At the moment Im just over 7 weeks from surgery. My battery is on my left butt, well more on my hip/waistband area. The actual incision has healed and looks 'sealed' however, I find the actual battery 'sore'. When I lie down I can nearly feel the battery digging into my skin. But moreso when Im lying on the couch or slightly sitting up in bed. You know how when you sit, it kinda 'folds' slightly and it gives me the oddest feeling. I feel as if its going to push up or move even. I also notice that when I feel around the battery, which is rare as I cant stand the feel of it in my body, well not yet anyway, I notice I have little lumps, or well I dunno what to call them only lumps around the actual battery. Is that scar tissue do you think? or just part of me!? Today we went out for lunch and I was able to sit longer than usual because I have my stim on yay!!!!!! but after a while I did feel odd with this feeling of the battery in my back. I always bring a cushion to lean against as I sometimes find the chairs or seats are uncomfortable, or at least not comfortable enough to cater for my back!!. I do hope that what Im feeling is 'normal' and that in a few months I wont even notice it is there!!! just the pleasant feeling of pain relief!

Hi Jackie-

I noticed quite a bit of tenderness until about week 9 after surgery and the swelling of the invasion of my body had begun to abate. Maybe with reduced swelling, you will settle in to your body rhythm with the implanted device. I have felt of the battery site, and notice what I figure is scar tissue. It is just part of the package I figure. Maybe that is what you are feeling as well????

Glad you could get out to eat.... what a liberating effect that has on the psyche!!

Hoping the best,
Mark56

I've been having the same problem with my battery, Jackie. The one on my left is sore and I'm debating whether it's hip pain or the battery. I know they said I had scar tissue on my left side from previous surgeries so hopefully that's not being aggravated. What's weird is that the battery on the right side doesn't seem to bother me. Hopefully as we get to Mark's 9 week mark (pun intended), we'll see a let up on the soreness, too.

It's just too weird how we're both dealing with so many identical issues....

Hi Fiona, it is strange how we both have similiar issues with our stims. Could it be that we are of the same age(or at least I think we are) I was 50in May!! but loving it all the samedont really have a choice!. Im hoping too that it is some scar tissue. Went out for a walk today but I must say I dont find it too helpful for my the back at the moment. I did turn it up 'high' but couldnt stand straight as my legs were so wobbly, well felt it, if they didnt actually wobble, if you know what I mean. So had to turn my stim back down again, about 4 bars now, to help me walk properly. I will say though that it is helping with the burning feeling I get in my legs/thighs. Its relaxing for me when Im sitting down or lying down. While I was recharging yesterday I turned my stim off, dont know why but I feel safer while Im charging, anyway, I had the usual pain/burning/tingling feeling in my legs which I havent really experienced once the stim is on. So thumbs up on that score. But my back isnt getting a lot of benefit really, but time will tell, Im still coming to terms with the whole sensation thing.
Im still putting a surgical bandage on my incision over the battery because Im afraid that I will damage the skin covering it, as Im not convinced that it is 'deep' enough. but then whom am I to know how deep it should go, thats why we have Dr's

Mark I will keep 9 weeks in mind and hopefully I will get past this feeling I have. Id hate to think I will have an extra pain after having my stim implanted, couldnt take that!!

Jackie, I am sorry you are having trouble with your stim battery area. I remember all of that very well. The soreness did finally go away although since I fell it is back but I think it makes sense. If you notice anything soreness or that it looks weird definitely tell your doctor because sometimes there is irritation but it should not be too painful. The first stim they put in was really close to my skin and it stuck out which to me was painful so the revision they moved it in deeper but I think it is much worse now (again that could be because everything is messed up). Well, I hope your incision feels better very soon take care 'sTara

Thanks Tara I will certainly keep an eye on it to make sure it doesnt 'stick' out .....Hope your well and that you will get sorted asap!!

Hi!
Yes, I agree with lots of the above. I would also like to add two things:
1. Make sure you do not have an infection brewing. I know this is rare, but it is worth checking. Look for redness around your incision and battery site. Also, check if it feels warm to the touch. If either of these, call your doc and have the doc check it out.

2. As for the inflammation, I'd add the thought of putting ice packs on the site. It won't harm your battery or mess with it, like heating pads will, and it might help with both the inflammation and the pain. (I like the gel kind, which are flexible!)

I have had my spinal cord stimulator since 2008 and I still usually sleep on my rightt side because of that. Also, if I'm lying on my back, I make sure the area just above that battery site is padded and supported with a pillow.

Just some thoughts!

Thank you all for your advice, really appreciate it.

Today Im having a bad day. I have this awful pain up in my backhigher than usual. Id say parallel with my elbow or above, so not so much my lumbar. Its like a dagger in my back, havent experienced anything this high up before. Im wondering if maybe the lead is doing it? gosh this is all I need. My husband thinks Im overdoing itbut Im not really. Ok I did take one of our dogs (a Westie) who bless him had a hip operation 2 months ago too while I was in hospital. He is hobbling along and me following behind. But I know its not from that because I was exceptionally careful. My Dr did say I could do it, but gently, which I have. Im feeling really low today with this pain. I feel Ive stepped back a bit. Ive my stim on full tilt (well what my body will allow) to see if it will help this pain, but its much higher up!....any ideas?

Thanks guys

Hi Jackie, and I am sorry to learn of your piercing pain high up. I have not had high up pain since the healing of the laminectomy site for implant of my stim. As I recall, yours are percutaneous leads, so I don't have much by way of personal input, unless you twisted too much or some such! Give it a rest and see if that subsides. Here is hoping it does! If not, you may need to get in to the Doc to have them opine on it.

Mark56

My Dear Friend
I'm sorry to hear of your bad day. What you describe sounds hauntingly familiar. We both have the exact same procedures. Does this pain feel like it's coming from your mid-back close to where the incision for the leads is? Also, do you notice a strange sensation in this area when you turn on your stimulator?
I have been dealing with this and the way I describe it is like a 'pulling' sensation when I turn on the unit. I can feel a little 'knot' up there where the leads were placed thru the incision. When you said it feels like a 'dagger', that caught my attention!
The really strange part is that I only feel this when I try to use 2 out of my 3 programs. It almost feels as tho one of the little anchors on the lead is pulling at the muscle. It's so uncomfortable in fact, that I've only been using the one program that this doesn't seem to affect.
From what I've come to believe is that the other 2 programs (which cause the pulling feeling) are somehow using shared electrodes and the one program that does not cause any painful sensation is coming from a lead which does not use the electrodes the other 2 programs use.
I haven't had this confirmed yet and I ended up canceling my tweak session a couple of weeks ago because I was not able to make the appointment at that time.
Try turning your unit off for awhile. Maybe 10, 15, 20 minutes - then turn it on and see if you can 'feel' the sensation I describe where your incision is in your mid back. Or even if you don't feel the exact sensation I describe, just see if your pain subsides after your unit has been off for awhile.

I doubt this is anything for us to get too uptight over, but I do know that it can bring us down. It IS frustrating. I've had many highs and lows here as of late, but now that I've ditched the Neurontin, I can already tell that my mentality is starting to even out.
I've had my unit for 6 months now. During this 'Neurontin' mentality, I have allowed myself to slip into some sort of fear and doubt about whether or not the SCS is really going to get back my quality of life. I'm still struggling with trying to figure out where I stand with all of this and I have hesitated to post about this because I didn't want to bring everyone else down.

I'm going to start a new thread and try to target people who have had their units for longer than we have and see if they will give more input. I really wish they would participate more! My only other option is to have to scout out other patients from different venues to get better feedback on those who have longterm testimonies to help us with.

Hang in there my friend, I too have been very down about several things.
Not having answers and the fear of the unknown. It's been a battle lately to not completely lose my joy.....but I'd like to be able to put the blame on 'bad medicine' and move on.
We'll stick together and get thru this
Rae