Sister Warrior ,,you know me too well to have to apologize for getting too personal!!! you made me laugh with that one!
I had my PNS put in in January and have not had a better 7 months in the last decade. Yes,,now there is a problem,,don't know yet I see my Doc an the worlds greatest programmer tomorrow so we shall see what we shall see.
First,, am I pro using PNS units if you qualify,,,Hell yes., For too many people the minor issues far outweigh the problems.
Second, my Doc is at the forefront of trying to get FDA approval on these for TN patients.

To Trainwreck,,a couple of things,, first don't know what the military is looking at but being a military dependent in one form or another for 30 plus years doesn't mean they are making the wisest choice perhaps just the money choice,,,,because every study done shows that the highest rate of positive outcome in using PNS units is among TN patients.
Now that being said it is also at clinics that have great Docs and in house programmers who have been doing this as long as he has so you are no guinea pig with these folks,,,they've seen it all before you and because of the nature of the hospital ,, they talk among other Docs without concern of whose more inmporant ,,,only with the concern of the patient.

If you haven't been GO to the Cleveland Clinic,,no4 hosp in country and no 1 for heart problems......Now let's be clear I had been going to the no 7 hosp in country for all my treatment,,,clearly not a backwater jerk hospital....But I will say the difference is astounding...I don't care what you've heard about MAYO or any other facility,,,I went to MAYO with my mother and the focus is just different.

Everything Cleveland does is really for the comfort and better health of the patient,,,,I have had more surgeries than I can count on 3 hands,,,I am familiar with hospitals,,,Cleveland is different....Done.

I have COMPLETE faith in my doc and his staff,,he does just PNS units and in how many different places he can get good results,,,he does dozens of TN patients a WEEK,,,this is the go to guy.,
He is caring has a personality and is still a Neurosurgeon,,,,go figure!

Trainwreck,,,aI am so sorry that you have been through so much,,it sounds like you have some other issues besides TN and I hope you find relief,,,,,but depending on your circumstances you may be able to get Champus/Tricare to pick up the tab for a second opinion at Cleveland,,,Look into it, I just had a friend who got them to do it, by law they have to do a second opinion and because only so many places even work with what you have if you get a patient advocate that is willing to fight for you,, you might get them to do it,,,even if it's just to check out what they are doing now and if it's the best thing,,,,at least look into it.
Also,,I can see that the military would no longer either do these or pick up the tab for them. Look doing these is still not FDA approved so it makes sense and I'm sorry but no matter how good the Doc is if the programmer isn't BETTER it's not going to work.

It really is the support staff that makes or breaks the efficacy of this unit especially for TN patients. If they do not know how to make that unit dance across the floor,,their not good enough for TN patients.....
In my humble (stop laughing Tina) opinion if any hospital relies on the Rep from the company to program you,,,,you're screwed. They need to have full time on staff programmers that have been taught (and they will do it in Cleveland and they don't charge to train people!!) by the right people and then your numbers on success rates are going to go into an area that makes it worth keeping,,,,,

I've done my homework on this,,I read all the medical journals from all the big hospitals,,,,did you know until recently Stanford did the Motor Cortex but not the PNS,, why?? they didn't think their surgeons would be doing such a minor procedure,,,,,,
Ask that to the patient whose Doc put the lead in the wrong place and should have used 3 instead of 2,,,,,yeah it's beneath them,,,,,

My point is do your homework,,and look I get it a trip to Cleveland except for some great restaurants (which it hurts too much to eat at) is usually not in the budget,,,,but look into it at anyway possible....

The clinic is Neuro Restoration which makes me feel good to begin with,,and the pain mgmt guy I saw first who referred me over was in the OR when they did the final implant,,,,they want each other to know at this hospital,,,,it's kind of the attitude that knowledge is free so lets share it for the benefit of our patients,,,,,

Now,,,am I bolstering myself up,,sure,,ai just had the best 7months in a decade and now it's being taken away from me and I'm scared ********,,,, and I want that back,,I want to eat salad with no pain,,I want to smile with no pain and I want to say my name with no pain,,,,but you know what,,I have faith,,,,faith in my God, faith in the prayers being sent my way (warrior sisters) and I have faith in my medical team,,,that they are going to do EVERYTHING THEY CAN to fix this and get me home so eating salads and smiling will be my real life again,,,,,

If you can ,,go,, they are that good,,,private message me I will give out the MD's name if you are serious about going.....
let's put it this way,,I'm on medicare and I had approval for an experimental procedure in TWO WEEKS,,,,because it had his name on it and it said Cleveland Clinic,,,,that tells you their success rate with TN patients,,,,

If you can throw some prayers my way today,,,my nerves are going to need them,,,,Love to you all