God shields and comforts us all, and it is such a blessed comfort to have the attention of the great I AM.

May you ultimately achieve your goal of withdrawal. It reopens the eye of your mind with great clarity to all that is around. Unfogged, I have striven greatly to make use of each of these moments to help others realize their 17 second miracle. My cup of joy runs over continuously!

Praying for you in this Ger,
Mark56

I just wanted to say hello and welcome you like so many have already. I hope there are many people who will be able to answer some of your questions about the pain pump. I wish you all the best. You will meet alot of compassionate folks here. Go for as much relief as you can. I wish you all the best. ginnie

I appreciate the prayers. I do not feel I am a good candidate for the SCS. The one trial did not sit too well with me. Plus, I just don't feel up to anymore surgery. Not sure how to accomplish withdrawal pain and the pain of what is under all these narcotics. As I have read bits and pieces, during the past 6 months, of the road you have travelled. I marvel at what your Trust in God has brought you.

I was researching the electric stimulator last month. It showed where they insert 2 wires in your spine area to break up the pain signal to your brain.
I thought it is only skin deep to my spine. Maybe my tens unit would work.
My pain for the last year was 8 and 10 all the time. I rtake 200mg. morphine.

Ten days ago i started putting the pads on each side of my spine down near my crack. I did twice a day and on the fifth day when i awoke my pain was 2 or 3. I am still doing this twice a day and still no pain.

I have been so happy but afraid to tell any one yet thinking it might come back. If anyone has a TENS UNIT try it.

I pray this will work for all of us.

GEORGE

Ger I am feeling sadness you are not one who can find peace with SCS, but then we are told the Trial is administered for just that reason. Witness Sandy whose medical team did a one up process of implanting due to difficult mechanical issues with her spine, only to have it seem to be on the brink of not working.....

Pain..... how I wish I could understand pain so much better than I do, because its well meant indication of acute conditions causing bodily harm is SO FAR OUT OF THE BALLPARK where chronic pain is at issue. This, I believe, is the reason my pain management specialist is so thrilled, so happy to see me when I appear for a follow up appointment, because I live as a rare enough success. Someone who brings encouragement for my brilliant doctor who so tries to aid people suffering chronic pain. It was he who asked I write the article for the med journal. [written and unpublished].

Reality and truth in the chronic pain management world is that SCS never wipes away all pain. I am convinced while it fools my brain into non-recognition of the signals, those signals are nevertheless generated; hence, the reason I have found my supply of daily energy only goes SO FAR. I acknowledge full awareness the SCS is only a pain manager distinct from meds, perhaps in most cases in addition to meds.

You, dear soul, hope without SCS to wean even so from the opiates. We share the same goal albeit on a different time line. My withdrawal was at once horrible and difficult followed by rapid onset depression, but you know this. Then I emerged gleeful the SCS managed pain well enough to exist without pills or drops or shots. My sister-in-law, Terri, of whom I have written on the RSD forum lives ingesting more than the therapeutic maximum morphine dosage for her doc knows this is the only means by which she can control both real and phantom amputation pain.

God is dearly close to each of Terri and me. This is how we cope and it is so wonderful all we had to do was reach out for He was always near. Some will scoff at my presentation thus, but I can only write from my heart, this experience, my subjective knowledge of both physical and emotional pain of the chronic sufferer.

So GER you are an incredible trusting soul to endeavor withdrawal from pain management meds absent another means to manage your pain. All I have to offer are my prayers and my words of encouragement and comfort. They will always be at your side. This is my mission, my ministry now, to help others however I can, and you are part of my family in pain. May you be well in all ways.

George- if you have found using a Tens, or, as I have in reserve because I used it daily before surgery- an Interferential Neuro Stimulator [far larger than the usual tens boxes which are about the size of a pack of cigarettes (no, I do not smoke), while my INS is about the size of a 250 page paperback novel]. I was told my INS is basically a Tens on steroids, and I believe it having used both. Mine was used in a criss-cross fashion at the low lumbar area, around the sacrum, just above the crack you mention. I used it and used it and used it, leading my doc to believe I might be a good candidate for SCS. I feel blessed both by God and man that the SCS has worked so well for me.

As for you, George, may your Tens usage thus continue to provide all you need. Surgery is not a kind or easy experience. I have experienced 29 since my 2005 auto wreck, and I have little desire to return to an OR as the object of scalpel wielding. So, I will pray for you George that all will be well in your pain management, and would you please pray my SCS will last as long as I live so I never have to go into surgery again?

My Prayers are with both of you, my friends,
Mark56

Mark, I do so believe the strong mind that God has so blessed you with is a very important part of your success. Without that belief, I could not even give this consideration a thought. God's time and mine combined and the Grace to "let go" and Trust in Him. I have, as yet to "let go". Know you are mentioned by name in my prayers, that God will continue Blessing you with the Trust you have given Him.

By the Grace of God and much prayer, next month will be 15 years since I last had a cigarette. I had smoked 2 - 2 1/2 pks. a day for over 25 years.

Currently I am on a total of 240 mg's Oxycotin ER a day, as well as 7.5 mg Percocet 3 to 4 times a day for breakthru pain. Also, nightly, Ambien CR 12.5mg's. Much prayer and Trust is indeed needed.

(Ger)

From me, from all of us Ger, you receive and shall receive prayer!

You conquered cigarettes!! For so long! You have indeed been blessed by such a "breath of fresh air!" In this, you, too, also indicate a strong mind dedicated to God! I am thrilled for you He is such a strong part of your life as well!

Prayin,
Mark56

I am sorry the SCS doesn't do much for you. I also have a question maybe you know about medications. What is the difference between percocet and oxycontin.? I was prescribe a low dose of percocet, but substitue oxycontin is on the lable. Is there a difference? ginnie

Thank you MARK for your comments and prayers. Praying for each other is a powerful medicine that works and does not cost a penny.

Can someone duplicate my post on here to the other PN forum.


Thank you GEORGE

Here is a quick and simple, you can do it cheer! Just highlight and copy the test you have written by placing the cursor at the upper left hand corner of your text, press down on the shift key as you move the cursor to the end of the text you want to copy, release the shift and cursor keys at once, and you will notice the highlighted text in a blue background box. click your right mouse button once to open the drop down menu and select Copy....... then go to your desired place on the PN forum, open the desired thread, click on reply in that thread to open a new dialogue box, provide a title in the Title Box, then click in the message area, just any old place with a good right click, reopening the drop down menu and click on Paste, ET VOILA' you will have just succeeded accomplishing your goal!!

Ready.... Set.....Go!

Best,
Mark56