Hello Jessica and welcome. I am very very sorry to hear what you have been going through. I do not have a SCS but I am glad that James popped in with his experience. They scare me to no end. All I can say is that if you are scared and not comfortable with the idea of another surgery...don't do it. Definitely look into all of your options and then choose whatever you feel most comfortable with in the long run. I have been using tDCS for a month now and for me it is the best option because I am very comfortable with it (non-invasive, no side effects, can do it myself at home, very cheap, etc). If you are scared about the risks of another SCS surgery then perhaps tDCS would be an option to try BEFORE any sort of invasive surgery.

Hopefully other members with more experience specific to your situation will pop in so that they can help you to make an informed decision. I find that, unfortunately, most doctors do not act as a good resource for helping you make an informed decision about a thing like this. For me...I don't think a SCS would ever be something that I would choose myself given what I know now and knowing that I had spread after something as basic as a lumbar sympathetic block...wouldn't even want to think about what could happen after surgery...yikes. But that's just how I feel about it and I strongly believe that everyone needs to make the decisions that they feel in the end are best for them. But I strongly believe also that you should NOT go ahead with the surgery until/unless you are completely comfortable with the decision you are making and the possible risks that you are taking by undergoing the surgery. Too many of us make decisions when we are so desperate that we will do anything and then regret it later.

Take care and I hope that you get some relief soon. Good luck.