Spinal Stimulator Therapy for Pain

cinnamonsmiles
cinnamonsmiles Member Posts: 779
edited February 2019 in Pain

Tomorrow I am gettign the wires planted up the spine that will send out signals to the spinal cord that will intercept the nerve damage pain from the BMX w/node removal way back on 1/11/11. The signals are like a vibration that I can turn on and off, control the intensity with a remote control. It is going to be a long day getting the leads inserted, figuring out which part of the spinal cord wires to turn on.

Then after I learn how to use it. Which seems silly to me because they are teaching my about it AFTER sedation. Brian will be there with me to help remember. Seems like it should be pretty easy to learn.

I have been in constant severe pain since 1/11/11. I wonder if it will work and what it would be like to be pain free.

I can't seem to find anyone else who had this implant for Breast Mastectomy and node removal nerve damage pain.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited June 2013

    Best wishes tomorrow, cinnamonsmiles. We hope this will be the solution for you!

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  • GmaFoley
    GmaFoley Member Posts: 7,091
    edited July 2013

    Cinnamon smiles my pain doc has discussed this option with me but i have no insurance to speak of and is quite spendy. Im interested how it will work for you.

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  • Sandyfeet
    Sandyfeet Member Posts: 1
    edited August 2013

    Hi, Cinnamonsmiles, I hope you were able to get your stimulator and that you have had a chance for it to begin working for you.  Has it helped?  My pain specialist has discussed this option with me also so I am curious to hear how it has worked for others from a first-hand view.  I hope you are getting pain relief as the nerve pain is not fun to live with.

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  • cinnamonsmiles
    cinnamonsmiles Member Posts: 779
    edited August 2013

    Hi. I am sorry I don't have better news. The negatives did not outweigh the postives for me. It actually caused more pain on the left side and not enough consistently on the right side, and not enough together. There were some other issues I found out that just didn't suit me.

    What I learned from the three day trial is that you absolutely can not have any predictions on this type of treatment based on anyone else's results.

    There are women in my pain specialists clinic who it works FABULOUSLY on. Just because it doesn't work for me, it may work wonders for someone else.

    Make sure you look at the pre-trial DVD's that the makes the neurostimulation and the one that gives information on the permanent one. Do not go straight to a permanent one. Make sure you are offered a trial. Read all the informational carefully several times so you know what limitations you will have during your trial and with a permanent one.

    One thing that did not work for me in the future, non pain related, that was once a permanent implant is placed, you are not allowed to get MRIs done. I need to get periodic brain mri's at least yearly for a non cancerouse brain condition and that weighed into my decision.

    I highly recommend that if anyone has the insurance, funds (my medicare 20% was almost $1500), time off from work, and someone to help them during the trial, to certainly try it out. If a person could have something like that works wonderful on extreme forms for of nerve damage pain, it would be a shame not to.

    This is such a highly individualized thing, that relying on my negative results, is really not worth a grain of salt. You have to try it yourself.

    I recently had a Thoractomy to remove 15% of my lung to get a plum sized mass out. So now I have started all over from the beginning with pain where it had died down, and in new places. Darn it.

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  • Bexter3
    Bexter3 Member Posts: 61
    edited February 2019

    I’m going in for the trial Wednesday. I’ve had PMPS since June 2010 and tried everything but this. The new one from Medtronic can be used during MRI but there is such a lack of success for PMPS patients I’m afraid I’m once again wasting good money to not get relief. Any tips?


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  • dtad
    dtad Member Posts: 2,323
    edited February 2019

    Hi everyone. There is something similar on the market called Quell. You do NOT need a prescription. Its around 300 dollars and there is a 60 day return policy. Unfortunately it didn't really work for my neuropathy but it is worth a try. You wear it on your leg and it is not at all invasive.

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