Hi Patty

Great to hear that you are getting good relief with your SCS.......

Ive recently (3 weeks ago) had my battery replaced, it was only in 6 months....looooooong story, but I too was exhausted after the operation. I too didnt feel too well afterwards with shivering, headaches, hot/cold....I put it down to the anaesthetic. Although my Dr did think I had maybe a viral infection going on too....

Do you maybe suffer with low blood pressure? I do and constantly have dizzy spells.....but I do know that after an operation we do tend to have low blood pressure so Im thinking could that be the cause.

But if you arent feeling too well I suggest that maybe you phone your Dr just in case and rule out anything wrong.....do you have a follow up appointment coming up post surgery?

Hope all will be well for you soon

Jackie :)

Hi Patty
 

Thank you for this update! :hug: I was wondering how you're doing

Jackie speaks wisdom
I'd recommend jotting these symptoms down so you can have a reference to refer to when you visit with your Dr at your follow up appt.
Also, in case you have any 'problems' in the future, you'll be able to have your notes to refer to in decifering if/when something may not be right and when it started......
I'm probably going to sound like a broken record about this, but I've learned how important it is to speak up if there's a little inner 'voice' trying to tell you something isn't right.

Chances are the headaches are due to the stress that's been put on your body and the meds/anesthesia used for your procedure, but who's to say....
I'd certainly make sure your Dr is aware of this so that it gets put in your chart. Make sure doctor LISTENS

Caring
Rae
:grouphug:

Echoing Jackiey and Rae
 

Write a list and take it to your appointment with the doc so you do not forget to mention issues. I have done this, and it helps with recall when the doc is pressed for time and you become distracted.

I did not suffer the post surgical headaches you mention, so without experience the best deference is to your doc. It could be anesthesia after effects as so many say it takes many days if not a couple of weeks for general anesthetic to leave your system completely.

I guess my notes are pretty much on NT, so maybe I had best print them all out :eek:. It will probably burn up my printer.:D

Prayin the best for you Patty,
Mark56:hug:z

Mark, THANK you for reminding me!
There were a few threads I wanted to print out.....yes! I wanted to show that RSD site to my pain Dr.....

and on the Spine forum, they've given me some very good info that I've been meaning to print.....to take along on my quest to find a good spine specialist

:hug:

Feeling better
 

Thank you all. I am feeling much better now, other than being bored and itchy from the staples and bandages. I want to sshower and go out. I like to stay busy and have always been one to thrive on chaos. If you know my story about my house burning down last May, we are moving back home to a brand new home next wk. So much to do yet I feel useless. I have to siit back and watch others set up my home. Grrr.

No more headaches. In the past I have had low blood pressure but since this whole mess started it's been higher. I did write everything down so when I see the Dr and rep Tues I can look at it. I still have the shortness of breathe though. I do have asthma so have been using my inhalers. Made a primary care Dr appt too so she is aware of what is going on. I also had a vit. D deficiency that she wanted to recheck.

Is it normal for the scs stimulation to get stronger or weaker depending on movement? I'm almost afraid to move, I don't want the lead to migrate.

Common for signal to vary with movement
 

Especially if you take a seated or lying down position, you will note the signal strength increases although you have not changed settings with the remote; anyway, that is my experience. More one of those getting used to it and not to worry things.

Just exercise care in the bend, lift, twist, carry, lifting arms department so as to inhibit lead migration, oh, and extra vigorous activity like running a marathon.:)

Mark56:hug:

Patty dont worry!
 

Patty its absolutely ok that you get different sensations when you move, nothing wrong there at all.

I find that when I get perfect stimulation while Im lying down as soon as I stand up.........its gone!!! but thats ok cos then I have to retune myself while Im standing....this is something Im hoping to sort out much better at my next reprogramming session. But dont be afraid to be somewhat active too.

You just make sure that you dont bend, twist, lift anything heavy, well I was told over 2lbs!! move your arms up over you head in sharp movements especially.......stretch up to reach anything also......its easier said than done, but as you are still pretty sore in the incisions area that itself will be a reminder;)


The theory is that when the leads are 'scarred in' then you shouldnt notice the movements changing the stimulation as much. I remember in the beginning, I had mine implanted in Aug 2010, I only had to move my HEAD:eek:and the stimulation in my back moved :D....but its not so sensitive now!

Do take care and be careful..... I wish you the very best in your new home too....it must be wonderful to be able to get back to your 'home' again.....

Jackie :)

.......and throwing bales of HAY to a 1000 pound mammal of an equinesite nature would be ill-advised as well.....:D

too funny
 

Rrae too funny. Guess I'm just being paranoid about the lead migrating.

Will I have to restrict movement after the 8 wk period or is it really just that period that it'll take to scar in? I'm getting such a stiff neck.

Oh, I know this has been brought up before about having a medical alert bracelet. My doctors office did recomend it so I ordered a nice one from www.laurenshope.com They are interchangeable so I got 2 differant bands.

Patty

Not being paranoid!
 

Patty! NO you are NOT being paranoid!!
One of my leads DID migrate! It can happen pretty easy, especially with percutaneous placed leads.

It's good to be on the safe side and take it very very easy.

I ended up just having the migrated lead REMOVED and I still have ONE lead that (believe it or not) actually does a great job of covering the pain in my legs.
In order to rectify the lead that had migrated, my Dr was going to take it OUT and put in a NEW lead.......I didn't really want to go thru all the post op restrictions all over again......and we decided that, heck, if the one lead is doing a good job, then we'll just stick with the one lead.

Lead migration CAN happen without us even knowing it!! I was walking around for over 6 months with a migrated lead before an xray revealed it!
Crazy, huh! :eek: