Hi, I'm Albert
I had my neck broken and some spinal cord damage. They fused me from C2 to C3, then C3 to C6, then C7 to T1. Then they went between C7 and T1 and drilled the bone opened to make space for a Nerve that has been crushed fo over a year. I'm having server pain in the Neck, Right Arm and right hand even with medications. The pain shots from my neck down my right arm into my right hand. I have no feeling in the ring and pinky on my right hand, you can poke them with a needle and I can't feel the pain. I'm on Oxycotin 40mg 3x a day, Perocet 10mg 2x a day, and Naprelan 500mg 2x a day. My Doctor is reccomending that I get a Stiumulator installed into my neck. He states that they place wires into my neck and spine. He said it would send shock waves into the neck and spine threw the Stimulator and this will decrease my pain, hopefuly. Has anyone had this procedure done? Does this device really work? What are the side effects if any? I'm very Nervous about this procedures. This will be the 5th Surgery for this neck. Please if you have any advise or suugestions Please send me your response. Albert

I answered and greeted you here:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread159054-2.html

Just click it and you will go to the other thread in which you posted.

That part about nervousness I did not address in your other post, so here goes the nervous part......

OK, when I first came here seeking answers to my questions, I was VERY NERVOUS about having some more metal stuck in my body since my spine is part titanium already. I was experienced at such surgeries, and they were not fun at all, in fact quite painful, but produced good results. Even so, the nervie pain and numbness lingered.

Ultimately my physiatrist/pain doc suggested my wife and I contemplate SCS as a means to help manage the pain which fully debillitated me, making me bed ridden with the equation of pain and meds galore. I was game, but nervous...... whaddya mean put something on my spinal cord?????? Worried things could get worse, as is among the fine print.... some lawyer must have written all of that stuff [inside joke].

So, bottom line, through God's grace, the gentle reassurance and support I received here, and a lot of desperation, I finally consented to SCS in 2010. It was wonderful!!!! I have been able to resume my career which had been interrupted by the dreadful imprisonment of pain. Matter of fact, I am jotting this to you before I head in to the office. How about that?

SCS applications have been implanted for all manner of pain profile, even facial pain as you may read elsewhere on this forum. So, include the face pain folks, the cervical pain folks with radicular pain into the arms, the thoracic and lumbar pain folks, and you pretty much cover the human body. We are the BORG and resistance is futile! [bad joke, but true].

If you consent to the Trial surgery, the very first step after the psych eval, you will know immediately whether the pain you experience will be managed at all by such a system. For me it was "dying and going to heaven" without the dying part. I was permanently implanted June 30, 2010 and I have not looked back. The future is out there for me and I am striving for it for all I am worth. Do you want to join me on the quest??? It may prove worthwhile.

Prayin for ya,
Mark56

So sorry you have had all the cervical issues. I also liked hearing that Mark in the post below has had a pain pump and it works. I was fused C3-7 and I know about that kind of pain also. My surgery did work for the most part. If the pain level had gone back to what it was, I would have been a candidate for a pain pump. Even if you are frightened, it starts with a trial. You will know right away if it will work for you. then you can get it implanted on a permanent basis. Considering the pain you are already in, I would do it, for the sake of my quality of life. You are already in a state where you are in pain all the time. Do consider it, get your second opinion. I hear more about the good from this device than the bad. I wish you all the best, and I hope you get the help you need to have a good life. ginnie

It's great to have you! So sorry about your broken neck.

Mark has given you some great feedback regarding the SCS

Here is a fantastic link that I like to pass out to everyone:
http://www.nationalpainfoundation.or...e-technologies

It gives a great description of both the Spinal Cord Stimulator and the Pain Pump (2 different systems).

Like Ginny says, go for the trial run. That will tell you whether or not this is for you.
I was nervous at first also, but after coming here to this little forum and communicating with all our other friends here, I realized it really isn't anything to be afraid of, but certainly you want to study up on every aspect about it.

I'm anxious to see how this will unfold for you!

Rae

[QUOTE=Mark56;825658]I answered and greeted you here:



Thanks for helping me understand this procedure. I truly hope that it works for me. Im very tired of pain controling me. Even if it would take the edge off the pain would be bennifical to me. Thanks for you help and God Bless.
Albert

Thanks for the advice and direction. I do hope that it works for me!!!!. Even if it reduces the pain would be a blessing to me. I hate how this pain is controling my life. I will use you advise to help me to remain relaxed. Thanks for your time.
Albert

SOON, soon, soon........

Prayin,
Mark56