I have one BIG question???? I had the SCS implanted on January 3rd. Since the surgery I have severe pain in the shoulder blade area. It is so painful that is feels like there is a knife in my back. The doctor said it was muscle being pulled from the staples. I think its a torn muscle from surgery. Has anyone else experienced this kind of pain. Last night the pain was so severe that it brought me to tears, I have trouble breathing and I could barely raise my arm. I have a call into the doctor right now, but he still is in surgery and who knows when he will get back to me. I have returned to work (secretary) but I've been in pain all day. Anyone have any suggestions and or comments PLEASE!!!
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I've had pain in my shoulder area with the stim on, but of course I dont use that program. I can imagine it may be a muscle or flared nerve. Hope you got a return phone call.

If it has gone this long post surgery and speculation is all you receive from the surgeon, a question I have is whether your surgeon is still "in charge" of your case, or whether you have been released back to your pain management specialist? Reason for the thought is the wondering whether the pain management person who had to have referred you for surgery might have a different take on it.

I have no personal experience with such "surgical" pain since my stim is thoracic mounted for lumbar and legs. The only time I had scapular pain, and it was a killer, was post fusion, when I was literally strong arming my way up from bed..... irritated the muscle, that, and it hurt like a son of a gun until I had deep tissue massage there to help push the knots out.

Prayin it gets better or your surgeon emerges from the OR freezer,
Mark56

Sorry to hear you've been in pain all this time. This certainly needs attention! It's been over 20 days since the implant. You shouldn't be feeling pain this severe and you're having trouble breathing! Mark is right, you should probably let your referring Dr, or pain specialist know about this. Also, keep trying to reach your surgeon.
I'd hate to see you end up in ER if no one is taking you seriously.

Couple of Q's: Are you in this pain even when the SCS is off? Does the pain feel like it's on the surface, or is it more of a deep tissue?

One of your leads might have migrated or something. Hopefully they'll check via fluoroscopy to see what's going on in there

I hope they get back to you soon!

Rae

Hi Mark,
My stimulator is also in the thoracic area for the lumbar-sciatic pain. I had to go to the emergency room on Thursday because the pain was very very severe. My pain tolerance is high probably like everyone else because we have learned to live in pain until the stimulator implant. They think I tore a muscle from the surgery, so only time will heal this (I guess)! I am still under the neorsurgeon's care until I see him again in March for checkup. I'm back at work today but I still have the pain and they gave my muscle relaxers and strong pain pills. The pills still don't help me and the doctor has not called me back. However my doctor was on call the night I went to the emergency room and they called him. I will just have to wait and wait and wait. I just wanted to see if anyone else has had this experience from the implant??

Hi Rae,
Well I ended up in the ER on Thursday night because of the severe pain. They think it is a torn muscle from the surgery. The pain is just left of the incision and the doctor thought the staple was causing it and once he removed them I said that I would feel better---NOT!! The pain is getting worse. I had the SCS implanted in the thoracic area so who knows?? They put me on muscle relaxers and heavy pain pills---still don't help!! I guess what aggravates me even more the doctor still hasn't called since Thursday 1/27/2012-BUT he was on call Thursday when I went to the ER. I am not a complainer and he should know that SO when I told them that it felt like someone is sticking me with a knife in the back I would think he would get back to me. So I left another message today so I guess I sit and wait and wait and wait!!!!!! Don't know what else to do??? Thanks for listening

Hi lynn1667!
So sorry you are having such pain, especially after SCS surgery. I hope you get some relief soon.

I had my stimulators (cervical and thoracic) implanted at the end of June and the thoracic leads replaced with paddle leads in November. Anyway, when I went to have the staples removed there was new pain beside the cervical incision that I discussed with the dr...terrible, stabbing pain. It literally took my breath when I moved that part of my body. He said it was incisional pain, give it some time, etc...it got worse...but then it finally got better and all of that pain subsided. I still don't know exactly what happened, but it was very painful and now it is just sensitive to the touch in the area like a lot of my surgical spots are. I can touch the thoracic incision area with no problem, so with me I think it is more of a nerve problem than muscular. I also have RSD in my left shoulder and this pain was between that shoulder and the incision...

I certainly hope your doctor gets back to you soon and I sure hope you do not have a torn muscle.

Good luck!
Nanc

For me, I had left shoulder blade pain due to my lumbar SCS. The rep. had to reprogram it as the stimulator was, as he put it, activating one of the nerves connected to my shoulder blade. It was very painful but after he tweaked me it went away after a week or so. Took some time for the muscle to calm down and stop hurting. In the meantime I got a kenalog/lidocaine shot into the area of my shoulder blade where it was really hurting, so that helped reduce the pain also.

Hope you get answers and relief!!

Hi Lynn,

I wish I could offer some advice on this type of pain, thankfully the implantation of my SCS went well so did the removal! Mine worked for about 5mths and then all of a sudden stopped, I was in agony all over again and several minor procedures and a surgery since I'm still in dreadful pain.

I hope you take care

Sinéad

Prayin even now Sinéad,
Mark56