Now that is a great story!!!!
I am so happy for your relief from pain.
Don't forget to go easy...let yourself heal so everything stays in place.

all my best
Johanna*

Thank you for sharing your story!
I'm so happy for you that you are getting such good pain relief! Usually there are a few tweak sessions necessary to get it all right.

I sure know what you mean about those stairs! Going UP is total agony!

Again, thanks for sharing.
It's great to have you with us!

Rae

I have an SCS for Chronic Back Pain. I also have nerve damage in both legs as a result of bulging discs. I had a rhizomoty and my NS wants me to get more of these to try and get rid of some of the pain. I recall that it is painful, so I really don't want to go through any more of these. She wants to do fusion surgery after the rhizotomies. I am so unwilling to go through all of that. I will do my best to deal with the chronic back pain. I also have CRPS in my right shoulder as a result of two failed shoulder arthroscopies, one in which they cut out the A/C joint (resection). A rep from Boston Scientific told me at my last re-program of my SCS, that they could attach electrodes externally for my shoulder problem. Only problem is that is a W/C case unlike my back problem, and they don't even want to pay for medications or trigger point injections. Is anyone aware of the external SCS applications? Thanks for any info.

Best Regards,
Dave

Welcome!

I'm sorry you've had to go thru all of this, and the CRPS TOO! That is quite a heavy dose of pain you've been dealt.
How is your SCS treating you?
That's an interesting question regarding the external electrodes. Would this be sorta like a TENS unit that you wear off and on? Work Comp can surely put a wrench in things - like you said, they won't even cover your meds.

Well, I'll refer your inquiry to the wonderful group of SCSers. The active posting is down below. Lots of great support! Hopefully you'll get some good input.

It's great to have you with us. Feel free to stick around and let us know how things go for you.

Caring,
Rae

to the land of external electrodes. I gotta wonder Dave, whether the externalities are suggested for hookup to an internal generator..... or just what is in mind of the rep?

I have used an interferential stimulator which was work comp prescribed and paid relevant to my lower body pain. It worked well, but as an external gizmo, was not robust enough to run longer than twenty minutes without need for a recharge. What a drag. Plus the wires were forever getting hooked on this and hooked on that.

Lastly, I hired a well known work comp lawyer who pushed my case very well until we found resolution with the insurance carrier. I would have sunk without counsel.

I will keep my eyes and ears perked in case info on a procedure such as yours comes to mind.

Blessings,
mark56

I just want to extend a welcome for you...please read all you can and there are many here who have great advice and real concern.
I am sorry for your pain.
The first rhizotomies I had were a breeze...they did them with out putting me under
a change in doctors sent me on the SCS path.

keep us updated
Johanna

Dave,
Please try to avoid the surgery. The American Pain Society reported less than 20% ( I hope I have that number correct) really reduce pain. Most times there is little change. Perhaps you could call the home office of Boston Scientific and ask about the external electrodes. How can a Workers Comp company deny you medications? Go to your state insurance commissioner with written denials from the WC carrier and beg for help. It has worked in Delware and Michigan in the past for my clients. So far I haven't had to use them, but I certainly would do so. I am so sorry about your pain and then the insurance difficulties on top of that. Too much stress. drcandy

My SCS failed immediately. I have been in agony since the implant and had it removed 45 days later. I will have problems for the rest of my life now in addition to my neuropathic pain which the SCS was supposed to help.
Having the stim was the worse decision I ever made. Had the docs told me there was a chance of permanent damage to my spinal cord, I never would have done it.

Knowing disclosures as I do regarding medical procedures there must have been some disclosure to you regarding the risks involved by the principal surgeon, the anesthesiologist, the surgical facility in which the procedure was performed..... In the very least the psychological profiling which would have been mandated prior to the procedure would have been filled with questions determined to ferret your potential for realization of risks inherent with the procedure, its potential outcomes, your expectations.

Gently realizing you are, as reported, living life with intractable and horrible pain compounded by injury it is so very unlikely you could have been admitted to the surgical suite as the patient of the hour had you not signed off to statement after statement through which you were informed of possible outcomes. This I have lived so very many times as a patient, the language of the dire consequence potential risks is very nearly burned into my mind's eye.

Things sometimes turn out very much for the bad affecting us. I, for instance, bear permanent nerve damage which will prevent me from doing a good many things I used to know as taken for granted. For you, I so very much hope somehow, in some way, at some time, a means to resolve your situation will become apparent and doable.

I care

Hi Mark........I know of the risks for any surgery that you sign off for. What happened to me was atypical and related only to the SCS. The docs have no idea what happened or why. ..I went home and vomited for 12 hrs. Unknowingly this displaced my wires, and the unit when turned on was stabbing me on the sides of my chest. I began having shaking chills, then I felt like a furnace.
My hands and feet felt as if they were being smacked on concrete. .........I stopped using it after a week when my neuropathic pain got worse........the tech and I saw the doc, found the wires migrated and he sent me home only using the one good side. ..............but it just got worse every time I turned it on which was only a few more times. ...then I started having problems with weak legs and walking.......................so after 45 days it was removed. .......I am living with those symptoms, which were all from the SCS.................my issues are not the normal risks you take with any surgery........I could understand a stroke or cardiac event.........but not this......the horrible unrelenting muscle spasms are the worst