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Spinal Stimulator and New to Forum

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Posted 7/13/2012 2:40 AM (GMT 0)
Hello Fibro Friends.  I have been learning alot by reading your posts.  Pain Doc wants to install a spinal stimulator for non-fibro nerve pain issues.  Not excited about another surgery, especially with Fibro.  Has anyone had this implant? Does it maybe help with Fibro????

Thanks!

Posted 7/13/2012 12:15 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, Mermaiden, and welcome!  I have never heard of this.  I've heard of pain pumps but not spinal stimulators.  You might want to head to our chronic pain forum.  I bet you could get more help there with this topic. 

 

If you haven't already, read Fibro 101...the first thread on the forum.  There are links to good info about fibro and you will learn a lot there, too.

 

Let us know what you find out about this.  I'm curious now.  Don't hesitate to ask other questions either.  This is just something I don't think you will get a big response with on this forum but we are quite wordy on other topics!  smilewinkgrin    I'm looking forward to getting to know you better and I hope to hear more from you soon.

 

Sherrine

Posted 7/14/2012 2:22 AM (GMT 0)
On another forum I hang on, SCS comes up frequently. Some people have great relief with them, others not so much. The leads can migrate before they scar in, and that leads to more issues.

I've not seen SCS and fibro discussed there. I can say I just had an outpatient surgery Mon, and woke up smiling Tues. How weird is that? But my point is, the surgery didn't cause the fibro to flare. So its really up to you to try it. Get a surgeon who knows what s/he is doing, and has done it many times. And be SURE the rep will work with you for adjustments.

For those who dont know what SCS is, it means spinal cord stimulator, it is implanted, and is similar to a TENs unit in feeling and adjustments.
Posted 7/14/2012 3:45 PM (GMT 0)
My husband has an external spinal stimulator that he wears around his waist. I was not aware that there was one that could be put internally, I learn something new everyday :)

Good luck with your surgery and I pray the implant gives you much relief!! <3
Posted 7/15/2012 1:20 AM (GMT 0)
DeepWell, if you are familiar with a TENs unit, the way they feel, placement, etc. I'm told the SCS is similar. They can be adjusted by an external hand held unit. I thought about doing one, but other issues have shoved that down my "to do list", and I may just have the lumbar fusion done. I don't think it would help the fibro, unless a TENs does.
Posted 8/18/2012 4:22 AM (GMT 0)
Last week I tested a neuralstimulator, that has two leads inserted stratigically into the spine that sends a gentle current into the painful area. For me it is the lower back and leg neuropathy. It felt like my leg was laying on a massage pad. Shortly, I will have it permanently istalled by my pain doctor so I can use therapy pool and live as normally as possible. The temporary installation aggrevated fibro in spine for first couple days, but when that quit flaring, everything felt pretty good. They can always be turned off or even removed. My brother in law has one and does not like it as he gets a "jolt" now and then, but I have talked to other people who are satisfied with the results. Everyone is different.
Posted 8/18/2012 11:36 AM (GMT 0)
…good morning maiden!….and Welcome to the HW forums!

As Sherrine said, we have several members on the chronic pain forum that have these….some with success and many reports of failures. I wanted to mention that an external Tens unit, such as the other member mentioned is not the same as the SCS unit. If your Dr is wanting to do this, you will first have a trial…and you must at least receive a 50 percent reduction in pain before they will consider the permanent implant.

Please do your research on these units…if for some reason that you should have a complete failure later on with the permanent unit…they usually do not remove these units, and you will be stuck with a foreign object in your body. I myself, have refused to go this route for my lumbar back pain…but would certainly consider the pain pump if needed. I'm not sure who told you that they can be removed…but it is rare and the problem is the scar tissue and the paddles….too much damage can happen.

Again make sure you do your homework! I don't care what the rep from the company is telling you…I have seen this time and time again on the chronic pain forum. I can also post several stories from our members if you would like to read them. One of my very close friends has one…and is now stuck with it ….and it no longer works…and the rep abandoned her. If…and I mean if!…you can get it removed…it will be on your nickel as well.

Now the pain pump is different…it can be removed…and easily so! However most patients have good success with them….and I have read of only one reported case of where one had to be removed.

Anyways, come on over to the chronic pain forum, and we will be happy to visit with you about it.

Take care,

SE wink
Posted 10/19/2012 4:46 PM (GMT 0)

Checking back in on my post with an update. Had SCS installed yesterday. the current gently going down legs is extremely comforting. Releif at different percentages from hips into toes, so happy to have my knee back on board. My only complaint is pain at incision sites on the back and upper hip, which has my fibromyalgia wishing to punish me. The pain is not as bad as were my discectomies or spinal fusion surgery. I am excited to see how this plays out the next several weeks.

Posted 2/25/2014 9:38 AM (GMT 0)
Checking in again to update on spinal stimulator and fibro...it helps minimally with fibro and somewhat with neuropathy. I fell and broke my femoral neck in the hip area. The three pins they tried fixing it with failed and I ended up with one leg shorter than the other and the screwheads digging in the leg muscle. SCS helped me bear the pain of that for several months until they did hip replacement and fixed my leg length, the SCS helped with that too. I'm glad I have the contraption though it is not helpful from the waist up, nor fatigue and only somewhat with lower extremity neuropathy and fibro.

Post Edited (mermaiden) : 2/25/2014 2:41:22 AM (GMT-7)

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