Andrea, I am glad you got such a good grade on your paper but some of your information is wrong. The Spinal Cord Stimulator does not require yearly maintence. If you choose a non-recharable battery version about every 5 years you need the battery replaced. If you chooce the rechargable battery version as I did you can go nine years or longer before replacing the battery. The battery itself is also not the size of a television remote control it is a little larger than a silver dollar. That is all. It is very small. The external remote control is maller than most television remote controls. My insurance also did not hesitate to pay for my surgery all though they did require a psycological evaluation. They do this with almost all surgeries requring foreign object implantations. To make sure you will not freak out. I was also really hurt and offended by the portion of your paper that discisses the use of narcotics. That RSD people consider them in your words favorable because we get a high. Guess what I don't get a high! The reason I dont is because I am in so much pain & the fact that I only take my prescribed dosages. That my body uses all the medication. There is nothing for me to get "high" on. I am also not addicted to them. My body may be dependent on them to some degree but I am not looking for my next fix. You make us sound like a bunch of addictics. Attitudes like that is why more RSD people can't get the help they need.
Denny
PS not every doctor makes you sign a drug contract. I have never had a doctor who required that of their patients.