Any questions feel free to ask i have had mine since Aug 24, 2008. i habe lower back and leg pain.
I still take pain meds and they have increased , over the last 8 months , yet i would not give up my stimultor i am 51 almost
i have had two laninectomy / discetomy on my lower spine L3 , L4 both right and left.

I'm SO glad you posted here!!!
I saw your 'New Member' post and jumped right on it as soon as I saw you have an SCS !!
We've got a lot to share! I'm late for an appt right now, but I'll TTYS!!

I too, have a Medtronic....and the exact same pain issues as you! .....Annnnd in the same age range as you.....
oh boy!

awesome, great love to hear your story too!

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Ok, i have NO idea what happened here....... ?

Allow me to just start a new post ..... ehemmm


....this has to be the most unique reason for an edit ever.......

Annnnneeeeewayyyy.......

Gosh, i don't know where to start...?

You've had your implant for some time now, and mentioned that you've had to increase your med dosage.....
I've read that after awhile the SCS can seem less effective, or that our body 'get's used' to this form of pain control (similar to increased tolerance)....
What is your take on this?

People have even described that after the 'honeymoon' period is over, some patients end up disappointed with the pain control becoming less.

What I'm also discovering is that SCS seems to be more successful for patients with neuropathic (burning pain) in the lower extremities.......my concern is that there are many folks here who have full blown RSD and some of the full body RSD was due to it spreading after getting the implant.
This is heartbreaking.

I guess my main question right now is....what type of pain are you treating in your legs? Has it been diagnosed as PN (peripheral neuropathy) nerve damage, burning pain (that is me) ......or ? Were you told you have RSD?

Some Drs seem to think they are one in the same, but my fear as that it is NOT. More and more Drs are pushing these SCS units on patients with both types of pain and I'm seeing so many RSD sufferers put their last hope in the SCS, only to end up getting a spread and making their pain much worse. !
And the LAST thing I would ever want to do is encourage folks to try the SCS, just because I seem to be having success with my nerve damage PN issues......
Am i making any sense here?
I'm sensing that there is a critical difference in the two types of pain issues, yet doctors are so eager to push these units regardless.
Each person's situation is unique. It's a tough call.

The good thing about this tho is that there is the trial implant....but how is an RSD pt supposed to know if they will be at risk for a spread by only getting a few days to try it. ?

I've been doing SO much reading on this issue, but there is never any clear-cut answers....

SO, my hope is that more and more people who have had these units for over a year or so would please step forward and share their experiences.

Not to bombard you with questions......
Just wondering what your view is and what you've been led to believe ?

Thank you for sharing!

Rae

After i re-read that statement, i had to grin....

Does'nt that profound piece of knowledge apply to an actual MARRIAGE as well !!

Yes i never thought of marriage and SCS in the same family but ture lol
my pain is bear with me here i am not the best speller anymore.
Radiculair pain from nnerve damahe and scar tissue in the spine from past surgeries , or so they tell me thats what cause
's it
i have not been told i have RLD assuming you mean restless leg syndrome?
Bu i am pretty sure this factors in there some where,
my pain gets to the point that if i could cut off my leg where it attchas to my hip i might be able to but up with the back pain. which the scs doesnt not cover .
some times the scs gets on my nerves not offten , but when it makes me sick to my stomach , it also tends to come around the front side of me , i get tuned alot,
i yes i have increased my meds , they told me i would prolly be on them forever but hopefully they would be decressed with the scs. did not happen
they are to the point they want ot take me off Norco 10/325 up to 8 aday and but me on Methodone instead , but i am not ready to become this person yet. an i fear drugs.
I would not give up my scs at this time, it keep it on always, some times i have to crank it up to block the pain, like right now i ventured to the grocery store and am paying for it dearly.
i would say do they trail , and see , everyone is so different , but i can say i got better coverage with the permenant one, when i have it off i know it some i do this just to see if my pain is getting better , i can wish lol.
i do wonder sometimes if is causing more back pain then prior to having it , it tense's my back some times when it is up high , so i keep it up long enough to delete the pain in my legs , then i deal with achy back. i dont know if i answered any thing for ya , some time s ya gotto hit me in th head to get a responce i am not what i used to be lol.
but willing to help as much as i can
have a great evening , i check often so i am here

Is your battery rechargable or not. If not does it last a long time before having to replace it. I have a rechargable and the doctor is thinking about changing mine to the non rechargable. My battery stays so sore I can't charge it and so its not going to do me any good. I don't know if I want it changed to where it will only last a year or two or just move it and try another place. It is suppose to last up to 7 years. If I move it and it don't help I'll be back in the same perdicament. So im to the point I don't know if surgery to change it every year or so and not have to recharge it, or try to move it and hope for the best, but if not then more surgery. This is why I was wondering how long your battery has lasted or how much life is used of it if it is the non rechargable. Thanks for any imput!

hello, sorry to hear your having pain
yes mine is rechargeable , i have it tured on 24/ 7 and they tell me it is on the high end of the scale my settings?
i chargbe every week , i never let is get down completely , they other day it went to just a small smidgen left i thought it was going to run out,
My area get warm some times burning , it aches some times , but not enough to move it it is place in my back just above my hip , i am ovwer weight it does poke out some and i have noticed that there is ripples uner the skin now,
i was told 10 yrs they change it , but if you use it alot they will change sooner thinking that will be me. hope that answered you if not please let me know happy to help
have a pain free day

ps this last time i went around two weeks before i charged.
it does take such along time to charge , i should do it more often for shorter periods they said as to not to cause the heating up on the battery on my skin