Popping in to say hi and give an update.
 

I'm trying to decide what the deal is with this implant. Its driving me bonkers! I've lost about 8 lbs in the last month and I swear it feels like my implant is moving. No doubt I had a big chunk of fat holding that sucker in place and now its "flapping in the skin" so to speak. I can feel all of the lumps and bumps of my implant (I couldn't do that before) most likely because my surgical swelling is finally gone and because I've lost weight. I can feel my leads, both externally and internally. I have this constant ache that runs from the insertion point of the leads over to the implant and the area around the implant hurts like mad. I'm thinking the pain around the implant is due to loss of the "fatty" cushion that was there and its pushing against my muscle when I'm sitting. I shutter to think what it will feel like by the time I lose 20 lbs.

I finally decided to attempt to work again. I was hired as a youth counselor in a foster care facility. I love the job..but :( I am in desperate pain by the time I get home and the following day I can hardly move. Considering the fact that I only work 4-5 hours at a time and not every day, I'm thinking THIS SUCKS. My lymphedema leg was so darn swollen yesterday that I basically hung out in my recliner all day.

Partial light at the end of the tunnel though is that I'm going in on the 14th for my RFAs (obturator nerve and lateral femoral cutaneous nerve). That should hopefully take care of some of the leg pain ( although I wish they could just block my entire left leg and who gives a poo if it would screw with my ability to walk). My SCS is hit or miss on the leg pain. Some days it helps a little but most days it doesn't even touch it.

On a positive note, the scs is (for the most part) covering the sacro-illiac pain but the implant pain almost nullifies that because I'm back to popping pain pills to cover that pain (oh joy, I have to take the norco because my dilaudid interacts with the phentermine that I'm taking. I say oh joy because the norco makes me hyper! I was so wired 2 weeks ago that I was up for 37 hours straight!!). I'm going to ask if I can stick a Lidoderm patch over my implant to help control that pain. No clue if it would do anything to the implant, I can't imagine that it would however, better safe than sorry, I'm going to check first!

On a happier note, my ponies are doing well and are happy to be out 24/7 again. My ducklings are 7 weeks old now and getting to be so big! They almost have their adult feathers in. Their father, however, is so not a happy camper! He and my other male cannot stand the ducklings!! It looks like I'll have to find new homes for DoodleBug and Dorothy (the ducklings). Their mother, bless her heart, is brooding again! She made a nest the day after I took the babies from her and if the eggs are going to hatch, it should be any day now! All of my other critters (dogs, parakeets, and fish) are doing quite well. I don't know how I'd survive if I didn't have my animals in my life, they keep me sane and keep me trucking when what I'd really like to do some days is just give up and stay in bed.

Hopefully I'll post a happier note after my RFAs :)

Praying for YOU
 

Hi Hicktomboy!

I am so sorry to learn you are having such a struggle with the leads and your unit!! That is surely SO distressing to you, especially since you expected to find release from pain through the implant. Hopefully with time passing and more healing you will find a better sense of peace with the SCS and its benefits for your body. You have my prayers that all will be well.:smileypray:
Vannafeelbetter has a recent thread going on "Can you feel your leads?" You might want to check in there and compare notes.

You definitely need a :grouphug: I am glad you are trying to work and that your animals keep you going!:Heart::Heart:

Praying that improvement comes your way, and soon! :smileypray:
Mark56:)

Hi "Hick" ~ Are you trying to lose weight? I just wondered cause I had trouble with the SCS too, and I ended up having to have it removed and believe me, it's no fun coming OUT. lol. The "generator" was 'moving around' and actually tried to work itself out of me, and I had to wear an ace bandage to hold it in. Turns out I didn't have enough fat content in me, so I couldn't hold the thing in. ick. I had it in for 6 months, and during that time, scar tissue forms around it and also the leads, and that's what makes it so painful when they remove it. I still have a very sensitive spot in my upper back where the leads were, and that was 9 years ago! :eek:

I sure hope this works out for you, and your pain is relieved. It didn't do me any good at all. God bless and best of luck. Peace,, Lee

yes on patches!
 

you can stick a lidoderm patch around the incision just not on top of it. So cut the patch into a couple pieces and you can put it around, just not on top of the incision. i did this when I had mine put in!

Annah

RFA's
 

Hicktomboy: so sorry to hear about your troubles, hopefully with a bit more healing or a bit of adjusting and things will be improving, we will all be thinking of you! I'm sure I should know this, but what are rfa's? what is your leg pain coming from, so sorry to ask questions you've probably told earlier, new to group so I don't know everyone's history. Let us know how your feeling. msdilbert2

I've been putting the lidoderm patches over the implant..thats the only thing that is helping the pain from the transmitter. I'm hoping that my pain dr can do something next week when I go in for my RFAs. I'm going to ask him if the weight loss could be causing problems with the transmitter being closer to my skin. Oh joy..we'll see what he says.