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New Member with neuro stimulator

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Chronic Pain
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Posted 11/11/2007 1:10 AM (GMT 0)
Hi to all. I have been suffering with chronic pain for nearly three years now. I know that is  short in comparrison to many of you but a sufferer just the same. I had a severe back injury some time ago which got progressively worse thanks to workers comp doctors. I had a failed back surgery 1-1\2 yr ago which resulted in nerve damage and a groin to foot blood clot. I have progressed from a walker to a quad cane and can walk short distances with my left leg locked in place. I still fall however. I have been on morphine since the surgery and am comming off of it now (what fun). In order to do this I am going through a neuro stimulator trial. The unit was working well but one of the three leads slipped so most of the coverage is lost. I am having surgery on monday to re-locate the slipped lead and to have the stimulator implanted. Does anyone else have the stimulator implant? If so I would be interested in hearing from any of you about the good, the bad, and the ugly or any tips on dealing with chronic pain. Thank you and I look foward to chatting with you!
Posted 11/11/2007 10:26 PM (GMT 0)
Thank You Gramps for the kind reply. What you said is so true about others not understanding what we are going through. The worst part for me is the new identity. All my life I have been so active and involved. It hurts when it seems as if the world as I knew it had been jerked out from under me. With two kids in college and a thirteen year old I am a long way from being ready to exit the job market but the choice isn't mine to make. I don't know your spiritual life but I have prayed so hard for the purpose to be revealed and in some ways maybe it has. I am now able to spend more time with family and have made many new close friends along my journey. I am also much closer to my church family. I wish I could find a local group such as people on this forum or a chapter of The American Chronic Pain Association. By your user name I assume your a grandfather. I just hung up with my Father who is a WWII vet and is eighty nine years young today. I've rambled long enough but thanks again for your reply.
Posted 11/12/2007 5:36 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Wolfan
I have had the stim for almost a year now, I like the help it gives me, doesnt cover all pain but alot. I will tell you to give the healing time, it was rather uncomfortable for a good 3 months where the unit was in my side. But it does get better, still have a day here and there where it bugs me a little but not bad. I work on my feet all day 10 hours so I turn it up fairly high then, but on the weekends dont need it much as long as I sit some.I have the rechargeable unit and I find I can go 3-4 weeks without recharging which is very nice. All I can think of now, don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have, good luck with the surgery. Mark
Posted 11/14/2007 3:15 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Mark, I just arrived home from the hospital with my new implant. I feel like the coverage will be good once I get over the incision pain which is terrible to say the least. I to have the rechargeable unit with three leads (Medtronic). How long did you have to wait until you could recharge your battery? My tech. tells me they recommend waiting until the pouch heals completely which could be as long as three to four weeks. Were you told the same? If so, what did you do after your battery went dead? All I can think of now except for going to bed, my wife and I are exhausted. Thank you Mark for replying. Looking forward to sharing with you again. One more thing. Do you ever see anyone in the chronic pain chat rooms? Just wondering.  Thanks again and God Bless! 

Posted 11/14/2007 7:49 AM (GMT 0)
Glad to hear everything went well, it sure can be rough on ya, now the fun starts, sleeping on same side for a month, lol. What I do for recharging is when it gets down to half empty I recharge it, you cant let it get too low, or you run the risk of loosing the internal settings and that would mean you would have to have the doc, or medtronic rep reprogram it, so I make sure it never gets below half. I wasn't told any specific time table on the first recharge, but Im sure 3-4 weeks will be fine, it prolly wont be much below half by then anyway. I don't normally go in to the chat rooms, I have been lucky and found great people here on the boards who can answer my questions.
Again, if you think of anything you need help with just give me a holler, I will put my email on my profile if you would like to get a hold of me that way, heal fast, bye for now. Mark
Posted 11/14/2007 5:37 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Volfan and welcome to our family. I see you've met the gang and our resident 'Gramps'. He's full of great information and support as are the rest of the family here. Take care and keep us posted on your surgery.

CHutzie
Posted 11/15/2007 6:44 PM (GMT 0)

Thank You CHutzie for the welcome. The surgery went well but the incisional pain is the pits. I feel like the stimulation coverage is good and should be even better in a couple weeks when everything from the two surgeries settles down. The Medtronics guru will fine tune everything then. I'm like many am hoping to make the journey to be with family for Thanksgiving.

Take care and God Bless

Posted 11/16/2007 9:52 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Volfan,

I too would like to welcome you to HW. We have a very kind group of people here and we all have the same thing in common, pain.

I read one of your other posts here about your son coming to you with his concerns and the families concern of you being on narcotics.

I too hope you have made the right decision by choosing the stimulator. I have a Medtronic Pain Pump and it has given me my life back even with opiods being used in it. My family was very anti pill popping, but when they saw the change in me with the pump, they were amazed. I have not had one negative comment since my surgery 2 yrs ago. Instead, now my family stands behind me. I planted 3 flower beds this past spring, made 2 of the 3 beds. I had not been able to do that in 3 yrs. I always did my own lawn work, I can't now because I am on oxygen and don't want to blow up the neigborhood. But I can plant flowers and care for them, I drive a car, I don't live in a fog and I don't have to watch the clock anymore waiting till its time to take another pill. I have much more quality of life due to the pump.

Please keep us posted on how you are doing. I do hope you have medication for your post surgery pain. Susie

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