My Pain Specialist wants me to try another trial since all he has left are the pain meds to offer. I found the trial quite uncomfortable and the thought of having the battery, leads, etc. implanted turns me off anymore.
My doctor does not feel the rods & screws were the problem. I have been in touch with another person with PN that said he was told the same thing; but when he went in for the actural implant, the surgeon told him he felt the rods & screws would interfer with the stimulation going down to the feet. You can't help but wonder about the doctor doing the trial's share in the SCS. My Pain Specialist (who did the trial; but would not be doing the permanent implant), along with the rep tried in the operating room for quite some time to get the trial to go to areas it should have. Eventually, I think I just wanted it over and thought maybe they had gotten close. The rep tried reprograming for over an hour after I got dressed before going home. The rep was very friendly and said to call over the weekend if I needed any help. I did call. He set up an appointment at my doctors office the following Monday and worked with reprograming for quite some time. He left the room and then my doctor showed up telling me they were going to remove the trial since it had not been working. This nice friendly rep never came in to even say "goodbye". He had lost a sale. Also, a friend of my son's father had an implant and the lead broke about a month later. I spoke with him by phone, he said the second time was the most painful because the scar tissue had alredy started around the leads and needed to be removed. Eventually, he even had the second permenant removed. I have not seen Implants being recommended very often for PN patients. I also have heard of a few good results. Also have heard some months later the SCS is not working the way it had been. (scar tissue?). This is something to be give a lot of thought and research before having it done. Check what type of problem did the person have before the implant. I believe there are some instances that are good; not so sure for PN'