SCS for chronic neck or arm pain
 

I have chronic neck pain that turn into migraines. My left arm and shoulder tingle and burn. Disc replacement surgery was either to late or the damage from it rupturing, hurt my nerves. Will have had my surgery 2 years ago in September. My pain doc has recommended scs. I hate the way meds make me feel and the pain never goes away. I have permanent damage to the c7 nerve root. I've read alot here for the use of scs for the lower spine. Any HELP will be greatly appreciated. THANKS

I feel for you re. the meds .. I agree, they don't take the pain away. I think the only beneficial one has been paracetamol, and that hits nowhere near .. but as for opiates, well, I believe they only disassociate you from the pain ... be far healthier having a spliff in my opinion.

I think a SCS will certainly help you with the tingling and burning. Someone will be by shortly who has had help re. the cervical spine, am sure !

Scs
 

Hi Showdy,

I too feel for you, in my opinion the paracetamol are a bit like smarties and I hate the opiates, I hate the way they make me feel and the fact that they don't work either.

I too have a SCS, since last December. It works really well for my left side back and left leg so obviously I haven't a clue about the arm and neck. It has literally saved my life and I wouldn't think twice about putting it in.

I dunno, I guess do as much research as you can, here is a good start, talk to your doctor, ask tons of questions and hopefully you and you're family will come to some good decision.

Wishing you every luck and I hope the pain gets easier.

All the best,

Sophie :)

Welcome Showdy!!
 

The group here is fairly active and strives to share information which may help fill in with reports pertinent to your situation. I know Fionab had twin SCS implants one for lower spine/legs, and one for upper spine. I believe she has been lurking and have not seen her on here in a while. Maybe reading her name in this message will prompt her to turn in a remark or two.

In the meantime, I do know reliance on my SCS and cushion on which I sit have helped me to wean totally away from pain medications since August 2010. I am glad to have a mind freed of the medicinal fog.

May you find all you need by way of feedback and research, and if I may answer any questions for you, fire away.....
All the best,
Mark56:grouphug::grouphug:

Thank you all for your responses. It amazes me how many people have an scs implant. I didn't even know it existed until a month ago. My doc told me that I wouldn't be able to bend or turn my head for 4 to 6 weeks due to risk of the leads slipping but, when I'm miserable, my shoulders stay shrugged and my head leans forward.so hopefully the scs will work so I can relax my shoulders.I have the trial next week and I'm praying it works.

Praying alongside you
 

Hi Showdy- FOLLOW DOC'S DIRECTIONS closely. You want to make sure it scars in well. I will be praying with you that all goes well.

Be well,
Mark56:hug::hug:zzzzz

Have trial in now
 

My trial only has one lead and I can't wait till surgery, so I can have 2. Wow, this works. Mark, I've been reading your posts and I must say, you amaze me. From your story to the endless support you give to anyone that needs it. Thank you for being an inspiration to all of us. Getting back to me now. My trial is going great and I've already made my decision, well as long as sleeping goes ok. As far as that goes I can always turn it way down or off if it bothers me. I'm still hopefuls to hear from someone who has a permanent cervical
scs.

cervical scs
 

Hi Showdy, I have RSD in my left arm/hand and now it is spreading to my right. I had a cervical scs implanted 3/1 and it helps tremendously. No, it does not cure or take 100% of my pain away but it probably covers 70-80%. Three months ago I couldn't open my hand but with the scs and therapy (another long story now that workers comp is stalling on approval of continueing therapy), I can open my hand. I do have a bad tremor from the rsd which makes using it tough but I do. They added another program to my system that sometimes helps the tremor. I hope your trial goes great and things move quickly for you. Feel free to ask away or private message me.
Patty

Well said Patty
 

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with your arm and hand! I truly hope that Work Comp issue regarding your therapy is soon resolved. Work Comp did come through for most of my therapy [ I say most since the balked at a one year pass to wrap up my exercise as we are in negotiations to finish the case] and I had hundreds of sessions over the past six years.

Since part of my case was multiple carpal tunnel releases [I have no cervical SCS for the arm] hand therapy was prescribed and allowed to help regain strength especially in my right arm in which the nerve had died to a significant extent. They will probably come through with therapy post SCS implant for the arm, especially if both your doc and attorney are pushing for action.

Here;s hope and prayer that all will be well!
Mark56:grouphug:

Stressedout,
Thank you for finding my post. Did you have the same results with your permanent scs compared to the trial. My rep said he couldn't make any promises , but during surgery they have more control of the placement of the leads. Do you have the medtronic? I have to make a decision on getting rechargeable batteries and to me that's going to be the toughest decision I'll have to make. Any advice or fore warnings will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

stressedout,
i have a rechargeable medtronic. if you use high voltage. you don't want cut open replace battery.
good luck Ron h :grouphug:

Trial SCS
 

Hi Showdy,

It's great to hear you are getting some relief from your trial. Hopefully things will move quickly now so you can have a permanent one, it may not be a cure for your problem but if it helps with the pain and helps you get your life back it will all be worth it.

Take care and God bless

Sophie xxxx :):grouphug::grouphug:

I recently had a cervical implant
 

I recently had a cervical paddle lead implant, and then a revision surgery because the lead moved. I was in a cervical collar for 6 weeks, with no bending, lifting of more than 5lbs, or twisting. The first time around they were able to get excellent coverage, for a few weeks. After the lead moved they were unable to ever achieve the coverage. Now it seems to be making my pain worse so I'll be going back to my neurosurgeon and programmer this week to see if we can do something to help. For now I have to leave it off.

From my understanding, cervical implants are much rarer. You may want to ask your doctor how many he has done. When I did I found out my first doctor had NEVER done was, I was going to be the first. I found a different surgeon with much more experience. I may not be happy with the stimulation but I'm certainly happy not to have had to many additional complications that can occur.

Please feel free to PM if you have any questions. I wish you the best of luck with your trial. I felt for a few weeks the wonderful pain relief it can provide.

Eli
http://rsdburningsacrifice.blogspot.com

I couldn't find a doctor local that would even recommend having it, I found one 4hrs away a neurosurgeon that had done three with success and he is sending me to a pain management unsure about him haven't met him yet Monday will be the day for a consult , so right now just what I have read and discussed here is the only information I have , I just am unsure what to do since my I have been on my own for 6mts now I do know what to do I cant keep this up.I really think that I should have stayed on the meds due to I could have at least done some things but under the circumstances I got tossed aside like they were playing with dolls they didn't seem to care if it hurt or if something got broke.Ever since I couldn't get a pain doctor local to see me and help. I found a new neurosurgeon and all he did is set up a consult for the pain management go figure.And I give it to him he tried local first but once again they said no "wouldn't give me or him reason" so now I will drive 5hrs to see if I can get the SCS trial.

My new doc is awesome.
 

My new doc has a great reputation and he genuinely seems to care. He has done cervical leads. We've talked about the rarity of cervical scs and has answered all of my questions. First time I've felt good about a doc in a long time. Instead of saying"you need to figure out ways of dealing with it, its not going away. You have a permanent disability. " when your barely forty those words hurt almost as bad as the real pain. This doc is giving me alternatives to dealing with it. Thanks Ron for sharing with us and I think I cant pm until I have twenty posts. Believe I read that somewhere. Please keep responding everybody, I'm learning more and more everyday.
Thanks, Show d

Showdy,
During my trial I got good results but at a lower setting. I do have to turn my scs up higher now with the perm. one. I don't quite know if it's because the lead moved a bit or what. I do know it works though. I have to agjust it when I am in different positions, especially lying down. I turn it down low but I never turn it off. I don't have paddle leads.

I have a Medtronic rechargeable battery. Since I ussually have two programs running at the same time I have to charge it once a wk but when I first got it I only had 1 program and only needed to charge it every other wk or maybe even a bit longer than that.

I've been having to deal with workers comp and it's not fun at all. They actually had their IME dr's say I was faking. Why would anyone fake this monster? I have been in constant 24/7 pain for two and a half yrs now, I just want my life back. They are even giving me a hard time getting to see a psychologist to help me deal with the anxiety etc. I had a great job, now none. I feel like a burden on my family. Sorry about venting.

I'm happy with the scs but I do get stiff neck from it. I hope you have good reps to ddeal with. Mine were very nice but I had a different one for the perm one than for the trial. They don't tell me much but I did ask alot of questions at the time. Now I questions about what permanent restrictions I have?

Does anyone else get nervous during a lightning storm?!

Lightning
 

Hi Stressed, I can't say that I have felt extra risk in the presence of lightning. I figure since I am not a tree, and I am not holding a golf club, I probably have about the risk that any other person has in Lightning. Following that thought for a moment, ever since I was a child and that first silver filling went into my teeth, I reckon my mouth could have become a Lightning risk,,,,, but I just never thought of it, then or now [and now I have those gold crowns in my mouth, being older and all. Gold is darn near the best electricity conductor among metals, so I guess I won't fret about the SCS as a Lightning rod].

Nope, dealing with Worker's Comp is no picnic AT ALL. THAT is precisely WHY I hired counsel to help with my complex case for I feared what would become of my health in the future dealing with this [and my care regarding the wreck has been enormously expensive]. I did get a chance to shake the hand of the Worker's Comp company lawyer and thank the company through him for having authorized my SCS and all of the rest of the stuff through the years. HOWEVER, that is a big however, we still wait, and wait, and wait for finality. Not quite sure what is going on.

Now, as to Independent Medical Exams........ I have gotta say I was stunned by the opposite conclusions drawn by the IME doc when compared with my Huge file of treating doctors' findings. I will never trust an IME. Ever. H E QQ the IME expert who testified in my SS hearing had NEVER EVER treated a patient with my conditions and yet said his opinion was I did not qualify. No foundation for such an opinion, just that it was his opinion. I thank GOD the judge was actually listening to the supposed IME when he testified. I nearly fell off of my chair. [would have liked to reach through the telephone line and strangle him as well:mad:] but then, I digress.

Showdy, it is terrific, and I mean TERRIFIC you have found a doc who is working well for you and your case!!!:) I have had so many terrific care givers, I too feel a debt to them for helping me survive the last six years and four months give or take a bit.

Eli, I am just grieved that your paddle lead has given you fits after working for you at first. I have been blessed with my paddles and glad for them having read how migratory wire leads have tended to be for others. I pray that your doc is able to render true help in addressing your issue.

Praying for all,
Mark56:grouphug: