Quote:
Originally Posted by jackiekennedy
Hi Sarah Mae,
Its so good to read your posts and welcome! 
I have just recently joined this forum and I cannot tell you how wonderful and welcoming all the posters are on here.
I have recently had an SCS implanted (17 days ago)...which Im still getting used to. I cant believe how young you are and suffering so much in your short life. I pray that you will get the relief that you deserve.
I will say that when I first went to see my Dr in the Pain Management Clinic which is now over 2 years ago, he mentioned the SCS to me on the first day, but only to tell me that it was something that we would look at a long way down the road that there were plenty of other options too.
I too went down the road of various meds which were prescribed by my Consultant each time I had surgery all of which my Pain Management Dr thought were driving me insane. Granted they werent helping me too much. I was taking Lyrica and Neurontin and I was totally confused, down, loss of memory feeling worse than what my pain was making me feel.
After numerous meetings with my Dr and trying out different options, (Rhizotomies, Lidocaine and Ketamine infusions, Spinal block injections, nerve block injections, Lidoderm patches(which I never thought were doing me any good, felt it was all in my head) but I kept using them , just in case they did click in one day. Finally in April this year I went for a trial for the SCS.......but you have to have a psychological test done, which I had in Novemeber 2009. This is basically a meeting to see how your feeling about yourself, life, your pain, your goals, your ambitions......not intimidating whatsover. This is a must and its your insurance company which will require this in making a decision.
I didnt find the trial too bad at all. Yes there are some needles involved, these are for 'local' My procedure took about 30 minutes. I had a wire sticking out my spine which was attached to my programmer. Sarah Mae let me say that this is the procedure that I had in Dublin Ireland, Im not so sure if its exactly the same procedure for you in America.
However, you sound like a person who is so well informed that you will thoroughly research all the procedures and wont be 'talked' into something you wont want to do.
I have to go for now but will be back later on and hopefully my little bit might have helped you somewhat.
Going to the hospital this morning to have my wounds reviewed and HOPEFULLY i will be able to have a shower from now on!!
Take care and talk later
Jackie  |
Jackie,
Wow. I hadn't realized how many people had commented on this post until I sat down and tried to respond to each of them!
Nevertheless, I am grateful.
I'm glad you finally got your SCS. My doctor stated that he preferred to try the more aggressive forms of treatment first instead of trying countless things that won't work--like medicine has proven to not work for me. I know it will still take a while--there's hoops to jump through. Insurance, trials, scheduling, etc--plus I can't even start that process until this bone scan is underway--and that hasn't been pre-approved yet.
However, I have read so many wonderful stories of how many people have been helped through SCS, so I am getting more and more excited about this. I really hope the trial goes well and that it gives me some relief, because this could be the answer I've searched for... for what seems like forever!
I've read a few times that people had a long period of time after the surgery that they couldn't shower. That worries me a bit, because I feel so gross if I don't shower at least every other day. I used to shower every single day--but now it is much harder, so I shower almost always every other day, but sometimes if the pain is bad, it is every 3 days. How long did each of you (whoever is reading this) have to wait to shower after having your SCS implanted? I will request no visitors until I can get up and shower! haha.. gross! I had to wait 3-4 days to shower after my gastric bypass surgery, and even that was torture for me.
I look forward to getting to know you more as I walk along this journey!
Sarah
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♥ "Hope is more than a word; it's a state of being. It's a firm belief God will come through. Life brings rain... hope turns every drop into the power to bloom like never before." -Holley Gerth ♥
My name is Sarah and I am 25 years old. I have a lot of chronic health problems. Peripheral neuropathy and POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) keep me bedridden the majority of the time. I also struggle with degenerative disc disease, disc desiccation, spondylolisthesis, arthritis, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) with insulin resistance, allergies, sound sensitivities, and other health problems.