Hi, I am new to this thread and am exploring the option of a scs. Here is my story; I am 38 and about 18 months ago I was in an auto accident and suffered a L-1 burst fracture with retropulsion (bone fragment schrapnel) into my spinal cord. I had emergency surgery ater the accident which resulted in a spinal fusion from T-11 through L-5 including 2 12 inch rods, 24 screws and a 4 inch cross stabelizing bar at T-12.

Since the accident I have unyealding leg pain in both legs however worse on the right with associated neuro deficits and severe back pain from both the initial injury and the extensive hardware. I have tried just about every medication combination that you can think of from duragesic patches to oral meds, etc and after all kinds of complications I discontinued ALL medication in March of 2010 and since that time I just "live" with it. On a scale of 1 - 10 I can not remember a day since my accident that is less than a 7 from both leg and back pain and I am discouraged, depressed and dispondet about the pain.

At the time of my accident I had 15 month old twin boys and worked full time in the Emergency room and now I am unable to walk more than 50 to 100 feet every 3-4 hours and can not sit for more than 20 to 30 minutes at a time before I have to lie down. My sleep pattern is awful and I get fractured segments of sleep for 20 to 30 minutes at a time before pain causes me to wake and switch positions. I had been told a year ago that due to the free floating bone fragments in and around my spinal cord and the extensive hardware I was not a candidate for a SCS. I recently had additional tests and met a new pain doctor that feels I could be a candidate because the damage in my back is as "healed" as it is going to get.
I am afraid to get excited but amexcited to learn that there may be a light at the end of the tunnel, even if it is the light from a single match! at this point I will take it! I am curious about your experience; what was your stim surgery recovery like, what brand do you have, why have some people had more than one, have you tried a pain pump? if yes which worked better for you, is there anyone out there with similar injuries that has a stim? THANK YOU ALL!!!!!!