Wellll, I was visiting your profile and I found at least one other visitor who "isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer";
I did the "quick reply" thingy and don't know where it went, into cyberspace, maybe? Hope you got it OR get it! Then, if you do, I hope it's readily visible so's I can find it. Told ya I weren't very sharp!; shore ya wanna go thru this walk thru wit me, huh?

Posting your questions is absolutely fine, as through such a method more people learn. I you ultimately desire a bit of talking, that too can be arranged. Open to your best served needs, because YOU are the fella who is hurting.

Happy to help brothers and sisters alike,
Prayin too,
Mark56

Thanks Mark, I'll get started on my list of questions; tomorrow cause I have taken my hit of drugs and you know what that means; nite nite.

Well Larry- No one ever accused me of being the sharpest knife in the drawer either. Imagine those transactions I have worked for about a billion dollars and the attorneys from Philadelphia, New York, and L.A. were comparing their Harvard, Yale, and Stanford ties looking askance at me for it was presumed I was a HICK from a Cow Town. So, I reckon we can be Hicks together if it is OK with you, because gee whiz, I just figured God handed out brains pretty much all the same, but it was the healthy dose of common courtesy which made the person.

Yup,
One who feels each is blessed according to the Lord's will and we have pretty much all the same grey matter,
["oh no, don't let the folks in Wash D.C. realize I let the cat out of the bag"],
Mark56

I went hunting back when I was told I had to have this, too. Didn't stumble onto this forum but did chat with a few folks on another forum about it.

It's just interesting to me how we sometimes react when we're told we're going to be given a very thorough psych eval ... for a surgery! Made me reallllly wonder about what I was getting myself into! Of all things, the fact I had to have this was a big deterrent to me as I just figured if it was that big of a deal that they have to dig into my psyche ... well, let's just say it scared me.

SURE am glad I did it, though. Anyone reading this and doesn't know my short story, let me assure you that I am absolutely a success story for the SCS. Probably close to an 85% pain reduction (overall - some days are as high as near 100% and other days not so much).

Hi Mark. No list cause I had a really bad day with the pain. Thought I was doing good enough to let the wife and daughter go out of town and as it turned out, that was a bad decision. The pain doc is gonna meet us at his clinic cause I'm having a bad flare up thats getting worse and worse. Should have gone earlier but theres no way I can drive. She told me to call an ambulance but I don't want to do that yet. She's about 30 min.'s away so I'll wait. I'll get with you later.

Just so you know we are here, and I see Andy has chimed in re the psych eval, good go Andy!! Pain flares..... oh, how I hate them, and I am glad you are going to be taking this one under control. Bless you, though, for thinking of your wife and daughter, who likely did need some time away. Same thing here. I have striven to be thoughtful for my love, who in her sacrifice has given so much care and blessing to me these seven and a half plus years!!

Prayin all will be well with you,
Mark56

Thank you for chiming in about the psych eval!! Interesting how the mental peering into our soul can be daunting to folks who demonstrably hurt. Even so, my pain doc lets me know such protocol is coming to be reality for a variety of pain related surgical approaches as the insurance companies attempt to discern whether a physician prescribed approach may be somehow thwarted by an armchair doc also known as clinical director of an insurance company whose real interest is protection of the shareholders rather than seeing to the reasonable and warranted care of the injured patient. [Oh my, did I allow my bias to shine again? I doubt I will ever be invited to an insuror hobnob event or agents' conflab].

What wondrous news you have gained such beneficial post tweaking result for your SCS!!!!! We are going to have to induct you into the 85% plus Hall of YEA!!! We broke ground on it at Pooh's ranch recently, a far removed corner of the ranch which was never that good at producing grass for the critters. It is in the middle of Nowhere and is very hard to reach from Anywhere, but definitely in between the red states and the blue states Somewhere.

Yup,
Mark56

My main issue with the eval was, if THIS Is what's required, what is this thing they're sticking into my body?? But - the psychologist I visited did an excellent job of explaining what they're looking for and it actually made sense. It was her willingness to take the time to explain this that really helped me move forward with the procedure. There are so many nut-cases out there that will play any game they can to get attention - including this. Secondly, and perhaps important for other readers, there are coping methods a good, trained and experienced chronic-pain psychologist can help ppl with lifetime chronic pain. I definitely would be doing that, now, had SCS failed for me. I had learned some of the techniques on my own from so many years' practice but know a lot more can be taught/learned.

I tend to think many of us chronic pain-suffers would have a bit of bias against the insurance companies that love to practice medicine on their "patients" yet don't know a thing about what they're doing much less the specifics of our case. My GP has been known to grumble a few times about them stepping over his authority and how he treats his patients. A very caring man he has no use for such folly. He became a GP (a very low-paying profession for a Doctor) because of his care of people.

LOL! That got a good chuckle outta me - thanks! Needed that today...

I'll hope on Something and take the most direct route to Somewhere and find said Hall of YEA!!! and sit down and break bread with some of y'all.

YEE-HAW!!

My wife has spent the last 6 years in your shoes. She had a similar time line as yours ...right down to the 1st settings on the unit. I am totally amazed at the similarities between the two of you...with one exception... She refuses any post op therapy... and her recovery seems to be taking longer because of it. Any way, i will keepp lurking and if there are any Medtronic users out there I woulf like to hear if you are as satisfied with yours, as Mark is with his...

fataboy