Hello All--

I'm new to the site (as a "member" anyway...have been a regular visitor), and I was wondering if anyone here has any experience (either personally or via family or friends) with SCS for Chronic Pancreatitis (CP)??

I have suffered from CP for nearly 14 years now. Initially upon diagnosis, I opted to "suck up the pain" and not accept any aggressive treatment (other than pancreatic enzymes) secondary to my career (Paramedic). I obviously couldn't be taking narcotics and be responsible for people's lives.

However...as anyone with CP can attest, "it only gets worse with time". So, in October of 2011 I had the ABSOLUTE NEED to start pain meds. Initially, they were a blessing (in that they helped my pain tremendously--bringing my pain score from a 7 or 8, downtown a 2 or 3). Unfortunately however, pain meds come with a TON of unwanted side effects.

About a 2 years ago, I was referred to a big city University Hospital, and started receiving "Celiac-Plexus Blocks" (essentially, this is a procedure where a highly trained GI Surgeon performs an injection into the celiac-plexus--which is the nerve center for many GI organs; it is done via endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasound). Initially, my response to these blocks were INCREDIBLE--complete pain relief!! Unfortunately, for me the blocks only lasted 6-8 weeks at a time (each individual patient can have a different response as far as how much pain the block(s) relieve, and how long they last). Now, VERY luckily for me, my GI Surgeon agreed to do these blocks as often as I would need them; BUT, as often times can happen...after a period of time the blocks can become less effective (ie., they may not work as long or as well). I had a period of time where the blocks no longer relived ALL of my pain (as they had initially), and then my most recent block did not work at all.

So...now my doctors have asked me to look into a SCS for my Chronic Pancreatitis. After doing a TON of research tonight online (via many medical professional websites / journals, ect that I have access to, secondary to my medical training) I see that there have been SOME patients whom have received a SCS for CP, however honestly there is NOT a lot of information out there.

Here is where YOU (my new friends here at NeuroTalk) come into play...is there ANYBODY out there who has had a SCS implants for CP? And if so...how was/is your success/response been??

Thanks for listening...and I hope to hear from some of my new NeuroTalk friends soon!


God bless,
--PancreatitisBUBBA