An opinion on the SCS...

I would not do it again.

I have had two from ANS (the Genesis and the Eon).

The trial was much better than the implants.

As far as the Reps that I had you may as well say that their heads were up their asses and maybe that is where some of the problem was. One would try to program me while she would eat her granola bar or breakfast. The records of the settings were not kept in my file at me Doctors’ office and then when the main one was on vacation and another was in to re-program it and could not program it (when a lead moved) was told no records were in my file. I asked the one who had been programming it and she told me they were “probably in her car”. I had always had it programmed at the doctor’ office that implanted it so it’s like what are they doing in your car and why are they leaving the office? Bottom line no records. I did not like the thumping sensation that the SCS - but I could not get this across to the rep - I think everytime she liked to make it thump harder and harder. Supposedly that is why they put in the rechargeable SCS to turn up the voltage so they could make it so it would not thump - and the Doctor keep saying he wanted the voltage turned up but she would not do it.

Then I was dumb enough to let them put in the rechargeable one because it was “top of the line - so much better” - right after it would come on by itself and it never really work that is all that I would say - and the bottom line is they told me that I was not smart enough to have a SCS.

I spoke to ANS directly and tried to work out the problem but to no avail.

Once it is in there is yours and they really don’t care - every one has their money and lots of it!

Now it's on to the pump...

All I can do is tell you the story of my SCS and hope you can glean some valuable info from it.

One of the most disappointing experiences of my life was the failure of my SCS. I was so hopeful. The trial was great. It knocked down my pain about 40-50 percent. I went ahead with the implantation of the permanent unit. As soon as we turned it on I knew immediately there was a big problem. The coverage went only halfway down my arm. It didn't even reach the elbow where my nerve damge is.

I went on the surgery table three different times while my doctor tried to adjust and placed the leads correctly. He said the leads "kept rolling on him." He finally gave up. I was pretty well done with the SCS until he recommended having paddle electrode emplaced by a neurosurgeon. I went ahead and agreed. The surgery was horrible, the worst of my life. He did a laminectomy and put in two paddle electrodes. They worked OK, not great, for about three - four months, then relief got less and less. Medtonics tried many times to configure the unit so that the coverage would be better, to no avail.

The unit was removed when they implanted my pump. My pump is still working well. I have been doing well lately and only taking 1-3 dilaudid breakthough tabs per day.

love and hope,
Coleen