Hi there!

I'm so sorry to hear about the trouble you're experiencing with your scs! I'm wondering though, what your outcome was after meeting with your rep. The reason I ask is that I am getting scheduled for my trial stim any day now, and then (if successful, obviously), I too will be getting a Medtronic unit- the same as yours, I believe. However, your experience has me concerned that maybe Medtronic hasn't perfected their newest unit yet (the activeStim).... Also, I'm wondering (and will probably post a new thread/survey on the topic) where your battery "pocket" is located and if that placement is working well for you. I have read about issues w/the most common placement (high buttocks region) causing pain, but have read the same with some people with abdominal placement. So I'm trying hard to decide where I'm likely to have the best success w/the 'pocket' should I have the perm SCS implanted.

Thank you for your help, and best of luck to you!

Colleen

p.s. Sorry if I've rambled... it's a bad habit

Colleen,
I see you've found your way down below where all the active posting is and you've started a thread there. Good! You're sure to get great feedback, as we are a very caring and friendly group.
Please keep us updated on your thread as you go through with your trial!

It's great to have you!

Rae

A big, Texas, "HOWDY" to ya, Colleen!
You didn't ramble one bit, I can assure you - if you were to read through my various entries out on this wonderful forum you'd see real quick I'm a really BIG RAMBLER!

Lessee if I can answer your questions.
The problem with my wiz-bang stimulator is - they decided to put defective parts into my body. Yep! You heard right. Insurance initially got hit with $80,000 for hardware alone (they "negotiated" it down to a measly $59,000) but in the end the rep finally found that BOTH Probes (my doc likes probes, not paddles) had one defective lead on each. The probes have 8 total leads on each one so out of a total of 16 leads in my body (she put in 2 probes) TWO are defective. How has it affected my outcome? Very negligible due to the Rep being able to 'program around' the 2 defective leads.

In the end, Colleen, I am VERY happy with this technology. I can't tell you how NICE it is to set-it-and-forget-it (almost, I still have to make adjustments here and there depending on my pain level) but I spend HOURS each day AND all night w/o having to mess with the settings....all because of AdaptiveStim. I lay down and INSTANTLY it turns down...stand up and 20-seconds later it jumps up to my standing comfortable setting. Same with the rest of the settings (mobile, upright, laying on back, left side and right side). It's just, plain C O O L ! !

Having said that, if you go with this, I recommend you go ahead and ask the Rep to program a secondary channel (the B channel) with identical settings that are NOT adaptive. There are times when the Adaptive kicks in and THINKS I'm laying down when I"m actually in my recliner relaxing - I don't want it going to the Laying Back setting. This has worked out WONDERFULLY.

Battery placement is ZERO issue. I was shocked at how little this thing bothered me, right out of implant surgery. I expected to be writhing in pain...I am not, nor have I been. She placed this pack in te PERFECT location where I do NOT hit it. Sure, before it healed, if I leaned up against it, or layed directly on it, it'd let me know with a JAB of pain but it was N O T H I N G compared to what I expected. I took one week and 1.5 days off work and was right back in the saddle - I expected to have to take at last 2 weeks off then come back barely able to do much - no way. The battery pack/PGen (Pulse Generator - my abbreviation!) is much smaller than older models....another "plus" about this newer technology.

Anyway, high buttocks, off-centered more towards your side than your back, is perfect placement for me.

I hope this answers your questions. I actually started a thread on the AdaptiveStim - feel free to check it out.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread175404.html

God bless!

hello everyone...delighted to find so many opinions on this subject. I had my scs implanted in March of 2012,,,yes it works for me although the pain from the surgery side effects is worse that the pain that I had it implanted to releive. I am on twice the pain meds. I had to return to work 10 days post op and work for another 5 months until I was able to leave that job...I think I may have torn stiches..the pain was unbearable between my shoulder blades. I have not worked now in 4 weeks so I am getting stronger with less pain. I would so like to talk to others who have had the unit taken out...I do feel like mybody is rejecting it....
As with others I have seen on this site...my doctors have truly been little help and I am seeking a new one.
I would NOT reccommend a scs based on my experience.
Great to be here
Johanna

Welcome!

So glad you found us! I'm so sorry that your experience has been rocky and frustrating. It really irks me when I hear of these Drs who don't follow through with their patients after the implant has been done.

Many folks have had revisions and extractions, so please come on down to the active posting section below and start a thread. You will get great feedback from lots of caring folks.

It'll be great getting to know you!
If you have any questions on finding your way around or how to start a seperate thread, just holler ok!

Caring,
Rae

new here I have had 2 back sugerys, now in july of2010 I had a SCS put in, It worked good 4 a while ,I had to retire in jan 2011 because my job required me to do heavy lifting & work as a deisel mechanic, now the SCS is not doing so hott, am taking norco ,cymbalta, zanaflex neoutonrin. all 3 time a day & the pain just keeps getting worse ,went to PM last thursday he gave me lidomern patches I can,t tell yet if they help of not, Dr. says my arthartis will just keep getting worse the older I get. My L5 disk is gone bone to bone all my lower back is bad Degertive disk deasese. has anyone else had the SCS not doing as good as it did? just wondering if your body will get used to it.

Welcome to the forum!
Thank you for sharing your experience! Although I'm sorry to hear that you aren't getting as much pain management as you were 2 years ago.
Boy, I can SURE relate to those 'other' pains that come upon us uninvited as we get older! It sucks!

I've had my unit for a couple of years also. To be honest, I'm not sure if it's not doing as well as it did at first, or if my other conditions are starting to take the front seat. For the relief I get in my lower back and legs (Neuropathy, RSD), I sure wouldn't want to be without it, but it's kinda difficult to enjoy like I did at first with these blasted back spasms hammering at my sanity. I too still take quite a few meds, but at least I don't feel the horrible burning pain like I did pre-scs.

It's great to have you with us!
May I invite you to come join the active posting down below? Right now we are in the upper section of the SCS forum, where it's mostly introductions and information.
You'll be amazed at how many folks just like us live with these buzzing little units! Lots of great support!

Rae

I am new to the forum. I stumbled across this community researching lead migration on my Medtronics unit. My unit is supposed to be used to relieve intercostal nerve pain damage. I had a thankfully non-cancerous tumor on my rib cage removed and when the surgeon removed the tumor he severed a bundle of intercostal nerves (nerves that wrap around your rib cage and chest wall). The pain from this is similar to a constant runners cramp (if said runner were being stabbed in the side of their lung with a really long, sharp dagger) that doesn't go away ever. This makes breathing very difficult and laboring. Without pain control I have to breath in short gasps so I sound like a perverted breather on a crank call.

I had my SCS implanted in Oct of 2012 and after the horrendous recovery process I felt strong enough to tackle the long, painful and arduous process of discontinuing my narcotic pain meds. I went through withdrawal for about 3 weeks and I honestly would have preferred being shot in the head rather than go through that again. After 5 months of a rather pain free existence I found myself suffering from gastrointestinal issues - bloating, diarrhea and vomitting - as well as migraine headaches (of which I have never experienced before), side and back pains, all over body itching, cramping and a feeling as if I am having my insides bbq'd. I went to my neuro/pain doc today who had x-rays taken only to show that one of my leads has 'slipped' and dropped. The Dr. said that this is what is causing the burning/stinging electrical pain and itching. The gastro pain is due to the remaining lead's vibration being so close to my stomach and intestine area. The prognosis is to go through surgery again and have the leads removed and repositioned. I am not happy about this but I was wondering if this has happened to anybody else. Please advise.

WELCOME to the forum!
You've certainly come to the right place . You'll get alot of great feedback and support here.....and we'll probably learn from YOU as well

Thanks for your introduction and the description of what you've been thru and are still going thru. You've been through your share of tests and trials, that's for sure.
Regarding the lead slipping, oh yes, been there also. In my case, they actually just pulled the bad lead out and I'm doing just fine with only one lead. Does wonders for covering over the horrible burning neuropathy/RSD in my legs and lower back.

You'll get much more feedback if you start a new thread of your own. That way people will see you easier, rather than being tagged at the end of this thread up here in the top section of the SCS forum. Just exit out of this dialogue and you'll see a 'New Thread' button on the left side of the screen. Tag that, title your thread and copy this post that you just made and hit 'submit'. Then you'll see your thread down below with all the others.
This is such a great forum and I'm glad you found us!

Sometimes new folks have a hard time finding their posts. If this is the case with you, this SCS forum is listed under the "Medication & Treatments" forum in the main menu. You'll see it listed as a 'sub-forum'.

Many MANY have had lead migration issues, so you'll soon realize you are certainly not alone in this!
It'll be great getting to know you!
Just holler if you have any questions or need help in finding your way around.

Rae

It's too soon to tell if it worked.