SCS final implant surgery scheduled in 8 days

Whooo hoooooo!!!!! I have my final stimulator implant scheduled for the 18th!!! That is almost a record for my neurosurgeon and I cannot thank him enough. I had the trial removed today and honestly felt immediate return of the horrible back pain. It was so bad, in fact, that I ended up literally in tears while waiting for my friend to check out at a store. The pain hit me like a knife.

My neurosurgeon agreed that the PM nurse is insane about no additional pain meds after the new back surgery. I have my regular PM apt on Wednesday and the NS wants the PM to call him directly about this issue. There is no way that he is going to let me have no pain relief after literally doing a back surgery. Apparently he will have to do a laminectomy and of course create two fairly large incisions to do the implant. He is using the paddles and he also sutures them into place until the scar tissue can form.


Also, they will have to wait for at least two weeks to turn on the unit, so I will likely have a painful Christmas, but perhaps a very nice new year. At least I know what to expect, anyway.

Thank you to everyone who has wished me well on this journey. I need you gys ans have even shared information about the HW site with the reps so they can help other.

Love to all!

Hey RM,

Congrats on getting the date for the final implant...! Great news....

--Tina

Awesome! Congrats, RM! I'm so happy for you!! Did your surgeon say why they would have to wait 2 wks to turn the unit on? I'm just curious, as I've never heard of anyone else having to do that. The rep is usually there both in the OR and the recovery room to program the unit/make sure that the leads are placed appropriately to get the coverage the patient needs. Even though you did a trial & the docs learned a great deal about where exactly to place your leads, they will still have to do a bit of tweaking to get them to the right spot again.

Anyways, best of luck with the surgery! I'm glad that your surgeon is going to talk to your PM. Hopefully you won't need much in the way of additional meds, but you certainly should have the option to take more if you need to! Even though the stimulator will help with your pain, your body is still going through trauma in surgery, and of course there will be new, temporary pain accociated with that!


Keep us posted! What a wonderful way to start out the new year!

Skeye

Hi RM, congratulations on such a successful trial! I hope the permanent implant is very successful for you. I agree that the nurse is off her rocker (and waaaaayyyyy over stepping some major boundaries) in saying that you wouldn't need any additional pain medication. Not only does that sound completely inhumane, but just a completely uneducated and unprofessional statement to make. I would get that cleared up with the PM before proceeding, and cancel if they don't clarify this beforehand. That's just my thought on it anyways. I wish you the best of luck, and keep us posted. I guess this puts you in the OR next Monday. I'll say a prayer for you that everything goes smoothly. Take care between now and then, and good luck.

Retired mom

Sorry for not replying sooner but I am just a day out of hospital myself after my last surgery.

I am so glad that the trial was successful for you and you are now agreeing to have the stimulator implanted. I am so pleased for you, it sounds to me like this is without doubt the right way to go, an early Christmas present to yourself. I really hope the next part goes just as well for you and you will,soon be back on here telling us how well and pain free you are!! How can a PM nurse state that you won't require further pain meds, she is way out of line saying that. I am sure your NS will know your body better than her.

I pray it all goes well for you. You will have support here, luckily there are some who have been through the procedure, and we are all behind you wishing you the best possible outcome. Just think this could be your best Christmas present ever ......I hope so!

All the very best to you

Jane
xxx

Post Edited (Fusiongirl) : 12/11/2012 3:56:11 AM (GMT-7)

Yikes! Definitely sounds best to wait then! Thanks for clarifying. I was curious & love learning new things .

Again, I'm so happy for you, RM!!

Skeye

RM-

So happy to hear the trial worked and you are able to move along so quickly. Now if my docs can figure out my high white cell counts I can join you soon with a permanent SCS of my own.

Good luck with your surgery!

Take care,
Bill

Well the PM was in agreement with the NURSE! He said this wasn't real surgery. They didn't even consider the surgery and did the comprehensive drug test. I told them to make sure to verify what I was given during my procedure, but lord knows what they will really do. They did give me my regular meds. I also have the regular three month appointment and the dates to pick the scripts for my refills. He was also supposed to call the NS to work it all out, but I got the impression that he is not going to. I told him that I do not want to violate my contract and he assured me I would not be turned loose because we were talking, but I don't have a great deal of confidence I the office as a whole and know they terminated a friend after telling him the same thing. It's always a guessing game with this lot.

I did speak to my NS office and they will supplement my meds with enough to handle the post op pain. They said it was inhuman to do surgery and not give adequate pain relief. So, we'll see what next week holds.

Post Edited (RetiredMom) : 12/13/2012 6:20:17 PM (GMT-7)

skeye.......I had to fix the typo......it was the NS that agreed to give me extra meds to cover the post-op pain. The PM would NOT at all. I personally think they are mad because I wouldn't let them do the trial or installation of the device and went to a NS when my PM has a similar SCS unit on display win the treatment room I used.

This whole thing stinks of sour grapes to me, but that is par for the course with this group. Sadly, even the NP that I liked is no longer there and I have to get to know the new one. I just hope she REALLY documented the file instead of doctoring it like they have before.

Ah, RM, that makes more sense! Haha. I was a bit confused, but figured maybe you just talked to them again later on & they changed their mind! Thanks for clarifying!

Even if they are annoyed that you aren't getting the stim through then, that's no reason to treat you so poorly!! Sure they're not making money off you, but you're doing what is best for you, and it's the patient's outcome that should really be the important thing!! I personally would feel more comfortable with a NS doing the surgery, than a PM. Mine was done by a NS, and he is just wonderful. I don't have a PM, just a PCP, but when I had one in the past, I know that I wouldn't have felt nearly as comfortable with him doing the surgery (although my stim surgery actually HAD to be done by a NS, as it involves multiple nerves in the face and orbit). PM's just don't know the nervous system the way that NS's do, and proper placement of the electrodes is perhaps the biggest key to success in this case.

Anyways, hopefully you won't need much additional meds (I think I only used additional meds for the first 2-3 days, although, as you know, my stim is in a totally different place than yours will be). Regardless, you should definitely have the ability to take more if you need to! Sounds like your NS's office, at least, is on top of things. I'm glad that someone is looking out for you!

Skeye