To Rhaevin

Saw your post in the other tread ... though I'd post a reply here:

R-
I have the BSPP model. It hasn't malfunctioned & the only recalls have been on the remote (which was easily swapped out) and the external charging unit (which was also easily swapped out). Both of those were done free of charge, at my convenience, at a location that was convenient to me (I don't live near my PM's office, so we picked a closer, public location).

Mine hasn't been without issues lately. It was fantastic for the first few years & I raved on and on about how wonderful it was and how great it was to lower my pain meds by more than 50%. Now I'm irritated b/c if I want to keep using it I need to charge it every day. Many people say they don't mind charging. Because I have a neuro condition that makes touch extremely painful, wearing the charger is not pleasant.

I personally would not be comfortable having one surgeon do the trial & another do the permanent placement. Yes, they will have films to look at, but that's not the same as knowing the doc will use the exact same thought process & nearly identical movements from one procedure to the next. I don't know what the actual statistics are, but that's just my gut reaction.

There are significant differences between the Medtronic & BS models. You can do a site search for more info about the 2 & for general info about SCS/neurostimulators.

I wouldn't expect the SCS to be life altering. Yes, it can be, but that's not necessarily a realistic expectation. 25% reduction in pain with no change to meds is considered a "successful" result. Most people seem to get between 40-60% reduction in pain prior to cutting down on meds. For me, once I got past the post-op pain, I was able to start doing a small amount of physical activity. That improved my pain levels & with each improvement, we cut down my meds a little bit. So the result was impressive, but it was not due to the SCS alone. In my view, SCS implants are surgery, so unless you're considering a more involved surgery, like fusion, I'd wait... but that' me. The advantages are real, but most people don't end up with the fairy tale ending of taking no more meds, having complete control of their pain, resuming their active lifestyle, and living happily every after. You're much more likely to end up taking fewer meds, having better control of your pain, at least being able to get out of bed & do some meaningful work, and living with much less misery for 5-7 years.
It really irritates me when people compare the SCS to a TENS unit. I understand why they make that comparison, but a TENS unit is a very low level intervention. Almost anyone can safely try the TENS and they can stop it at any time with probably no continuing impact on their life. The SCS will impact your life, potentially permanently. They cannot always be removed. They will burn themselves out sooner or later. Like any technology, they have glitches and need tune-ups and aren't ever as great as the newest model which tends to come out the week after you get yours. ;) I've heard the newest BS models are supposed to be approved safe for use with MRI's. I'm not sure if that's true. If it is, that is a marked improvement over older models.

Good luck with your decision!
frances

R-
I'm sorry you've only heard negative things about the SCS. Perhaps it is worth considering whether that is a reflection of the surgeons in your area. Statistically they do offer decent relief with a reasonable amount of side effects. They are, imho, a much safer option than a fusion. Though no one I know has had a fairy tale ending, the vast majority of them who experienced relief during their trial did in fact benefit from at least a 25% decrease in their pain over the next few years.

Go into it with your eyes wide open, but there's no reason to give up all optimism. Keep in mind that meds & shots don't last forever either. They cause different side effects for different patients, but usually there are some drawbacks. And there are plenty of cases where new meds came out and they were overpromoted as some kind of "miracle drug".

If your unit just burns out after 5 years, at least that was 5 years of benefits. What are you planning to do with those 5 years of your life if you don't get the SCS? It's a serious decision & I wouldn't dare try to make that decision for another soul but the reality is that there already are batteries in the pipeline that recharge off of your body, rather than from a transdermal charger. So 5 years down the road, if you DO need to replace the battery & there aren't any better options, that should be your very last battery replacement for the rest of your life. Is that really so awful?

If you feel like you want some happy stories to psych yourself up for the trial, talk to your PM or the rep. They should be able to get you the names of a couple patients who've been through the procedure & are happy with the results. In contract to HW, which tends to attract patients with the worst outcomes, sales reps tend to provide contacts with patients who had the very best outcomes. Your results will probably be somewhere in between -- but your trial will really be the best indicator of how much pain relief you will get. If you get good pain relief, there's the programming which really is nothing more than a hassle and the risk of the battery dying in a shorter time than typical.