Yes, Beth you will adjust your own stimulator yourself, I will refer to what you will need help with as not adjustments but "programs" you need someone to set your different "programs" as you heal from surgery you will need your stimulator to do different things as your lead wires move around you will need different "programs", so your "programmer" continues to work with your leads to make sure they are giving you the pain relief you want, because you are doing the trial, you will work with a "programmer" (aka) rep who will set your programs to make sure you are getting relief in the right areas so they know whether or not you want the implant, so you will get familiar with all that, I meet with "programmer" rep locally at my neuro office as my pain doctor was a little further away from home, right now I have 13 different programs that "I" can adjust myself, however we are meeting again on Wed as I will probably need a little more "programing" as another week has passed, more healing and more scarring, so pick a doctors office that is close to home! if your pain doctor is close, I would have peferred that option mine was over an 1 hr drive away- so how does it feel--------
keep in mind mine is in my lower jaw, it feels like "heaven" when it brings my pain down to a 1 or 2!!! in the beginnning you do feel the vibration of the stimulator, and you feel it a little in your whole body but really quickly your body adjusts to it, by the time you go back for final you really dont notice anything except that your pain is gone, or at least a ton better than it was. Each "programmer" aka rep I have met with and I have met with 2 different programmers have told me we will probably be meeting for next 3 or 4 months to continue to work with programs ( that I have the ability to adjust) and the probaby meet every 6 months or less after that for next few years, so again if you can this week try and line out your person locally that will work with you, my surgeon said he would be willing to let someone else take out stitches to save me the trip back to Chicago but preferred to see me himself (kinda an ego thing I think they want to admire their work) LOL so I did make the trip back to get stitches out, that is also when you will get re-programmed for your stim. I am so glad you will stick around, I know speaking with my surgeon and other reps that it is a little trickier around the eye but also because it is sensitive you will know right away with stimulator if it works or not! I am 51 and this was my first ever surgery besides the birth of my daughter 21 years ago, so I think I was a big baby about it, not alot of people have had this done so I felt anxious for answers mostly, and was so grateful when I found this forum and everyone who contributes and prays and cares. So keep asking anything you want, or anything I wasnt clear on, you want to go into the surgery prepared mentally, positive thoughts, and calm thoughts will get you through- God Bless and let me know what I can do!