Originally Posted by hugg724 (Post 675244)

I just want to thank everyone for taking the time to respond. This seems to be the most helpful site out of all the ones I have found. It's rare to hear any good stories about the outcome of the scs. All it seems one can find is the negative (which I realize happen). I am very realistic and know that it can go either way.

Here is my story:

Five years ago, I was playing in a softball tournament one weekend. It rained almost the whole time. I ended up with walking pneumonia a few days later. I literally coughed so hard one night that when I went to get up the next morning, I hit the floor in the most excrutiating pain I had ever felt. They thought I had just pulled a muscle but it turned out I had two ruptured discs. They did a discetomy that didn't work and caused the discs to completely blow out. I did physical therapy and injections trying not to have another surgery because I was terrified of back surgery and the horror stories. This went on for several months until my foot and leg went numb. My neurologist said you can do two things, lose the use of your leg or have surgery to repair the discs because you are risking permanent nerve damage. I did the surgery in Feb. 2006 but ended up with nerve damage anyway. I felt GREAT at first but it wasn't long that it made a turn for the worse again. Scar tissue built up quickly and embedded the nerves at the L4/L5 and L5/S1 levels. Lucky me that I am one who's body produces scar tissue. THEN.....

I had mentioned to my doc about having constant burning pain in my shoulder and my fingers going on for a very long time. I said was that just the stress from my job? He said lets do an MRI just to see. Welllll he got the results and said oh my, your neck is worse than your back ever thought about being. I had 3 ruptured discs that had to be repaired quick. I had a 3 level fusion on my neck a week later.

Fast forward 4 years, NOTHING has helped the pain. I have failed back/neck syndrome, and DDD. I have been through multiple shots, physical therapy, MRI's etc and there isn't much that can be done. They finally told me this is what I am going to deal with the rest of my life. Two years ago, my pain doc wanted me to have the SCS done, I went through the evaluation and was trying to get set up but it took too long. My LTD and company insurance ran out. I was approved for SS disability a few months later but in between that time, my daughter had a baby girl who was born with down syndrome and heart defects. I had to help with her and go through her surgery so my procedure was put on hold. She is now two years old and just a big ray of sunshine in our lives!

The pain is so bad now that I have no life. I can't even walk around the store without barely making it to my car and being down for two days under the influence of pain meds. I have two grandchildren that I can't play with and do things like I want. I told my doc enough if enough, I am READY. If I can get off some of these meds and reduce the pain even 25%, I will take it.

So here I am, scheduled for the evaluation, trying to get the trial done with big hopes that it will hep me regain some of my life to do the permanent implant. I hope you guys don't mind if I bug you to death with questions as I think of them lol