depends,

If your recharger goes low in the meantime as you charging battery using the belt then yes you have to sit by the power supply on the wall but if you get into a routine of always making sure your recharger is full then you can charge yourself with just the belt and play golf at same time!!!!


There is no cord hanging out of your back when you have the full implant done, but there is when you are doing the trials for the week..

hope al this has helped you a bit and giving you an insight, if you ever wanted to meet up or ring, email etc then pm me. What hospital are you attending? Who is your pain specialist?. I had mine done in St. Vincents in dublin,

Lorr

Hi
My name is Pauline and I am wondering about this too. I have an appointment in Vincents this Tuesday with a view to getting the Spinal Cord Stimulation. I think I have to have a psychological assessment, is this right, as I am worried about this? Does this happen on Tuesday? My pain management consultant has referred me to Declan O Keeffe in St Vincents for the SCS procedure. There is no funds or facilities to have it done in Limerick even though my pain consultant can do this procedure himself. I have been in pain management rehab for a month and this is the next step for me as I have had nerve blocks,epidurals, deep injections, traction etc etc. What is the waiting time after you have your first appointment? Do I have an assessment of Tuesday and then wait to be called for the trial if I pass the assessment? Im confused as to how long it is from the first appointment to having the trial and then if it works for me how long before the operation? I know you can't say exactly but how long from one thing to the other was is for you. Also after the trial do they take the wires etc out and send you home to wait for the operation.
Sorry if I am all over the place with questions. Declan O' Keeffe in St Vincents trained my pain consultant with this procedure, but dues to funding he cannot do it. I trust him so it hard to change to another doctor.
Best wishes,
Pauline

Pauliana

padi89 wrote: »

I do indeed, chronic for the past 8 years.I've been everywhere tried everything to no avail.Pain is worst around the sacrum/coccyx area but i have trouble around the lumbar region too.Have good and bad months but can't tell from one day to the next how it will be, its impossible to plan anything.My consultant has wrote to the spinal cord team for an appointment for me so i am just waiting on this, il try anything at this stage.

Hi Padi

My first appointment in this Tuesday in Dublin so feeling a little nervous. I don;t know what to expect but I think it will be an assessment to see if I am prepared for what is ahead. I could be wrong about this. After that I reckon it's a waiting game for the trial. Are you still waiting for your appointment Padi? Do you have an appointment date yet?
I am reading so much about this some good some not so good. I feel I need to stop reading .... and just wait until Tuesday to see what happens.
Best wishes,
Pauline

dannyo666

Pauliana wrote: »

Hi Padi

My first appointment in this Tuesday in Dublin so feeling a little nervous. I don;t know what to expect but I think it will be an assessment to see if I am prepared for what is ahead. I could be wrong about this. After that I reckon it's a waiting game for the trial. Are you still waiting for your appointment Padi? Do you have an appointment date yet?
I am reading so much about this some good some not so good. I feel I need to stop reading .... and just wait until Tuesday to see what happens.
Best wishes,
Pauline

Yeah your reading too much-Shame on you:D:D.Ah listen everyone does it though.I have experiance with this and honestly wait till tuesday and see how the phyc evaluation goes.Just answer questions normally.Its not a big deal
After tuesday feel free to hop a thousand questions at me and ill answer them all for ya.I know waiting is soooo frustrating but the less horror stories you read online now the easier the pyhc evaluation will go tuesday-Trust me:)

Finger crossed for you........

Pauliana

dannyo666 wrote: »

Yeah your reading too much-Shame on you:D:D.Ah listen everyone does it though.I have experiance with this and honestly wait till tuesday and see how the phyc evaluation goes.Just answer questions normally.Its not a big deal
After tuesday feel free to hop a thousand questions at me and ill answer them all for ya.I know waiting is soooo frustrating but the less horror stories you read online now the easier the pyhc evaluation will go tuesday-Trust me:)

Finger crossed for you........

Aw thanks for getting back to me Padi I appreciate it very much. Yeah you are right NO more reading :-) ... I am guessing you are a lot further along than me by your message so I am wondering do you have the SCS inserted or have you done the trial yet. I will get on touch on Tuesday when I come home from Dublin and hopefully I will be smiling. Whatever situation you are in Padi I hope you are closer to being pain free.
Thanks again. Pauline

Pauliana

Pauliana wrote: »

Aw thanks for getting back to me Padi I appreciate it very much. Yeah you are right NO more reading :-) ... I am guessing you are a lot further along than me by your message so I am wondering do you have the SCS inserted or have you done the trial yet. I will get on touch on Tuesday when I come home from Dublin and hopefully I will be smiling. Whatever situation you are in Padi I hope you are closer to being pain free.
Thanks again. Pauline

Sorry that should have read Danny

dannyo666

Pauliana wrote: »

Sorry that should have read Danny

Haha,no worries,Best of luck tommorow;)

Pauliana

dannyo666 wrote: »

Haha,no worries,Best of luck tommorow;)

Thanks very much Danny ...

dannyo666

Hey Guys
For all wondering what a spinal cord stimulator is ive made a site-its taken ages as its my first,its full of relevant info,theres no real b******t and none of the tacky youtube promo videos,im irish,i got the SCS done in Ireland 2 years ago,look no further.Its first hand experience
If ive left anything out please comment,if you like it please comment,if you think its rubbish please comment:)Im still waiting for my first comment-cheesy i know but there ya go.......

Heres the link: www.spinalcordstim.net

PS:Sam34 said it was ok to plug my site just this once here and ill also chuck it in the web resources sticky

Thanks

dannyo666

How did you get on Pauliana?

Pauliana

dannyo666 wrote: »

How did you get on Pauliana?

Hi Danny,
It wasn't the assessment as I was told it was. I met the Dr O Keeffe and to my great surprise it was a very relaxed and easy visit. The intern or whatever he was who we met before Dr O Keeffe was very abrupt and rude, so when I met him I didn't hold out much hope. Dr O Keeffe is a lovely man and very honest I feel. What he has said is that I will have to do an assessment but I am not to worry about it at all. He has told me if he get the Medical insurances approval for me he will do the trial as soon as he heard fro them. If not I will be waiting two years. It's all what if or I hope this works with the SCS. Until the surgery total is done nobody know what can go wrong. How are you feeling these days Danny?

dannyo666

Its been a life changer for me personally....

Pauliana

dannyo666 wrote: »

Its been a life changer for me personally....

You are one of the lucky ones Danny and I am happy for you. If you have a facebook account you might be interested in joining a group I set up called. Spinal Cord Stimulation Ireland. There was no support group for Irish people so I felt it was a good thing to start. It is at it's early stages and if possibel for you I would love not only for you to join but any people you know who would be interested too.
So glad everything has worked out for you Danny.... x