VERY sobering! Not to mention flat-out 'Frightening!'
It's good to know all the facts however. Dr Hooshmand is very VERY knowledgable, I doubt anybody would argue that!

Something to keep in mind however, the info he provides in his puzzles is over 10 yrs old......lots of new udated info is out there. And there ARE lots of 'success' stories with both SCS and Pain Pump.....WHERE are they? THAT's what I want to know! For some reason, they seem to 'disappear' into 'life' and don't hang around pain forums anymore and this is very frustrating to me....! They are out there though.

I appreciate this info.....actually it should be posted over on the SCS/PP forum as well....

And, I find much frustration in alot of these 'pain doctors' who won't really explain the different between SMP and SIP.....patients simply aren't getting the facts.....they're just getting these units 'pushed' at them because (for the doctor) it seems the easy way out....not to mention the nice "bonus check" they receive....
I'm very 'neutral' on this issue, so I try not to 'push' it in either direction of being extreme.....it's ultimately a decision the patient has to make based on their individual assessment and (hopefully) with a doctor who is truly looking out for their best interest.
I'm doing everything I can to find the patients who have had longterm success with these units to come here and SHARE their experience .....I've happened across 4 or 5 of them right here on NT! The GOOD side needs to be heard as well! The BAD stories are the ones that get ingrained on the forums....but there ARE lots of folks who claim these units have given their lives back.....
I just wish both sides could get a fair shake.......

I love you all

Rae