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Bone growth stimulator

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Posted 7/22/2014 3:55 AM (GMT 0)
Today I had the bone growth stimulator brought to my house and instructed on how to use it. I haven't heard of one before and would certainly like opinions. The rep said I can wear it as long as I would like. He said some ppl just wear it to bed. Others wear it 2,4 hours and others all day. This part is a little confusing.... I haven't read the manual yet bc I've been battling a migraine all day. Any info or opinions are definitely appreciated.
Posted 7/22/2014 5:58 AM (GMT 0)
Your doctor should prescribe the length of treatment. I would call and ask. After cervical diskectomy (and failed bone graft), I wore mine for 4 hours a day for 6 months.
Posted 7/22/2014 10:22 AM (GMT 0)
Dreamsong, thank you. I will call today and ask my dr. I should have already thought to do that. Did it help you? I had a 360 2 level anterior posterior fusion on June 11. All the pain prior to surgery (hips and buttocks) has returned already. It's a scary thought to think I went through all that hell basically for nothing. I start PT this week. I am hoping and praying something helps. I have got to get back to work in 5 1/2 weeks, or I will be terminated. And I have been employed there 18 1/2 years.
Posted 7/22/2014 12:16 PM (GMT 0)
Anice1,

I used the stimulator 4hrs a day for nearly 6 months after 3-level ACDF. Surgeon wanted to use all methods available to promote the bone fusion. I was fortunate that insurance covered it. I was also taking 3 calcium chewables daily.

I suspect it helped from surgeon comments on last checkup. It did interfere with a wireless phone while turned on. Annoying ticking if you try to talk with it on? I wore it for 2hrs twice a day, outside my neck collar. At times I thought It was giving me a headache, but not major.

Your doctor or technician should have given you instructions. Good Luck

Texas122
Posted 7/22/2014 2:56 PM (GMT 0)
Hi anice1

I agree with dreamsong & Texas - you should definitely have instructions, and I would think follow-up imaging to monitor progress.

I have used the bone growth stimulator for a different purpose - in my case for a total non-union fracture in my fracture (zero healing after six months) I used mine four hours a day also and noticed a significant difference within 2 months

Laura
Posted 7/23/2014 5:41 AM (GMT 0)
I had follow-up xrays every two months as well. I'm not sure if the stimulator helped but at the end of six months the two vertebrae seemed to have grown closer and the doctor said 'this is as good as it gets.' They gave me a prognosis of "fair" and that was thirteen years ago. I rarely have neck pain now, unless I try to push the limits on my range of motion (ie. looking up or down for too long).

I hope it works for you. They said they didn't know why my allograft disappeared. It was there after surgery and gone one month later. However, I suspect smoking a pack of camels a day had something to do with it. And the neurosurgeon didn't inform me that smoking could cause failure of fusion. When I got home from the hospital, the first thing I did was light up. When the fusion failed I went to the college library and researched medical journals then quit smoking cold turkey.

Sorry for rambling. I just share that in case it helps someone.
Posted 7/24/2014 5:25 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you all for your comments. I called my surgeon and left the message the I needed to know the drs instructions on how long HE wanted me to wear it per day. The rep called me back bc he said the dr asked him to. I really am unclear. The rep said the more I wear it, the better my chances are for a fusion to happen. He said some ppl just sleep w it on, some do a couple hrs several times a day. And some wear them constantly. This all rubbed me the wrong way. I think if a dr orders one, he should give better instructions on what he wants me to do. Very aggravating for me!!
Posted 7/24/2014 5:37 AM (GMT 0)
Dreamsong, I am a smoker. And I have read about that too. Congrats to you for quitting. I have tried and just cannot do it, although I have cut back. They have done research that shows quitting smoking being compared to ppl coming off heavy drugs such as herion,etc.. I know I need to quit for many many reasons, but at the moment, it isn't going to happen. I will just keep cutting back as much as possible. This is off topic. I just wanted to say good for you for quitting cold turkey. I think that is admirable and great.
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