Gosh Leggies thank you for the kind words and prayers. It is a blessing for me to have gotten to a place that I can offer encouragement. A year ago I could not have done so.

Sticky threads are threads that stay at the top of the individual forums so they don't get lost. They will say "sticky" and you can respond to them just like any other thread. The SCS sub forum sticky is under the "Medications and Treatments" page on the main neuro talk index.

I have not tried Calmare though I am open to it. The nearest provider is 3 hours from me. The two week commitment is tricky. I am not a 100% sure with my complicated nerve injury and its delicate repair if stimulation would be good or not. I went with the ketamine to start since I could get it at home and it has no unknown impact on my repair.

We had a recent poster who went to RI in June for Calmare. I heard from her the first week and she was getting results. I did not hear from her after that and she has not been back on. I hope she is out enjoying the world. She did a lot of research before going to RI. Another provider was in a nearby state and the testimonial videos seemed IMHO to be a little suspicious due to the hallelujah factor. I had a hard time believing someone could Be in a wheelchair four years and just walk normally with no gait difficulty at all. My first round of five months on crutches left my gait in need of concentrated work even though I was super active and fairly athletic.

This doesn't mean I don't think it would work. The Mayo study was positive. It definitely provides results for some. I would like to see more studies. I do believe individual response is highly variable to any treatment and we must honor what works for us without causing harm. I try to keep an open mind but also a degree of suspicion. Some of the new technologies, laser, shock wave, Calmare, etc. have practitioners making crazy sounding claims. One Calmare site said the system uses and "artificial neuron" to send the signal. I think they meant the sticky pad! LOL.

I think ultimately it is worth trying if someone has the resources. It seems to be minimal risk. If the procedure caused any pain I would stop the course. It is certainly worthwhile exploring and getting information. You can always get a consult with a provider and maybe try a couple sessions. If I had not kept systematically trying new things over the last two years I would not be as improved as I am today.

I hope you have a good week Leggies. Thanks for jumping in on the recent College thread and giving such sound advice for balance and self care. Those are good reminders for all of us.

Sending hugs and healing vibes,